Ithobal seated himself and looked around the hall.  Presently his glance fell upon Aziel, and he scowled.

“Is it common, Sakon,” he asked, “that the seat of a prince should be set higher than that of a crowned king?” And he pointed to the chair of Aziel, which was placed a little above his own upon the dais.

The governor was about to answer when Aziel said coldly:—­

“Where it was pointed out to me that I should sit, there I sat, though, for aught I care, the king Ithobal may take my place.  The grandson of Pharaoh and of Solomon does not need to dispute for precedence with the savage ruler of savage tribes.”

Ithobal sprang to his feet and cried, grasping his sword:—­

“By my father’s soul, you shall answer for this, Princelet.”

“You should have sworn by your mother’s soul, King Ithobal,” replied Aziel quietly, “for doubtless it is the black blood in your veins that causes you to forget your courtesy.  For the rest, I answer to no man save to my king.”

“Yet there is one other who will make you answer,” replied Ithobal, in a voice thick with rage, “and here he is,” and he drew his sword and flashed it before the prince’s eyes.  “Or if you fear to face him, then the wands of my slaves shall cause you to cry me pardon.”

“If you desire to challenge me to combat, king Ithobal, for this purpose only I am your servant, though the fashion of your challenging is not that of any nation which I know.”

Before Ithobal could reply, Sakon cried out in a loud voice:—­

“Enough, enough!  Is this a place for brawling, king Ithobal, and would you seek to fix a quarrel upon my guest, the prince Aziel, here in my council chamber, and to bring upon me the wrath of Israel, of Tyre, and of Egypt?  Be sure that the prince shall cross no swords with you; no, not if I have to set him under guard to keep him safe.  To your business, king Ithobal, or I break up this assembly and send you under escort to our gates.”

Now his counsellors plucked Ithobal by the sleeve and whispered to him some advice, which at last he seemed to take with an ill grace, for, turning, he said, “So be it.  This is my business, Sakon:  For many years I and the countless tribes whom I rule have suffered much at the hands of you Phoenicians, who centuries ago settled here in my country as traders.  That you should trade we are content, but not that you should establish yourselves as a sovereign power, pretending to be my equals who are my servants.  Therefore, in the name of my nation, I demand that the tribute which you pay to me for the use of the mines of gold shall henceforth be doubled; that the defences of this city be thrown down; and that you cease to enslave the natives of the land to labour in your service.  I have spoken.”

Now as these arrogant demands reached their ears, the company assembled in the hall murmured with anger and astonishment, then turned to wait for Sakon’s answer.