The Young Captives Part 20

"The thing is done," said Darius. "Is there anything more that ye wish to communicate to the king?"

"Thy goodness is ever abundant, O king," answered Fraggood. "This is all that we have to present this day. Will the king accept our united grat.i.tude for the kind manner in which we have been received into the presence of the mightiest monarch that ever swayed a scepter? Long live our matchless king! We shall no longer trespa.s.s on thy time. We return to our respective stations, to carry out the pleasure of our king."

The conspirators, with bounding hearts, made their way in haste and entered the house of President Fraggood, and there gave vent to the fiendish joy of their malicious hearts at the success of their nefarious scheme.

"Now we must be on the watch," said Kinggron, "or he will, after all, escape. Let three of our number be appointed, and let them be called 'The Union Safety Committee,' whose business it shall be to mark well the movements of the old Hebrew, and prepare, for all emergencies, ready answers for the ears of the king."

"Thou hast well thought," answered Fraggood, "for I apprehend that as yet we are not quite out of danger. I fear this measure will be repulsive to the king, when he thinketh of it in all its parts; and more repulsive still, when he finds the first transgressor to be none other than the first president. Let us be prepared for the mighty contest! This is a movement that will justify desperate measures. Things must be resorted to that, in other matters, would be justly condemned. The object in view must justify our every step. Our words have gone forth to the king that this law is the fruit of the calm deliberations of all the presidents.

Now, in regard to the future of this matter, there must be no cowardly apologies, no lame explanations, no faltering embarra.s.sment, nor weak equivocation. Let us still unitedly adhere to every statement that we have made. And shall the testimony of one be strong enough to impeach the testimony of six men? Nay, verily! Let us, therefore, be firm, and we shall not only succeed in condemning the old Israelite, but also prove him a liar. Are we now ready to swear solemnly, in the presence of the G.o.ds, that our testimonies, if called before the king, shall say that this Daniel was concerned in framing this law?"

"All ready, most n.o.ble Fraggood!" was the united reply.

"Then we swear!"

The next day, by order of the presidents, the streets of Babylon rang with the proclamation of the new law. Heralds were sent to and fro, who, at the top of their voices, sounded the peculiar edict throughout every thoroughfare. At first it was thought by many to be a mischievous hoax, but it was soon found to be stern reality. Nothing could exceed the astonishment and consternation produced among the inhabitants when they first heard it; it was so unlike anything they could expect from the mild Mede. Not only among the Hebrews, who were numerous in the city, was this singular law looked upon as monstrous in its nature, but also by the great body of Chaldeans, many of whom were warmly attached to the worship of their G.o.ds. The shortness of the period in which it was to be enforced, however, served to quiet them in a manner. Thirty days would soon be over, and then they would closely watch the future movements of their new king.

The "Union Safety Committee" acted well their part. Daniel, perfectly acquainted with all their movements, gave himself no uneasiness. With full confidence in his G.o.d, he rolled his burden upon Jehovah, and felt the perfect a.s.surance that all would be well.

To Fraggood and Kinggron the devotional hours of the first president were well known; and at such hour it was necessary that they should, under some pretense, find their way into his worshiping chamber. To find such an excuse was but the work of a moment to those so expert in mischievous plots as the two presidents.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, when the loud voices of the heralds proclaiming the peculiar enactment fell on his ears, he laid by his parchment, closed his eyes for a moment in silent devotion, then rose and calmly entered that little chamber, where he had so often, for so many years, bowed before the G.o.d of his fathers. There he had sat for many hours in silent meditation on the length of Judah's captivity, and cried, "How long, O Lord, how long!" A dear spot to the man of G.o.d that little chamber had been for many a long year.

"From the days of my childhood I have prayed to the G.o.d of my fathers,"

soliloquized Daniel. "I well remember when, by the side of my mother, while I was yet but a little child, I bowed the knee in humble adoration of my G.o.d. From that day to this, throughout my long, weary pilgrimage, I have always prayed and offered my pet.i.tions to the Most High. And am I now to be frightened in my old age from the worship of my G.o.d through the fear of the lions? Is this the strength of Daniel's faith? I laugh to scorn their blasphemous law!"

Soon after Daniel had left for his devotional exercises, the members of the "Union Safety Committee" (Fraggood, Bimbokrak and Scramgee) were seen on their way from the house of Kinggron, moving in the direction of the house of the first president.

"If we find him in prayer before his G.o.d," said Fraggood, "we shall not be called upon to offer any excuse for our calling. We will ask forgiveness for the intrusion and retire. But if we find him otherwise, our object seems reasonable indeed."

"May the G.o.ds grant that we need not speak of our object," said Bimbokrak.

By this time the "committee" had arrived at the door of the mansion.

Fraggood led the way into the office; but the first president was not there.

"Hark ye!" whispered Fraggood. "Hark!"

"It is the voice of prayer!" said Bimbokrak.

"Silently! Silently!" answered Scramgee, "or he will surely hear us."

"Follow me!" said the president. "Tread lightly!"

The "committee," with beating hearts and light footsteps, sought the chamber whence came the sound of prayer. They soon found the spot; the door was open, and the man of G.o.d, on his bended knees, was engaged in solemn devotion.

They gazed upon him for a moment; he saw them not, for his countenance was turned in another direction. Fraggood did not wish to return without acquainting Daniel of his presence, but still he wished to escape an interview. Therefore, in a voice that the first president would surely hear, he said:

"We beg pardon for this intrusion. Let us not disturb our most excellent friend whilst he makes his pet.i.tions to his G.o.d."

The Hebrew prophet gently turned his head, but he saw only the receding forms of the members of the "committee" as they hastened to the street below, and so he continued his supplications to the G.o.d of his fathers.

The "Union Safety" men were soon back again at the house of President Kinggron, and great was the demonstration of joy at the promised success of their malignant plot.

The next morning witnessed again the guilty form of the leading conspirator, with his two accomplices, on the way towards the king's palace. They were admitted, and were soon in the presence of their king.

"And what good thing do the presidents desire of the king?" asked Darius, in rather a surly mood, for, the more he thought of their new statute, the more repulsive it appeared in his sight.

"O king, live forever!" replied Fraggood, with a deceitful smile on his countenance. "Hast thou not signed a decree that every man that asketh a pet.i.tion of any G.o.d or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"

"The thing is true," answered the king, "according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."

"Then it is made our painful duty to inform thee that Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou has signed; but maketh his pet.i.tion three times a day."

"Daniel!" replied the king. "I know of no Daniel but my worthy first president, whom ye say a.s.sisted in making this law."

"This same Daniel, O king, thy first president, is the guilty one!"

answered Fraggood. "After having exerted his influence with thy servants to make the law, he is now the first of all to transgress. In this he hath but sought an opportunity to show thee, O king, how utterly he disregardeth all thy wise commandments."

"What!" said the king, suddenly rising to his feet. "Daniel, the first president in the kingdom? Daniel, noted for his wisdom and prudence?

Impossible! Ye have been wrongly informed! Beware how ye thus accuse the best man in Babylon!"

"Thy servants wonder not at thy astonishment, O king! If we had not been eye-witnesses to the thing, we could have in no wise believed it; but the eyes and ears of thy servants are witnesses against him. He offers his pet.i.tions, and tramples upon the authority of our king."

"His pet.i.tions!" cried the excited king. "And to whom does he offer his pet.i.tions?"

"He daily offers his pet.i.tions to his G.o.d, O king!"

"His G.o.d! Wiseman! Who can--But--If--Say ye not that Daniel was concerned in making this law?"

"Yea, verily, O king! May the G.o.ds forbid that we should utter aught but truth in the presence of King Darius!"

"To me it seemeth a strange thing that Daniel, the worshiper of the G.o.d of Israel, should frame a law that bears oppressively on himself and upon thousands of his nation within the realm. And it seemeth still more strange to the king that he should be the first transgressor! Already have I sorrow of heart because I signed the decree; but the thing is done, and my name must go down to posterity as the name of a fool. There is a mystery connected with this affair that to me, as yet, is inexplicable. If by any means I find that I have been wrongly dealt with, by all the G.o.ds I swear I will pour vengeance on the guilty heads!"

"If thou wilt permit the four princes to testify, they will say, with thy servant, that this Daniel was the chief mover in the formation of this law."

"At present I have no desire to hear from any of the princes. But to think of casting Daniel into the den of lions is mournful beyond description--it must not be done!"

"So say we all, O king, when we consult our feelings; but the decree is signed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, and cannot be altered. The honor of the king depends upon the faithful execution of all his laws; and if in this one point thou failest and let the guilty one escape, thy subjects will laugh at thy timidity, and lawlessness will prevail throughout our borders."

"Of this we may speak hereafter. I must see the first president and learn more of this matter ere I take another step in this unhappy affair."

On the departure of the conspirators, the king immediately sent for Daniel, and soon the Hebrew prophet stood in the presence of Darius the Mede. On his countenance rested that same calm smile. The king gazed upon him for a moment, and could not but notice the contrast between the serene, n.o.ble countenance of the Hebrew prophet, and the uneasy, agitated visage of President Fraggood.

"Thou standest before the king, O Daniel, accused as an evil doer! What sayest thou for thyself?"

"What is the nature of thy servant's offense, O king?"

"Thou art accused of violating a law, chiefly of thine own making, by offering thy pet.i.tions to thy G.o.d. To the king it seemeth strange indeed that he who was the first mover in the formation of a new law, should be the first one to transgress it. What meaneth all this?"