334

swered, “ Nothing has been done for
him.” Then the king said, “ Mor-
decai must be rewarded now for his
services. Go into the court and see
who is there ; I will consult with my
friends how I may best honor this
good man.” So the servants went
into the court, and there they found
Haman; for he was coming very
early to speak about Mordecai, and
to ask the king to have him hanged
upon the gallows which had been
just made. The servants called
Haman, and brought him to Aha-
suerus; but Haman did not know
why he was called, and Ahasuerus
did not know what Haman wished
to say, and why he was so early in
the court.

When Haman came in, the king
did not tell him at first, who the
person was he was so anxious to re-
ward ; he only said to him, “ What
shall be done to the man whom the
king delighteth to honor?” Then
Haman thought, “Who can this
man be? It must be myself, for the
king likes me better than any of the
princes in his kingdom. And now
he is going to honor me; what
honor shall I choose? What shall
I ask him to do forme?” When
Haman had thought a little, he
said, “Let the king’s garments be
brought, and his horse, and his
golden crown; and then let one of
the princes take the man whom the
king 1s pleased to honor, and clothe
him in the royal garments, and put
the crown upon his head, and set him
upon the horse, and bring him on
horseback through the city; and let
it be proclaimed aloud, Thus shall it
be done unto the man whom the king
delighteth to honor.” Then Ahasue-
rus said, “ The man whom I wish

 

THE RESTLESS NIGHT.

to honor is Mordecai the Jew. He
did me a kind service a long time
ago, and has had no reward. Now,
do as thou hast said. Make haste,
and take the royal garments, and
the crown, and the horse; and bring
Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting by
the gate, and let him ride through
the city in triumph; and proclaim
before him, Thus shall it be done
to the man whom the king delight.
eth to honor.”

Haman felt much disappointed to
hear all this, and very angry too; but
he could not disobey the king, nor
accuse Mordecai now; so he went
outand called Mordecai, and clothed
him in the royal garments, and put
him upon the king’s horse, and led
him through the city, proclaiming
before him what Ahasuerus had
commanded. But when all was
over, Haman hastened home to his
house, full of sorrow, and told Ze-
resh all that had happened. And
did she comfort him in his disap- ©
pointment? No; she and _ her
friends were as much frightened and
vexed as Haman was; and they all
said, “Thou shalt not have any
power against Mordecai, but shalt
surely fall before him.” This trou-
bled Haman still more; and he
waited sad and sorrowful, till the

time came for him to go to Esther’s

feast. But how did Mordecai feel
now? He must have felt very
thankful to God, who was giving him
so much favor with the king; but
Mordecai was not proud of his hon-
ors, like wicked Haman. Mordecai
was humble, as all God’s servants
must be; and when he returned
from riding through the city, he
went again to the king’s gate, an
attended to his duties there, without