IN EVIL PLIGHT 183

troublesome to run him through as he lay senseless on the
ground than to carry him off and keep him a prisoner.

This idea confirmed the suspicion he had first enter-
tained, that the assault had been organized by Ben Solo-
man. He could have no real interest in the king, for he
was ready to join in the organization against him could he
have obtained his own terms. He might intend to gain
credit with the royal party by claiming to have stopped a
dangerous plot, and at the same time to benefit himself by
bringing about the expulsion or death of many of his for-
eign trade rivals. For this end the Jew would desire that
he should be taken alive, in order to serve as a witness
against the others. “ He will not get any names from me,”
he said; ‘besides, none of them have promised to take
any active measures against Augustus. I did not ask them
to doso. There is no high treason in trying to influence
public opinion. Still, it is likely enough that the Jew
wants to get me to acknowledge that an insurrection was
intended, and will offer me my freedom if I will give such
testimony. As I am altogether in his power, the only
thing to do is to pretend to be a great deal worse than I
am, and so to gain time till Iam strong enough to try to
get away from this place.”

All this was not arrived at at once, but was the result of
half-dreamy cogitation extending over hours, and inter-
rupted by short snatches of sleep. He was conscious that
from time to time some one came into the room and spoke
to his guard, and that three or four times wine was poured
between his lips. Once he was raised up and fresh cloths
dipped in water and bandages applied to his head. In
the evening two or three men came in, and he believed
that he recognized the voice of one of them as that of Ben
Soloman. One of the men addressed him suddenly and
sharply in Swedish.

“ How are you feeling, are you in pain? We have come
here to give you your freedom.”