A universal alliance might suffice, but, alas! that was impossible, except--and upon the exception how long and earnestly he had dwelt!--except a hero would come from one of the suffering nations, and by martial successes accomplish a renown to fill the whole earth.

What glory to Judea could she prove the Macedonia of the new Alexander! Alas, again! Under the rabbis valor was possible, but not discipline.

And then the taunt of Messala in the garden of Herod--"All you conquer in the six days, you lose on the seventh." So it happened he never approached the chasm thinking to surmount it, but he was beaten back; and so incessantly had he failed in the object that he had about given it over, except as a thing of chance.

The hero might be discovered in his day, or he might not.
God only knew.

Such his state of mind, there need be no lingering upon the effect of Malluch's skeleton recital of the story of Balthasar.