Page 140 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

see how it can well fail of its purpose to remove the stubborn and inflexible old Jew.
But it seems to me that one thing has not been mentioned, though doubtless your
lordships have thought of it. When we hat rid of Daniel we still have Darius. I am

afraid that when he finds that he has been duped, and that we have inveigled him into
smiting down his friend with his own hand, he will not be in a very good temper. He
can be restrained from changing the proclamation that will affect Daniel, but there is
nothing to prevent him from making another proclamation to retaliate against us.”

“That aspect of the thing has been thought of. We are counting on the fact that
Darius will be so inflated with pride about the whole thing, that when he finds that one
in whom he has placed so much confidence and of whom he has been so fond, has
publicly flaunted and defied him, he will turn against him. Moreover, after Daniel has

been fed to the lions, he will be more than ever dependent on us to keep the
governmental machinery intact,” Adalia explained.
“If you will bear with me for one more speech,” Metach resumed, “I feel I must
speak one further word of caution. It is known to us older Babylonian residents, who

have never forsaken the gods of Babylon for the Jewish Jehovah, that their God has
performed remarkable things in behalf of these men of the captivity of Judah.
“Though but a young lad when the thing occurred, I remember distinctly the
occasion on which Shadrach. Meshach and Abednego, the friends of this Daniel,

refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image and were cast into a furnace so hot that
those who committed them to the flames died of the heat, but those three were
completely untouched by the heat in which they stayed for nearly an hour. If you will
pardon my doubts and skepticism, I cannot but wonder if the lions will prove any

deadlier to Daniel than Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace did to his friends.”
“Death at the jaws of lions is a favorite form of capital punishment among us
Persians and it has never yet failed,” answered Parmashta. “The lions are kept
sufficiently hungry that any human meat that is fed to them is most welcome. These

fierce lions have been brought here from India to the East and the distant jungles of
Africa to the South. You need have no fear that the lions will show any distaste for the
Hebrew, even though his flesh will not be young and tender!” With the last bit of grim
humor the discussion was concluded. There was no further dissent expressed. The

presidents called for all who were then present to meet again the day following for
audience with the king, at which time the plan would be proposed.

As the meeting was adjourned, Metach said to himself: “I will not be here!!”