The vessel fell from the monarch's hand! Paleness gathered on his brow! A
sudden trembling shook his whole frame! A cry of terror broke from his
lips!

On the wall, over against the candlestick, there appeared the fingers of
a man's hand, which wrote on the plaster. This was the mysterious sight
that gave terror to the king and alarmed the merry throng.

"Haste ye!" cried the terrified king, "and bring hither my wise men, and
let them give me the signification of the writing. Go in haste!"

Messengers were speedily hurried to summon the magicians and wise men
into the presence of the monarch, and within a short period the whole
"college" stood before the agitated sovereign in the midst of the
banqueting hall.

"Look ye yonder!" said the king, with a trembling voice, pointing to the
mysterious writing. "Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the
interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of
gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

The wise men gazed in silent astonishment on the writing, cast solemn
glances at one another, and at last frankly confessed that it was written
in a language with which they had no acquaintance--peradventure,
understood only by the gods.

"What shall I do?" cried the king, in deep agony. "I fear some awful
calamity is about to befall me! A curse upon you pretenders' Depart from
my presence! O ye gods, what shall I do?"