of thirty days; and whosoever shall violate this decree shall be taken
and thrown into the den of lions.

"'Given under my hand, at the city of Babylon, on this twelfth day of the
ninth month, and sealed with the seal of the Medes and Persians, which
changeth not.'"

"In this, surely, there is nothing unreasonable," said the easily
flattered king. "My wise presidents and faithful princes could never
propose and advocate a measure that was not highly beneficial in its
results. That which has any tendency to weaken the glorious bond of our
union must be put down, and the safety of the united provinces must be
placed on an immovable basis. If, in your superior wisdom, ye have judged
that this law is called for, may the gods forbid that I should refuse to
give it countenance."

"The measure shall be hailed with universal joy, O king, among all thy
loyal subjects, and let those who dare disobey suffer the consequence!
From this day the name of Darius the Mede shall be a terror to every evil
doer, and all his enemies shall be put to shame."

"Let the king have the writing."

The writing was delivered over to the monarch by a hand that trembled
with excitement.

"It is surely a peculiar enactment," said the king, as he took the pen in
his hand. "I fail to see its strong points, but at this stage of my reign
I am not prepared to oppose a measure that is the offspring of the
combined wisdom of the realm. If my Persian nephew were present, I would