"Sherakim, O king, is not to be found."

"Ah, I had forgotten. Sherakim not to be found! Ha, ha, ha! Sherakim not
to be found! The cowardly babbler! Jared, command more wine! Sherakim has
fled--he is afraid of a shadow--he has not the courage of a maiden. Have I
not known him of old? Did not a thunderstorm always make him cry? Ha, ha,
ha! Sherakim the orator! fool! coward!"

"A messenger, O king, from the King of the Chaldeans, desires to be
introduced into thy presence. Shall I conduct him to the apartment?"

"Is he alone or accompanied?"

"Accompanied by armed men."

"Let the messenger be admitted, but let the guard remain behind."

The messenger was accordingly ushered into the presence of Jehoiakim.

"And what business of importance has brought thee into the presence of
the King of Judah?" asked Jehoiakim, with curling lip.

"I stand in thy presence as a bearer of a message from my sovereign
master, King of Babylon."

"Methinks I have seen thee on another occasion."

"And was not my behavior honorable and becoming?"

"Did the King of Judah say otherwise?"