saint. He was a scourge in God's hand, as is famine or the plague, but that does not make either of them a wholesome visitation."—"What! says he, Does not God call him his servant? Does he not say that he did his bidding about Tyre, and that he gave him Egypt to plunder for his recompence? Was not it by God's command he led his people into captivity? and did not he believe in God, when Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego escaped from the fiery furnace? Surely he must be a saint."—"I am perfectly satisfied, said I, and give my consent to his canonization, rather than either your majesty, or Abba Salama, should excommunicate me upon the question." He now laughed out, and seemed greatly diverted, and was going to speak, when Tecla Mariam, and a number of others, came in. I withdrew to the side with respect, as the secretary had a small piece of paper in his hand. He staid about two minutes with the king, when the room filled, and the levee began. I wished Tecla Mariam might not be the worse for last night's sitting up. "The better, the better, says he, much the better. You see we are becoming all good, day and night we are busy about religion."—"Are you upon Nebuchadnezzar to-day, friend? said I; the king says to me he is a saint."—"Just such a saint, I suppose, says he, as our Ras Michael, who, I believe, is jealous of him, for he is going himself to decide this dispute immediately. Go to the Ashoa[1] and you will hear it."
There was a number of people in the outer court of the king's house, crying very tumultuously for a convocation of the church. At twelve o'clock there was no word of Mi-chael
- ↑ The largest court, or outer space, surrounding the king's house.
