and for his friends, and told them boastingly how the king had promoted him above all the princes; and he added that Esther the queen held him in like honour, for that she had suffered no man but himself to come to the banquet she had prepared for the king. "And to-morrow," added the vainglorious Haman, "am I invited unto her also with the king." But Haman declared that all his pleasure was spoiled by the sight of his enemy Mordecai sitting in the gate. Then his wife and friends counselled him to cause a gallows to be built, fifty cubits high, and to speak to the king on the morrow, that Mordecai should be hanged thereon. Haman approved of this idea, and caused the gallows to be prepared, in the expectation of soon being able to take revenge upon his enemy.

But already the punishment of his malice was coming upon him. That night the king could not sleep, and therefore he ordered that the chronicles of his kingdom should be read before him. This was done, and the portion read contained an account of the conspiracy Mordecai had discovered. The king asked what reward had been given to this man; and finding that he had received none, asked Haman, who was just coming in to speak about having Mordecai hanged, "What should be done unto the man whom the king delighted

to honour?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "I am the person whom the king is about to honour." Therefore he advised that the person whom the king pleased thus to distinguish should be mounted on the king's own horse, and clad in the king's garb, and thus paraded through the city, while proclamation was made before him of the king's favour. Then the king said to Haman, "Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate."

Wouldst thou from sorrow find a sweet relief?
Or is thy heart oppressed with woes untold?
Balm wouldst thou gather for corroding grief?
Pour blessings round thee like a shower of gold;
Rouse to some work of high and holy love,
And thou an angel's happiness shalt know,
Shalt bless the earth.

THE REST OF ESTHER'S HISTORY.

And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. Esther, viii. 17.

HAMAN dared not disobey the command of the king his master; but it was with a very heavy heart that he set about fulfilling it. He was obliged to parade his enemy Mordecai through the city, and to show him to all the people as a man whom the king delighted to honour, while he had hoped to see Mordecai hanging on the gallows, instead of riding on the king's horse. No wonder, therefore, that Haman went home sorrowful and downcast. But now the king's chamberlains came to summon Haman to the banquet Queen Esther had prepared, and he went with them.

What happened at this banquet you shall read in the words of the Bible, as it is told in the Book of Esther: "So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther, What