way to the cheerfulness of his heart, and drank more wine at this (to him fatal) banquet, than ever he had done before in any one day in his whole life. The consequence may easily be conjectured, his senses became overpowered by the potent effect of the wine, and throwing himself upon his couch he fell into a deep sleep. Upon this his servants, already weary with the length of the entertainment, made haste to depart, closing the tent as they departed, and leaving Judith alone with Holofernes in it. But Judith had previously commanded her maid to wait, and be in readiness to attend her, as she should " go forth as usual. And Bagaas had directed that she should remain at the door, to be at hand for her mistress when she required her service.

All the company and attendants having departed, and Judith only left in the tent with Holofernes, who still continued sleeping; she felt the importance of the moment, and that the dangerous and critical time had arrived, in which (and in which only) the deliverance of her country and her people was to be effected. Approaching therefore the side of the bed on which the Assyrian general lay (insensible of his danger), she earnestly prayed to God for strength and power to execute her long intended purpose. When full of

confidence from her supplications, and feeling herself equal to the enterprize, she took the falchion* of Holofernes from the pillow of the bed, and saying "strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day." She struck twice upon his throat with all her might, and severed the head from the body. She then so managed as to conceal and bring it out with her, when she came to join her maid, who was still waiting the approach of her mistress.

As soon as they met, Judith put the head of Holofernes into the bag of provision which the maid always carried; and they both went out, according to their usual custom, unsuspected and unobstructed by any one. But the moment they passed in this fortunate manner, all the out posts and guards stationed about, they hastened with all possible expedition through the valley, and went up the mountain of Bathulia, and came to the gates of the city; and Judith, as soon as she could make herself heard, cried out to the watchmen at the gate, to open it immediately to admit her, for that she brought joyful tidings, and that God would yet spare Jerusalem.

When the men of the city found that Judith was returned, and that they heard her voice, they were on a sudden filled with hope and joy; and

A sword of a peculiar make.

they came running towards her, and they called all the chief people together, and they crowded and ran from all quarters, both great and small, for her return filled them with wonder, and they instantly lighted a large fire, that by the light of it they might see and stand near her, to hear an account of her perilous adventures. Then in a loud voice Judith commanded them all to praise God for the deliverance, which he had brought about by her hand; and then to their astonished eyes, drew forth the head from the bag, and said, "Behold the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the army of Assur: the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman."

Then all joined in solemn thanksgiving for this destruction of their greatest enemy, and next in praises of Judith, who had so imminently risked her life, for the preservation of Jerusalem, her temple, and her inhabitants. Judith then advised them (and all were attentive to her counsel) to take the head of Holofernes, and hang it on the highest place on their walls, and that as soon as morning dawned, every valiant man well armed, with a captain over them, should go out on the mountain and pretend to descend, but not to go down ;-this appearance (she said) would cause an alarm, and that they would run to the tent of their general for instructions how to act; when disco

vering their loss, fear and dismay would fall upon them, and that then they would become an easy prey.

She requested however that before this was put in practice, they would call Achior to her, that he might be acquainted with the fate of him who despised the house of Israel. It was so that when Achior attended in consequence of Judith's wish to see him, and beheld so great a prodigy, as the head of Holofernes in the hand of a man, he was so much overpowered, he fainted away; but soon recovering, he joined in admiration of the conduct of Judith, and earnestly solicited a recital of whatever had occurred to her since her residence in the Assyrian camp. To this she readily assented, "And declared unto him in the midst of the people, all that she had done, from the day she went forth, until that hour she spake unto them."

And when she had left off speaking, all the people shouted with a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in the city. And Achior was so convinced by all these wonderful events, of the truth and purity of the religion of the people of Judea, that he was joined with the house of Israel from that day.

The next morning the sun arose in all its glory, which the men of Bethulia no sooner perceived to dawn, than they took the head of Holofernes, and placed it in the most conspicuous place of the highest wall; and each valiant man taking his weapon, sallied out from the city, under the command of experienced captains.

When the Assyrians beheld this manœuvre, it caused a great commotion in the camp, it being totally unexpected, and they instantly came to the tent of their chief captain, to give him information of this strange event; and said to him who had the charge of all his things, "Waken now our lord, for the slaves have been bold to come down against us to battle."

But what language can express the consternation and distress of Bagoas, when he saw his lord cast dead upon the floor, and his head taken away from him. He uttered a cry of the most agonizing sorrow, and instantly ran to the tent of Judith, and not finding her there, he leaped out to the people, and cried, "These slaves have dealt treacherously-one woman of the Hebrews hath wrought shame upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor; for behold Holofernes lieth dead upon the ground, without a head."

The confusion and dismay which this dreadful intelligence excited in the Assyrian armies is thus

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