Lost trumpet

THE LOST TRUMPET
35
Huebsch himself was quite evidently convinced. I
felt a little dazed, spite remembrance of the man who
had considered his grandmother’s memory insulted
by the Sphinx.
“An&jou believe this ?”
The eyes of the American Jew lost their lazy
good humour ; they made a fine snapping as of flint
and steel in parturition of a flame to uplight an inward
dream. “Why not ? It is a theoretical possibility in
acoustics that such an instrument could be made.
Variations in vibration. . . . Anyway, according to
this manuscript the Trumpet of Joshua was never
used again. It was kept by the Levites in sanctuary
against a great day of need that might come to
Israel. That day, says the MS, was Nebuchadnezzar’s
invasion of Palestine ”
But I could not let that pass. “Surely Jewry had
known many days of need—and desperate need at
that—before the time of Nebuchadnezzar ? This
Trumpet would have been a most seemly instrument
to blow against the gates of Gath and so have spared
the perspirings of the good Samson.”
Adrian stirred. “Who was himself an imported
Babylonian myth.”
“Being naughty in company with the pure
Akkadian sun-goddess Delilah,” completed Marrot.
Huebsch waited with monumental patience;
nodded to each of his interrupters ; resumed undevi-
atingly. “As the manuscript relates, the Trumpet was
desperately wanted at the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s
invasion. And the writer goes on to tell of the