The high priests were vigilant to watch that no "relaxation" should affect the service.

When a man attended to anything outside his business, eyes were upon him; his credit was in danger--that is, his life was in danger.

And the old priests were as ardent as the young ones; the million was as eager to be bigger as the thousand; seventy was as busy as seventeen.

They strove mightily against one another, and the old priests were the most wary, the most plausible, and the most dangerous.

Bibbs learned he must walk charily among these--he must wear a thousand eyes and beware of spiders indeed! And outside the temple itself were the pretenders, the swarming thieves and sharpers and fleecers, the sly rascals and the open rascals; but these were feeble folk, not dangerous once he knew them, and he had a good guide to point them out to him.