elissa-第10部分

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Well　might　she　weep；　for　she　had　been　false　to　her　oath　as　a

priestess；　uttering　as　a　message　from　the　goddess　that　which　she　had

learnt　from　the　lips　of　man。　More；　she　could　not　rid　herself　of　the

remembrance　of　the　scorn　and　loathing　with　which　the　Prince　Aziel　had

looked　upon　her；　or　of　the　bitter　insult　of　his　words　when　he　called

her；　〃a　girl　of　the　groves；　and　a　murderess　of　children。〃



It　chanced　that；　so　far　as　Elissa　was　concerned；　these　charges　were

utterly　untrue。　None　could　throw　a　slur　upon　her；　and　as　for　these

rare　human　sacrifices；　she　loathed　the　very　name　of　them；　nor；　unless

forced　to　it；　would　she　have　been　present　had　she　guessed　that　any

such　offering　was　intended。



Like　most　of　the　ancient　religions；　that　of　the　Ph？nicians　had　two

sides　to　ita　spiritual　and　a　material　side。　The　spiritual　side　was　a

worship　of　the　far…off　unknown　divinity；　symbolised　by　the　sun；　moon

and　planets；　and　visible　only　in　their　majestic　movements；　and　in　the

forces　of　nature。　To　this　Elissa　clung；　knowing　no　truer　god；　and　from

those　forces　she　strove　to　wring　their　secret；　for　her　heart　was　deep。

Lonely　invocations　to　the　goddess　beneath　the　light　of　the　moon

appealed　to　her；　for　from　them　she　seemed　to　draw　strength　and

comfort；　but　the　outward　ceremonies　of　her　faith；　or　the　more　secret

and　darker　of　them；　of　which　in　practice　she　knew　little；　were　already

an　abomination　in　her　eyes。　And　now　what　if　the　Jew　prophet　spoke

truly？　What　if　this　creed　of　hers　were　a　lie；　root　and　branch；　and

there　did　lie　in　the　heavens　above　a　Lord　and　Father　who　heard　and

answered　the　prayers　of　men；　and　who　did　not　seek　of　them　the　blood　of

the　children　He　had　given？



A　great　doubt　took　hold　of　Elissa　and　shook　her　being；　and　with　the

doubt　came　hope。　How　was　itif　her　faith　were　truethat　when　she

took　the　name　of　the　goddess　in　vain；　nothing　had　befallen　her？　She

desired　to　learn　more　of　this　matter；　but　who　was　to　teach　her？　The

Levite　turned　from　her　with　loathing　as　from　a　thing　unclean；　and

there　remained；　therefore；　but　the　prince　Aziel；　who　had　put　her　from

him　with　those　bitter　words　of　scorn。　Ah！　why　did　they　pain　her　so；

piercing　her　heart　as　with　a　spear？　Was　it　becausebecausehe　had

grown　dear　to　her？　Yes；　that　was　the　truth。　She　had　learned　it　even　as

he　cursed　her；　all　her　quick　southern　blood　was　alight　with　a　new

fire；　the　like　of　which　she　had　never　known　before。　And　not　her　blood

only；　it　was　her　spirither　spirit　that　yearned　to　his。　Had　it　not

leapt　within　her　at　the　first　sight　of　him　as　to　one　most　dear；　one

long…lost　and　found　again？　She　loved　him；　and　he　loathed　her；　and　oh！

her　lot　was　hard。



As　Elissa　lay　brooding　thus　in　her　pain；　the　door　opened　and　Sakon；

her　father；　hurried　into　the　chamber。



〃What　is　it　that　chanced　yonder？〃　he　asked；　for　he　had　not　been

present　in　the　sanctuary；　〃and；　daughter；　why　do　you　weep？〃



〃I　weep；　father；　because　your　guest；　the　prince　Aziel；　has　called　me

'a　girl　of　the　groves；　and　a　murderess　of　children；'〃　she　replied。



〃Then；　by　my　head；　prince　that　he　is；　he　shall　answer　for　it　to　me；〃

said　Sakon；　grasping　at　his　sword…hilt。



〃Nay；　father；　since　to　him　I　must　have　seemed　to　deserve　the　words。

Listen。〃　And　she　told　him　all　that　had　passed；　hiding　nothing。



〃Now　it　seems　that　trouble　is　heaped　upon　trouble；〃　said　the　Ph？nician

when　she　had　finished；　〃and　they　were　mad　who　suffered　the　prince　and

that　fierce　Issachar　to　be　present　at　the　sacrifice。　Daughter；　I　tell

you　this：　though　I　am　a　worshipper　of　El　and　Baaltis；　as　my　fathers

were　before　me；　I　know　that　Jehovah　of　the　Jews　is　a　great　and

powerful　Lord；　and　that　His　prophets　do　not　prophesy　falsely；　for　I

have　seen　it　in　my　youth；　yonder　in　the　coasts　of　Sidon。　What　did

Issachar　say？　That　before　the　moon　was　young　again；　this　temple　should

run　red　with　blood？　Well；　so　it　may　happen；　for　Ithobal　threatens　war

against　us；　and　for　your　sake；　my　daughter。〃



〃How　for　my　sake；　father？〃　she　asked　heavily；　as　one　who　knew　what　the

answer　would　be。



〃You　know　well；　girl。　Ever　since　you　danced　before　him　at　the　great

welcoming　feast　I　made　in　his　honour　a　month　ago　the　man　is　besotted

of　you；　moreover；　he　is　mad　with　jealousy　of　this　new…comer；　the

prince　Aziel。　He　has　demanded　public　audience　of　me　this　afternoon；

and　I　have　it　privately　that　then　he　will　formally　ask　you　in　marriage

before　the　people；　and　if　he　is　refused　will　declare　war　upon　the

city；　with　which　he　has　many　an　ancient　quarrel。　Yes；　yes；　king

Ithobal　is　that　sword　of　God　which　the　Jew　said　he　saw　hanging　over

us；　and　should　it　fall　it　will　be　because　of　you；　Elissa。〃



〃The　Jew　did　not　say　that；　father；　he　said　it　would　be　because　of　the

sins　of　the　people　and　their　idolatries。〃



〃What　does　it　matter　what　he　said？〃　broke　in　Sakon　hastily。　〃How　shall

I　answer　Ithobal？〃



〃Tell　him；〃　she　replied　with　a　strange　smile；　〃that　he　does　wisely　to

be　jealous　of　the　prince　Aziel。〃



〃What！　Of　the　stranger　who　this　very　day　reviled　you　in　words　of　such

shame；　and　so　soon？〃　asked　her　father　astonished。



Elissa　did　not　speak　in　answer；　she　only　looked　straight　before　her；

and　nodded　her　head。



〃Had　ever　man　such　a　daughter？〃　Sakon　went　on　in　petulant　dismay。

〃Truly　it　is　a　wise　saying　which　tells　that　women　love　those　best　who

beat　them；　be　it　with　the　tongue　or　with　the　fist。　Not　but　what　I

would　gladly　see　you　wedded　to　a　prince　of　Israel　and　of　Egypt　rather

than　of　this　half…bred　barbarian；　but　the　legions　of　Solomon　and　of

Pharaoh　are　far　away；　whereas　Ithobal　has　a　hundred　thousand　spears

almost　at　our　gate。〃



〃There　is　no　need　to　speak　of　such　things；　father；〃　she　said；　turning

aside；　〃since；　even　were　I　willing；　the　prince　would　have　nought　to　do

with　me；　who　am　a　priestess　of　Baaltis。〃



〃The　matter　of　religion　might　be　overcome；〃　suggested　Sakon；　〃but；　no；

for　many　reasons　it　is　impossible。　Well；　this　being　so；　daughter；　I

may　answer　Ithobal　that　you　will　wed　him。〃



〃I！〃　she　said；　〃I　wed　that　black…hearted　savage？　My　father；　you　may

answer　what　you　will；　but　of　this　be　sure；　that　I　will　go　to　my　grave

before　I　pass　as　wife　to　the　board　of　Ithobal。〃



〃Oh！　my　daughter；〃　pleaded　Sakon；　〃think　before　you　say　it。　As　his

wife　at　least　you；　who　are　not　of　royal　blood；　will　be　a　queen；　and

the　mother　of　kings。　But　if　you　refuse；　then　either　I　must　force　you；

which　is　hateful　to　me；　or　there　will　be　such　a　war　as　the　city　has

not　known　for　generations；　for　Ithobal　and　his　tribes　have　many

grievances　against　us。　By　the　gift　of　yourself；　for　a　while；　at　any

rate；　you　can；　as　it　chances；　make　peace　between　us；　but　if　that　is

withheld；　then　blood　will　run　in　rivers；　and　perhaps　this　city；　with

all　who　live　in　it；　will　be　destroyed；　or　at　the　least　its　trade　must

be　ruined　and　its　wealth　stolen　away。〃



〃If　it　is　decreed　that　all　these　things　are　to　be；　they　will　be；〃

answered　Elissa　calmly；　〃seeing　that　this　war　has　threatened　us　for

many　years；　and　that　a　woman　must　think　of　herself　first；　and　of　the

fate　of　cities　afterwards。　Of　my　own　free　will　I　shall　never　take

Ithobal　for　husband。　Father；　I　have　said。〃



〃Of　the　fate　of　cities；　yes；　but　how　of　my　fate；　and　that　of　those　we

love？　Are　we　all　to　be　ruined；　and　perhaps　slaughtered；　to　satisfy

your　whim；　girl？〃



〃I　did　not　say　so；　father。　I　said　that　of　my　own　free　will　I　would　not

wed　Ithobal。　If　you　choose　to　give　me　to　him　you　have　the　right　to　do

it；　but　know　then　that　you　give　me　to　my　death。　Perhaps　it　is　best

that　it　should　be　thus。〃



Sakon　knew　his　daughter　well；　and　it　did　not　need　that　he　should

glance　at　her　face　to　learn　that　she　meant　her　words。　Also　he　loved

her；　his　only　child；　more　dearly　than　anything　on　earth。



〃In　truth　my　strait　is　hard；　and　I　know　not　which　way　to　turn；〃　he

said；　covering　his　face　with　his　hand。



〃Father；〃　she　replied；　laying　her　fingers　lightly　on　his　shoulder；

〃what　need　is　there　to　answer　him　at　once？　Take　a　month；　or　if　he　will

not　give　it；　a　week。　Much　may　happen　in　that　time。〃



〃The　counsel　is　wise；〃　he　said；　catching　at　this　straw。　〃Daughter；　be

in　the　great　hall　of　audience　with　your　attendants　three　hours　after

noon；　for　then　we　must　receive　Ithobal　boldly　in　all　pomp；　and　deal

with　him　as　best　we　may。　And　now　I　go　to　ask　peace　for　the　Levite　from

the　priests　of　El；　and　to　discover　whom　the　sacred　colleges　desire　to

nominate　as　the　new　Baaltis。　Doubtless　it　will　be　Mesa；　the　daughter

of　her　who　is　dead；　though　many　are　against　her。　Oh！　if　there　were　no

priests　and　no　women；　this　city　would　be　easier　to　govern；〃　and　with

an　impatient　gesture　Sakon　left　the　room。



****



It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　great　hall　of　audience

in　Zimboe　was　crowded　with　a　brilliant　assemblage。　There　sat　Sakon；

the　governor；　and　with　him　his　council　of　the　notables　of　the　city；

there　were　prince　Aziel　and　among　his　retinue；　Issachar　the　prophet；

fierce…eyed　as　ever；　though　hardly　recovered　from　the　rough　handling

he　had　experienced　in　the　temple。　There　were　representatives　of　the

college　of　the　priests　of　El。　There　were　many　ladies；　wives　and

daughters　of　dignitaries　and　wealthy　citizens；　and　with　them　a　great

crowd　of　spectators　of　all　classes　gathered　in　the　lower　part　of　the

hall；　for　a　rumour　had　spread　about　that　the　farewell　audience　given

by　Sakon　to　King　Ithobal　was　likely　to　be　stormy。



When　all　were　gathered；　a　herald　announced　that　Ithobal；　King　of　the

Tribes；　waited　to　take　his　leave　of　Sakon；　Governor　of　Zimboe；　before

departing　to　his　own　land　on　the　morrow。



〃Let　him　be　admitted；〃　said　Sakon；　who　looked　weary　and　ill　at　ease。

Then　as　the　herald　bowed　and　left；　he　turned　and　whispered　something

into　the　ear　of　his　daughter　Elissa；　who　stood　behind　his　chair；　her

face　immovable　as　that　of　an　Egyptian　Sphinx；　but　magnificently

apparelled　in　gleaming　robes