elissa-第12部分

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they　lay。　Then　Ithobal　rose　and　said：



〃Enough　of　this　folly；　I　am　not　here　to　juggle　with　words；　or　to

listen　to　such　play。　Whether　the　lady　Elissa　spoke　of　the　gods　she

serves　or　of　a　man　is　one　to　me。　I　care　not　of　whom　she　spoke；　but　for

her　words　I　do　care。　Now　hearken；　you　city　of　traders：　If　this　is　to

be　thy　answer；　then　I　break　down　that　bridge　which　I　have　built；　and

it　is　war　between　you　and　my　Tribes；　war　to　the　end。　But　let　her

change　her　words；　and　whether　she　loves　me　or　loves　me　not；　come　to　be

my　wife；　and；　for　my　day；　the　bridge　shall　stand；　for　once　that　we　are

wed　I　can　surely　teach　her　love；　or　if　I　cannot；　at　least　it　is　she　I

seek　with　or　without　her　love。　Reflect　then；　lady；　and　reply　again；

remembering　how　much　hangs　upon　your　lips。〃



〃Do　you　think；　king　Ithobal；〃　Elissa　answered；　looking　at　him　with

angry　eyes；　〃that　a　woman　such　as　I　am　can　be　won　by　threats？　I　have

spoken；　king　Ithobal。〃



〃I　know　not；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　do　know　that　she　can　be　won　by　force；

and　then　surely；　lady；　your　pride　shall　pay　the　price；　for　you　shall

be　mine；　but　not　my　queen。〃



Now　one　of　the　council　rose　and　said：



〃It　seems；　Sakon；　that　there　is　more　in　this　matter　than　whether　or　no

the　king　Ithobal　pleases　your　daughter。　Is　the　city　then　to　be　plunged

into　a　great　war；　of　which　none　can　see　the　end；　because　one　woman

looks　askance　upon　a　man？　Better　that　a　thousand　girls　should　be

wedded　where　they　would　not　than　that　such　a　thing　should　happen。

Sakon；　according　to　our　ancient　law　you　have　the　right　to　give　your

daughter　in　marriage　where　and　when　you　will。　We　demand；　therefore；

that　for　the　good　of　the　commonwealth；　you　should　exercise　this　right；

and　hand　over　the　lady　Elissa　to　king　Ithobal。〃



This　speech　was　received　with　loud　and　general　shouts　of　approval；　for

no　Ph？nician　audience　would　have　been　willing　to　sacrifice　its

interests　for　a　thing　so　trivial　as　the　happiness　of　a　woman。



〃Between　the　desire　of　a　beloved　daughter　to　whom　I　have　pledged　my

word　and　my　duty　to　the　great　city　over　which　I　rule；　my　strait　is

hard　indeed；〃　answered　Sakon。　〃Hearken；　king　Ithobal；　I　must　have

time。　Give　me　eight　days　from　now　in　which　to　answer　you；　for　if　you

will　not；　I　deny　your　suit。〃



Ithobal　seemed　about　to　refuse　the　demand　of　Sakon。　Then　once　more　his

counsellors　plucked　him　by　the　sleeve；　pointing　out　to　him　that　if　he

did　this；　it　was　likely　that　none　of　them　would　leave　the　city　alive。

At　some　sign　from　the　governor；　they　whispered；　the　captains　of　the

guard　were　already　hastening　from　the　hall。



〃So　be　it；　Sakon；〃　he　said。　〃To…night　I　camp　without　your　walls；　which

are　no　longer　safe　for　one　who　has　threatened　war　against　them；　and　on

the　eighth　day　from　this　see　to　it　that　your　heralds　being　me　the　Lady

Elissa　and　peaceor　I　make　good　my　threat。　Till　then；　farewell。〃　And

placing　himself　in　the　midst　of　his　company　king　Ithobal　left　the

hall。







CHAPTER　VII



THE　BLACK　DWARF



Some　two　hours　had　passed　since　the　break…up　of　the　assembly　in　the

great　hall。　Prince　Aziel　was　seated　in　his　chamber；　when　the　keeper　of

the　door　announced　that　a　woman　was　without　who　desired　to　speak　with

him。　He　gave　orders　that　she　should　be　admitted；　and　presently　a

veiled　figure　entered　the　room　and　bowed　before　him。



〃Be　pleased　to　unveil；　and　to　tell　me　your　business；〃　he　said。



With　some　reluctance　his　visitor　withdrew　the　wrapping　from　her　head；

revealing　a　face　which　Aziel　recognised　as　one　that　he　had　seen　among

the　waiting　women　who　attended　on　Elissa。



〃My　message　is　for　your　ear；　Prince；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　the　man

who　had　ushered　her　into　the　chamber。



〃It　is　not　my　custom　to　receive　strangers　thus　alone；〃　said　the

prince；　〃but　be　it　as　you　will；〃　and　he　motioned　to　the　servant　to

retire　without　the　door。　〃I　await　your　pleasure；〃　he　added；　when　the

man　had　gone。



〃It　is　here；〃　she　answered；　and　drew　from　her　bosom　a　little　papyrus

roll。



〃Who　wrote　this？〃　he　asked。



〃I　know　not；　Prince；　it　was　given　to　me　to　pass　on　to　you。〃



Then　he　opened　the　roll　and　read。　It　ran　thus：　〃Though　we　parted　with

bitter　words；　still　in　my　sore　distress　I　crave　the　comfort　of　your

counsel。　Therefore；　since　I　am　forbidden　to　speak　with　you　openly；

meet　me；　I　beseech　you；　at　moonrise　in　the　palace　garden　under　the

shade　of　the　great　fig　tree　with　five　roots；　where　I　shall　be

accompanied　only　by　one　I　trust。　Bring　no　man　with　you　for　my　safety's

sake。Elissa。〃



Aziel　thrust　the　scroll　into　his　robe；　and　thought　awhile。　Then　he

gave　the　waiting　lady　a　piece　of　gold　and　said：



〃Tell　her　who　sent　you　that　I　obey　her　words。　Farewell。〃



This　message　seemed　to　puzzle　the　woman；　who　opened　her　lips　to　speak。

Then；　changing　her　mind；　she　turned　and　went。



Scarcely　had　she　gone　when　the　Ph？nician；　Metem；　was　ushered　into　the

room。



〃O　Prince；〃　he　said　maliciously；　〃pardon　me　if　I　caution　you。　Yet　in

truth　if　veiled　ladies　flit　thus　through　your　apartments　in　the　light

of　day；　it　will　reach　the　ears　of　the　holy　but　violent　Issachar；　of

whose　doings　I　come　to　speak。　Then；　Prince；　I　tremble　for　you。〃



Aziel　made　a　movement　half…impatient　and　half…contemptuous。　〃The　woman

is　a　serving…maid；〃　he　said；　〃who　brought　me　a　message　that　I

understand　but　little。　Tell　me；　Metem；　for　you　know　this　place　of　old；

does　there　stand　in　the　palace　garden　a　great　fig　tree　with　five

roots？〃



〃Yes；　Prince；　at　least　such　a　tree　used　to　grow　there　when　last　I

visited　this　country。　It　was　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　town；　because

of　its　size。　What　of　it？〃



〃Little；　except　that　I　must　be　under　it　at　moonrise。　See　and　read；

since　whatever　you　may　say　of　yourself；　you　are；　I　think；　no　traitor。〃



〃Not　if　I　am　well　paid　to　keep　counsel；　Prince；〃　Metem　answered　with　a

smile。　Then　he　read　the　scroll。



〃I　am　glad　that　the　noble　lady　brings　an　attendant　with　her；〃　he　said

as　he　returned　it；　with　a　bow。　〃The　gossips　of　Zimboe　are　censorious；

and　might　misinterpret　this　moonlight　meeting；　as　indeed　would　Sakon

and　Issachar。　Well；　doves　will　coo　and　maids　will　woo；　and　unless　I

can　make　money　out　of　it　the　affair　is　none　of　mine。〃



〃Have　I　not　told　you　that　there　is　no　question　of　wooing？〃　asked　the

prince　angrily。　〃I　go　only　to　give　her　what　counsel　I　can　in　the

matter　of　the　suit　of　this　savage；　Ithobal。　The　lady　Elissa　and　I　have

quarrelled　beyond　repair　over　that　accursed　sacrifice〃



〃Which　her　ready　wit　prevented；〃　put　in　Metem。



〃But　I　promised　last　night　that　I　would　help　her　if　I　could；〃　the

prince　went　on；　〃and　I　always　keep　my　word。〃



〃I　understand；　Prince。　Well；　since　you　turn　from　the　lady；　whose　name

with　yours　is　so　much　in　men's　mouths　just　now；　doubtless　you　will

give　her　wise　counsel；　namely；　to　wed　Ithobal；　and　lift　the　shadow　of

war　from　this　city。　Then；　indeed；　we　shall　all　be　grateful　to　you；　for

it　seems　that　no　one　else　can　move　her　stubbornness。　And；　by　the　way：

If；　when　she　has　listened　to　your　wisdom；　the　daughter　of　Sakon　should

chance　to　explain　to　you　that　the　sight　of　this　day's　attempted

sacrifice　filled　her　with　horror；　and　that　she　parted　with　every　jewel

she　owns　to　put　an　end　to　itwell；　her　words　will　be　true。　But；　since

you　have　quarrelled；　they　will　have　no　more　interest　for　you；　Prince；

than　has　my　talk　about　them。　So　now　to　other　matters。〃　And　Metem　began

to　speak　of　the　conduct　of　Issachar　in　the　sanctuary；　and　of　the

necessity　of　guarding　him　against　assassination　at　the　hands　of　the

priests　of　El　as　a　consequence　of　his　religious　zeal。　Presently　he　was

gone；　leaving　Aziel　somewhat　bewildered。



Could　it　be　true；　as　she　herself　had　told　him；　and　as　Metem　now

asserted；　that　Elissa　had　not　participated　willingly　in　the　dark　rites

in　the　temple？　If　so　he　had　misjudged　her　and　been　unjust；　indeed；

what　atonement　could　suffice　for　such　words　as　he　had　used　towards

her？　Well；　to　some　extent　she　must　have　understood　and　forgiven　them；

otherwise　she　would　scarcely　have　sought　his　aid；　though　he　knew　not

how　he　could　help　her　in　her　distress。



*****



When　Elissa　returned　from　the　assembly；　she　laid　herself　down　to　rest；

worn　out　in　mind　and　body。　Soon　sleep　came　to　her；　and　with　the　sleep

dreams。　At　first　these　were　vague　and　shadowy；　then　they　grew　more

clear。　She　dreamed　that　she　saw　a　dim　and　moonlit　garden；　and　in　it　a

vast　tree　with　twisted　roots　that　seemed　familiar　to　her。　Something

moving　among　the　branches　of　this　tree　attracted　her　attention；　but

for　a　long　while　she　watched　it　without　being　able　to　discover　what　it

was。　Now　she　saw。　The　moving　thing　was　a　hideous　black　dwarf　with

beady　eyes；　who　held　in　his　hand　a　little　ivory　tipped　bow；　on　the

string　of　which　was　set　an　arrow。　Her　consciousness　concentrated

itself　upon　this　arrow；　and　though　she　knew　not　how；　she　became　aware

that　it　was　poisoned。　What　was　the　dwarf　doing　in　the　tree　with　a　bow

and　poisoned　arrow；　she　wondered？　Suddenly　a　sound　seemed　to　strike

her　ear；　the　sound　of　a　man's　footsteps　walking　over　grass；　and　she

perceived　that　the　figure　of　the　dwarf；　crouched　upon　the　bough；

became　tense　and　alert；　and　that　his　fingers　tightened　upon　the　bow…

string　until　the　blood　was　driven　from　their　yellow　tips。　Following

the　glance　of　his　wicked　black　eyes；　she　saw　advancing　through　the

shadow　a　tall　man　clad　in　a　dark　robe。　Now　he　emerged　into　a　patch　of

moonlight　and　stood　looking　around　him　as　though　he　were　searching　for

some　one。　Then　the　dwarf　raised　himself　to　his　knees　upon　the　bough；

and；　aiming　at　the　bare　throat　of　the　man；　drew　the　bow…string　to　his

ear。　At　this　moment　the　victim　turned　his　head　and　the　moonlight　shone

full　upon　his　face。　It　was　that　of　the　prince　Aziel。



*****



Elissa　awoke　from　her　vision　with　a　little　cry；　then　rose　trembling；

and　strove　to　comfort　herself　in　the　thought　that　although　it　w