elissa-第13部分

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and　strove　to　comfort　herself　in　the　thought　that　although　it　was　so

very　vivid　she　had　dreamed　but　a　dream。　Still　shaken　and　unnerved；　she

passed　into　another　chamber；　and　made　pretence　to　eat　of　the　meal　that

was　made　ready　for　her；　for　it　was　now　the　hour　of　sunset。　While　she

was　thus　employed；　it　was　announced　that　the　Ph？nician；　Metem；　desired

to　speak　with　her；　and　she　commanded　that　he　should　be　admitted。



〃Lady；〃　he　said　bowing；　so　soon　as　her　attendants　had　withdrawn　to　the

farther　end　of　the　chamber；　〃you　can　guess　my　errand。　This　morning　I

gave　you　certain　tidings　which　proved　both　true　and　useful；　and　for

those　tidings　you　promised　a　reward。〃



〃It　is　so；〃　she　said；　and　going　to　a　chest　she　drew　from　it　an　ivory

casket　full　of　ornaments　of　gold　and　among　them　necklaces　and　other

objects　set　with　uncut　precious　stones。　〃Take　them；〃　she　said；　〃they

are　yours；　that　is；　save　this　gold　chain　alone；　for　it　is　vowed　to

Baaltis。〃



〃But　lady；〃　he　asked；　〃how　can　you　appear　before　Ithobal　the　king　thus

robbed　of　all　your　ornaments？〃



〃I　shall　not　appear　before　Ithobal　the　king；〃　she　answered　sharply。



〃You　say　so！　Then　what　will　the　prince　Aziel　think　of　you　when　he　sees

you　thus　unadorned？〃



〃My　beauty　is　my　adornment；〃　she　replied；　〃not　these　gems　and　gold。

Moreover；　it　is　nought　to　me　what　he　thinks；　for　he　hates　me；　and　has

reviled　me。〃



Metem　lifted　his　eyebrows　incredulously　and　went　on：　〃Still；　I　will

not　deprive　you　of　this　woman's　gear。　Look　now；　I　value　it；　and　at　no

high　figure；〃　and　drawing　out　his　writer's　palette　and　a　slip　of

papyrus；　he　wrote　upon　it　an　acknowledgment　of　debt；　which　he　asked

her　to　sign。



〃This　document；　lady；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　present　to　your　fatheror

your　husbandat　a　convenient　season；　nor　do　I　fear　that　either　of

them　will　refuse　to　honour　it。　And　now　I　take　my　leave；　for　youhave

an　appointment　to　keepand；〃　he　added　with　emphasis；　〃the　time　of

moonrise　is　at　hand。〃



〃Your　meaning；　I　pray　you？〃　she　asked。　〃I　have　no　appointment　at

moonrise；　or　at　any　other　hour。〃



Metem　bowed　politely；　but　in　a　fashion　which　showed　that　he　put　no

faith　in　her　words。



〃Again　I　ask　your　meaning；　merchant；〃　she　said；　〃for　your　dark

hintings　are　scarcely　to　be　borne。〃



The　Ph？nician　looked　at　her；　there　was　a　ring　of　truth　in　her　voice。



〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　indeed　deny；　after　I　have　seen　it　written

by　yourself；　that　within　some　few　minutes　you　meet　the　prince　Aziel

beneath　a　great　tree　in　the　palace　gardens；　thereso　said　the　scroll

to　ask　his　aid　in　this　matter　of　the　suit　of　Ithobal？〃



〃Written　by　myself？〃　she　said　wonderingly。　〃Meet　the　prince　Aziel

beneath　a　tree　in　the　palace　gardens？　Never　have　I　thought　of　it。〃



〃Yet；　lady；　the　scroll　I　saw　purported　to　be　written　by　you；　and　your

own　woman　bore　it　to　the　prince。　As　I　think；　she　sits　yonder　at　the

end　of　the　chamber；　for　I　know　her　shape。〃



〃Come　hither；〃　called　Elissa；　addressing　the　woman。　〃Now　tell　me；　what

scroll　was　this　that　you　carried　to…day　to　the　prince　Aziel；　saying

that　I　sent　you？〃



〃Lady；〃　answered　the　girl　confusedly；　〃I　never　told　the　prince　Aziel

that　you　sent　him　the　scroll。〃



〃The　truth；　woman；　the　truth；〃　said　her　mistress。　〃Lie　not；　or　it　will

be　the　worse　for　you。〃



〃Lady；　this　is　the　truth。　As　I　was　walking　through　the　market…place　an

old　black　woman　met　me；　and　offered　me　a　piece　of　gold　if　I　would

deliver　a　letter　into　the　hand　of　the　prince　Aziel。　The　gold　tempted

me；　for　I　had　need　of　it；　and　I　consented；　but　of　who　wrote　the　letter

I　know　nothing；　nor　have　I　ever　seen　the　woman　before。〃



〃You　have　done　wrong；　girl；〃　said　Elissa；　〃but　I　believe　your　tale。

Now　go。〃



When　she　had　gone；　Elissa　stood　for　a　while　thinking；　and；　as　she

thought；　Metem　saw　a　look　of　fear　gather　on　her　face。



〃Say；〃　she　asked　him；　〃is　there　anything　strange　about　the　tree　of

which　the　scroll　tells？〃



〃Its　size　is　strange；〃　he　answered；　〃and　it　has　five　roots　that　stand

above　the　ground。〃



As　he　spoke　Elissa　uttered　a　little　cry。



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃it　is　the　tree　of　my　dream。　Nownow　I　understand。

Swift；　oh！　come　with　me　swiftly；　for　see；　the　moon　rises；〃　and　she

sprang　to　the　door　followed　by　the　amazed　Metem。



Another　minute；　and　they　were　speeding　down　the　narrow　street　so　fast

that　those　who　loitered　there　turned　their　heads　and　laughed；　for　they

thought　that　a　jealous　husband　pursued　his　wife。　As　Elissa　fumbled　at

the　hasp　of　the　door　of　the　garden；　Metem　overtook　her。



〃What　means　this　hunt？〃　he　gasped。



〃That　they　have　decoyed　the　prince　here　to　murder　him；〃　she　answered；

and　sped　through　the　gateway。



〃Therefore　we　must　be　murdered　also。　A　woman's　logic；〃　the　Ph？nician

reflected　to　himself　as　he　panted　after　her。



Swiftly　as　Elissa　had　run　down　the　street；　here　she　redoubled　her

speed；　flitting　through　the　glades　like　some　white　spirit；　and　so

rapidly　that　her　companion　found　it　difficult　to　keep　her　in　view。　At

length　they　came　to　a　large　open　space　of　ground　where　played　the

level　beams　of　the　rising　moon；　striking　upon　the　dense　green　foliage

of　an　immense　tree　that　grew　there。　Round　this　tree　Elissa　ran；

glancing　about　her　wildly；　so　that　for　a　few　seconds　Metem　lost　sight

of　her；　for　its　mass　was　between　them。　When　he　saw　her　again　she　was

speeding　towards　the　figure　of　a　man　who　stood　in　the　open；　about　ten

paces　from　the　outer　boughs　of　the　tree。　To　this　she　pointed　as　she

came；　crying　out　aloud；　〃Beware！　Beware！〃



Another　moment　and　she　had　almost　reached　the　man；　and　still　pointing

began　to　gasp　some　broken　words。　Then；　suddenly　in　the　bright

moonlight；　Metem　saw　a　shining　point　of　light　flash　towards　the　pair

from　the　darkness　of　the　tree。　It　would　seem　that　Elissa　saw　it　also；

at　least；　she　leapt　from　the　ground；　her　arm　lifted　above　her　head　as

though　to　catch　the　object。　Then　as　her　feet　once　more　touched　the

earth　her　knees　gave　way；　and　she　fell　down　with　a　moan　of　pain。　Metem

running　on　towards　her；　as　he　went　perceived　a　shape；　which　looked

like　that　of　a　black　dwarf；　slip　from　the　shadow　of　the　tree　into　some

bushes　beyond　where　it　was　lost。　Now　he　was　there；　to　find　Elissa

half…seated；　half…lying　on　the　ground；　the　prince　Aziel　bending　over

her；　and　fixed　through　the　palm　of　her　right　hand；　which　she　held　up

piteously；　a　little　ivory…pointed　arrow。



〃Draw　it　out　from　the　wound；〃　he　panted。



〃It　will　not　help　me；〃　she　answered；　〃the　arrow　is　poisoned。〃



With　an　exclamation；　Metem　knelt　beside　her；　and；　not　heeding　her

groans　of　pain；　drew　the　dart　through　the　pierced　palm。　Then　he　tore　a

strip　of　linen　from　his　robe；　and　knotting　it　round　Elissa's　wrist；　he

took　a　broken　stick　that　lay　near　and　twisted　the　linen　till　it　almost

cut　into　her　flesh。



〃Now；　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃suck　the　wound；　for　I　have　no　breath　for　it。

Fear　not；　lady；　I　know　an　antidote　for　this　arrow　poison；　and

presently　I　will　be　back　with　the　salve。　Till　then；　if　you　would　live；

do　not　suffer　that　bandage　to　be　loosed；　however　much　it　pains　you；〃

and　he　departed　swiftly。



Aziel　put　his　lips　to　the　hurt　to　draw　out　the　poison。



〃Nay；〃　she　said　faintly；　trying　to　pull　away　her　hand；　〃it　is　not

fitting；　the　venom　may　kill　you。〃



〃It　seems　that　it　was　meant　for　me；〃　he　answered；　〃so　at　the　worst　I

do　take　but　my　own。〃



Presently；　directing　Elissa　to　hold　her　hand　above　her　head；　he　put

his　arms　about　her　and　carried　her　a　hundred　paces　or　more　into　the

open　glade。



〃Why　do　you　move　me？〃　she　asked；　her　head　resting　on　his　shoulder。



〃Because　whoever　it　was　that　shot　the　arrow　may　return　to　try　his

fortune　a　second　time；　and　here　in　the　open　his　darts　cannot　reach

us。〃　Then　he　set　her　down　upon　the　grass　and　stood　looking　at　her。



〃Listen；　prince　Aziel；〃　Elissa　said　after　a　while；　〃the　venom　with

which　these　black　men　soak　their　weapons　is　very　strong；　and　unless

Metem's　salve　be　good；　it　may　well　chance　that　I　shall　die。　Therefore

before　I　die　I　wish　to　say　a　word　to　you。　What　brought　you　to　this

place　to…night？〃



〃A　letter　from　yourself；　lady。〃



〃I　know　it；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　did　not　write　that　letter；　it　was　a

snare；　set；　as　I　think；　by　the　king　Ithobal；　who　would　do　you　to　death

in　this　way　or　in　that。　A　messenger　of　his　bribed　my　waiting…maid　to

deliver　it；　and　afterwards　I　learnt　the　tale　from　Metem。　Then；

guessing　all；　I　came　hither　to　try　to　save　you。〃



〃But　how　could　you　guess　all；　lady？〃



〃In　a　strange　fashion；　Prince。〃　And　in　a　few　words　she　told　him　her

dream。



〃This　is　marvellous　indeed；　that　you　should　be　warned　of　my　danger　by

visions；〃　he　said　wondering；　and　half…doubtingly。



〃So　marvellous；　Prince；　that　you　do　not　believe　me；〃　Elissa　answered。

〃I　know　well　what　you　think。　You　think　that　a　woman　to　whom　this　very

morning　you　spoke　such　words　as　women　cannot　well　forgive；　being

revengeful　laid　a　plot　to　murder　you；　and　then；　being　a　woman；　changed

her　mind。　Well；　it　is　not　so；　Metem　can　prove　it　to　you！〃



〃Lady；　I　believe　you；〃　he　said；　〃without　needing　the　testimony　of

Metem。　But　now　the　story　grows　still　more　strange；　for　if　you　had　done

me　no　wrong；　how　comes　it　that　to　preserve　me　from　harm　you　set　your

tender　flesh　between　the　arrow　and　one　who　had　reviled　you？〃



〃It　was　by　chance；〃　she　answered　faintly。　〃I　learnt　the　truth　and　ran

to　warn　you。　Then　I　saw　the　arrow　fly　towards　your　heart；　and　strove

to　grasp　it；　and　it　pierced　me。　It　was　by　chance；　by　such　a　chance　as

made　me　dream　your　danger。〃　And　she　fainted。







CHAPTER　VIII



AZIEL　PLIGHTS　HIS　TROTH



At　first　Aziel　feared　that　the　poison　had　done　its　work；　and　that

Elissa　was　dead；　till　placing　his　hand　upon　her　heart　he　felt　it

beating　faintly；　and　knew　that　she　did　but　swoon。　To　leave　her　to　seek

water　or　assistance　was　impossible；　since　he　dared　not　loose　his