elissa-第14部分

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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　hold

of　the　bandage　about　her　wrist。　So；　patiently　as　he　might；　he　knelt　at

her　side　awaiting　the　return　of　Metem。



How　beautiful　her　pale　face　seemed　there　in　the　moonlight；　set　in　its

frame　of　dusky　hair。　And　how　strange　was　this　tale　of　hers；　of　a　dream

that　she　had　dreamed；　a　dream　which；　to　save　his　own；　led　her　to　offer

her　life　to　the　murderer's　arrow。　Many　would　not　believe　it；　but　he

felt　that　it　was　true；　he　felt　that　even　if　she　wished　it　she　could

not　lie　to　him；　for　as　he　had　known　since　first　they　met；　their　souls

were　open　to　each　other。　Yes；　having　thus　been　warned　of　his　danger；

she　had　offered　her　life　for　himfor　him　who　that　morning　had　called

her；　unjustly　so　Metem　said；　〃a　girl　of　the　groves　and　a　murderess。〃

How　came　it　that　she　had　done　this；　unless　indeed　she　loved　him　ashe

loved　her？



Aziel　could　no　longer　palter　with　himself；　it　was　the　truth。　Last

night　when　Issachar　accused　him；　he　had　felt　this；　although　then　he

would　not　admit　it　altogether；　and　now　to…night　he　knew　that　his　fate

had　found　him。　They　would　say　that；　after　the　common　fashion　of　men；

he　had　been　conquered　by　a　lovely　face　and　form　and　a　brave　deed　of

devotion。　But　it　was　not　so。　Something　beyond　the　flesh　and　its　works

and　attributes　drew　him　towards　this　woman；　something　that　he　could

neither　understand　nor　define　（unless；　indeed；　the　vision　of　Issachar

defined　it）；　but　of　which　he　had　been　conscious　since　first　he　set

eyes　upon　her　face。　It　was　possible；　it　was　even　probable；　that　before

another　hour　had　gone　by　she　would　have　passed　beyond　his　reach；　into

the　deeps　of　death；　whither　for　a　while　he　could　not　follow　her。　Yet

he　knew　that　the　knowledge　that　she　never　could　be　his　would　not

affect　the　love　of　her　which　burnt　in　him；　for　his　desire　towards　her

was　not　altogether　a　desire　of　the　earth。



Aziel　bent　down　over　the　swooning　girl；　looking　into　her　pale　face；

till　her　lips　almost　touched　his　own；　and　his　breath　beating　on　her

brow　seemed　to　give　her　life　again。　Now　she　stirred；　and　now　she

opened　her　eyes　and　gazed　back　at　him　a　while；　deeply　and　with

meaning；　even　as　he　gazed　at　her。



He　spoke　no　word；　for　his　lips　seemed　to　be　smitten　with　silence；　but

his　heart　said；　〃I　love　you；　I　love　you；〃　and　her　heart　heard　it；　for

she　whispered　back：



〃Bethink　you　who　and　what　I　am。〃



〃It　matters　not；　for　we　are　one；〃　he　replied。



〃Bethink　you；〃　she　said　again；　〃that　soon　I　may　be　dead　and　lost　to

you。〃



〃It　cannot　be；　for　we　are　one；〃　he　replied。　〃One　we　have　been；　one　we

are　to…day；　and　one　we　shall　be　through　all　the　length　of　life　and

death。〃



〃Prince；〃　she　said　again；　〃once　more　and　for　the　last　time　I　say：

Bethink　you　well；　for　it　comes　upon　me　that　your　words　are　true；　and

that　if　I　take　that　which　to…night　you　offer；　it　will　be　for　ever　and

for　aye。〃



〃For　ever　and　aye；　let　it　be；〃　Aziel　said；　leaning　towards　her。



〃For　ever　and　for　aye；　let　it　be；〃　she　repeated；　holding　up　her　lips

to　his。



And　thus　in　the　silent　moonlit　garden　they　plighted　their　strange

troth。



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〃Lady；〃　said　a　voice　in　their　ears；　the　voice　of　Metem；　〃I　pray　you

let　me　dress　your　hand；　for　there　is　no　time　to　lose。〃



Aziel　looked　up　to　see　the　Ph？nician　bending　over　them　with　a　sardonic

smile；　and　behind　him　the　tall　form　of　Issachar；　who　stood　regarding

them；　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast。



〃Holy　Issachar；〃　went　on　Metem　with　malice；　〃be　pleased　to　hold　this

lady's　hand；　since　it　seems　that　the　prince　here　can　only　tend　her

lips。〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　the　Levite；　〃what　have　I　to　do　with　this　daughter　of

Baaltis？　Cure　her　if　you　can；　or　if　you　cannot；　let　her　die；　for　so

shall　a　stone　of　stumbling　be　removed　from　the　feet　of　the　foolish。〃

And　he　glanced　indignantly　at　Aziel。



〃Had　it　not　been　for　this　same　stone　at　least　the　feet　of　the　foolish

by　now　would　have　pointed　skywards。　The　gods　send　me　such　a　stone　if

ever　a　black　dwarf　draws　a　poisoned　arrow　at　me；〃　answered　Metem；　as

he　busied　himself　with　his　drugs。　Then　he　added；　〃Nay；　Prince；　do　not

stop　to　answer　him；　but　hold　the　lady's　hand　to　the　light。〃



Aziel　obeyed；　and　having　washed　out　the　wound　with　water；　Metem　rubbed

ointment　into　it　which　burnt　Elissa　so　sorely　that　she　groaned　aloud。



〃Be　patient　beneath　the　pain；　lady；〃　he　said；　〃for　if　it　has　not

already　passed　into　your　blood；　this　salve　will　eat　away　the　poison　of

the　arrow。〃



Then　half…leading　and　half…carrying　her；　they　brought　her　back　to　the

palace。　Here　Metem　gave　her　over　into　the　care　of　her　father；　telling

him　as　much　of　the　story　as　he　thought　wise；　and　cautioning　him　to

keep　silent　concerning　what　had　happened。



At　the　door　of　the　palace　Issachar　spoke　to　Aziel。



〃Did　I　dream；　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃or　did　my　ears　indeed　hear　you　tell

that　idolatress　that　you　loved　her　for　ever；　and　did　my　eyes　see　you

kiss　her　on　the　lips？〃



〃It　seems　that　you　saw　and　heard　these　things；　Issachar；〃　said　Aziel；

setting　his　face　sternly。　〃Now　hear　this　further；　and　then　I　pray　you

give　me　peace　on　this　matter　of　the　lady　Elissa：　If　in　any　way　it　is

possible；　I　shall　make　her　my　wife；　and　if　it　be　not　possible；　then

for　so　long　as　she　may　live　at　least　I　will　look　upon　no　other　woman。〃



〃Then　that　is　good　news；　Prince；　to　me；　who　am　charged　with　your

welfare；　for　be　sure；　if　I　can　prevent　you；　you　shall　never　mix　your

life　with　that　of　this　heathen　sorceress。〃



〃Issachar；〃　the　prince　replied；　〃I　have　borne　much　from　you　because　I

know　well　that　you　love　me；　and　have　stood　to　me　in　the　place　of　a

father。　But　now；　in　my　turn；　I　warn　you；　do　not　seek　to　work　harm　to

the　lady　Elissa；　for　in　striking　her　you　strike　me；　and　such　blows　may

bring　my　vengeance　after　them。〃



〃Vengeance？〃　mocked　the　Levite。　〃I　fear　but　one　vengeance；　and　it　is

not　yours；　nor　do　I　listen　to　the　whisperings　of　love　when　duty　points

the　path。　Rather　would　I　see　you　dead；　prince　Aziel；　then　lured　down

to　hell　by　the　wiles　of　yonder　witch。〃



Then　before　Aziel　could　answer　he　turned　and　left　him。



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As　Issachar　went　to　his　own　chamber　full　of　bitterness　and

indignation；　he　passed　the　door　of　Elissa's　apartments；　and　came　face

to　face　with　Metem　issuing　from　them。



〃Will　the　woman　live？〃　he　asked　of　him。



〃Be　comforted；　worthy　Issachar。　I　think　so；　that　is；　if　the　bandage

does　not　slip。　I　go　to　tell　the　prince。〃



〃Gladly　would　I　give　a　hundred　golden　shekels　to　him　who　brought　me

tidings　that　it　had　slipped　and　the　woman　with　it；　down　to　the　arms　of

her　father　Beelzebub；〃　broke　in　the　Levite　passionately。



〃Pretty　words　for　a　holy　man；〃　said　Metem；　feigning　amazement。　〃Well；

Issachar；　I　will　do　most　things　for　good　money；　but　to　shift　that

bandage　would　be　but　murder；　and　this　I　cannot　work　even　for　the　gold

and　to　win　your　favour。〃



〃Fool；〃　answered　Issachar；　〃did　I　ask　you　to　do　murder？　I　do　not　fight

with　such　weapons；　let　the　woman　live　or　die　as　it　is　decreed。　Nay；

enter　my　chamber；　for　I　would　speak　with　you；　who　are　a　cunning　man

versed　in　the　craft　of　courts。　Listen　now：　I　love　this　prince　Aziel；

for　I　have　reared　him　from　his　childhood；　and　he　has　been　a　son　to　me

who　have　none。　More；　I　am　sent　hither　to　this　hateful　land　to　watch

him　and　hold　him　from　harm；　and　for　all　that　chances　to　him　I　must

account。　And　now；　what　has　chanced？　This　woman；　Elissa；　by　her

witcheries〃



〃Softly；　Issachar；　what　witcheries　does　she　need　beyond　those　lips　and

form　and　eyes？〃



〃By　her　witcheries；　I　tell　you；　has　ensnared　him　so　that　now　he　swears

that　he　will　wed　her。〃



〃What　of　it；　Issachar？　He　might　travel　far　to　find　a　lovelier　woman。〃



〃What　of　it；　do　you　ask；　remembering　who　he　is？　What　of　it；　when　you

know　his　faith；　and　that　this　fair　idolater　will　sap　it；　and　cause　him

to　cast　away　his　soul？　What　of　it；　when　with　your　own　ears　you　heard

him　swear　to　love　her　through　all　the　deeps　of　life　and　death？　Man；

are　you　mad？〃



〃No；　but　some　might　say　that　you　are；　holy　father；　who　forget　that　I

am　also　of　this　religion　which　you　revile。　But　for　good　or　ill；　so　the

matter　stands；　and　now　what　is　it　that　you　wish　of　me？〃



〃I　wish　that　you　should　make　it　impossible　that　the　prince　Aziel

should　take　this　woman　to　wife。　Not　by　murder；　indeed；　for　'thou　shalt

not　kill；'　saith　the　law；　but　by　bringing　it　about　that　she　should

marry　the　king　Ithobal；　or　if　that　fail；　in　any　other　fashion　which

seems　good　to　you。〃



〃'Thou　shalt　not　kill；'　saith　your　law；　tell　me　then；　Issachar；　does

it　say　also　that　thou　shalt　hand　over　a　woman　to　a　fate　that　she

chances　to　hold　to　be　worse　than　death？　Doubtless　it　is　foolish　of

her；　and　we　should　not　heed　such　woman's　folly。　Yet　this　one　has　a

certain　strength　of　will；　and　I　question　if　all　the　elders　of　the　city

will　bring　her　living　to　the　arms　of　Ithobal。〃



〃It　is　nought　to　me；　Metem；　if　she　weds　Ithobal；　or　weds　him　not；　save

that　I　do　not　love　this　heathen　man；　and　surely　her　temper　and　her

witcheries　would　bring　ruin　on　him。　What　I　would　have　you　do　is　to

prevent　her　from　marrying　Aziel；　the　way　I　leave　to　you。〃



〃And　what　should　I　be　paid　for　this　service；　holy　Issachar？〃



The　Jew　thought　and　answered；　〃A　hundred　golden　shekels。〃



〃Two　hundred　gold　shekels；〃　replied　Metem　reflectively；　〃nay；　I　am

sure　you　said　/two/　hundred；　Issachar。　At　least；　I　do　not　work　for

less；　and　it　is　a　small　sum　enough；　seeing　that　to　earn　it　I　must　take

upon　myself　the　guilt　of　severing　two　loving　hearts。　But　I　know　well

that　you　are　right；　and　that　this　would　be　an　evil　marriage　for　the

prince　Aziel；　and　also　for　the　lady　Elissa；　who　then　day　by　day　and

year　by　year　must　bear　the　scourge　of　your　reproaches；　Issachar。

Therefore　I　will　do　my　best；