elissa-第15部分

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

Therefore　I　will　do　my　best；　not　for　the　money　indeed；　but　because　I

see　herein　a　righteous　duty。　And　now　here　is　parchment；　give　me　the

lamp　that　I　may　prepare　the　bond。〃



〃My　word　is　my　bond；　Ph？nician；〃　answered　the　Levite　haughtily。



Metem　looked　at　him。　〃Doubtless；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　are　old；　and　this

isa　rough　country　where　accidents　chance　at　times。　Still；　the　thing

would　read　very　ill；　and；　as　you　say；　your　word　is　your　bond。　Only

remember；　Issachar；　two　hundred　shekels；　bearing　interest　at　two

shekels　a　month。　And　now　you　are　weary；　holy　Issachar；　with　plotting

for　the　welfare　of　others；　and　so　am　I。　Farewell；　and　good　dreams　to

you。〃



The　Levite　watched　him　go；　muttering　to　himself；　〃Alas　that　I　should

have　fallen　to　such　traffic　with　a　knave；　but　it　is　for　your　sake　and

for　your　soul's　sake；　O　Aziel　my　son。　I　pray　that　Fate　be　not　too

strong　for　me　and　you。〃



*****



For　two　days　from　this　night　Elissa　lay　almost　senseless；　and　by　many

it　was　thought　that　she　would　die。　But　when　Metem　saw　her　on　the

morning　after　she　had　been　wounded；　and　noted　that　her　arm　was　but

little　swollen；　and　had　not　turned　black；　he　announced　that　she　would

certainly　live；　whatever　the　doctors　of　the　city　might　declare。

Thereon　Sakon；　her　father；　and　Aziel　blessed　him；　but　Issachar　said

nothing。



As　the　Ph？nician　was　walking　through　the　market…place　early　on　the

next　day　an　aged　black　woman；　whom　he　did　not　know；　accosted　him；

saying　that　she　had　a　message　for　his　ear　from　the　king　Ithobal　who

was　camped　without　the　city　and　who　desired　to　see　the　merchandise

that　he　had　brought　with　him　from　the　coasts　of　Tyre。　Now　Metem　had

already　sold　all　his　wares　at　a　great　advantage；　still；　as　he　would

not　neglect　this　opportunity　of　trade；　he　purchased　others　from　his

fellow　merchants；　and　loading　two　camels　with　them；　set　out　for　the

camp　of　Ithobal；　riding　on　a　mule。　By　midday　he　had　reached　it。　The

camp　was　pitched　near　water　in　a　pleasant　grove　of　trees；　and　on　one

of　these　not　far　from　the　tent　of　Ithobal　Metem　noted　that　there　hung

the　body　of　a　black　dwarf。



〃Behold　the　fate　of　him　who　shoots　at　the　buck　and　hits　the　doe。　Well；

I　have　always　said　that　murder　is　a　dangerous　game；　since　blood　calls

out　for　blood；〃　thought　Metem　as　he　rode　towards　the　tent。



At　its　door　stood　king　Ithobal　looking　very　huge　and　sullen　in　the

sunlight。　Metem　dismounted　and　prostrated　himself　obsequiously。



〃May　the　King　live　for　ever；〃　he　said；　〃the　great　King；　the　King　to

whom　all　the　other　kings　of　the　earth　are　as　the　little　gods　to　Baal；

or　the　faint　stars　to　the　sun。〃



〃Rise；　and　cease　from　flatteries；〃　said　Ithobal　shortly；　〃I　may　be

greater　than　the　other　kings；　but　at　least　you　do　not　think　it。〃



〃If　the　king　says　so；　so　let　it　be；〃　replied　Metem　calmly。　〃A　woman

yonder　in　the　market…place　told　me　that　the　king　wished　to　trade　for

my　merchandise。　So　I　have　brought　the　best　of　it；　priceless　goods　that

which　much　toil　I　have　carried　hither　from　Tyre；〃　and　he　pointed　to

the　two　camels　laden　with　the　inferior　articles　which　he　had

purchased；　and　began　to　read　the　number　and　description　of　the　goods

from　his　tablets。



〃What　value　do　you　set　upon　the　whole　of　them；　merchant？〃　asked

Ithobal。



〃To　the　traders　of　the　country　so　much；　but　to　you；　O　King；　so　much

only；〃　and　he　named　a　sum　twice　that　which　he　had　paid　in　the　city。



〃So　be　it；〃　assented　Ithobal　indifferently；　〃I　do　not　haggle　over

wares。　Though　your　price　is　large；　presently　my　treasurer　shall　weigh

you　out　the　gold。〃



There　was　a　moment's　pause；　then　Metem　said：



〃The　trees　in　this　camp　of　yours　bear　evil　fruit；　O　King。　If　I　might

ask；　why　does　that　little　black　monkey　hang　yonder。〃



〃Because　he　tried　to　do　murder　with　his　poisoned　arrows；〃　answered

Ithobal　sullenly。



〃And　failed？　Well；　it　must　comfort　you　to　think　that　he　did　fail　if　he

was　of　the　number　of　your　servants。　It　is　strange　now　that　some　knave

unknown　attempted　murder　last　night　in　the　palace　gardens；　also　with

poisoned　arrows。　I　say　attempted；　but　as　yet　I　cannot　be　sure　that　he

did　not　succeed。〃



〃What！〃　exclaimed　Ithobal；　〃was〃　and　he　stopped。



〃No；　King；　prince　Aziel　was　not　hit；　the　Lady　Elissa　took　that　shaft

through　her　hand；　and　lies　between　life　and　death。　I　am　doctoring　her；

and　had　it　not　been　for　my　skill　she　would　now　be　stiff　and　blackas

the　rogue　who　shot　the　arrow。〃



〃Save　her；〃　said　Ithobal　hoarsely；　〃and　I　will　pay　you　a　doctor's　fee

of　a　hundred　ounces　of　pure　gold。　Oh！　had　I　but　known；　the　clumsy　fool

should　not　have　died　so　easily。〃



Metem　took　out　his　tablets　and　made　a　note　of　the　amount。



〃Take　comfort；　King；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　I　shall　earn　the　fee。　But

to　speak　truth；　this　matter　looks　somewhat　ugly；　and　your　name　is

mentioned　in　it。　Also　it　is　said　that　your　cousin；　the　great　man　whom

the　prince　Aziel　slew；　was　charged　to　abduct　a　certain　lady　by　your

order。〃



〃Then　false　tales　are　told　in　Zimboe；　and　not　for　the　first　time；〃

answered　Ithobal　coldly。　〃Listen；　merchant；　I　have　a　question　to　ask

of　you。　Will　the　prince　Aziel　meet　me　in　single　combat　with　whatever

weapons　he　may　choose？〃



〃Doubtless；　andpardon　me　if　I　say　itslay　you　as　he　slew　your

cousin；　for　he　is　a　fine　swordsman；　who　has　studied　the　art　in　Egypt；

where　it　is　understood；　and　your　strength　would　not　avail　against　him。

But　your　question　is　already　answered；　for　though　the　prince　would　be

glad　enough　to　fight　you；　Sakon　will　have　none　of　it。　Have　you　nothing

else　to　ask　me；　King？〃



Ithobal　nodded　and　said：



〃Listen；　merchant。　I　know　your　repute　of　old；　that　you　love　money　and

will　do　much　to　gain　it；　and　that　you　are　craftier　than　any　hill…side

jackal。　Now；　if　you　can　do　my　will；　you　will　have　more　wealth　than

ever　you　won　in　your　life　before。〃



〃The　offer　sounds　good　in　a　poor　man's　ears；　King；　but　it　depends　upon

what　is　your　will。〃



Ithobal　went　to　the　door　of　the　tent；　and　commanded　the　sentries　who

stood　without　to　suffer　none　to　disturb　him　or　draw　near。　Then　he

returned　and　said：



〃I　will　tell　you；　but　beware　that　you　do　not　betray　my　counsels　in

this　or　in　any　other　matter；　for　I　have　sharp　ears　and　a　long　arm。　You

know　how　things　are　between　me　and　the　lady　Elissa　and　her　father

Sakon　and　the　city　which　he　governs。　They　stand　thus：　Unless　within

eight　days　she　is　given　to　me　in　marriage；　I　have　sworn　that　I　will

make　war　upon　Zimboe。　Ay；　and　I　will　make　it；　for；　filled　with　hate

for　the　white　man；　already　the　great　tribes　are　gathering　to　my

banners　in　ten　armies；　each　of　them　ten　thousand　strong。　Once　let　them

march　beneath　yonder　walls；　and　before　they　leave　it　Zimboe；　city　of

gold；　shall　be　nothing　but　a　heap　of　ruins；　and　a　habitation　of　the

dead。　Such　shall　be　my　vengeance；　but　I　seek　love　more　than　vengeance；

for　what　will　it　avail　me　to　butcher　all　that　people　of　traders　ifas

well　may　chance　in　the　accidents　of　warI　lose　her　whom　I　desire；

whose　beauty　shall　be　my　crown　of　crowns；　and　whose　mind　shall　make　me

great　indeed？



〃Therefore；　Metem；　if　may　be；　I　would　win　her　without　war；　let　the　war

come　afterwards；　as　come　it　must；　for　the　time　is　ripe。　And　though　she

turned　from　me；　this　I　should　have　done；　had　it　not　been　for　yonder

prince　Aziel；　whom　she　met　in　a　strange　fashion；　and　straightway

learned　to　love。　Now　the　thing　is　more　difficult。　Nay；　while　the

prince　Aziel　can　take　her　to　wife　it　is　well…nigh　impossible；　since　no

threats　of　war　or　ruin　can　turn　a　woman's　heart　from　him　she　seeksto

him　she　flies。　Therefore；　I　ask　you〃



〃Your　pardon；　King；〃　Metem　broke　in；　〃I　see　that　you；　like　your　rival；

are　so　besotted　with　the　beauty　of　this　girl；　that　in　all　with　which

she　has　to　do　you　have　lost　the　rule　of　your　own　reason。　I　would　save

you　perchance　from　saying　words　to　which　I　do　not　wish　to　listen；　and

when　you　find　a　quiet　mind　again；　that　you　may　regret　having　spoken。

If　you　were　about　to　require　of　me　that　I　should　cause　or　be　privy　to

the　death　of　the　prince　Aziel；　you　would　require　it　in　vain；　yes；　even

if　you　were　willing　to　pay　me　gold　in　mountains；　and　gems　in　camel

loads。　With　murder　I　will　have　nothing　to　do；　moreover；　the　prince；

your　rival；　is　my　friend　and　master；　and　I　will　not　harm　him。　Further；

I　may　tell　you　that　after　the　adventure　of　last　night　none　will　be

able　to　come　near　him　to　hurt　a　hair　of　his　head；　seeing　that　through

daylight　and　through　darkness　he　is　guarded　by　two　men。〃



〃With　a　woman's　body　to　set　before　him　as　a　shield；〃　said　Ithobal

bitterly。　〃But　you　speak　too　fast；　I　was　not　about　to　ask　you　to　kill

this　man；　or　even　to　procure　his　death；　because　I　know　it　would　be

useless；　but　rather　that　you　should　so　contrive　that　he　cannot　take

Elissa。　How　you　contrive　it　I　care　nothing；　so　that　she　is　not　harmed。

You　may　kidnap　him；　or　stir　up　the　city　against　him；　as　one　destined

to　be　the　source　of　war；　and　cause　him　to　be　despatched　back　to　the

great　sea；　or　bribe　the　priests　of　El　to　hide　him　away；　or　what　you

will；　if　only　you　separate　him　from　this　woman　for　ever。　Say；

merchant；　are　you　willing　to　undertake　the　task；　or　must　my　good　gold

go　elsewhere？〃



Metem　pondered　awhile　and　answered：



〃I　think　that　I　will　undertake　it；　King；　that　is；　if　we　come　to　terms；

though　whether　I　shall　succeed　is　another　matter。　I　will　undertake　it

not　only　because　I　seek　to　enrich　myself；　but　because　I　and　others　who

serve　him　think　it　is　a　very　evil　thing　that　this　prince；　Aziel；　whose

blood　is　the　most　royal　in　the　whole　world；　without　the　consent　of　the

great　king　of　Israel；　his　grandfather；　should　wed　the　daughter　of　a

Ph？nician　officer；　however　beautiful　and　loving　she　may　be。　Also　I

love　yonder　city；　which　I　have　known　for　forty　years；　and　would　not

see　it　plunged　in　a　bloody　war　and　p