elissa-第16部分

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see　it　plunged　in　a　bloody　war　and　perhaps　destroyed　because　a　certain

man　desires　to　call　a　certain　girl　his　sweetheart。　And　now　if　I

succeed　in　this；　what　will　you　give　me？〃



Ithobal　named　a　great　sum。



〃King；〃　replied　Metem；　〃you　must　double　it；　for　that　amount　you　speak

of　I　shall　be　forced　to　spend　in　bribes。　More；　you　must　give　me　the

gold　now；　before　I　leave　your　camp；　or　I　will　do　nothing。〃



〃That　you　may　steal　itand　do　nothing；〃　laughed　Ithobal　angrily。



〃As　you　will；　King。　Such　are　my　terms；　if　they　do　not　please　you；

well；　let　me　go。　But　if　you　accept　them；　I　will　sign　a　bond　under

which　if　within　eight　days　I　do　not　make　it　impossible　for　the　prince

Aziel　to　marry　the　lady　Elissa；　you　may　reclaim　so　much　of　the　gold　as

I　do　not　prove　to　you　to　have　been　spent　upon　your　service；　and　no

bond　of　Metem　the　Ph？nician　was　ever　yet　dishonoured。　No；　on　second

thought　I　will　learn　wisdom　from　Issachar　the　Levite　and　put　my　hand

to　no　writing　which　it　would　pain　me　that　some　should　read。　King；　my

sworn　word　must　content　you。　Another　thing；　soon　war　may　break　out；　or

I　may　be　forced　to　fly。　Therefore；　I　demand　of　you　a　pass　sealed　with

your　seal　that　will　enable　me　to　ride　with　twenty　men　and　all　my　goods

and　treasure；　even　through　the　midst　of　your　armies。　Moreover　you

shall　swear　the　great　oath　to　me　that　notice　of　this　pass　will　be

given　to　your　generals　and　that　it　shall　be　respected　to　the　letter。

Do　you　consent　to　these　terms？〃



〃I　consent；〃　said　the　king　presently。



*****



That　evening　Metem　returned　to　the　city　of　Zimboe；　but　those　who　led

his　two　camels　little　guessed　that　now　they　were　laden；　not　with

merchandise；　but　with　treasure。







CHAPTER　IX



GREETING　TO　THE　BAALTIS



When　Metem　accepted　bribes　from　Issachar　and　from　Ithobal；　in

consideration　of　his　finding　means　to　make　the　union　of　Aziel　and

Elissa　impossible；　he　had　already　thought　out　his　scheme。　It　was　one

which；　while　promoting；　as　he　considered；　the　true　welfare　of　the

lovers；　if　successful　would　separate　them　effectually　and　for　ever。



It　will　be　remembered　that　Elissa　had　explained　to　the　prince　how；　on

the　death　of　the　lady　Baaltis；　another　woman　was　elected　by　the

colleges　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　to　fill　her　place。　This　lady

could　marry；　indeed　she　was　expected　to　do　so；　but　her　husband　must

take　the　title　of　Shadid；　and　for　her　lifetime　act　as　high…priest　of

El。　Therefore；　thought　Metem；　if　it　could　be　brought　about　that　Elissa

should　be　chosen　as　the　new　Baaltis；　it　was　obvious　that　there　would

be　an　end　of　the　possibility　of　her　marriage　to　Aziel。　Then；　in　order

to　wed　her；　he　must　renounce　his　own　religiona　thing　which　no　Jew

would　doand　pose　as　the　earthly　incarnation　of　one　whom　he

considered　a　false　divinity　or　a　devil。



Indeed；　not　only　marriage；　but　any　further　intimacy　between　the　pair

would　be　rendered　impracticable；　for　upon　this　point　the　religious

law；　lax　enough　in　many　particulars；　was　very　strict。　In　fact；　so

strict　was　it　that　for　the　lady　Baaltis　of　the　day　to　be　found　alone

with　any　man　meant　death　to　her　and　him。　The　reason　of　this　severity

was　that　she　was　supposed　to　represent　the　goddess；　and　her　husband；

the　Shadid；　a　god；　so　that　any　questionable　behaviour　on　her　part

became　an　insult　to　the　most　powerful　divinities　of　Heaven；　which

could　only　be　atoned　by　the　death　of　their　unworthy　incarnations。　That

these　laws　were　actual　and　not　formal　only　was　proved　by　the　instance

that　within　the　hundred　years　before　the　birth　of　Elissa；　a　lady

Baaltis　had　been　executed　for　some　such　offence；　having　been　hurled

indeed　from　the　topmost　pinnacle　of　the　fortress　above　the　temple　to

the　foot　of　the　precipice　beneath。



All　these　sacerdotal　customs　were　familiar　to　Metem；　who　argued　from

them　that　to　procure　the　nomination　of　Elissa　as　the　Baaltis　would　be

to　build　an　impassable　wall　between　her　and　the　prince　Aziel。　Also；　by

way　of　compensation；　that　office　would　confer　upon　her　the　highest

dignity　and　honour　which　could　be　attained　by　any　woman　in　the　city。

Moreover；　her　election　would　place　her　beyond　the　reach　of　the

persecutions　of　Ithobal；　since　as　lady　Baaltis　she　was　entitled　to

choose　her　own　husband　without　hindrance　or　appeal；　provided　only　that

he　was　of　pure　white　blood；　which　Ithobal　was　not。



Having　thought　the　matter　out；　and　convinced　himself　that　such　a

course　would　not　only　benefit　his　own　pocket；　but　prove　to　the　lasting

advantage　of　all　concerned；　Metem；　filled　with　a　glow　of　righteous

zeal；　set　about　his　task　with　the　promptitude　and　cunning　of　his　race。

It　was　not　an　easy　task；　for　although　she　had　enemies　and　rivals；　the

daughter　of　the　dead　Baaltis；　Mesa　by　name；　was　considered　to　be

certain　of　election　at　the　poll　of　the　priests　and　priestesses。　This

ceremony　was　to　take　place　within　two　days。　Nothing　discouraged；

however；　by　the　scant　time　at　his　disposal　or　other　difficulties；

without　her　knowledge　or　that　of　her　father；　Metem　began　his　canvass

on　behalf　of　Elissa。



First　with　a　great　sum　of　gold　he　bought　over　the　ex…Shadid；　the

husband　of　the　late　lady　Baaltis。　As　it　chanced；　this　worthy　had

quarrelled　with　his　daughter。　Therefore　it　followed　that　he　would

prefer　to　see　some　stranger　chosen　in　her　place　in　the　hope　that；

notwithstanding　his　years；　by　choosing　him　in　marriage　she　might

confirm　him　in　his　position　of　spouse　to　the　goddess。



All　Metem's　further　negotiations　need　not　be　followed：　money　played　a

part　in　most　of　them；　jealousy　and　dislike　in　some。　A　few　there　were

also　whom　he　won　over　by　urging　the　beauty　and　wisdom　of　Elissa；　and

her　extraordinary　fitness　for　the　post；　as　evinced　by　her　recent

inspiration　in　the　temple！　He　found　his　most　powerful　allies；　however；

among　the　members　of　the　council　of　the　city。　To　these　grandees　he

pointed　out　that　Elissa　was　a　woman　of　great　strength　of　character；

who　would　certainly　never　consent　to　be　forced　into　a　marriage　with

Ithobal；　although　her　refusal　should　mean　a　desperate　war；　and　that

her　father　was　so　much　under　her　influence　that　he　could　not　be

brought　to　put　pressure　upon　her。　Therefore　it　was　obvious　that　the

only　way　out　of　the　difficulty　was　her　election　as　Baaltis。　This　must

prove　a　perfect　answer　to　the　suit　of　the　savage　king；　since　the

goddess　could　not　be　compelled；　and　even　Ithobal；　fearing　the

vengeance　of　Heaven；　would　shrink　from　offering　her　violence。



There　support　gained；　having　first　sworn　him　to　secrecy；　he　attacked

Sakon　himself；　using　similar　arguments　with　him。　He　pointed　out；　in

addition；　that　if　the　governor　hoped　to　see　his　daughter　married　to

prince　Aziel；　who　was　in　love　with　her；　however　dazzling　might　be　the

prospects　of　such　a　match；　it　would　certainly　bring　upon　him　the

present　wrath　of　Ithobal；　and；　in　all　probability；　future　trouble　with

the　Courts　of　Egypt；　of　Israel；　and　through　them；　of　Tyre。　Thus

working　in　many　ways；　Metem　laboured　incessantly　to　win　his　end；　so

that　when　at　last　the　hour　of　election　came　he　awaited　its　issue；

fairly　confident　of　success。



It　was　on　this　same　afternoon　that　for　the　first　time　since　she　had

received　the　arrow　which　was　meant　for　his　heart；　Aziel　was　admitted

to　see　Elissa。　Now　at　length　her　recovery　was　certain；　although　she

had　not　shaken　off　her　weakness；　and　her　right　arm　and　wrist　were

still　stiff　and　swollen。　Except　for　two　or　three　of　her　women；　who

were　seated　at　their　work　behind　a　screen　near　the　far　end　of　the

great　chamber；　she　was　alone；　lying　upon　a　couch　in　the　recess　of　the

window…place。　Advancing　to　her；　Aziel　bent　down　to　kiss　her　wounded

hand。



〃Nay；〃　said　Elissa；　hiding　it　beneath　the　folds　of　her　robe；　〃it　is

still　black　and　unsightly　with　the　poison。〃



〃The　more　reason　that　I　should　kiss　it；　seeing　how　the　stain　came

there；〃　he　answered。



Her　eyes　met　his；　and　she　whispered；　〃Not　my　hand；　but　my　brow；

Prince；　for　so　I　shall　be　crowned。〃



He　pressed　his　lips　upon　her　forehead；　and　replied：



〃Queen　of　my　heart　you　are　already；　and　though　the　throne　be　humble　it

is　sure。　The　life　you　saved　is　yours；　and　no　other's。〃



〃I　did　but　repay　a　debt；〃　she　answered；　〃but　speak　of　it　no　more。

Gladly　would　I　have　died　to　save　you；　should　such　choice　arise；　would

you　do　so　for　me；　I　wonder？〃



〃There　is　little　need　to　ask　such　a　question；　lady；　for　your　sake　I

would　not　only　die；　I　would　even　endure　shamethat　is　worse　than

death。〃



〃Sweet　words；　Aziel；〃　she　answered；　smiling；　〃of　which　we　shall　learn

the　value　when　the　hour　of　trial　comes；　as　come；　I　think；　it　will。　You

told　me　but　now　that　you　were　mine；　and　no　other's；　but　is　it　so？　I

have　heard　the　story　of　a　certain　princess　of　Khem　with　whom　your　name

was　mingled。　Tell　me；　if　you　will；　what　was　it　that　set　you　journeying

to　this　far　city　of　ours？〃



〃The　desire　to　find　you；〃　he　answered　smiling；　then　seeing　that　she

still　looked　at　him　with　questioning　eyes；　he　added；　〃Nay；　this　is　the

truth；　if　you　seek　truth。　Indeed；　it　is　the　best　that　I　should　tell

you；　since　it　seems　that　already　you　have　heard　something　of　the　tale。

A　while　ago　I　was　sent　to　the　Court　of　the　Pharaoh　of　Egypt；　by　the

will　of　my　grandsire；　the　king　of　Israel；　upon　an　embassy　of

friendship；　and　to　escort　thence　a　certain　beautiful　princess；　my

cousin；　who　was　affianced　by　treaty　to　an　uncle　of　mine；　a　great

prince　of　Israel。　This　I　did；　showing　to　the　lady　courtesy；　and　no

more。　But　the　end　of　the　matter　was　that　when　we　came　to　Jerusalem　the

princess　refused　to　be　married　to　my　uncle；　to　whom　she　was

betrothed〃　and　he　hesitated。



〃Nay；　be　not　timid；　Prince；〃　said　Elissa　sharply；　〃continue；　I　pray

you。　I　have　heard　that　the　lady　added　somewhat　to　her　refusal。〃



〃That　is　so；　Elissa。　She　declared　before　the　king　that　she　would　wed

no　man　except　myself　only；　whereon　my　uncle　was　very　angry；　and

accused　me　of　play