elissa-第17部分

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〃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　playing　him　false；　which；　indeed；　I　had　not　done。〃



〃Although　the　lady　was　so　fair；　Aziel？　But　what　said　the　great　king？〃



〃He　said　that　never　having　seen　him　to　whom　she　was　affianced；　he

would　not　suffer　that　she　should　be　forced　into　marriage　with　him

against　her　will。　Yet　that　her　will　might　be　uninfluenced；　he

commanded　that　I　should　be　sent　upon　a　long　journey。　That　was　his

judgment；　lady。〃



〃Yes；　but　not　all　of　it；　surely　he　added　other　words？〃　she　broke　in

eagerly。



〃He　added；〃　continued　Aziel；　with　some　reluctance；　〃that　if　while　I

was　on　this　journey　the　princess　changed　her　mind；　and　chose　to　wed　my

uncle；　it　would　be　well。　But；　when　I　returned　from　it；　if　she　had　not

changed　her　mind；　and　choseto　marry　methen　it　would　be　well　also；

and；　though　he　was　little　pleased；　with　this　saying　my　uncle　must　be

satisfied。〃



〃It　does　not　satisfy　me；　prince　Aziel；〃　Elissa　answered；　the　tears

starting　to　her　dark　eyes。　〃I　know　full　well　that　the　lady　will　not

change　her　mind；　and　take　a　man　who　is　in　years；　and　whom　she　hates；

in　place　of　one　who　is　young；　and　whom　she　loves。　Therefore；　when　you

return　hence　to　Jerusalem；　by　the　king's　command　you　will　wed　her。〃



〃Nay；　Elissa；　if　I　am　already　married　that　cannot　be；〃　he　said。



〃In　Judea；　Prince；　I　am　told　that　men　take　more　wives　than　one；　also；

they　divorce　them；〃　she　replied；　then　added；　〃Oh；　return　not　there

where　I　shall　lose　you。　If；　indeed；　you　love　me；　I　pray　you　return　not

there。〃



Before　he　could　answer；　a　sound　of　singing　and　of　all　sorts　of　music

caught　Aziel's　ear。　Looking　through　the　casement；　he　saw　a　great

procession　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　of　El　and　Baaltis　clad　in

their　festal　robes　and　accompanied　by　many　dignitaries　of　the　city；　a

multitude　of　people　and　bands　of　musicians；　advancing　across　the

square　towards　the　door　of　the　palace。



〃Why；　what　passes？〃　he　exclaimed。　As　he　spoke　the　door　opened　and　two

richly　arrayed　heralds；　wands　of　office　in　their　hands；　entered　and

prostrated　themselves　before　Elissa。



〃Greeting　to　you；　most　noble　and　blessed　lady；　the　chosen　of　the

gods！〃　they　cried　with　one　voice。　〃Prepare；　we　beseech　you；　to　hear

glad　tidings；　and　to　receive　those　who　are　sent　to　tell　them。〃



〃Glad　tidings？〃　said　Elissa。　〃Has　Ithobal　then　withdrawn　his　suit？〃



〃Nay；　lady；　it　is　not　of　Ithobal　that　the　messengers　come　to　speak。〃



〃Then　I　cannot　receive　them；〃　she　said；　sinking　back　in　apprehension。

〃I　am　still　ill　and　weak；　and　I　pray　to　be　excused。〃



〃Nay；　lady；〃　answered　the　herald；　〃that　which　they　have　to　tell　will

cure　your　sickness。〃



Again　Elissa　protested。　Before　the　words　had　left　her　lips　there

appeared　in　the　doorway　he　who　had　been　husband　of　the　dead　Baaltis；

followed　by　priests　and　priestesses；　by　Sakon　her　father；　with　whom

was　Metem；　and　many　other　nobles　and　dignitaries。



〃All　hail；　lady！〃　they　cried；　prostrating　themselves　before　her。　〃All

hail；　lady；　chosen　of　the　gods！〃



Elissa　looked　at　them　bewildered。



〃Your　pardon；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　understand。〃



Then；　rising　from　his　knees；　he　who　was　still　the　Shadid　until　his

successor　was　appointed；　addressed　her　as　spokesman。



〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃and　learn；　lady；　the　great　thing　that　has　befallen

you。　Know；　O　divine　One；　that　by　the　inspiration　of　El　and　Baaltis；

rulers　of　the　heavens；　the　colleges　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　of

the　city；　following　the　voice　of　the　oracles　and　the　pointing　of　the

omens；　have　set　you　in　that　high　place　which　death　has　emptied。

Greeting　to　you；　holder　of　the　spirit　of　the　goddess！　Greeting　to　the

Baaltis！〃



〃I　did　not　seek　this　honour；〃　she　murmured　in　the　silence　that

followed；　〃and　I　refuse　it。　The　throne　of　the　goddess　is　Mesa's　right；

let　her　take　it；　or　if　she　will　not；　then　find　some　other　woman　who　is

more　worthy。〃



〃Lady；〃　said　the　Shadid；　〃these　words　become　you　well；　but　it　has

pleased　the　gods　to　choose　you　and　not　my　daughter；　the　lady　Mesa；　or

any　other　woman；　and　the　choice　of　the　gods　may　not　be　set　aside。　Till

death　shall　take　you；　you　and　you　alone　are　the　lady　Baaltis　whom　we

obey。〃



〃Must　I　then　be　made　divine　against　my　will；〃　she　pleaded；　and　turned

to　Aziel　as　though　for　counsel。



〃Be　pleased　to　stand　back；　prince　Aziel；〃　said　the　stern　voice　of　the

Shadid；　interposing。　〃Remember　that　henceforth　no　man　may　speak　to　the

Baaltis　save　he　whom　she　names　with　the　name　of　Shadid　to　be　her

husband。　Henceforward　you　are　parted；　since　to　seek　her　company　would

be　to　cause　her　death。〃



Now　understanding　that　the　doom　of　life…long　separation　had　fallen

upon　them　like　the　sudden　sword　of　fate；　Aziel　and　Elissa　gazed　at

each　other　in　despair。　Then；　before　either　of　them　could　speak　a　word；

at　a　sign　from　the　Shadid；　the　priestesses　closed　round　Elissa。

Throwing　a　white　veil　over　her　head；　they　broke　into　a　joyful　p？an　of

song；　and　half…led；　half…carried　her　from　the　chamber　to　enthrone　her

in　the　palace　of　the　goddess；　which　was　henceforth　to　be　her　home。



Presently　all　the　company；　including　the　waiting　women；　having　joined

the　procession；　the　chamber　was　empty；　with　the　exception　of　Aziel；

Metem　and　Issachar　the　Levite；　who；　drawn　by　the　sound　of　singing；　had

entered　the　place　unnoticed。



〃Take　comfort；　Prince；〃　said　the　Ph？nician　in　a　half…bantering　voice；

〃if　you　and　the　lady　Baaltis　are　truly　dear　to　each　other　she　may

still　be　yours；　for　you　have　but　to　bow　the　knee　to　El；　and　she　will

name　you　Shadid　and　husband。〃



〃Blaspheme　not；〃　cried　Issachar　sternly。　〃Shall　a　worshipper　of　the

God　of　Israel　do　sacrifice　to　a　demon　to　win　a　woman's　smile？〃



〃That　time　will　prove；〃　answered　Metem；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃at

least　it　is　certain　that　he　will　win　it　in　no　other　way。　Prince；〃　he

added；　changing　his　tone；　〃if　you　have　any　such　thoughts；　abandon

them；　I　pray　of　you；　for　on　this　matter　the　law　may　not　be　broken。　The

man　spoke　truth；　moreover；　when　he　told　you　that　should　you　be　found

with　the　Baaltis；　not　being　her　husband；　you　would　cause　her　death。〃



Aziel　took　no　notice　of　his　words；　but　turning　to　the　Levite；　he　asked

in　a　quiet　voice：



〃Did　you　plot　this　to　separate　us；　Issachar？　If　so；　you　shall　live　to

mourn　the　deed。〃



〃Listen；　Prince；〃　broke　in　Metem；　〃it　was　not　Issachar　who　plotted

that　the　lady　Elissa　should　be　chosen　Baaltis；　but　I；　or　at　least　I

helped　the　plot。　Shall　I　tell　you　why　I　did　this？　It　was　to　save　you

and　her；　and　if　possible　to　prevent　a　great　war　also。　You　could　not

wed　this　woman　who　is　not　of　your　race；　or　rank；　or　religion；　and　if

you　could；　it　would　bring　about　a　struggle　that　must　cost　thousands

their　lives；　and　this　city　its　wealth。　Nor　could　you　make　of　her　less

than　a　wife；　seeing　that　she　is　well…born　and　that　you　are　her

father's　guest。　Therefore　for　your　own　sake　it　is　best　that　she　should

be　placed　beyond　your　reach。　For　her　sake　also　it　is　best；　since　she

is　ambitious　and　born　to　rule；　who　henceforth　will　be　clothed　with

power　for　all　her　days。　Moreover；　had　it　been　otherwise；　in　the　end

she　must　have　passed　to　that　savage　Ithobal；　whom　she　hates。　Now　this

is　scarcely　possible；　for　the　lady　Baaltis　can　wed　no　man　who　is　not

of　pure　white　blood；　and　whom　she　does　not　choose　of　her　own　free

will。　That　is　a　decree　which　may　not　be　broken　even　by　Ithobal。　So

revile　me　not；　but　thank　me；　though　for　a　little　while　your　heart　be

sore。〃



〃My　heart　is　sore　indeed；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃and　if　you　think　your

words　be　wise；　their　medicine　does　not　soothe；　Ph？nician。　You　may　have

laboured　for　my　welfare　and　for　that　of　the　lady　Elissa；　or；　like　the

huckster　that　you　are；　for　your　own　advantage；　or　for　bothI　know

not；　and　do　not　care　to　know。　But　this　I　know；　that　you；　and　Issachar

also；　are　striving　to　snare　Fate　in　a　web　of　sand；　and　that　Fate　will

be　too　strong　for　it　and　you。　I　love　this　woman　and　she　loves　me；

because　such　is　our　destiny；　and　no　barriers　which　man　may　build　can

serve　to　separate　us。　Also　of　this　I　am　assured；　that　by　your　plots

you　draw　the　evils　you　would　ward　away　upon　the　heads　of　us　all；　for

from　them　shall　spring　war；　and　deaths；　and　misery。



〃For　the　rest；　do　not　think；　Metem　and　Issachar；　that　I；　whom　you

betrayed；　and　the　woman　you　have　ruined　with　a　crown　of　greatness　she

did　not　seek；　are　clay　to　be　moulded　at　your　will。　It　is　another　hand

than　yours　which　fashioned　the　vessel　of　our　destiny；　nor　can　you　stay

our　lips　from　drinking　of　the　pure　wine　that　fills　it。　Farewell；〃　and

with　a　grave　inclination　of　the　head　he　left　the　room。



Metem　watched　him　go；　then　he　turned　to　Issachar　and　said：



〃I　have　earned　my　hire　well；　and　you　must　pay　the　price；　but　now　it

troubles　me　to　think　that　I　touched　this　business。　Why　it　is　I　cannot

say；　but　it　comes　upon　me　that　the　prince　speaks　truth；　and　that　no

plot　of　ours　can　avail　to　separate　these　two　who　were　born　to　each

other；　although　it　well　may　happen　that　we　shall　unite　them　in　death

alone。　Issachar；〃　he　added　with　fierce　conviction；　〃I　will　not　take

your　gold；　for　it　is　the　price　of　blood！　I　tell　you　it　is　the　price　of

blood！〃



〃Take　it　or　no；　as　you　will；　Ph？nician；〃　answered　the　Levite；　〃at

least　I　am　well　pleased　that　the　promise　of　it　bought　your　service。

Even　should　the　prince　Aziel　discharge　this　day's　work　with　his　young

life；　it　is　better　that　he　should　perish　in　the　body　than　that　he

should　lose　his　soul　for　the　bribe　of　a　woman's　passing　beauty。

Whatever　else　be　lost；　that　is　saved　to　him；　since　those　sorceress

lips　of　hers　are　set　beyond　his　reach。　An　Israelite　cannot　mate　with

the　oracle　of　Baaltis；　Metem。〃



〃You　say　so；　Issachar；　but　I　have　seen　men　climb　high　to　pluck　such

fruit。　Yes；　I　have　seen　them　climb　even