elissa-第19部分

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fright　you　have　given　me　to…day。　Little　of　Elissa's　company　shall　you

have　if　I　can　help　it；　she　is　too　good　for　a　cross…bred　savage；　and　if

before　I　go　from　these　barbarian　lands　I　can　set　a　drop　of　medicine　in

your　wine；　or　an　arrow　in　your　gizzard；　upon　the　word　of　Metem　the

Ph？nician；　it　shall　be　done；　king　Ithobal。〃



*****



When　Metem　reached　Sakon　and　the　envoys；　he　found　that　a　message　had

already　been　sent　to　them　announcing　that　Ithobal　would　meet　them

presently　upon　the　plain　outside　his　camp。　But　still　the　king　did　not

come；　indeed；　it　was　not　until　Sakon　had　despatched　another　messenger；

saying　that　he　was　about　to　return　to　the　city；　that　at　length　Ithobal

appeared　at　the　head　of　a　bodyguard　of　black　troops。　Arranging　these

in　line　in　front　of　the　camp；　he　came　forward；　attended　by　twelve　or

fourteen　counsellors　and　generals；　all　of　them　unarmed。　Half…way

between　his　own　line　and　that　of　the　Ph？nicians；　but　out　of　bowshot　of

either；　he　halted。



Thereon　Sakon；　accompanied　by　a　similar　number　of　priests　and　nobles；

among　whom　were　Aziel　and　Metem；　all　of　them　also　unarmed；　except　for

the　knives　in　their　girdles；　marched　out　to　meet　him。　Their　escort

they　left　drawn　up　upon　the　hillside。



〃Let　us　to　business；　King；〃　said　Sakon；　when　the　formal　words　of

salutation　had　passed。　〃We　have　waited　long　upon　your　pleasure；　and

already　troops　move　out　from　the　city　to　learn　what　has　befallen　us。〃



〃Do　they　then　fear　that　I　should　ambush　ambassadors？〃　asked　Ithobal

hotly。　〃For　the　rest；　is　it　not　right　that　servants　should　bide　at　the

door　of　their　king　till　it　is　his　pleasure　to　open？〃



〃I　know　not　what　they　fear；〃　answered　Sakon；　〃but　at　least　we　fear

nothing；　for　we　are　too　many；〃　and　he　glanced　at　his　soldiers；　a

thousand　strong；　upon　the　hillside。　〃Nor　are　the　citizens　of　Zimboe

the　servants　of　any　man　unless　he　be　the　king　of　Tyre。〃



〃That　we　shall　put　to　proof；　Sakon；〃　said　Ithobal；　〃but　say；　what　does

the　Jew　with　you？〃　and　he　pointed　to　Aziel。　〃Is　he　also　an　envoy　from

Zimboe？〃



〃Nay；　King；〃　answered　the　prince　laughing；　〃but　my　grandsire；　the

mighty　ruler　of　Israel；　charged　me　always　to　take　note　of　the　ways　of

savages　in　peace　and　war；　that　I　might　learn　how　to　deal　with　them。

Therefore；　I　sought　leave　to　accompany　Sakon　upon　this　embassy。〃



〃Peace；　peace！〃　broke　in　Sakon。　〃This　is　no　time　for　gibes。　King

Ithobal；　since　you　did　not　dare　to　venture　yourself　again　within　the

walls　of　our　city；　we　have　come　to　answer　the　demands　you　made　upon　us

in　the　Hall　of　Audience。　You　demanded　that　our　fortifications　should

be　thrown　down；　and　this　we　refuse；　since　we　do　not　court　destruction。

You　demanded　that　we　should　cease　to　enslave　men　to　labour　in　the

mines；　and　to　this　we　answer　that　for　every　man　we　take　we　will　pay　a

tax　to　his　lawful　chief；　or　to　you　as　king。　You　demanded　that　the

ancient　tribute　should　be　doubled。　To　this；　out　of　love　and

friendship；　and　not　from　fear；　we　assent；　if　you　will　enter　into　a

bond　of　lasting　peace；　since　it　is　peace　we　seek；　and　not　war。　King；

you　have　our　answer。〃



〃Not　all　of　it；　Sakon。　How　of　that　first　conditionthat　Lady　Elissa

the　fair；　your　daughter；　should　be　given　me　to　wife？〃



〃King；　it　cannot　be；　for　the　gods　of　heaven　have　taken　this　matter

from　our　hands；　anointing　the　lady　Elissa　their　high…priestess。〃



〃Then　as　I　live；〃　answered　Ithobal　with　fury；　〃I　will　take　her　from

the　hands　of　the　gods　and　anoint　her　my　dancing…woman。　Do　you　think　to

make　a　mock　of　me；　you　people　of　Zimboe；　whom　I　have　honoured　by

desiring　one　of　your　daughters　in　marriage？　You　seek　to　trick　me　with

your　priests'　juggling　that　you　may　keep　her　to　be　the　toy　of　yonder

princeling？　So　be　it；　but　I　tell　you　that　I　will　tear　your　city　stone

from　stone；　and　anoint　its　ruins　with　your　blood。　Yes；　your　young　men

shall　labour　in　the　mines　for　me；　and　your　high…born　maidens　shall

wait　upon　my　queens。　Listen；　you〃and　he　turned　to　his　generals〃Let

the　messengers　who　are　ready　start　east　and　west；　and　north　and　south；

to　the　chiefs　whose　names　you　have；　bidding　them　to　meet　me　with　their

tribesmen；　at　the　time　and　place　appointed。　When　next　I　speak　with

you；　Elders　of　Zimboe；　it　shall　be　at　the　head　of　a　hundred　thousand

warriors。〃



〃Then；　King；　on　your　hands　be　all　the　innocent　lives　that　these　words

of　yours　have　doomed；　and　may　the　weight　of　their　wasted　blood　press

you　down　to　ruin　and　death。〃



Thus　answered　Sakon　proudly；　but　with　pale　lips；　for　do　what　they

would　to　hide　it；　something　of　the　fear　they　felt　for　the　issue　of

this　war　was　written　on　the　faces　of　all　his　company。



Ithobal　turned　upon　his　heel；　deigning　no　reply；　but　as　he　went　he

whispered　a　word　into　the　ear　of　two　of　his　captains；　great　men　of

war；　who　stayed　behind　the　rest　of　his　party　searching　for　something

upon　the　ground。　Sakon　and　his　counsellors　also　turned；　walking

towards　their　escort；　but　Aziel　lingered　a　little；　fearing　no　danger；

and　being　curious　to　learn　what　the　men　sought。



〃What　do　you　seek；　captains？〃　he　asked　courteously。



〃A　gold　armlet　that　one　of　us　has　lost；〃　they　answered。



Aziel　let　his　eyes　wander　on　the　ground；　and　not　far　away　perceived

the　armlet　half…hidden　in　a　tussock　of　dry　grass；　where；　indeed；　it

had　been　placed。



〃Is　this　the　ring？〃　he　asked；　lifting　it　and　holding　it　towards　them。



〃It　is；　and　we　thank　you；〃　they　answered；　advancing　to　take　the

ornament。



The　next　moment；　before　Aziel　even　guessed　their　purpose；　the　captains

had　gripped　him　by　either　arm　and　were　dragging　him　at　full　speed

towards　their　camp。　Understanding　their　treachery　and　the　greatness　of

his　danger；　he　cried　aloud　for　help。　Then　throwing　himself　swiftly　to

the　ground；　he　set　his　feet　against　a　stone　that　chanced　to　lie　in

their　path　in　such　fashion　that　the　sudden　weight　tore　his　right　arm

from　the　group　of　the　man　that　held　him。　Now；　quick　as　thought；　Aziel

drew　the　dagger　from　his　girdle；　and；　still　lying　upon　his　back；

plunged　it　into　the　shoulder　of　the　second　man　so　that　he　loosed　him

in　his　pain。　Next　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　and；　leaping　to　one　side　to

escape　the　rush　of　his　captors；　ran　like　a　deer　towards　the　party　of

Sakon；　who　had　wheeled　round　at　the　sound　of　his　cry。



Ithobal　and　his　men　had　turned　also　and　sped　towards　them；　but　at　a

little　distance　they　halted；　the　king　shouting　aloud：



〃I　desired　to　hold　this　foreigner；　who　is　the　cause　of　war　between　us；

hostage　for　your　daughter's　sake；　Sakon；　but　this　time　he　has　escaped

me。　Well；　it　matters　nothing；　for　soon　my　turn　will　come。　Therefore；

if　you　and　he　are　wise；　you　will　send　him　back　to　the　sea；　for　thither

alone　I　promise　him　safe　conduct。〃



Then　without　more　words　he　walked　to　his　camp；　the　gates　of　which　were

closed　behind　him。



*****



〃Prince　Aziel；〃　said　Sakon；　as　they　went　towards　the　city；　〃it　is　ill

to　speak　such　words　to　an　honoured　guest；　but　it　cannot　be　denied　that

you　bring　much　trouble　on　my　head。　Twice　now　you　have　nearly　perished

at　the　hands　of　Ithobal；　and　should　that　chance；　doubtless　I　must　earn

the　wrath　of　Israel。　On　your　behalf；　also；　the　city　of　Zimboe　is　this

day　plunged　into　a　war　that　well　may　be　her　last；　since　it　is　because

you　have　grown　suddenly　dear　to　her　that　my　daughter　has　continued　to

refuse　the　suit　of　Ithobal；　and　because　of　his　outraged　pride　at　this

refusal　that　he　has　raised　up　the　nations　against　us。　Prince；　while

you　remain　in　this　city　there　is　no　hope　of　peace。　Do　not；　therefore；

hate　me；　your　servant；　if　I　pray　of　you　to　leave　us　while　there　is　yet

time。〃



〃Sakon；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃I　thank　you　for　your　open　speech；　and　will

pay　you　back　in　words　as　honest　as　your　own。　Gladly　would　I　go；　for

here　nothing　but　sorrow　has　befallen　me；　were　it　not　for　one　thing

which　to　you　may　seem　little；　but　to　me；　and　perhaps　to　another；　is

all　in　all。　I　love　your　daughter　as　I　have　never　loved　a　woman　before；

and　as　my　mind　is　to　hers；　so　is　hers　to　mine。　How；　then；　can　I　go

hence　when　the　going　means　that　I　must　part　from　her　for　ever？〃



〃How　can　you　stay　here；　Prince；　when　the　staying　means　that　you　must

bring　her　to　shame　and　death；　and　yourself　with　her？　Say　now；　are　you

prepared；　for　the　sake　of　this　maiden；　to　abandon　the　worship　of　your

fathers　and　to　become　the　servant　of　El　and　Baaltis？〃



〃You　know　well　that　I　am　not　so　prepared；　Sakon。　For　nothing　that　the

world　could　give　me　would　I　do　this　sin。〃



〃Then；　Prince；　it　is　best　that　you　should　go；　for　that　and　no　other　is

the　price　you　must　pay　if　you　would　win　my　daughter　Elissa。　Should　you

seek　to　do　so　by　other　means；　I　tell　you　that　neither　your　high　rank

nor　the　power　of　my　rule　and　friendship；　nor　pity　for　your　youth　and

hers；　can　save　you　both　from　death；　since　to　forgive　you　then　would　be

to　bring　down　the　wrath　of　its　outraged　gods　upon　Zimboe。　Oh！　Prince；

for　your　own　sake　and　for　the　sake　of　her　whom　both　you　and　I　love

thus　dearly；　linger　no　longer　in　temptation；　but　turn　your　back　upon

it　as　a　brave　man　should；　for　so　shall　my　blessing　follow　you　to　the

grave　and　your　years　be　filled　with　honour。〃



Aziel　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　and　thought　a　while；　then　he

answered：



〃Be　it　as　you　will；　friend。　I　go；　but　I　go　broken…hearted。〃







CHAPTER　XI



METEM　SELLS　IMAGES



Upon　reaching　the　palace；　Aziel　went　to　the　apartments　of　Issachar。

Finding　no　keeper　at　the　door；　he　entered；　to　discover　the　old　priest

kneeling　in　prayer　at　the　window；　which　faced　towards　Jerusalem。　So

absorbed　was　he　in　his　devotions　that　it　was　not　until　he　had　ended

them　and　risen　that　Issachar　saw　Aziel　standing　in　the　chamber。



〃Behold；　an　answer　to　my　prayer；〃　he　said。　〃My　son；　they　told　me　that

some　fresh　danger　had　overtaken　you；　though　none　knew　its　issue。

Therefore　it　was　that　I　prayed；　and　now　I　see　you　unharmed。〃　And

taking　him　in　h