elissa-第2部分

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Your　servants　told　me　that　by　your　command　they　had　left　you　alone；　so

I　returned　to　bear　you　company；　for　after　nightfall　robbers　and

savages　wander　without　these　walls。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　your　care；　Metem；　though　I　think　there　is　little

danger；　and　at　the　worst　I　can　defend　myself。〃



〃Do　not　thank　me；　Prince；　I　am　a　merchant；　and　now；　as　in　the　past；　I

protect　you；　knowing　that　for　it　I　shall　be　paid。　The　governor　will

give　me　a　rich　reward　when　I　lead　you　to　him　safely；　and　when　in　years

to　come　I　return　with　you　still　safe　to　the　court　of　Jerusalem；　then

the　great　king　will　fill　my　ship's　hold　with　gifts。〃



〃That　depends；　Metem；〃　replied　the　prince。　〃If　my　grandfather　still

reigns　it　may　be　so；　but　he　is　very　old；　and　if　my　uncle　wears　his

crown；　then　I　am　not　sure。　Truly　you　Ph？nicians　love　money。　Would　you；

then；　sell　me　for　gold　also；　Metem？〃



〃I　said　not　so；　Prince；　though　even　friendship　has　its　price〃



〃Among　your　people；　Metem？〃



〃Among　all　people；　Prince。　You　reproach　us　with　loving　money；　well；　we

do；　since　money　gives　everything　for　which　men　strivehonour；　and

place；　and　comfort；　and　the　friendship　of　kings。〃



〃It　cannot　give　you　love；　Metem。〃



The　Ph？nician　laughed　contemptuously。　〃Love！　with　gold　I　will　buy　as

much　of　it　as　I　need。　Are　there　no　slaves　upon　the　market；　and　no　free

women　who　desire　ornaments　and　ease　and　the　purple　of　Tyre？　You　are

young；　Prince；　to　say　that　gold　cannot　buy　us　love。〃



〃And　you；　Metem；　who　are　growing　old；　do　not　understand　what　I　mean　by

love；　nor　will　I　stay　to　explain　it　to　you；　for　were　my　words　as　wise

as　Solomon's；　still　you　would　not　understand。　At　the　least　your　money

cannot　bring　you　the　blessing　of　Heaven；　nor　the　welfare　of　your

spirit　in　the　eternal　life　that　is　to　come。〃



〃The　welfare　of　my　spirit；　Prince？　No；　it　cannot；　since　I　do　not

believe　that　I　have　a　spirit。　When　I　die；　I　die；　and　there　is　an　end。

But　the　blessing　of　Heaven；　ah！　that　can　be　bought；　as　I　have　proved

once　and　again；　if　not　with　gold；　then　otherwise。　Did　I　not　in　bygone

years　pass　the　first　son　of　my　manhood　through　the　fire　to　Baal…Sidon？

Nay；　shrink　not　from　me；　it　cost　me　dear；　but　my　fortune　was　at　stake；

and　better　that　the　boy　should　die　than　that　all　of　us　should　live　on

in　penury　and　bonds。　Know　you　not；　Prince；　that　the　gods　must　have　the

gifts　of　the　best；　gifts　of　blood　and　virtue；　or　they　will　curse　us

and　torment　us？〃



〃I　do　not　know　it；　Metem；　for　such　gods　are　no　gods；　but　devils；

children　of　Beelzebub；　who　has　no　power　over　the　righteous。　Truly　I

would　have　none　of　your　two　gods；　Ph？nician；　upon　earth　the　god　of

gold；　and　in　heaven　the　devil　of　slaughter。〃



〃Speak　no　ill　of　him；　Prince；〃　answered　Metem　solemnly；　〃for　here　you

are　not　in　the　courts　of　Jehovah；　but　in　his　land；　and　he　may　chance

to　prove　his　power　on　you。　For　the　rest；　I　had　sooner　follow　after

gold　than　the　folly　of　a　drunken　spirit　which　you　name　Love；　seeing

that　it　works　its　votary　less　mischief。　Say　now；　it　was　a　woman　and

her　love　that　drove　you　hither　to　this　wild　land；　was　it　not；　Prince？

Well；　be　careful　lest　a　woman　and　her　love　should　keep　you　here。〃



〃The　sun　sets；〃　said　Aziel　coldly；　〃let　us　go　forward。〃



With　a　bow　and　a　murmured　salute；　for　his　quick　courtier　instinct　told

him　that　he　had　spoken　too　freely；　Metem　took　the　bridle　of　the

prince's　mule；　holding　the　stirrup　while　he　mounted。　Then　he　turned　to

seek　his　own；　but　the　animal　had　wandered；　and　a　full　half　hour　went

by　before　it　could　be　captured。



By　now　the　sun　had　set；　and　as　there　is　little　or　no　twilight　in

Southern　Africa　it　became　difficult　for　the　two　travellers　to　find

their　way　down　the　rough　hill　path。　Still　they　stumbled　on；　till

presently　the　long　dead　grass　brushing　against　their　knees　told　them

that　they　had　lost　the　road；　although　they　knew　that　they　were　riding

in　the　right　direction；　for　the　watch…fires　burning　on　the　city　walls

were　a　guide　to　them。　Soon；　however；　they　lost　sight　of　these　fires；

the　boughs　of　a　grove　of　thickly…leaved　trees　hiding　them　from　view；

and　in　trying　to　push　their　way　through　the　wood　Metem's　mule　stumbled

against　a　root　and　fell。



〃Now　there　is　but　one　thing　to　be　done；〃　said　the　Ph？nician；　as　he

dragged　the　animal　from　the　ground；　〃and　it　is　to　stay　here　till　the

moon　rises；　which　should　be　within　an　hour。　It　would　have　been　wiser；

Prince；　if　we　had　waited　to　discuss　love　and　the　gods　till　we　were

safe　within　the　walls　of　the　city；　for　the　end　of　it　is　that　we　have

fallen　into　the　hands　of　king　Darkness；　and　he　is　the　father　of　many

evil　things。〃



〃That　is　so；　Metem；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃and　I　am　to　blame。　Let　us

bide　here　in　patience；　since　we　must。〃



So；　holding　their　mules　by　the　bridles；　they　sat　down　upon　the　ground

and　waited　in　silence；　for　each　of　them　was　lost　in　his　own　thoughts。







CHAPTER　II



THE　GROVE　OF　BAALTIS



At　length；　as　the　two　men　sat　thus　silently；　for　the　place　and　its

gloom　oppressed　them；　a　sound　broke　upon　the　quiet　of　the　night；　that

beginning　with　a　low　wail　such　as　might　come　from　the　lips　of　a

mourner；　ended　in　a　chant　or　song。　The　voice；　which　seemed　close　at

hand；　was　low；　rich　and　passionate。　At　times　it　sank　almost　to　a　sob；

and　at　times；　taking　a　higher　note；　it　thrilled　upon　the　air　in　tones

that　would　have　been　shrill　were　they　not　so　sweet。



〃Who　is　it　that　sings？〃　said　Aziel　to　Metem。



〃Be　silent；　I　pray　you；〃　whispered　the　other　in　his　ear；　〃we　have

wandered　into　one　of　the　sacred　groves　of　Baaltis；　which　it　is　death

for　men　to　enter　save　at　the　appointed　festivals；　and　a　priestess　of

the　grove　chants　her　prayer　to　the　goddess。〃



〃We　did　not　come　of　our　own　will；　so　doubtless　we　shall　be　forgiven；〃

answered　Aziel　indifferently；　〃but　that　song　moves　me。　Tell　me　the

words　of　it；　which　I　can　scarcely　follow；　for　her　accent　is　strange　to

me。〃



〃Prince；　they　seem　to　be　holy　words　to　which　I　have　little　right　to

hearken。　The　priestess　sings　an　ancient　hallowed　chant　of　life　and

death；　and　she　prays　that　the　goddess　may　touch　her　soul　with　the　wing

of　fire　and　make　her　great　and　give　her　vision　of　things　that　have

been　and　that　shall　be。　More　I　dare　not　tell　you　now；　indeed　I　can

barely　hear；　and　the　song　is　hard　to　understand。　Crouch　down；　for　the

moon　rises；　and　pray　that　the　mules　may　not　stir。　Presently　she　will

go；　and　we　can　fly　the　holy　place。〃



The　Israelite　obeyed　and　waited；　searching　the　darkness　with　eager

eyes。



Now　the　edge　of　the　great　moon　appeared　upon　the　horizon；　and　by

degrees　her　white　rays　of　light　revealed　a　strange　scene　to　the

watchers。　About　an　open　space　of　ground；　some　eighty　paces　in

diameter；　grew　seven　huge　and　ancient　baobab　trees；　so　ancient　indeed

that　they　must　have　been　planted　by　the　prim？val　hand　of　nature　rather

than　by　that　of　man。　Aziel　and　his　companion　were　hidden　with　their

mules　behind　the　trunk　of　one　of　these　trees；　and　looking　round　it

they　perceived　that　the　open　space　beyond　the　shadow　of　the　branches

was　not　empty。　In　the　centre　of　this　space　stood　an　altar；　and　by　it

was　placed　the　rude　figure　of　a　divinity　carved　in　wood　and　painted。

On　the　head　of　this　figure　rose　a　crescent　symbolical　of　the　moon；　and

round　its　neck　hung　a　chain　of　wooden　stars。　It　had　four　wings　but　no

hands；　and　of　these　wings　two　were　out…spread　and　two　clasped　a

shapeless　object　to　its　breast；　intended；　apparently；　to　represent　a

child。　By　these　symbols　Aziel　knew　that　before　him　was　an　effigy

sacred　to　the　goddess　of　the　Ph？nicians；　who　in　different　countries

passed　by　the　various　names　of　Astarte；　or　Ashtoreth；　or　Baaltis；　and

who　in　their　coarse　worship　was　at　once　the　personification　of　the

moon　and　the　emblem　of　fertility。



Standing　before　this　rude　fetish；　between　it　and　the　altar；　whereon

lay　some　flowers；　and　in　such　fashion　that　the　moonlight　struck　full

upon　her；　was　a　white…robed　woman。　She　was　young　and　very　beautiful

both　in　shape　and　feature；　and　though　her　black　hair　streaming　almost

to　the　knees　took　from　her　height；　she　still　seemed　tall。　Her　rounded

arms　were　outstretched；　her　sweet　and　passionate　face　was　upturned

towards　the　sky；　and　even　at　that　distance　the　watchers　could　see　her

deep　eyes　shining　in　the　moonlight。　The　sacred　song　of　the　priestess

was　finished。　Now　she　was　praying　aloud；　slowly；　and　in　a　clear　voice；

so　that　Aziel　could　hear　and　understand　her；　praying　from　her　very

heart；　not　to　the　idol　before　her；　however；　but　to　the　moon　above。



〃O　Queen　of　Heaven；〃　she　said；　〃thou　whose　throne　I　see　but　whose　face

I　cannot　see；　hear　the　prayer　of　thy　priestess；　and　protect　me　from

the　fate　I　fear；　and　rid　me　of　him　I　hate。　Safe　let　me　dwell　and　pure；

and　as　thou　fillest　the　night　with　light；　so　fill　the　darkness　of　my

soul　with　the　wisdom　that　I　crave。　O　whisper　into　my　ears　and　let　me

hear　the　voice　of　heaven；　teaching　me　that　which　I　would　know。　Read　me

the　riddle　of　my　life；　and　let　me　learn　wherefore　I　am　not　as　my

sisters　are；　why　feasts　and　offerings　delight　me　not；　why　I　thirst　for

knowledge　and　not　for　wealth；　and　why　I　crave　such　love　as　here　I

cannot　win。　Satisfy　my　being　with　thy　immortal　lore　and　a　love　that

does　not　fail　or　die；　and　if　thou　wilt；　then　take　my　life　in　payment。

Speak　to　me　from　the　heaven　above；　O　Baaltis；　or　show　me　some　sign

upon　the　earth　beneath；　fill　up　the　vessel　of　my　thirsty　soul　and

satisfy　the　hunger　of　my　spirit。　Oh！　thou　that　art　the　goddess；　thou

that　hast　the　gift　of　power；　give　me；　thy　servant；　of　thy　power；　of

thy　godhead；　and　of　thy　peace。　Hear　me；　O　Heaven…born；　hear　me；

Elissa；　the　daughter　of　Sakon；　the　dedicate　of　thee。　Hear；　hear；　and

answer　now　in　the　secret　holy　hour；　answer　by　voice；　by　wonder；　or　by

symbol。〃



The　woman　paused　as　though　exhausted　with　the　passion　of　her　prayer；

hiding　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　as　she　stood