elissa-第20部分

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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　his　arms；　he　embraced　him。



〃It　is　true　that　I　have　been　in　danger；　father；〃　answered　Aziel；　and

he　told　him　the　story　of　his　escape　from　Ithobal。




〃Did　I　not　pray　thee　not　to　accompany　this　embassy？〃



〃Yes；　father；　yet　I　have　returned　in　safety。　Listen：　I　come　with

tidings　which　you　will　think　good。　Not　an　hour　ago　I　promised　Sakon

that　I　would　leave　Zimboe；　where　it　seems　my　presence　breeds　much

trouble。〃



〃Good　tidings；　indeed！〃　exclaimed　Issachar；　〃and　never　shall　I　know　a

peaceful　hour　until　we　have　seen　the　last　of　the　towers　of　this　doomed

city　and　its　accursed　people　of　devil…worshippers。〃



〃Yes；　good　for　you；　father；　but　for　me　most　ill；　for　here　I　shall

leave　my　youth　and　happiness。　Nay；　I　know　what　you　think；　that　this　is

but　some　passing　fancy　bred　of　the　pleasant　beauty　of　a　woman；　but　it

is　not　so。　I　say　that　from　the　moment　when　first　I　saw　Elissa；　she

became　life　of　my　life；　and　soul　of　my　soul　and　that　I　go　hence

beggared　of　joy　and　hope；　and　carrying　with　me　a　cankering　memory

which　shall　eat　my　heart　away。　You　deem　her　a　witch；　one　to　whom

Baaltis　has　given　power　to　drag　the　minds　of　men　to　their　destruction；

but　I　tell　you　that　her　only　spell　is　the　spell　of　her　love　for　me；

also　that　she　whom　you　named　so　grossly　is　no　longer　the　servant　of

the　demon　Baaltis。〃



〃Elissa　not　the　servant　of　Baaltis？　How　comes　she　then　to　be　her　high…

priestess？　Aziel；　your　passion　has　made　you　mad。〃



'She　is　high…priestess　because　Metem　and　others　brought　about　her

election　without　her　will；　urged　on　to　it　by　I　know　not　whom。〃　And　he

looked　hard　at　Issachar；　who　turned　away。　〃But　what　matters　it　who　did

the　ill　deed；〃　he　continued；　〃since　this；　at　least；　is　certain；　that

here　my　presence　breeds　sorrow　and　bloodshed；　and　therefore　I　must　go

as　I　have　promised。〃



〃When　do　we　depart；　Prince？〃　queried　Issachar。



〃I　know　not；　it　is　naught　to　me。　Here　comes　Metem；　ask　of　him。〃



〃Metem；〃　said　the　Levite；　〃the　prince　desires　to　leave　Zimboe　and

march　to　the　coast；　there　to　take　ship　to　Tyre。　When　can　your　caravan

be　ready？〃



〃So　I　have　heard；　Issachar；　for　Sakon　tells　me　that　he　has　come　to　an

agreement　with　the　prince　upon　this　matter。　Well；　I　am　glad　to　learn

it；　for　troubles　thicken　here；　and　I　think　that　the　woe　you　prophesied

is　not　far　from　this　city　of　Zimboe　where　every　man　seeks　to　serve　his

own　hand；　and　is　ready　to　sell　his　neighbour。　When　can　the　caravan　be

got　ready？　Well；　the　night　after　next；　at　least；　we　can　start　that

night。　To…morrow　evening；　so　soon　as　the　sun　is　down；　I　will　send　on

the　camels　by　ones　and　twos；　and　with　them　the　baggage　and　treasure；

to　a　secret　place　I　know　of　in　the　mountains；　where　we　and　the

prince's　guard　can　follow　upon　the　mules　and　join　them。　As　it　chances；

I　have　a　safe　conduct　from　Ithobal。　Still　I　should　not　wish　to　put　his

troops　into　temptation　by　marching　through　them　with　twenty　laden

camels；　or　to　lose　certain　earnings　of　my　own　that　will　be　hidden　in

the　baggage。　Moreover；　if　our　departure　becomes　known；　half　the　city

would　wish　to　join　us；　having　no　love　of　soldiering；　and　misdoubting

them　much　of　the　issue　of　this　war　with　Ithobal。〃



〃As　you　will；〃　said　Issachar；　〃you　are　captain　of　the　caravan；　and

charged　with　the　safety　of　the　prince　upon　his　journeyings。　I　am　ready

whenever　you　appoint；　and　the　quicker　that　hour　comes；　the　more　praise

you　will　have　from　me。〃



〃Come　with　me；　I　wish　to　speak　with　you；〃　said　Aziel　to　the　Ph？nician

as　they　left　the　presence　of　Issachar。　〃Listen；〃　he　added；　when　they

had　reached　his　chamber；　〃we　leave　this　city　soon；　and　I　have

farewells　to　make。〃



〃To　the　Baaltis？〃　suggested　Metem。



〃To　the　lady　Elissa。　I　desire　to　send　her　a　letter　of　farewell；　can

you　deliver　it　into　her　own　hand？〃



〃It　may　be　managed；　Prince；　at　a　pricenay；　from　you　I　ask　no　price。

I　have　still　some　images　that　I　wish　to　sell；　and　we　merchants　go

everywhere；　even　into　the　presence　of　the　Baaltis　if　it　pleases　her　to

admit　them。　Write　your　scroll　and　I　will　take　it；　though；　to　be　plain；

it　is　not　a　task　which　I　should　have　sought。〃



So　Aziel　wrote　slowly　and　with　care。　Then　having　sealed　the　writing　he

gave　it　to　Metem。



〃Your　face　is　sat；　Prince；〃　he　said；　as　he　hid　it　in　his　robe；　〃but；

believe　me；　you　are　doing　what　is　right　and　wise。〃



〃It　may　be　so；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃yet　I　would　rather　die　than　do　it；

and　may　my　curse　lie　heavy　upon　the　heads　of　those　who　have　so　wrought

that　it　must　be　done。　Now；　I　pray　you；　deliver　this　scroll　into　the

hands　of　her　you　know；　and　bring　me　the　answer　if　there　be　any；

betraying　it　to　none；　for　I　will　double　whatever　sum　is　offered　for

that　treachery。〃



〃Have　no　fear；　Prince；〃　said　Metem　quietly；　but　without　taking

offence；　〃this　errand　is　undertaken　for　friendship；　not　for　profit。

The　risk　is　mine　alone；　the　gainor　lossis　yours。〃



*****



An　hour　later　the　Ph？nician　stood　in　the　palace　of　the　gods；

demanding；　under　permit　from　Sakon；　governor　of　the　city；　to　be

admitted　into　the　presence　of　the　Baaltis；　to　whom　he　desired　to　sell

certain　sacred　images　cunningly　fashioned　in　gold。　Presently　it　was

announced　that　he　was　allowed　to　approach；　and　the　officers　of　the

temple　led　him　through　guarded　passages；　to　the　private　chambers　of

the　priestesses。　Here　he　found　Elissa　in　a　long；　low　hall；　sweet　with

scented　woods；　rich　with　gold；　and　supported　by　pillars　of　cedar。



She　was　seated　alone　at　the　far　end　of　this　hall；　beneath　the　window…

plate；　clad　in　her　white　robes　of　office；　richly　broidered　with

emblems　of　the　moon。　Her　women；　most　of　whom　were　employed　in　needle…

work；　though　some　whispered　idly　to　each　other；　were　gathered　at　the

lower　end　of　the　hall　near　to　its　door。



Metem　saluted　them　as　he　entered；　and　they　detained　him；　answering　his

greeting　by　requests　for　news　and　with　jests；　not　too　refined；　or　by

demands　for　presents　of　jewels；　in　return　for　which　they　promised　him

the　blessings　of　the　goddess。　To　each　he　made　some　apt　reply；　for　even

the　priestesses　of　Baaltis　could　not　abash　Metem。　But　while　he　bandied

words；　his　quick　eyes　noted　one　of　their　number　who　did　not　join　in

this　play。　She　was　a　spare；　thin…lipped　woman　whom　he　knew　for　Mesa；

the　daughter　of　the　dead　Baaltis；　who　had　been　a　rival　candidate　for

the　throne　of　the　high…priestess　when　Elissa　was　chosen　in　her　place。



When　he　entered　the　hall　Mesa　was　seated　upon　a　canvas　stool；　a　little

apart　from　the　others；　her　chin　resting　upon　her　hand；　staring　with　an

evil　look　towards　the　place　where　Elissa　was　enthroned。　Nor　did　her

face　grow　more　gentle　at　the　sight　of　the　cunning　merchant；　for　she

knew　well　it　was　through　his　plots　and　bribery　that　she　had　been

ousted　from　her　mother's　place。



〃A　woman　to　be　feared；〃　thought　Metem　to　himself　as；　shaking　off　the

priestesses；　he　passed　her　upon　his　way　up　the　long　chamber。　Presently

he　had　reached　the　end　of　it；　and　was　saluting　the　presence　of　the

Baaltis　by　kneeling　and　touching　the　carpet　with　his　brow。



〃Rise；　Metem；〃　said　Elissa；　〃and　set　out　your　business；　for　the　hour

of　the　sunset　prayer　is　at　hand；　and　I　cannot　talk　long　with　you。〃



So　he　rose；　and；　looking　at　her　while　he　laid　out　his　store　of　images；

saw　that　her　face　was　sad；　and　that　her　eyes　were　full　of　a　strange

fear。



〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃on　the　second　night　from　now　I　depart　from　this　city

of　yours；　and　glad　shall　I　be　to　leave　it　living。　Therefore　I　have

brought　you　these　four　priceless　images　of　the　most　splendid

workmanship　of　Tyre；　thinking　that　it　might　please　you　to　purchase

them　for　the　service　of　the　goddess。〃



〃You　depart；〃　she　whispered；　〃alone？〃



〃No　lady；　not　alone；　the　holy　Issachar　goes　with　me；　also　the　escort

of　the　prince　Azieland　the　prince　himself；　whose　presence　is　no

longer　desired　in　Zimboe。〃　Here　he　stopped；　for　he　saw　that　Elissa　was

about　to　betray　her　agitation；　and　whispered；　〃Be　not　foolish；　for　you

are　watched；　I　have　a　letter　for　you。　Lady；〃　he　continued　in　a　louder

voice；　〃if　it　will　please　you　to　examine　this　precious　image　in　the

light；　you　will　no　longer　hesitate　or　think　the　price　too　high；〃　and

bowing　low　he　led　the　way　behind　the　throne；　whither　Elissa　followed

him。



Now　they　were　standing　beneath　the　window…place；　which　they　faced；　and

hidden　from　the　gaze　of　the　women　by　the　gilded　back　of　the　high　seat。



〃Here；〃　he　said；　thrusting　the　parchment　into　her　hand；　〃read　quickly；

and　return　it　to　me。〃



She　snatched　the　roll　from　him；　and　as　her　eyes　devoured　the　lines；

her　face　fell　in；　and　her　lips　grew　pale　with　anguish。



〃Be　brave；〃　murmured　Metem；　for　his　heart　was　stirred　to　pity；　〃it　is

best　for　all　that　he　should　go。〃



〃For　him；　perchance　it　is　best；〃　she　answered；　as　with　an　unwilling

hand　she　gave　him　back　the　letter　which　she　dared　not　keep；　〃but　what

of　me？　Oh！　Metem；　what　of　me？〃



〃Lady；〃　he　said　sadly；　〃I　have　no　words　to　soothe　your　sorrow　save

that　the　gods　have　willed　it　thus。〃



〃What　gods？〃　she　asked　fiercely；　〃not　those　they　bid　me　worship。〃　She

shuddered；　then　went　on；　〃Metem；　be　pitiful！　Oh！　if　ever　you　have

loved　a　woman；　or　have　been　loved　of　one；　for　her　sake　be　pitiful。　I

must　see　him　for　the　last　time　in　farewell；　and　you　can　help　me　to

it。〃



〃I！　In　the　name　of　Baal；　how？〃



〃When　do　you　have　to　leave　the　city；　Metem？〃



〃At　moonrise　on　the　night　after　next。〃



〃Then　an　hour　before　moonrise　I　will　be　in　the　temple；　whither　I　can

come　by　the　secret　way　that　leads　thither　from　this　palace；　and　he　can

enter　there；　for　the　little　gate　shall　be　left　unbarred。　Pray　him　to

meet　me；　thenfor　the　last　time。〃



〃Lady；〃　he　urged；　〃this　is　but　madness；　and　I　refuse。　You　must　find

another　messen