elissa-第21部分

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

another　messenger。〃



〃Madness　or　not　it　is　my　will；　and　beware　how　you　thwart　me　in　it；

Metem；　for　at　least　I　am　the　Lady　Baaltis；　and　have　power　to　kill

without　question。　I　swear　to　you　that　if　I　do　not　see　him；　you　shall

never　leave　this　city　living。〃



〃A　shrewd　argument；　and　to　the　point；〃　said　Metem　reflectively。　〃Well；

I　have　prepared　myself　a　rock…hewn　tomb　at　Tyre；　and　do　not　wish　that

my　graven　sarcophagus　of　best　Egyptian　alabaster　should　be　wasted；　or

sold　to　some　upstart　for　a　song。〃



〃As　assuredly　it　will　be；　if　you　do　not　obey　me　in　this　matter；　Metem。

Rememberan　hour　before　moonrise；　at　the　foot　of　the　pillar　of　El　in

the　inner　court　of　the　temple。〃



As　she　spoke　Metem　started；　for　his　quick　ears　had　caught　a　sound。



〃O　Queen　divine；〃　he　said　in　a　loud　voice；　as　he　led　the　way　to　the

front　of　the　throne；　〃you　are　a　hard　bargainer！　Were　there　many　such；

a　poor　trader　could　not　make　a　living。　Ah！　here　is　one　who　knows　the

value　of　such　priceless　works　of　art；〃　and　he　pointed　to　Mesa；　who；

with　folded　arms　and　downcast　eyes；　stood　within　five　paces　of　the

throne；　as　near；　indeed；　as　custom　allowed　her　to　approach。　〃Lady；〃　he

went　on　addressing　you；　〃you　will　have　heard　the　price　I　asked；　say；

now；　is　it　too　much？〃



〃I　have　heard　nothing；　sir。　I　stand　here；　waiting　the　return　of　my

holy　mistress　that　I　may　remind　her　that　the　hour　of　sunset　prayer　is

at　hand。〃



〃Would　that　I　had　so　fair　a　mentor；〃　exclaimed　Metem；　〃for　then　I

should　lose　less　time。〃　But　to　himself　he　said；　〃She　/has/　heard

something；　though　I　think　but　little；〃　then　added　aloud：　〃Well　judge

between　us；　lady。　Is　fifty　golden　shekels　too　much　for　these　images

which　have　been　blessed　and　sprinkled　with　the　blood　of　children　by

the　high　priest　of　Baal　at　Sidon？〃



Mesa　lifted　her　cold　eyes　and　looked　at　them。　〃I　think　it　too　much；〃

she　said；　〃but　it　is　for　the　lady　Baaltis　to　judge。　Who　am　I　that　I

should　open　my　lips　in　the　presence　of　the　lady　Baaltis？〃



〃I　have　appealed　to　the　oracle；　and　it　has　spoken　against　me；〃　said

Metem；　wringing　his　hands　in　affected　dismay。　〃Well；　I　abide　the

result。　Queen；　you　offered　me　forty　shekels　and　for　forty　you　shall

take　them；　for　the　honour　of　the　holy　gods；　though　in　truth　I　lose　ten

shekels　by　the　bargain。　Give　your　order　to　the　treasurer；　and　he　will

pay　me　to…morrow。　So　now　farewell；〃　and　bowing　till　his　forehead

touched　the　ground；　he　kissed　the　hem　of　her　robe。



Elissa　bent　her　head　in　acknowledgment　of　the　salute；　and　as　he　rose

her　eyes　met　his。　In　them　was　written　a　warning　which　he　could　not

fail　to　understand；　and　although　she　did　not　speak；　her　lips　seemed　to

shape　the　word；　〃Remember。〃



Ten　minutes　later　Metem　stood　in　the　chamber　of　Aziel。



〃Has　she　seen　the　letter；　and　what　did　she　answer？〃　asked　the　prince；

springing　up　almost　as　he　passed　the　threshold。



〃In　the　name　of　all　the　gods　of　all　the　nations　I　pray　you　not　to

speak　so　loud；〃　answered　Metem　when　he　had　closed　the　door　and　looked

suspiciously　about　him。　〃Oh！　if　ever　I　find　myself　safe　in　Tyre　again；

I　vow　a　gift；　and　no　mean　one；　to　each　of　them　that　has　a　temple

there；　and　they　are　many；　for　no　single　god　is　strong　enough　to　bring

me　safe　out　of　this　trouble。　Have　I　seen　the　lady　Elissa？　Oh；　yes；　I

have　seen　her。　And　what　think　you　that　this　innocent　lamb；　this

undefiled　dove　of　yours；　threatens　me　with　now？　Death！　nothing　less

than　death；　if　I　will　not　carry　out　her　foolish　wishes。　More；　she

means　the　threat；　and　has　the　strength　to　fulfil　it；　for　to　the　lady

Baaltis　is　given　power　over　the　lives　of　men；　or　at　the　least；　if　she

takes　life　none　question　the　authority　of　the　goddess。　Unless　I　do　her

will　I　am　a　dead　man；　and　that　is　the　reward　I　get　for　mixing　myself

up　in　your　mad　love　affairs。〃



〃Hold！〃　broke　in　Aziel；　〃and　tell　me；　man；　what　is　her　will？〃



〃Her　will　iswhat　do　you　think？　To　meet　you　in　farewell　an　hour

before　you　leave　this　city。　Well；　as　my　throat　is　at　stake；　by　Baal！

it　shall　be　gratified　if　I　can　find　the　means；　though　I　tell　you　that

it　is　madness　and　nothing　else。　But　listen　to　the　story〃　and　he

repeated　all　that　had　passed。　〃Now；〃　he　added；　〃are　you　ready　to　take

the　risk；　Prince？〃



〃I　should　be　a　coward　indeed　if　I　did　not；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃when　she；

a　woman；　dares　a　heavier。〃



〃And　I　am　a　coward；　that　is　why　I　take　it；　for　otherwise　I　also　must

dare　a　heavier。　But　what　of　Issachar？　This　meeting　can　scarcely　be

kept　a　secret　from　him。〃



Aziel　thought　awhile　and　said：



〃Go　fetch　him　here。〃　So　Metem　went；　to　return　presently　with　the

Levite；　to　whom；　without　further　ado；　the　prince　told　all；　hiding

nothing。



Issachar　listened　in　silence。　When　both　Aziel　and　Metem　had　done

speaking；　he　said：



〃At　least；　I　thank　you；　Prince；　for　being　open　with　me；　and　now

without　more　words　I　pray　you　to　abandon　this　rash　plan；　which　can　end

only　in　pain；　and　perhaps　in　death。〃



〃Abandon　it　not；　Prince；〃　interrupted　Metem；　〃seeing　that　if　you　do　it

will　certainly　end　in　my　death；　for　the　girl　is　mad；　and　will　have　her

way。　Or　if　she　does　not；　then　I　must　pay　the　price。〃



〃Have　no　fear；〃　answered　Aziel　smiling。　〃Issachar；　this　must　be　done

or〃



〃Or　what；　Prince？〃



〃I　will　not　leave　the　city。　It　is　true　that　Sakon　may　thrust　me　from

it；　but　it　shall　be　as　a　dead　man。　Nay；　waste　no　words；　since　she

desires　it；　I　must　and　will　meet　the　Lady　Elissa　for　the　last　time；

not　as　lover　meets　lover；　but　as　those　meet　who　part　for　ever　in　the

world。〃



〃You　say　so；　Prince；　then　have　I　your　permission　to　accompany　you？〃



〃Yes；　if　you　wish　it；　Issachar；　but　there　is　danger。〃



〃Danger！　What　care　I　for　danger？　The　will　of　Heaven　be　done　to　me。　So

be　it；　we　will　go　together；　but　the　end　of　it　is　not　with　us。〃







CHAPTER　XII



THE　TRYST



Two　days　had　gone　by；　and　at　the　appointed　hour　three　figures；　wrapped

in　dark　cloaks；　might　have　been　seen　walking　swiftly　towards　the

little　entrance　of　the　temple　fortress。　Although　it　was　near　to

midnight　the　city　was　still　astir　with　men；　for　this　very　evening　news

had　reached　it　that　Ithobal　was　advancing　at　the　head　of　tens　of

thousands　of　the　warriors　of　the　Tribes。　More；　it　was　rumoured　freely

that　within　the　next　few　days　the　siege　of　Zimboe　would　begin。　Late　as

it　was；　the　council　had　been　just　summoned　to　the　palace　of　Sakon　to

consider　the　conduct　of　the　defence；　while　in　every　street　stood　knots

of　men　engaged　in　anxious　discussion；　and　from　many　a　smithy　rose　the

sound　of　armourers　at　their　work。　Here　marched　parties　of　soldiers　of

various　races；　there　came　long　strings　of　mules　laden　with　dried　flesh

and　grain；　yonder　a　woman　beat　her　breast；　and　wept　loudly　because　her

three　sons　had　been　impressed　by　order　of　the　council；　two　of　them　to

serve　as　archers　and　the　third　to　carry　blocks　of　stone　for　the

fortifications。



Passing　unnoticed　through　all　this　crowd　and　tumult；　Aziel；　Issachar

and　Metem　entered　a　winding　passage　in　the　temple　wall；　and　came　to

the　little　gate。　Metem　tried　it；　and　whispered：



〃She　has　kept　her　word；　it　is　unlocked。　Now　enter　to　your　love…tryst；

holy　Issachar。〃



〃Do　you　not　come　with　us？〃　asked　the　Levite。



〃No；　I　am　too　old　for　such　adventures。　Listen；　I　go　to　make　ready。

Within　an　hour　the　mules　with　the　prince's　bodyguard　will　stand　in　the

archway　near　the　small　gate　of　the　palace；　for　by　now　the　baggage　and

its　escort　await　us　a　day's　march　from　this　accursed　city。　Will　you

meet　me　there？　No；　I　think　it　is　best　that　I　should　come　to　your

chambers　to　fetch　you；　and；　I　pray　you；　let　there　be　no　delay；　for　it

is　dangerous　in　many　ways。　When　once　the　prince　has　done　with　his

tender　interview；　and　wiped　away　his　tears；　there　should　be　nothing　to

stay　him；　since　the　farewell　cup　with　Sakon　has　been　already　drunk。

Enter　now　swiftly　before　some　prowling　priest　happens　upon　you；　and

pray　that　you　may　come　out　as　sound　as　you　go　in。　Oh！　what　a　sight！　A

prince　of　Israel　and　an　aged　Levite　of　established　reputation　going　to

keep　a　tryst　at　midnight　with　the　high…priestess　of　Baaltis　in　the

sanctuary　of　her　god！　Nay；　answer　not；　there　is　no　time〃and　he　was

gone。



*****



Having　passed　the　gate；　Aziel　and　Issachar　crept　down　the　winding

passages　of　stone；　groping　their　path　by　such　light　as　fell　from　the

narrow　line　of　sky　above　them；　till　at　length　they　reached　the　court

of　the　sanctuary。　Here　the　place　was　as　silent　as　death；　for　the　noise

from　the　city　without　could　not　pierce　its　towering　walls　of　massive

granite。



〃It　is　the　very　pit　of　Tophet；〃　murmured　Issachar；　peering　through　the

dense　shadows；　〃the　house　of　Beelzebub；　where　his　presence　dwells。

Whither　now；　Aziel？〃



The　prince　pointed　to　two　objects　that　were　visible　in　the　starlight；

and　answered：



〃Thither；　at　the　foot　of　the　pillar　of　El。〃



〃Ah！　I　remember；〃　said　Issachar；　〃where　the　accursed　woman　would　have

offered　sacrifice；　and　the　priests　struck　me　down　because　I　prophesied

to　them　of　the　wrath　to　come；　and　that　is　now　at　hand。　An　ill…omened

spot；　indeed；　and　an　ill…omened　tryst　with　the　fiends　for　witnesses。

Well；　lead　on；　and　I　pray　you　to　be　brief　as　may　be；　for　this　place

weighs　down　my　soul；　and　I　feel　danger　in　itdanger　to　the　body　and

the　spirit。〃



So　they　went　forward。　〃Be　careful；〃　whispered　Aziel　presently。　〃The

pit　of　sacrifice　is　at　your　feet。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　answered；　〃we　walk　upon　the　edge　of　the　pit；　and；　in

truth；　I　grow　fearful；　for　at　the　threshold　of　such　places　the　angel

of　the　Lord　deserts　us。〃



〃There　is　nothing　to　fear；〃　said　Aziel。　But　even　as　he　spoke；　although

he　could　not　see　it；　a　white　face　rose　above　the　edge　of　the　pit；　like

that　of　some　ghost　struggling　from　the　tomb；　watched　them　a　moment

with　cold　eyes；　then　disap