elissa-第22部分

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

with　cold　eyes；　then　disappeared　again。



Now　they　were　near　the　greater　pillar；　and　now　from　its　shadow　glided

a　black…veiled　shape。



〃Elissa？〃　murmured　Aziel。



〃It　is　I；〃　whispered　a　soft　voice；　〃but　who　comes　with　you？〃



〃I；　Issachar；〃　said　the　Levite；　〃who　would　not　suffer　that　he　of　whom

I　am　given　charge　should　seek　such　company　alone。　Now；　priestess；　say

your　say　with　the　prince　yonder　and　let　us　be　gone　swiftly　from　this

blood…stained　place。〃



〃You　speak　harsh　words　to　me；　Issachar；〃　she　said　gently；　〃yet　I　am

most　glad　that　you　have　come；　for；　believe　me；　I　sought　no　lovers'

meeting　with　the　prince　Aziel。　Listen；　both　of　you：　you　know　that　they

have　consecrated　me　high…priestess　of　Baaltis　against　my　will。　Now；　I

tell　you；　Issachar；　what　I　have　already　told　the　prince　Azielthat　I

am　no　longer　a　worshipper　of　Baaltis。　Yes；　here　in　her　very　temple　I

renounce　her；　even　though　she　takes　my　life　in　vengeance。　Oh！　since

they　made　me　priestess　I　have　been　forced　to　learn　all　her　worship；

which　before　I　never　even　guessed；　and　to　see　sights　that　would　chill

your　blood　to　hear　of　them。　Now　I　tell　you；　prince　Aziel　and　Issachar；

that　I　will　bear　no　more。　From　El　and　Baaltis　I　turn　to　Him　you

worship；　though；　alas！　little　time　is　left　to　me　in　which　to　plead　for

pardon。〃



〃Why　is　little　time　left？〃　broke　in　Aziel。



〃Because　my　death　is　very　near　me；　Prince；　for　if　I　live；　see　what　a

fate　is　mine。　Either　I　must　remain　high…priestess　of　Baaltis　and　to

her　day　by　day　bow　the　knee；　and　month　by　month　make　sacrificeof

what　think　you？　Well；　to　be　plain；　of　the　blood　of　maids　and　children。

Or；　perhaps；　should　their　fears　overcome　their　scruples；　I　shall　be

given　by　the　council　as　a　peace…offering　to　Ithobal。



〃I　say　that　I　will　bear　neither　of　these　burdens　of　blood　or　shame；

they　are　too　heavy　for　me。　Prince；　so　soon　as　you　are　gone　I　too　shall

leave　this　city；　not　in　the　body；　but　in　the　spirit；　searching　for

peace　or　sleep。　It　was　for　this　reason　that　I　sought　to　speak　with　you

in　farewell；　since　in　my　weakness　I　desired　that　you　should　learn　the

truth　of　the　cause　and　manner　of　my　end。



〃Now　you　know　all；　and　as　for　me　there　is　no　escape；　farewell　for

ever；　prince　Aziel；　whom　I　have　loved；　and　whom　I　can　scarcely　hope　to

meet　again；　even　beyond　the　grave。〃　Then　with　a　little　despairing

motion　of　her　hand　she　turned　to　go。



〃Stay；〃　said　Aziel　hoarsely；　〃we　cannot　be　parted　thus；　since　by　your

own　act　you　can　dare　to　leave　the　world；　will　you　not　dare　to　fly　this

place　with　me？〃



〃Perhaps；　Prince；〃　she　answered　with　a　little　laugh；　〃but　would　you

dare　to　take　me；　and　if　so；　would　Issachar　here　suffer　it？　No；　no；　go

your　own　path　in　life；　and　leave　me　deathit　is　the　easier　way。〃



〃In　this　matter　I　am　master　and　not　Issachar；〃　said　Aziel；　〃though　it

be　true　that　should　it　please　him；　he　can　warn　the　priests　of　El。

Listen；　Elissa：　either　you　leave　this　city　with　me；　or　I　stay　in　it

with　you。　You　hear　me；　Issachar？〃



〃I　hear　you；〃　said　the　Levite；　〃but　perchance　before　you　throw　more

sharp　words　at　my　head；　you　will　suffer　me　to　speak。　Self…murder　is　a

crime；　yet　I　honour　this　woman　who　would　shed　her　own　blood；　rather

than　the　blood　of　the　innocent　in　sacrifice　to　Baal；　and　who　refuses

to　be　given　in　marriage　to　one　she　hates；　who；　moreover；　has　found

strength　and　grace　to　trample　on　her　devil…worship；　if　so　in　truth　she

has。　If　therefore　she　will　come　with　us　and　we　can　escape　with　her；

why；　let　her　come。　Only　swear　to　me；　Aziel；　that　you　will　make　no　wife

of　her　till　the　king；　your　grandsire；　has　heard　this　tale　and　given

judgment　on　it。〃



〃That　I　will　swear　for　him；〃　exclaimed　Elissa；　〃is　it　not　so；　Aziel？〃



〃As　you　will；　lady；〃　he　answered。　〃Issachar；　you　have　my　word　that

until　then　she　shall　be　as　my　sister；　and　no　more。〃



〃I　hear　and　I　believe　you；〃　said　Issachar；　adding：　〃And　now；　lady；　we

go　at　once；　so　if　you　desire　to　accompany　us；　come。〃



〃I　am　ready；〃　she　replied；　〃and　the　hour　is　well　chosen　for　I　shall

not　be　missed　till　dawn。〃



So　they　turned　and　left　the　temple。　None　stayed　or　hindered　them；　yet

although　they　reached　the　chambers　of　Aziel　in　safety；　their　hearts；

which　should　have　been　light；　were　still　heavy　with　the　presage　of　new

sorrow　to　come。



Scarcely　could　they　have　been　heavier；　indeed；　had　they　seen　a　white…

faced　woman　creep　from　the　pit　of　death　and　follow　them　stealthily

till　they　had　passed　from　the　temple　into　the　palace　doors；　then　turn

and　run　at　full　speed　towards　the　college　of　the　priests　of　El。



In　the　chamber　of　Aziel　they　found　Metem。



〃I　rejoice　to　see　you　back　again　in　safety；　since　it　is　more　than　I

thought　to　do；〃　he　said；　while　they　entered；　adding；　as　the　black…

veiled　shape　of　Elissa　followed　them　into　the　room；　〃but　who　is　the

third？　Ah！　I　see；　the　lady　Elissa。　Does　the　Baaltis　accompany　us　upon

our　journey？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Aziel　shortly。



〃Then　with　her　high　Grace　on　the　one　side　and　the　holy　Issachar　on　the

other　it　should　not　lack　for　blessings。　Surely　that　evil　must　be　great

from　which；　separately　or　together；　they　are　unable　to　defend　us。　But；

lady；　if　I　may　ask　it；　have　you　bid　farewell　to　your　most　honoured

father？〃



〃Torment　me　not；〃　murmured　Elissa。



〃Indeed；　I　did　not　wish　to；　though　you　may　remember　that　not　so　long

ago　you　threatened　to　silence　me　for　ever。　Well；　doubtless　your

departure　is　too　hurried　for　farewells；　and；　fortunately；　foreseeing

it；　I　have　provided　spare　mules。　So　my　deeds　are　kinder　than　my　words。

I　go　to　see　that　all　is　prepared。　Now　eat　before　you　start；　presently

I　will　return　for　you；〃　and　he　left　the　chamber。



When　he　had　gone　they　gathered　round　the　table　on　which　stood　food；

but　could　touch　little　of　it；　for　the　hearts　of　all　three　of　them　were

filled　with　sad　forebodings。　Soon　they　heard　a　noise　as　of　people

talking　excitedly　outside　the　palace　gates。



〃It　is　Metem　with　the　mules；〃　said　Aziel。



〃I　hope　so；〃　answered　Elissa。



Again　there　was　silence；　which；　after　a　while；　was　broken　by　a　loud

knocking　at　the　door。



〃Rise；〃　said　Aziel；　〃Metem　comes　for　us。〃



〃No；　no；〃　cried　Elissa；　〃it　is　Doom　that　knocks；　not　Metem。〃



As　the　words　passed　her　lips　the　door　was　burst　open；　and　through　it

poured　a　mob　of　armed　priests；　at　the　head　of　whom　marched　the　Shadid。

By　his　side　was　his　daughter　Mesa；　in　whose　pale　face　the　eyes　burned

like　torches　in　a　wind。



〃Did　I　not　tell　you　so？〃　she　said　in　a　shrill　voice；　pointing　at　the

three。　〃Behold　the　Lady　Baaltis　and　her　lover；　and　with　them　that

priest　of　a　false　faith　who　called　down　curses　upon　our　city。〃



〃You　told　us　indeed；　daughter；〃　answered　the　Shadid；　〃pardon　us　if　we

were　loth　to　believe　that　such　a　thing　could　be。〃　Then　with　a　cry　of

rage　he　added；　〃Take　them。〃



Now　Aziel　drew　his　sword；　and　sprang　in　front　of　Elissa　to　protect

her；　but　before　he　could　strike　a　blow　it　was　seized　from　behind；　and

he　was　gripped　by　many　hands；　gagged；　bound　and　blindfolded。　Then　like

a　man　in　a　dream　he　felt　himself　carried　away　through　long　passages；

till　at　length　he　reached　an　airless　place；　where　the　gag　and　bandages

were　removed。



〃Where　am　I？〃　Aziel　asked。



〃In　the　vaults　of　the　temple；〃　answered　the　priests　as　they　left　the

prison；　barring　its　great　door　behind　them。







CHAPTER　XIII



THE　SACRILEGE　OF　AZIEL



How　long　he　lay　in　his　dungeon；　lost　in　bitter　thought　and　tormented

by　fears　for　Elissa；　Aziel　could　not　tell；　for　no　light　came　there　to

mark　the　passage　of　the　hours。　In　the　tumult　of　his　mind；　one　terrible

thought　grew　clear　and　ever　clearer；　he　and　Elissa　had　been　taken　red…

handed；　and　must　pay　the　price　of　their　sin　against　the　religious

customs　of　the　city。　For　the　Baaltis　to　be　found　with　any　man　who　was

not　her　husband　meant　death　to　him　and　her；　a　doom　from　which　there

was　little　chance　of　escape。



Well；　to　his　own　fate　he　was　almost　indifferent；　but　for　Elissa　and

Issachar　he　mourned　bitterly。　Truly　the　Levite　and　Metem　had　been　wise

when　they　cautioned　him；　for　her　sake　and　his　own；　to　have　nothing　to

do　with　a　priestess　of　Baal。　But　he　had　not　listened；　his　heart　would

not　let　him　listenand　now；　unless　they　were　saved　by　a　miracleor

Metemin　the　fulness　of　their　youth　and　love；　the　lives　of　both　of

them　were　forfeited。



Worn　out　with　sore　fears　and　vain　regrets　Aziel　fell　at　length　into　a

heavy　sleep。　He　was　awakened　by　the　opening　of　the　door　of　his

dungeon；　and　the　entry　of　priestsgrim；　silent　men　who　seized　and

blindfolded　him。　Then　they　led　him　away　up　many　stairs；　and　along

paths　so　steep　that　from　time　to　time　they　paused　to　rest；　till　at

length　he　knew；　by　the　sound　of　voices；　that　he　had　reached　some　place

where　people　were　assembled。　Here　the　bandage　was　removed　from　his

eyes。　He　stepped　backwards；　recoiling　involuntarily　at　the　glare　of

light　that　poured　upon　him　from　the　setting　sun；　whereon；　uttering　an

exclamation；　those　who　stood　near　seized　and　held　him。　Presently　he

saw　the　reason。　He　was　standing　on　the　brink　of　a　precipice　at　the

back　of　and　dominating　the　dim　and　shadow…clad　city；　while　far　beneath

him　lay　a　gloomy　rift　along　which　ran　the　trade　road　to　the　coast。



Here　in　this　dizzy　spot　was　a　wide　space　of　rock；　walled　in　upon　three

sides。　The　precipice　formed　the　fourth　side　of　its　square；　in　which；

seated　upon　stones　that　seemed　to　have　been　set　there　in　semi…circles

to　serve　as　judgment　chairs；　were　gathered　the　head　priests　and

priestesses　of　El　and　Baaltis；　clad　in　their　sacerdotal　robes。　To　the

right　and　left　of　these　stood　knots　of　favoured　spectators；　among　whom

Aziel　recognised　Metem　and　Sakon；　while　at　his　side；　but　separated

from　him　by　armed　priests；　were　Elissa　herself；　wrapped　in　a　dark

veil；　and　Issachar。　La