elissa-第23部分

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

veil；　and　Issachar。　Lastly；　in　front　of　him；　a　fire　flickered　upon　a

little　altar；　and　behind　the　altar　stood　a　shrine　containing　a

symbolical　effigy　of　Baaltis　fashioned　of　gold；　ivory　and　wood　to　the

shape　of　a　woman　with　a　hundred　breasts。



Seeing　all　this；　Aziel　understood　that　they　three　had　been　brought

here　for　trial；　and　that　the　priests　and　priestesses　before　him　were

their　judges。　Indeed；　he　remembered　that　the　place　had　been　pointed

out　to　him　as　one　where　those　who　had　offended　against　the　gods　were

carried　for　judgment。　Thence；　if　found　guilty；　such　unfortunates　were

hurled　down　the　face　of　the　precipice　and　left；　a　shapeless　mass　of

broken　bone；　to　crumble　on　the　roadway　at　its　foot。



After　a　long　and　solemn　pause；　at　a　sign　from　the　Shadid；　he　who　had

been　the　husband　of　the　dead　Baaltis；　the　veil　was　removed　from

Elissa。　At　once　she　turned；　looked　at　Aziel；　and　smiled　sadly。



〃Do　you　know　the　fate　that　waits　us？〃　the　prince　asked　of　Issachar　in

Hebrew。



〃I　know；　and　I　am　ready；〃　answered　the　old　Levite；　〃for　since　my　soul

is　safe　I　care　little　what　these　dogs　may　do　to　my　body。　But；　oh！　my

son；　I　weep　for　you；　and　cursed　be　the　hour　when　first　you　saw　that

woman's　face。〃



〃Spare　to　reproach　me　in　my　misfortune；〃　murmured　Elissa；　〃have　I　not

enough　to　bear；　knowing　that　I　have　brought　death　upon　him　I　love？　Oh！

curse　me　not；　but　pray　that　my　sins　may　be　forgiven　me。〃



〃That　I　will　do　gladly；　daughter；〃　replied　Issachar　more　gently；　〃the

more　so　that；　although　you　seem　to　be　the　cause　of　them；　these　things

can　have　happened　only　by　the　will　of　Heaven。　Therefore　I　was　wrong　to

revile　you；　and　I　ask　your　pardon。〃



Before　she　could　answer　the　Shadid　commanded　silence。　At　the　same

moment　the　woman　Mesa　stepped　from　behind　the　effigy　of　the　goddess　on

the　shrine。



〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　here？〃　asked　the　Shadid；　as　though　he　did

not　know　her。



〃I　am　Mesa；　the　daughter　of　her　who　was　the　lady　Baaltis；〃　she

answered；　〃and　my　rank　is　that　of　Mother　of　the　priestesses　of

Baaltis。　I　appear　to　give　true　evidence　against　her；　who　is　the

anointed　Baaltis；　against　the　Israelitish　stranger　named　Aziel；　and

the　priest　of　the　Lord　of　the　Jews。〃



〃Lay　your　hand　upon　the　altar　and　speak；　but　beware　what　you　speak；〃

said　the　Shadid。



Mesa　bowed　her　head；　took　the　oath　of　truth　by　touching　the　altar　with

her　fingers；　and　began：



〃From　the　time　that　she　was　appointed　I　have　been　suspicious　of　the

lady　Baaltis。〃



〃Why　were　you　suspicious？〃　asked　the　Shadid。



The　witness　let　her　eyes　wander　towards　Metem；　then　hesitated。

Evidently　for　some　reason　of　her　own　she　did　not　wish　to　implicate

him。



〃I　was　suspicious；〃　she　answered；　〃because　of　certain　words　that　came

from　the　lips　of　the　Baaltis；　when　she　had　been　thrown　into　the　holy

trance　before　the　fire　of　sacrifice。　As　is　my　accustomed　part；　I　bent

over　her　to　hear　and　to　announce　the　message　of　the　gods；　but　in　place

of　the　hallowed　words　there　issued　babblings　about　this　Hebrew

stranger　and　of　a　meeting　to　be　held　with　him　at　one　hour　before

moonrise　by　the　pillar　of　El　in　the　courtyard　of　the　temple。

Thereafter　for　several　nights　as　was　my　duty　I　hid　myself　in　the　pit

of　offerings　in　the　courtyard　and　watched。　Last　night　at　an　hour

before　the　moonrise　the　Lady　Baaltis　came　disguised　by　the　secret　way

and　waited　at　the　pillar；　where　presently　she　was　joined　by　the　Jew

Aziel　and　the　Levite；　who　spoke　with　her。



〃What　they　said　I　could　not　hear；　because　they　were　too　far　from　me；

but　at　length　they　left　the　temple　and　I　traced　them　to　the　chambers

of　the　Jew　Aziel；　in　the　palace　of　Sakon。　Then；　Shadid；　I　warned　you；

and　the　priests　and　you　accompanied　me　and　took　them。　Now；　as　Mother

of　the　priestesses；　I　demand　that　justice　be　done　upon　these　wicked

ones；　according　to　the　ancient　custom；　lest　the　curse　of　Baaltis

should　fall　upon　this　city。〃



When　she　had　finished　her　evidence；　with　a　cold　stare　of　triumphant

hate　at　her　rival；　Mesa　stepped　to　one　side。



〃You　have　heard；〃　said　the　Shadid　addressing　his　fellow…judges。　Do　you

need　further　testimony？　If　so；　it　must　be　brief；　for　the　sun　sinks。〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　the　spokesman；　〃for　with　you　we　took　the　three　of　them

together　in　the　chamber　of　the　prince　Aziel。　Set　out　the　law　of　this

matter；　O　Judge；　and　let　justice　be　done　according　to　the　strict

letter　of　the　lawjustice　without　fear　or　favour。〃



〃Hearken；〃　said　the　Shadid。　〃Last　night　this　woman　Elissa；　the

daughter　of　Sakon；　being　the　lady　Baaltis　duly　elected；　met　men

secretly　in　the　courts　of　the　temple　and　accompanied　them；　or　one　of

them；　to　the　chamber　of　Aziel；　a　prince　of　Israel；　the　guest　of　Sakon。

Whether　or　no　she　was　about　to　fly　with　him　from　the　city　which　he

should　have　left　last　night；　we　cannot　tell；　and　it　is　needless　to

inquire；　at　least　she　was　with　him。　This；　however；　is　sure；　that　they

did　not　sin　in　ignorance　of　our　law；　since　with　my　own　mouth　I　warned

them　both　that　if　the　lady　Baaltis　consorts　with　any　man　not　her

husband　duly　named　by　her　according　to　her　right；　she　must　die　and　her

accomplice　with　her。　Therefore；　Aziel　the　Israelite；　we　give　you　to

death；　dooming　you　presently　to　be　hurled　from　the　edge　of　yonder

precipice。〃



〃I　am　in　your　power；〃　said　the　prince　proudly；　〃and　you　can　murder　if

you　will；　because；　forsooth；　I　have　offended　against　some　law　of　Baal；

but　I　tell　you；　priest；　that　there　are　kings　in　Jerusalem　and　Egypt

who　will　demand　my　blood　at　your　hands。　I　have　nothing　more　to　say

except　to　beseech　you　to　spare　the　life　of　the　lady　Elissa；　since　the

fault　of　the　meeting　was　not　hers；　but　mine。〃



〃Prince；〃　answered　the　Shadid　gravely；　〃we　know　your　rank　and　we　know

also　that　your　blood　will　be　required　at　our　hands；　but　we　who　serve

our　gods；　whose　vengeance　is　so　swift　and　terrible；　cannot　betray

their　law　for　the　fear　of　any　earthly　kings。　Yet；　thus　says　this　same

law；　it　is　not　needful　that　you　should　die　since　for　you　there　is　a

way　of　escape　that　leads　to　safety　and　great　honour；　and　she　who　was

the　cause　of　your　sin　is　the　mistress　of　its　gate。　Elissa；　holder　of

the　spirit　of　Baaltis　upon　earth；　if　it　be　your　pleasure　to　name　this

man　husband　before　us　all；　then　as　the　spouse　of　Baaltis　he　goes　free；

for　he　whom　the　Baaltis　chooses　cannot　refuse　her　gift　of　love；　but

for　so　long　as　she　shall　live　must　rule　with　her　as　Shadid　of　El。　But

if　you　name　him　not；　then　as　I　have　said；　he　must　die；　and　now。

Speak。〃



〃It　seems　that　my　choice　is　small；〃　said　Elissa　with　a　faint　smile。

〃Praying　you　to　pardon　me　for　the　deed；　to　save　your　life；　prince

Aziel；　according　to　the　ancient　custom　and　privilege　of　the　Baaltis；　I

name　you　consort　and　husband。〃



Now　Aziel　was　about　to　answer　her　when　the　Shadid　broke　in　hurriedly；

〃So　be　it；〃　he　said。　〃Lady；　we　hear　your　choice；　and　we　accept　it　as

we　must；　but　not　yet；　prince　Aziel；　can　you　take　your　wife　and　with

her　my　place　and　power。　Your　life　is　safe　indeed；　for　since　the

Baaltis；　being　unwed；　names　you　as　her　mate；　you　have　done　no　sin。　Yet

she　has　sinned　and　doom　awaits　her；　for　against　the　law　she　has　chosen

as　husband　one　who　worships　a　strange　god；　and　of　all　crimes　that　is

the　greatest。　Therefore；　either　you　must　take　incense　and　before　us

all　make　offering　to　El　and　Baaltis　upon　yonder　altar；　thus　renouncing

your　faith　and　entering　into　ours；　or　she　must　die　and　you；　your　rank

having　passed　from　you　with　her　breath；　will　be　expelled　from　the

city。〃



Now　Aziel　understood　the　trap　that　had　been　laid　for　him；　and　saw　in

it　the　handiwork　of　Sakon　and　Metem。　Elissa　having　flagrantly　violated

the　religious　law；　and　he；　being　the　cause　of　her　crime；　even　the

authority　of　the　governor　of　the　city　could　not　prevent　his　daughter

and　his　guest　from　being　put　upon　their　trial。　Therefore；　they　had

arranged　this　farce；　for　so　it　would　seem　to　them；　whereby　both　the

offenders　might　escape　the　legal　consequences　of　their　offence；

trusting；　doubtless；　to　accident　and　the　future　to　unravel　this　web　of

forced　marriage；　and　to　free　Aziel　from　a　priestly　rank　which　he　had

not　sought。　It　was　only　necessary　that　Elissa　should　formally　choose

him　as　her　husband；　and　that　Aziel　should　go　through　rite　of　throwing

a　few　grains　of　incense　upon　an　altar；　and；　the　law　satisfied；　they

would　be　both　free　and　safe。　What　Metem；　and　those　who　worked　with

him；　had　forgotten　was；　that　this　offering　of　incense　to　Baal　would　be

the　most　deadly　of　crimes　in　the　eyes　of　any　faithful　Jewone；

indeed；　which；　were　he　alone　concerned；　he　would　die　rather　than

commit。



When　the　prince　heard　this　decree；　and　the　full　terror　of　the　choice

came　home　to　his　mind；　his　blood　turned　cold；　and　for　a　while　his

senses　were　bewildered。　There　was　no　escape　for　him；　either　he　must

abjure　his　faith　at　the　price　of　his　own　soul；　or；　because　of　it；　the

woman　whom　he　loved；　now；　before　his　eyes；　must　suffer　a　most　horrible

and　sudden　death。　It　was　hideous　to　think　of；　and　yet　how　could　he　do

this　sin　in　the　face　of　heaven　and　of　these　ministers　of　Satan？



The　moment　was　at　hand；　a　priest　held　out　to　him　a　bowl　of　incense；　a

golden　bowl；　he　noticed　idly；　with　handles　of　green　stone　fashioned　in

the　likeness　of　Baaltis；　whose　servant　he　was　asked　to　declare

himself。　He；　Aziel　of　the　royal　house　of　Israel；　a　servant　of　Baal　and

Baaltis；　nay；　a　high…priest　of　their　worship！　It　was　monstrous；　it

might　not　be。　But　Elissa？　Well；　she　must　dieif　this　was　not　a　farce；

and　in　truth　they　meant　to　murder　her；　her　life　could　not　be　bought　at

such　a　price。



〃I　cannot　do　it；〃　he　gasped　with　dry　lips；　thrusting　aside　the　bowl。



Now　all　looked　astonished；　for　his　refusal　had　not　been　foreseen。

There　was　a　pause；　and　once　more　the　woman　Mesa；　in　her　character　of

prosecutrix　o