elissa-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



your　flesh　from　doom。　Upon　this　earth　there　is　no　hope　for　you；

daughter　of　Sakon；　set　your　eyes　beyond　it；　for　there　alone　is　hope。



〃Yonder　she　stands　who　swore　our　lives　away？〃　and　he　fixed　his　burning

gaze　on　Mesa。　〃Priestess；　you　plotted　this　that　you　might　succeed　to

the　throne　of　Baaltis；　now　hear　your　fate：　You　shall　live　to　sweep　the

huts　and　bear　the　babes　of　savages。　You；　priest；〃　and　he　pointed　to

the　Shadid；　〃I　read　your　heart；　you　design　to　murder　this　apostate

whom　you　greet　as　your　successor　that　you　may　usurp　his　place。　I　show

you　yours：　it　lies　in　the　bellies　of　the　jackals　of　the　desert。



〃For　you　priests　and　priestesses　of　El　and　Baaltis；　think　of　my　words；

and　raise　the　loud　song　of　triumph　to　your　gods　when　you　yourselves

are　their　offering；　and　the　red　flame　of　the　fire　burns　you　up；　all　of

you　save　your　sins；　which　are　immortal。　O　citizens　of　an　accursed

city；　look　on　the　hill…top　yonder　and　tell　me；　what　do　you　see　in　the

light　of　the　dying　day？　A　sheen　of　spears；　is　it　not？　They　draw　near

to　your　hearts；　you　whose　day　is　done　indeed；　citizens　of　an　accursed

city　whereof　the　very　name　shall　be　forgotten；　and　the　naked　towers

shall　become　but　a　source　of　wonder　to　men　unborn。



〃And　now；　O　priest；　having　said　my　say；　as　you　bid　me；　I　make　my

offering　upon　your　altar。〃



Then；　while　all　stood　fearful　and　amazed；　Issachar　the　Levite　sprang

forward；　and　seizing　the　ancient　image　of　Baaltis；　he　spat　upon　it　and

dashed　the　priceless　consecrated　thing　down　upon　the　altar；　where　it

broke　into　fragments；　and　was　burned　with　the　fire。



〃My　offering　is　made；〃　he　said；　〃may　He　whom　I　serve　accept　it。　Now

after　the　offering　comes　the　sacrifice；　son　Aziel；　fare　you　well。〃



*****



For　a　few　moments　a　silence　of　horror　and　dismay　fell　upon　the

assembly　as　they　gazed　at　the　shattered　and　burning　fragments　of　their

holy　image。　Then　moved　by　a　common　impulse；　with　curses　and　yells　of

fury；　the　priests　and　priestesses　sprang　from　their　seats　and　hurled

themselves　upon　Issachar；　who　stood　awaiting　them　with　folded　arms。

They　smote　him　with　their　ivory　rods；　they　rent　and　tore　him　with

their　hands　and　teeth；　worrying　him　as　dogs　worry　a　fox　of　the　hills；

till　at　length　the　life　was　beaten　and　trampled　out　of　him　and　he　lay

dead。



Thus　terribly；　but　yet　by　such　a　death　of　martyrdom　as　he　would　have

chosen；　perished　Issachar　the　Levite。



Unarmed　though　he　was；　Aziel　had　sprung　to　his　aid；　but　Metem　and

Sakon；　knowing　that　he　would　but　bring　about　his　own　destruction；

flung　themselves　upon　him　and　held　him　back。　Whilst　he　was　still

struggling　with　them　the　end　came；　and　Issachar　grew　still　for　ever。

Then；　as　the　sun　sank　and　the　darkness　fell；　Aziel's　strength　left

him；　and　presently　he　slipped　to　the　ground　senseless。



*****



Thereafter　it　seemed　to　Aziel　that　he　was　plunged　in　an　endless　and

dreadful　dream；　and　that　through　its　turmoil　and　shifting　visions；　he

could　see　continually　the　dreadful　death　of　Issachar；　and　hear　his

stern　accents　prophesying　woe　to　him　who　renounces　the　God　of　his

forefathers　to　bow　the　knee　to　Baal。



At　length　he　awoke　from　that　horror…haunted　sleep　to　find　himself

lying　in　a　strange　chamber。　It　was　night；　and　lamps　burned　in　the

chamber；　and　by　their　light　he　saw　a　man　whose　face　he　knew　mixing　a

draught　in　a　glass　phial。　So　weak　was　he　that　at　first　he　could　not

remember　the　man's　name；　then　by　slow　degrees　it　came　to　him。



〃Metem；〃　he　said；　〃where　am　I？〃



The　Ph？nician　looked　up　from　his　task；　smiled；　and　answered：



〃Where　you　should　be；　Prince；　in　your　own　house；　the　palace　of　the

Shadid。　But　you　must　not　speak；　for　you　have　been　ill；　drink　this　and

sleep。〃



Aziel　swallowed　the　draught　and　was　instantly　overcome　by　slumber。

When　he　awoke　the　sun　was　shining　brightly　through　the　window　place；

and　its　rays　fell　upon　the　shrewd；　kindly　face　of　Metem；　who；　seated

on　a　stool；　watched　him；　his　chin　resting　in　his　hand。



〃Tell　me　all　that　has　befallen；　friend；〃　said　Aziel　presently；

〃since〃　and　he　shuddered。



〃Since　you　were　married　after　a　new　fashion　and　that　bigoted　but　most

honourable　fool；　Issachar；　went　to　his　reward。　Well；　I　will　when　you

have　eaten；〃　answered　Metem　as　he　gave　him　food。　〃First；〃　he　said；

after　a　while；　〃you　have　lain　here　for　three　days　raving　in　a　fever；

nursed　by　myself　and　visited　by　your　wife　the　lady　Baaltis；　whenever

she　could　escape　from　her　religious　duties〃



〃Elissa！　Has　she　been　here？〃　asked　Aziel。



〃Calm　yourself；　Prince；　certainly　she　has；　and；　what　is　more；　she　will

be　back　soon。　Secondly：　Ithobal　has　been　as　good　as　his　word；　and

invests　the　city　with　a　vast　army；　cutting　off　all　supplies　and

possibilities　of　escape。　It　is　believed　that　he　will　try　an　assault

within　the　next　week；　which　many　think　may　be　successful。　Thirdly：　to

avoid　this　risk　it　is　rumoured　that　the　priests　and　priestesses；　at

the　instance　of　the　council；　are　discussing　the　wisdom　of　giving　over

to　the　king　the　person　of　the　daughter　of　Sakon。　This；　it　is　said；

could　be　done　on　the　plea　that　her　election　as　the　lady　Baaltis　was

brought　about　with　bribery；　and　is；　therefore；　void；　as　she　was　not

chosen　by　the　pure　and　unassisted　will　of　the　goddess。〃



〃But；〃　said　Aziel；　〃she　is　my　wife　according　to　their　religious　law；

how　then　can　she　be　given　in　marriage　to　another？〃



〃Nay；　Prince；　if　she　is　not　the　lady　Baaltis　your　husbandship　falls　to

the　ground　with　the　rest；　for　you　are　not　the　Shadid；　an　office　with

which　perchance　you　can　dispense。　But　all　this　priestly　juggling　means

little；　the　truth　being　that　the　city　in　its　terror　is　ready　to　throw

heror　for　the　matter　of　that；　Baaltis　herself　if　they　could　lay

hands　on　heras　a　sop　to　Ithobal；　hoping　thereby　to　appease　his　rage。

The　lady　Elissa　knows　her　dangerbut　here　she　comes　to　speak　for

herself。〃



As　he　spoke　the　curtains　at　the　end　of　the　chamber　were　drawn；　and

through　them　came　Elissa；　clad　in　her　splendid　robes　of　office　and

wearing　upon　her　brow　the　golden　crescent　of　the　moon。



〃How　goes　it　with　the　prince；　Metem？〃　she　asked　in　her　soft　voice；

glancing　anxiously　towards　the　couch　which　was　half…hidden　in　the

shadow　of　the　wall。



〃Look　for　yourself；　lady；〃　answered　the　Ph？nician　bowing　before　her。



〃Elissa；　Elissa！〃　cried　Aziel；　raising　himself　and　opening　his　arms。



She　saw　and　heard；　then；　with　a　low　cry；　she　ran　swiftly　to　him　and

was　wrapped　in　his　embrace。　Thus　they　stayed　a　while；　murmuring　words

of　love　and　greeting。



〃Is　it　your　pleasure　that　I　should　leave　you？〃　asked　Metem　presently。

〃No？　Then；　Prince；　I　would　have　you　remember　that　you　are　still　very

weak　and　should　not　give　way　to　violent　emotions。〃



〃Listen；　Aziel；〃　said　Elissa；　untwining　his　arms　from　about　her　neck；

〃there　is　no　time　for　tenderness；　moreover；　you　should　show　none　to

one　who；　in　name　at　least；　is　still　the　high…priestess　of　Baaltis；

though　in　truth　she　worships　her　no　longer。　It　was　noble　of　you　indeed

to　offer　incense　upon　the　altar　of　El　that　my　life　might　be　saved。　But

when　I　prayed　you　not；　I　spoke　from　the　heart；　and　bitterly；　bitterly

do　I　grieve　that　for　my　sake　you　should　have　stained　your　hands　with

such　a　sin。　Moreover；　it　will　avail　nothing；　for　the　doom　of　the

prophet　Issachar　lies　upon　us；　and　I　cannot　escape　from　death；　neither

can　you　escape　remorse；　and　as　I　think；　that　worst　of　all　desiresthe

desire　for　the　dead。〃



〃Can　we　not　still　flee　the　city？〃　asked　Aziel。



〃Metem　will　tell　you　that　it　is　impossible；　day　and　night　I　am　watched

and　guarded；　yes；　Mesa　dogs　me　from　door　to　door。　Also　Ithobal　holds

Zimboe　so　firmly　in　his　net　that　no　sparrow　could　fly　out　of　it　and　he

not　know。　And　there　is　worse　to　tell：　Beloved；　they　purpose　to　give　me

up　as　a　peace…offering　to　Ithobal。　Yes；　even　my　father　is　of　the　plot；

for　in　his　despair　he　thinks　it　his　duty　to　sacrifice　his　daughter　to

save　the　town；　if；　indeed；　that　will　suffice　to　save　us。〃



〃But　you　are　the　Baaltis　and　inviolate。〃



〃In　such　a　time　the　goddess　herself　would　not　be　held　inviolate　in

Zimboe；　much　less　her　priestess；　Aziel。　I　have　discovered　that　this

very　night　they　have　laid　their　plans　to　seize　me。　Mesa　and　others

have　been　chosen　for　the　deed；　and　afterwards　they　think　to　offer　me

as　a　bribe　to　Ithobal；　who　will　take　no　other　price。〃



Aziel　groaned　aloud：　〃It　were　better　that　we　should　die；〃　he　said。



She　nodded　and　answered：　〃It　were　better　that　/I/　should　die。　But　hear

me；　for　I　also　have　a　plan；　and　there　is　still　hope；　though　very

little。　Perhaps；　as　you　drew　near　to　Zimboe　by　the　coast　road；　you　may

have　noted　three　miles　or　more　from　the　gates　of　the　city；　and　almost

overhanging　the　path　on　which　you　travelled；　a　shoulder　of　the

mountain　where　the　rock　is　cut　away；　showing　the　narrow　entrance　to　a

cave　closed　with　a　gate　of　bronze？〃



〃I　saw　it；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃and　was　told　that　there　was　the　most

sacred　burying…place　of　the　city。〃



〃It　is　the　tomb　of　the　high…priestesses　of　Baaltis；〃　went　on　Elissa；

〃and　this　day　at　sunset　I　must　visit　it　to　lay　an　offering　upon　the

shrine　of　her　who　was　the　Baaltis　before　me；　entering　alone；　and

closing　the　gate；　for　it　is　not　lawful　that　any　one　should　pass　in

there　with　me。　Now；　the　plan　is　to　lay　hands　on　me　as　I　go　back　from

the　tomb　to　the　palacebut　I　shall　not　go　back。　Aziel；　I　shall　stay

in　the　tombnay；　do　not　fearnot　dead。　I　have　hidden　food　and　water

there；　enough　for　many　days；　and　there　with　the　departed　I　shall　live

till　I　am　of　their　number。〃



〃But　if　so；　how　can　it　help　you；　Elissa；　for　they　will　break　in　the

gates　of　the　place；　and　drag　you　away？〃



〃Then；　Aziel；　they　will　drag　away　a　corpse；　and　that　they　will

scarcely　care　to　present　to　Ithobal。　See；　I　have　hidden　poison　in　my

breast；　and　here　at　my　girdle　hangs　a　dagger；　are　not　the　two　of　them

enough　to　make　an