elissa-第27部分

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slave。〃



〃Ay；〃　replied　Elissa；　with　a　little　laugh；　〃but　what　if　rather　than　be

thus　dishonoured；　I　should　choose　to　break　another　gate；　that　of　my

own　life？　Look；　traitress；　here　is　poison　and　here　is　bronze；　and　I

swear　to　you　that　should　any　lay　a　hand　upon　me；　by　one　or　other　of

them　I　will　die　before　their　eyes。　Then；　if　you　will；　bear　these　bones

to　Ithobal　and　take　his　thanks　for　them。　Now；　begone；　and　give　this

message　to　my　father　and　to　all　those　who　have　plotted　with　him；　that

since　they　cannot　bribe　Ithobal　with　my　beauty；　they　will　do　well　to

be　men；　and　to　fight　him　with　their　swords。〃



Then　she　turned　and　left　them；　vanishing　into　the　darkness　of　the

tomb。



Great　indeed　was　the　dismay　of　the　councillors　of　Zimboe　and　of　the

priests　who　had　plotted　with　them　when；　an　hour　later；　Mesa　came；　not

to　deliver　Elissa　into　their　hands；　but　to　repeat　to　them　her　threats

and　message。　In　vain　did　they　appeal　to　Sakon；　who　only　shook　his　head

and　answered：



〃Of　this　I　am　sure；　that　what　my　daughter　has　threatened　that　she　will

certainly　do　if　you　force　her　to　the　choice。　But　if　you　will　not

believe　me；　go　ask　her　and　satisfy　yourselves。　I　know　well　what　she

will　answer　you；　and　I　hold　that　this　is　a　judgment　upon　us；　who　first

made　her　Baaltis　against　her　will；　then　threatened　her　with　death

because　of　the　prince　Aziel；　and　now　would　do　sacrilege　to　her　sacred

office　and　violence　to　herself　by　tearing　her　from　her　consecrated

throne；　breaking　her　bond　of　marriage　and　delivering　her　to　Ithobal。〃



So　the　leaders　of　the　councillors　visited　the　holy　tomb　and　reasoned

with　Elissa　through　the　bars。　But　they　got　no　comfort　from　her；　for

she　spoke　to　them　with　the　phial　of　poison　in　her　bosom　and　the　naked

dagger　in　her　hand；　telling　them　what　she　had　told　Mesathat　they　had

best　give　up　their　plottings　and　fight　Ithobal　like　men；　seeing　that

even　if　she　surrendered　herself　to　him；　when　he　grew　weary　of　her　the

war　must　come　at　last。



〃For　a　hundred　years；〃　she　added；　〃this　storm　has　gathered；　and　now　it

must　burst。　When　it　has　rolled　away　it　will　be　known　who　is　master　of

the　landthe　ancient　city　of　Zimboe；　or　Ithobal　king　of　the　Tribes。〃



So　they　went　back　as　they　had　come；　and　next　day　at　the　dawn；　with　a

bold　face　but　heavy　hearts；　received　the　messengers　of　king　Ithobal；

and　told　them　their　tale。　The　messengers　heard　and　laughed。



〃We　are　glad；〃　they　answered；　〃since　we；　who　are　not　in　love　with　the

daughter　of　Sakon；　desire　war　and　not　peace；　holding　as　we　do　that　the

time　has　come　when　you　upstart　white　menyou　outlanderswho　have

usurped　our　country　to　suck　away　its　wealth　should　be　set　beneath　our

heel。　Nor　do　we　think　that　the　task　will　be　difficult　for　surely　we

have　little　to　fear　from　a　city　of　low　money　seekers　whose　councillors

cannot　even　conquer　the　will　of　a　single　maid。〃



Then　in　their　despair　the　elders　offered　other　girls　to　Ithobal　in

marriage；　as　many　as　he　would；　and　with　them　a　great　bribe　in　money。

But　the　envoys　took　their　leave；　saying　that　nothing　would　avail　since

they　preferred　spear…thrusts　to　gold；　for　which　they　had　little　use；

and　Ithobal；　their　king；　had　fixed　his　fancy　on　one　woman　alone。



So　with　a　heavy　and　foreboding　heart；　the　city　of　Zimboe　prepared

itself　to　resist　attack；　for　as　they　had　guessed；　when　he　learned　all；

the　rage　of　Ithobal　was　great。　Nor　would　he　listen　to　any　terms　that

they　could　offer　save　one　which　they　had　no　power　to　grantthat

Elissa　should　be　delivered　unharmed　into　his　hands。　Councils　of　war

were　held；　and　to　these；　so　soon　as　he　was　sufficiently　recovered　from

his　sickness；　the　prince　Aziel　was　bidden；　for　he　was　known　to　be　a

skilled　captain；　therefore；　though　he　had　been　the　cause　of　much　of

their　trouble；　they　sought　his　aid。　Also；　should　the　struggle　be

prolonged；　they　hoped　through　him　to　win　Israel；　and　perhaps　Egypt；　to

their　cause。



Aziel's　counsel　was　that　they　should　sally　out　against　the　army　of

Ithobal　by　night；　since　he　expected　to　attack　and　not　to　be　attacked；

but　to　that　advice　they　would　not　listen；　for　they　trusted　to　their

walls。　Indeed；　in　this　Metem　supported　them；　and　when　the　prince

argued　with　him；　he　answered：



〃Your　tactics　would　be　good　enough；　Prince；　if　you　had　at　your　back

the　lions　of　Judah；　or　the　wild　Arab　horsemen　of　the　desert。　But　here

you　must　deal　with　men　of　my　own　breed；　and　we　Ph？nicians　are　traders；

not　fighting　men。　Like　rats；　we　fight　only　when　there　is　no　other

chance　for　our　lives；　nor　do　we　strike　the　first　blow。　It　is　true　that

there　are　some　good　soldiers　in　the　city；　but　they　are　foreign

mercenaries；　and　as　for　the　rest；　half…breeds　and　freed　slaves；　they

belong　as　much　to　Ithobal　as　to　Sakon；　and　are　not　to　be　trusted。　No；

no；　let　us　stay　behind　our　walls；　for　they　at　least　were　built　when

men　were　honest　and　will　not　betray　us。〃



Now　in　Zimboe　were　three　lines　of　defence；　first；　that　of　a　single

wall　built　about　the　huts　of　the　slaves　upon　the　plain；　then　that　of　a

double　wall　of　stone　with　a　ditch　between　thrown　round　the　Ph？nician

city；　and　lastly；　the　great　fortress…temple　and　the　rocky　heights

above。　These；　guarded　as　they　were　by　many　strongholds　within　whose

circle　the　cattle　were　herded；　as　it　was　thought；　could　only　be　taken

with　the　sword　of　hunger。







At　last　the　storm　burst；　for　on　the　fifth　morning　after　Elissa　had

barred　herself　within　the　tomb；　Ithobal　attacked　the　native　town。

Uttering　their　wild　battle…cries；　tens　of　thousands　of　his　savage

warriors；　armed　with　great　spears　and　shields　of　ox…hide；　and　wearing

crests　of　plumes　upon　their　heads；　charged　down　upon　the　outer　wall。

Twice　they　were　driven　back；　but　the　work　was　in　bad　repair　and　too

long　to　defend；　so　that　at　the　third　rush　they　flowed　over　it　like

lines　of　marching　ants；　driving　its　defenders　before　them　to　the　inner

gates。　In　this　battle　some　were　killed；　but　the　most　of　the　slaves

threw　down　their　arms　and　went　over　to　Ithobal；　who　spared　them；

together　with　their　wives　and　children。



Through　all　the　night　that　followed；　the　generals　of　Zimboe　made　ready

for　the　onslaught　which　must　come。　Everywhere　within　the　circuit　of

the　inner　wall　troops　were　stationed；　while　the　double　southern

gateway；　where　prince　Aziel　was　the　captain　in　command；　was　built　up

with　loose　blocks　of　stone。



A　while　before　the　dawn；　just　as　the　eastern　sky　grew　grey；　Aziel；

watching　from　his　post　above　the　gate　of　the　wall；　heard　the　fierce

war…song　of　the　Tribes　swell　suddenly　from　fifty　thousand　throats　and

the　measured　tramp　of　their　innumerable　feet。　Then　the　day　broke；　and

he　saw　them　advancing　in　three　armies　towards　the　three　points　chosen

for　attack；　the　largest　of　the　armies；　headed　by　Ithobal　the　king；

directing　its　march　upon　the　walled　gate　of　which　he　was　in　command。



It　was　a　wondrous　and　a　fearful　sight；　that　of　these　hordes　of　plumed

warriors；　their　broad　spears　flashing　in　the　sunrise；　and　their　fierce

faces　alight　with　hereditary　hate　and　the　lust　of　slaughter。　Never　had

Aziel　seen　such　a　spectacle；　nor　could　he　look　upon　it　without

dreading　the　issue　of　the　war；　for　if　they　were　savages；　these　foes

were　brave　as　the　lions　of　their　own　plains；　and　had　sworn　by　the　head

of　their　king　to　drag　down　the　sheltering　walls　of　Zimboe　with　their

naked　hands；　or　die　to　the　last　man。



Turning　his　head　with　a　sigh　of　doubt；　Aziel　found　Metem　standing　at

his　side。



〃Have　you　seen　her？〃　he　asked　eagerly。



〃No；　Prince。　How　could　I　see　her　at　night　when　she　sits　in　a　tomb　like

a　fox　in　his　burrow？　But　I　have　heard　her。〃



〃What　did　she　say？　Quick　man；　tell　me。〃



〃But　little；　Prince；　for　the　tomb　is　watched　and　I　dared　not　stay

there　long。　She　sent　you　her　greetings　and　would　have　you　know　that

her　heart　will　be　with　you　in　the　battle；　and　her　prayers　beseech　the

throne　of　Heaven　for　your　safety。　Also　she　said　that　she　is　well；

though　it　is　lonesome　there　in　the　grave　among　the　bodies　of　the　dead

priestesses　of　Baaltis　whose　spirits；　as　she　vows；　haunt　her　dreams；

reviling　her　because　she　desecrates　their　sepulchre　and　has　renounced

their　god。〃



〃Lonesome；　indeed；〃　said　Aziel　with　a　shudder；　〃but　tell　me；　Metem；

had　she　no　other　word？〃



〃Yes；　Prince；　but　not　of　good　omen；　for　now　as　always　she　is　sure　that

her　doom　is　at　hand；　and　that　you　two　will　meet　no　more。　Still　she

bade　me　tell　you　that　all　your　life　long　her　spirit　shall　companion

you　though　it　be　unseen；　to　receive　you　at　the　last　on　the　threshold

of　the　underworld。〃



Aziel　turned　his　head　away；　and　said　presently：



〃If　that　be　so；　may　it　receive　me　soon。〃



〃Have　no　fear；　Prince；〃　replied　Metem　with　a　grim　laugh；　〃look

yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　advancing　hosts。



〃These　walls　are　strong　and　we　shall　beat　them　back；〃　said　Aziel。



〃Nay；　Prince；　for　strong　walls　do　not　avail　without　strong　hearts　to

guard　them；　and　those　of　the　womanish　citizens　of　Zimboe　and　their

hired　soldiers　are　white　with　fear。　I　tell　you　that　the　prophecies　of

Issachar　the　Levite；　made　yonder　in　the　temple　on　the　day　of　the

sacrifice；　and　again　in　the　hour　of　his　death；　have　taken　hold　of　the

people；　and　by　eating　out　their　valour；　fulfil　themselves。



〃Men　hint　at　them；　the　women　whisper　them　in　closets；　and　the　very

children　cry　them　in　the　streets。



〃Moreone　man　last　night　pointed　to　the　skies　and　shrieked　that　in

them　he　saw　that　fiery　sword　of　doom　of　which　the　prophet　spoke

hanging　point　downwards　above　the　city；　whereon　all　present　vowed　they

saw　it　too；　though；　as　I　think；　it　was　but　a　cross　of　stars。　Another

tells　how　that　he　met　the　very　spirit　of　Issachar　stalking　through　the

market…place；　and　that　peering　into　the　eyes　of　the　wraith；　as　in　a

mirror；　he　saw　a　great　flame　wrapping　the　temple　walls；　and　by　the

light　of　it　his　own　dead　body。　This　man　was　the　priest　who　first

struck　do