elissa-第28部分

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

struck　down　the　holy　Levite　yonder　in　the　place　of　judgment。



〃Again；　when　the　lady　Mesa　did　sacrifice　last　night　on　behalf　of　the

Baaltis　who　has　fled；　the　child　they　offered；　an　infant　of　six　months；

stirred　on　the　altar　after　it　was　dead　and　cried　with　a　loud　voice

that　before　three　suns　had　set；　its　blood　should　be　required　at　their

hands。　That　is　the　story；　and　if　I　do　not　believe　it；　this　at　least　is

true；　that　the　priestesses　fled　fast　from　the　secret　chamber　of　death；

for　I　met　them　as　they　ran　shrieking　in　their　terror　and　tearing　at

their　robes。　But　what　need　is　there　to　dwell　on　omens；　true　or　false；

when　cowards　man　the　walls；　and　the　spears　of　Ithobal　shine　yonder

like　all　the　stars　of　heaven？　Prince；　I　tell　you　that　this　ancient

city　is　doomed；　and　in　it；　as　I　fear；　we　must　end　our　wanderings　upon

earth。〃



〃So　be　it；　if　it　must　be；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃at　the　least　I　will　die

fighting。〃



〃And　I　also　will　die　fighting；　Prince；　not　because　I　love　it；　but

because　it　is　better　than　being　butchered　in　cold　blood　by　a　savage

with　a　spear。　Oh！　why　did　you　ever　chance　to　stumble　upon　the　lady

Elissa　making　her　prayer　to　Baaltis；　and　what　evil　spirit　was　it　which

filled　your　brains　with　this　sudden　madness　of　love　towards　each

other？　That　was　the　beginning　of　the　trouble；　which；　but　for　those

eyes　of　hers；　would　have　held　off　long　enough　to　see　us　safe　at　Tyre；

though　doubtless　soon　or　late　it　must　have　come。　But　see；　yonder

marches　Ithobal　at　the　head　of　his　guard。　Give　me　a　bow；　the　flight　is

long；　but　perchance　I　can　reach　his　black　heart　with　an　arrow。〃



〃Save　your　strength；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃the　range　is　too　great；　and

presently　you　will　have　enough　of　shooting；〃　and　he　turned　to　talk　to

the　officers　of　the　guard。







CHAPTER　XVI



THE　CAGE　OF　DEATH



An　hour　later　the　attack　commenced　at　chosen　points　of　the　double

wall；　one　of　them　being　the　southern　gate。　In　front　of　the　advancing

columns　of　savages　were　driven　vast　numbers　of　slaves；　many　of　whom

had　been　captured；　or　had　surrendered　in　the　outer　town。　These　men

were　laden　with　faggots　to　fill　the　ditch；　rude　ladders　wherewith　to

scale　the　walls；　and　heavy　trunks　of　trees　to　be　used　in　breaching

them。　For　the　most　part；　they　were　unarmed；　and　protected　only　by

their　burdens；　which　they　held　before　them　as　shields；　and　by　the

arrows　of　the　warriors　of　Ithobal。　But　these　did　little　harm　to　the

defenders；　who　were　hidden　behind　the　walls；　whereas　the　shafts　of　the

garrison；　rained　on　them　from　above；　killed　or　wounded　the　slaves　by

scores；　who；　poor　creatures；　when　they　turned　to　fly；　were　driven

onward　by　the　spear…points　of　the　savages；　to　be　slain　in　heaps　like

game　in　a　pitfall。　Still；　some　of　them　lived；　and　running　under　the

shelter　of　the　wall；　began　to　breach　it　with　the　rude　battering　rams；

and　to　raise　the　scaling　ladders　till　death　found　them；　or　they　were

worn　out　with　excitement；　fear　and　labour。



Then　the　real　attack　began。　With　fierce　yells；　the　threefold　column

rushed　at　the　wall；　and　began　to　work　the　rams　and　scale　the　ladders；

while　the　defenders　above　showered　spears　and　arrows　upon　them；　or

crushed　them　with　heavy　stones；　or　poured　upon　their　heads　boiling

pitch　and　water；　heated　in　great　cauldrons　which　stood　at　hand。



Time　after　time　they　were　driven　back　with　heavy　loss；　and；　time　upon

time；　fresh　hordes　of　them　advanced　to　the　onslaught。　Thrice；　at　the

southern　gate；　were　the　ladders　raised；　and　thrice　the　stormers

appeared　above　the　level　of　the　wall；　to　be　hurled　back；　crushed　and

bleeding；　to　the　earth　beneath。



Thus　the　long　day　wore　on　and　still　the　defenders　held　their　own。



〃We　shall　win；〃　shouted　Aziel　to　Metem；　as　a　fresh　ladder　was　cast

down　with　its　weight　of　men　to　the　death…strewn　plain。



〃Yes；　here　we　shall　win　because　we　fight；〃　answered　the　Ph？nician；

〃but　elsewhere　it　may　be　otherwise。〃　Indeed　for　a　while　the　attack

upon　the　south　gate　slackened。



Another　hour　passed　and　presently　to　the　left　of　them　rose　a　wild　yell

of　triumph；　and　with　it　a　shout　of　〃Fly　to　the　second　wall。　The　foe　is

in　the　fosse！〃



Metem　looked　and　there；　down　the　great　ditch；　300　paces　to　their　left；

a　flood　of　savages　poured　towards　them。　〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃the　outer

wall　is　lost。〃　But　as　he　spoke　once　more　the　ladders　rose　against　the

gates　and　flanking　towers　and　once　more　Aziel　sprang　to　cast　them

down。　When　the　deed　was　done；　he　looked　behind　him　to　find　that　he　was

cut　off　and　surrounded。　Metem　and　most　of　his　men　indeed　had　gained

the　inner　wall　in　safety；　while　he　with　twelve　only　of　his　bravest

soldiers；　Jews　of　his　own　following；　who　had　stayed　to　help　him　to

throw　back　the　ladders；　were　left　upon　the　gateway　tower。　Nor　was

escape　any　longer　possible；　for　both　the　plain　without　and　the　fosse

within　were　filled　with　the　men　of　Ithobal　who　advanced　also　by

hundreds　down　the　broad　coping　of　the　captured　wall。



〃Now　there　is　but　one　thing　that　we　can　do；〃　said　Aziel；　〃fight

bravely　till　we　are　slain。〃



As　he　spoke　a　javelin　cast　from　the　wall　beneath　struck　him　upon　the

breastplate；　and　though　the　bronze　turned　the　iron　point；　it　brought

him　to　his　knees。　When　he　found　his　feet　again；　he　heard　a　voice

calling　him　by　name；　and　looking　down；　saw　Ithobal　clad　in　golden

harness　and　surrounded　by　his　captains。



〃You　cannot　escape；　prince　Aziel；〃　cried　the　king；　〃yield　now　to　my

mercy。〃



Aziel　heard；　and　setting　an　arrow　to　his　bow；　loosed　it　at　Ithobal

beneath。　He　was　a　strong　and　skilful　archer；　and　the　heavy　shaft

pierced　the　golden　helmet　of　the　king；　cutting　his　scalp　down　to　the

bone。



〃That　is　my　answer；〃　cried　Aziel；　as　Ithobal　rolled　upon　the　ground

beneath　the　shock　of　the　blow。　But　very　soon　the　king　was　up　and

crying　his　commands　from　behind　the　shield…hedge　of　his　captains。



〃Let　the　prince　Aziel；　and　the　Jews　with　him；　be　taken　alive　and

brought　to　me；〃　he　shouted。　〃I　will　give　a　great　reward　in　cattle　to

those　who　capture　them　unharmed；　but　if　any　do　them　hurt；　they

themselves　shall　be　put　to　death。〃



The　captains　bowed　and　issued　their　orders；　and　presently　Aziel　and

his　companions　saw　lines　of　unarmed　men　creeping　up　ladders　set　at

every　side　of　the　lofty　tower。　Again　and　again　they　cast　off　the

ladders；　till　at　length；　being　so　few；　they　could　stir　them　no　more

because　of　the　weight　upon　them；　but　must　hack　at　the　heads　of　the

stormers　as　they　appeared　above　the　parapet；　killing　them　one　by　one。



In　this　fashion　they　slew　many；　but　their　arms　grew　weary　at　last；　and

ever　under　the　eye　of　their　king；　the　brave　savages　crept　upward；

heedless　of　death；　till；　with　a　shout；　they　poured　over　the

battlements　and　rushed　at　the　little　band　of　Jews。



Now　rather　than　be　taken；　Aziel　sought　to　throw　himself　from　the

tower；　but　his　companions　held　him；　and　thus　at　last　it　came　about

that　he　was　seized　and　bound。



As　they　dragged　him　to　the　stairway　he　looked　across　the　fosse　and　saw

the　mercenaries　flying　from　the　inner　wall；　although　it　was　still

unbreached；　and　saw　the　citizens　of　Zimboe　streaming　by　thousands　to

the　narrow　gateway　of　the　temple　fortress。



Then　Aziel　groaned　in　his　heart　and　struggled　no　more；　for　he　knew

that　the　fate　of　the　ancient　town　was　sealed；　and　that　the　prophecy　of

Issachar　would　be　fulfilled。



*****



A　while　later　Aziel　and　those　with　him；　their　hands　bound　behind　their

backs；　were　led　by　hide　ropes　tied　about　their　necks　through　the　army

of　the　Tribes　that　jeered　and　spat　upon　them　as　they　passed；　to　a　tent

of　sewn　hides　on　the　plain；　above　which　floated　the　banner　of　Ithobal。

Into　this　tent　the　prince　was　thrust　alone；　and　there　forced　upon　his

knees　by　the　soldiers　who　held　him。　Before　him　upon　a　couch　covered

with　a　lion　skin　lay　the　great　shape　of　Ithobal；　while　physicians

washed　his　wounded　scalp。



〃Greeting；　son　of　Israel　and　Pharaoh；〃　he　said　in　a　mocking　voice；

〃truly　you　are　wise　thus　to　do　homage　to　the　king　of　the　world。〃



〃A　poor　jest；〃　answered　Aziel；　glancing　at　those　who　held　him　down；

〃true　homage　is　of　the　heart；　king　Ithobal。〃



〃I　know　it；　Jew；　and　this　also　you　shall　give　me　when　you　are　humbler。

Who　taught　you　the　use　of　the　bow？　You　shoot　well；〃　and　he　pointed　to

his　blood…stained　helm；　which　was　still　transfixed　by　the　arrow。



〃Nay；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃I　shot　but　ill；　for　my　arm　was　weary。　When

next　I　draw　a　string　against　your　breast；　king　Ithobal；　I　promise　you

a　straighter　shaft。〃



〃Well　said；〃　answered　the　king　with　a　laugh；　〃but　know；　dog　of　a　Jew；

that　now　it　is　my　turn　to　draw　the　stringhow；　I　will　show　you

afterwards。　Have　they　told　you　that　the　city　has　fallen；　and　that　my

captains　hold　the　gates；　while　the　cowards　of　Zimboe　are　penned　like

sheep　within　the　temple　and　on　the　cliff…edged　height　above？　They　have

fled　hither　for　safety；　but　I　tell　you　that　they　would　be　more　safe　on

yonder　plain；　for　I　have　the　key　of　their　stronghold；　a　certain

passage　leading　from　the　palace　of　the　Baaltis　to　the　temple；　you　know

if　it；　I　think。　Yes；　and　if　I　had　not；　very　soon　hunger　and　thirst

would　work　for　me。



〃Well；　Jew；　I　have　won；　and　with　less　trouble　than　I　thought；　and　now

I　hold　the　great　city　in　hostage；　to　save　or　to　destroy　as　it　shall

please　me；　though　that　arrow　of　yours　went　near　to　robbing　me　of　my

crown　of　victory。〃



〃So　be　it；〃　answered　Aziel；　indifferently；　〃I　have　played　my　part；　now

things　must　go　as　Fate　may　will。〃



〃Yes；　Jew；　you　fought　well　till　they　deserted　you；　and　the　doom　of

cowards　is　little　to　a　brave　man。　But　what　of　the　lady　Elissa？　Nay；　I

know　all；　she　has　taken　refuge　in　the　tomb　of　Baaltis；　has　she　not；

with　poison　in　her　bosom　and　bronze　at　her　girdle　to　be　used　against

her　own　life；　should　they　lay　hands　on　her　or　give　her　to　me？　And　all

this　she