elissa-第29部分

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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　does　for　the　love　of　you；　prince　Aziel；　for　the　love　of　you

she　refuses　to　become　my　queen；　ruling　over　that　city　which　I　have

conquered；　and　all　my　unnumbered　tribes。



〃Do　you　guess　now　why　I　caused　you　to　be　taken　living？　I　will　tell

you；　that　you　may　be　the　bait　to　draw　her　to　me。　To　kill　you　would　be

easy；　but　how　would　that　serve；　seeing　that　then　she　herself　would

choose　to　die？　But；　perchance；　to　save　your　life　she　will　live　also

yes；　and　give　herself　to　me。　At　least；　I　will　try　it；　should　the　plan

failthen　you　can　pay　the　price　of　her　pride　with　your　blood；　prince

Aziel。〃



〃That　I　would　do　gladly；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃but　oh！　what　a　cross…bred

hound　you　are　who　thus　can　seek　to　torture　the　heart　of　a　helpless

woman！　Have　you　then　no　manhood　that　you　can　stoop　to　such　a　coward's

plot？〃



〃Fool！　it　is　because　of　my　manhood　that　I　do　stoop　to　it；〃　said

Ithobal　angrily。　〃Doubtless　you　think　that　a　mad　fancy　and　naught　else

drives　me　to　the　deed；　but　it　is　not　so；　although　in　truth　my　heart

like　yourschooses　this　woman　to　be　my　wife　and　none　other。　That

fondness　I　might　conquer；　but　look　you；　of　all　things　living　this　lady

alone　has　dared　to　cross　my　will；　so　that　to…day　even　the　sentries　on

their　rounds　and　the　savage　women　in　the　kraals　tell　each　other　of　how

Ithobal；　the　great　king　of　an　hundred　tribes；　has　been　baffled　and

mocked　at　by　a　girl　who　despises　him　because　his　blood　is　not　all

white。　Thus　I　am　become　a　laughing…stock；　and　therefore　I　will　win

her；　cost　me　what　it　may。〃



〃And　I；　king　Ithobal；　tell　you　that　you　will　not　win　herno；　not　if

you　torture　me　to　death　before　her　eyes。〃



〃That　we　shall　see；〃　said　the　king　with　a　sneer。　Then　he　called　to　his

guard　and　added；　〃Let　this　man　and　his　companions　be　taken　to　the

place　prepared　for　them。〃



Now　Aziel　was　dragged　from　the　tent　and　thrust　into　a　wooden　cage；

such　as　were　used　for　carrying　slaves　and　women　from　place　to　place

upon　the　backs　of　camels。　His　soldiers；　who　had　been　taken　with　him；

were　thrust　also　into　cages；　and；　with　himself　laden　upon　camels　that

were　waiting；　two　cages　to　each　camel。　Then　a　cloth　was　thrown　over

them；　and；　rising　to　their　feet；　the　camels　began　to　march。



When　they　had　covered　a　league　or　more　of　ground　Aziel　learned　from

the　motion　of　the　camel　upon　which　he　was　secured；　and　the　sound　of

the　repeated　blows　of　its　drivers；　that　they　were　ascending　some　steep

place。　At　length　they　reached　the　top　of　it；　and　were　unloaded　from

the　beasts　like　merchandise；　but　he　could　see　nothing；　for　by　now　the

night　had　fallen。　Then；　still　in　the　cages；　they　were　carried　to　a

tent；　where　food　and　water　were　given　them　through　the　bars；　after

which；　so　weary　was　Aziel　with　war；　misery　and　the　remains　of　recent

illness；　that　he　fell　asleep。



At　daybreak　he　awoke；　or　rather　was　awakened；　by　the　sound　of　a

familiar　voice；　and；　looking　through　his　bars；　perceived　Metem

standing　before　them；　guarded　but　unbound；　with　indignation　written　on

his　face；　and　tears　in　his　quick　eyes。



〃Alas！〃　he　cried；　〃that　I　should　have　lived　to　see　the　seed　of　Israel

and　Pharaoh　thus　fastened　like　a　wild　beast　in　a　den；　while　barbarians

make　a　mock　of　him。　Oh！　Prince；　it　were　better　that　you　should　die

rather　than　endure　such　shame。〃



〃Misfortunes　are　the　master　of　man；　not　man　of　his　misfortunes；

Metem；〃　said　Aziel　quietly；　〃and　in　them　is　no　true　disgrace。　Even　if

I　had　the　means　to　kill　myself；　it　would　be　a　sin；　moreover；　it　might

bring　another　to　her　death。　Therefore；　I　await　my　doom；　whatever　it

may　be；　with　such　patience　as　I　can；　trusting　that　my　sufferings　and

ignominy　may　expiate　my　crimes　in　the　sight　of　Him　whom　I　renounced。

But　how　come　you　here；　Metem？〃



〃I　came　under　the　safe…conduct　of　Ithobal　who　gave　me　leave　to　visit

you；　doubtless　for　some　ends　of　his　own。　Have　you　heard；　Prince；　that

he　holds　the　gates　of　the　city；　though　as　yet　no　harm　has　been　done　to

it；　and　that　its　inhabitants　are　crowded　within　the　temple；　and　upon

the　heights　above；　also　that　in　his　despair　Sakon　has　fallen　on　his

sword　and　slain　himself？〃



〃Is　it　so？〃　answered　Aziel。　〃Well；　Issachar　foretold　as　much。　On　their

own　heads　be　the　doom　of　these　devil…worshippers　and　cowards。　Have　you

any　tidings　of　the　lady　Elissa？〃



〃Yes；　Prince。　She　still　sits　yonder　in　the　tomb；　resolute　in　her

purpose；　and　giving　no　answer　to　those　who　come　to　reason　with　her。〃



As　he　spoke　the　guard　let　fall　the　front　of　the　tent　so　that　the

sunlight　flowed　into　it；　revealing　Aziel　and　his　twelve　companions；

each　fast　in　his　narrow　and　shameful　prison。　〃See；〃　said　Metem；　〃do

you　know　the　place？〃



The　prince　struggled　to　his　knees；　and　saw　that　they　were　set　upon　the

top　of　a　hill；　built　up　of　granite　boulders；　which　rose　eighty　feet　or

more　from　the　surface　of　the　plain。　Opposite　to　them　at　a　distance　of

under　a　hundred　paces　was　a　precipice　in　the　face　of　which　could　be

seen　a　cave　closed　with　barred　gates　of　bronze；　while　between　the

rocky　hill　and　the　precipice　ran　a　road。



〃I　know　it；　Metem；　there　runs　the　path　by　which　we　travelled　from　the

coast；　and　there　is　the　tomb　of　Baaltis。　Why　have　we　been　brought

here？〃



〃The　lady　Elissa　sits　behind　the　bars　of　yonder　tomb　whence　her　view

of　all　that　happens　upon　this　mount　must　be　very　good　indeed；〃

answered　Metem　with　meaning。　〃Now；　can　you　guess　why　you　were　brought

here；　prince　Aziel。〃



〃Is　it　that　she　may　witness　our　sufferings　under　torment？〃　he　asked。



Metem　nodded。



〃How　will　they　deal　with　us；　Metem？〃



〃Wait　and　see；〃　he　answered　sadly。



As　he　spoke　Ithobal　himself　appeared　followed　by　certain　evil…looking

savages。　Having　greeted　Metem　courteously　he　turned　to　the　Hebrew

soldiers　in　the　cages　and　asked　them　which　of　their　number　was　most

prepared　to　die。



〃I；　Ithobal；　who　am　their　leader；〃　said　Aziel。



〃No；　Prince；〃　replied　Ithobal　with　a　cruel　smile；　〃your　time　is　not

yet。　Look；　there　is　a　man　who　has　been　wounded；　to　put　him　out　of　his

pain　will　be　a　kindness。　Slaves；　bear　that　Jew　to　the　edge　of　the

rock；　andas　the　prince　will　wish　to　study　a　new　mode　of　deathbring

his　cage　also。〃



The　order　was　obeyed；　Aziel　being　set　down　upon　the　very　verge　of　the

cliff。　Close　to　him　a　spur　of　granite　jutted　out　twenty　feet　or　so

from　the　edge。　At　the　end　of　the　spur　a　groove　was　cut　and　over　this

groove；　suspended　by　a　thin　chain　from　a　pole；　hung　a　wedge　of　pure

crystal　carefully　shaped　and　polished。　While　Aziel　wondered　what　evil

purpose　this　stone　might　serve；　the　slaves　had　fastened　a　fine　rope　to

the　cage　containing　the　wounded　Hebrew　soldier　and　secured　its　end。

Then　they　set　the　rope　in　the　groove　of　the　granite　spur；　and　pushed

the　cage　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　so　that　it　dangled　in　mid…air。



〃Now　I　will　explain；〃　said　Ithobal。　〃This　is　a　method　of　punishment

that　I　have　borrowed　from　those　followers　of　Baal　who　worship　the　sun；

by　means　of　which　Baal　claims　his　own　sacrifice；　and　none　are　guilty

of　the　victim's　blood。　You　see　yonder　crystalwell；　at　any　appointed

hour；　for　it　can　be　hung　as　you　will；　the　rays　of　the　sun　shining

through　it　cause　the　fibres　of　the　grass　rope　to　smoke　and　smoulder

till　at　length　they　part　andBaal　takes　his　sacrifice。　Should　a　cloud

hide　the　sun　at　the　appointed　hour；　then；　Baal　having　spared　him；　the

victim　is　set　free。　But；　as　you　will　note；　at　this　season　of　the　year

there　are　no　clouds。



〃What；　Prince；　have　you　nothing　to　say？〃　he　went　on；　for　Aziel　had

listened　in　silence　to　the　tale　of　this　devilish　device。　〃Well；　learn

that　it　depends　upon　the　lady　Elissa　yonder　whether　or　not　this　fate

shall　be　yours。　Send　now　and　pray　her　to　save　you。　Think　what　it　will

be　to　hang　as　at　this　moment　your　servant　hangs　over　that　yawning　gulf

of　space；　waiting　through　the　long　hours　till　at　last　you　see　the

little　wreaths　of　smoke　begin　to　curl　from　the　tinder　of　the　cord。

Why！　before　the　end　found　them　I　have　known　men　go　mad；　and；　like

wolves；　tear　with　their　teeth　at　the　wooden　bars。



〃You　will　not。　Then；　Metem；　do　you　plead　for　your　friend。　Bid　the

Baaltis　look　forth　at　one　hour　before　noon　and　see　the　sight　of　yonder

wretch's　death；　remembering　that　to…morrow　this　fate　shall　be　her

lover's　unless　she　foregoes　her　purpose　of　self…murder　and　gives

herself　to　me。　Nay；　no　words！　an　escort　shall　lead　you　through　the

lower　city　to　the　gateway　of　the　tomb　and　there　listen　to　your　speech。

See　that　it　does　not　fail　you；　merchant；　unless　you　also　seek　to　hang

in　yonder　cage。　Tell　the　lady　Elissa　that　to…morrow　at　sunrise　I　will

come　in　person　for　her　answer。　If　she　yields；　then　the　prince　and　his

companions　shall　be　set　free　and　with　you；　Metem；　to　guide　them；　be

mounted　on　swift　camels　to　carry　them　unharmed　to　their　retinue　beyond

the　mountains。　But　if　she　will　not　yield；　thenBaal　shall　take　his

sacrifice。　Begone。〃



So；　having　no　choice；　Metem　bowed　and　went；　leaving　the　caged　Aziel

upon　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　the　Hebrew　soldier　hanging　from　the

spur　of　rock。



Now　Aziel　roused　himself　from　the　horror　in　which　his　soul　was　sunk；

and　strove　to　comfort　his　doomed　comrade；　praying　with　him　to　Heaven。



Slowly　as　they　prayed；　the　hours　drew　on　till　at　length；　upon　the

opposite　cliff；　he　saw　men　whom　he　knew　to　be　Metem　and　his　escort；

approach　the　mouth　of　the　tomb；　and　faintly　heard　him　call　through　the

bars　of　the　gateway。　Turning　himself　in　his　cage；　Aziel　glanced　at　the

rope；　and　watched　the　spot　of　light　born　from　the　burning　glass　of　the

crystal　creep　to　its　side。



Now　the　fatal　moment　was　at　hand；　and　Aziel　saw　a　little　wreath　of

smoke　rise　in　the　still　air　and　bade　his　wretched　servant　close　his

eyes。　Then　came　the　end。　Suddenly　the　taut　rope；　eate