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eyes。　Then　came　the　end。　Suddenly　the　taut　rope；　eaten　through　by　the

sun's　fire；　flew　back　and　the　cage　with　the　soldier　in　it　vanished

from　his　sight；　while；　from　far　below；　rose　the　sound　of　a　heavy　fall；

and　from　the　tomb　of　Baaltis　rang　the　echo　of　a　woman's　shriek。







CHAPTER　XVII



〃THERE　IS　HOPE〃



It　was　dawn。　Ithobal　the　king　stood　without　the　gates　of　the　tomb　of

Baaltis；　the　grey　light　glimmering　faintly　on　his　harness；　and　knocked

upon　the　brazen　bars　with　the　handle　of　his　sword。



〃Who　troubles　me　now？〃　said　a　voice　within。



〃Lady；　it　is　I；　Ithobal；　who；　as　I　promised　by　Metem　the　Ph？nician；　am

come　to　learn　your　will　as　to　the　fate　of　my　prisoner；　the　Prince

Aziel。　Already　he　hangs　above　the　gulf；　and　within　one　short　hour；　if

you　so　decree　it；　he　will　fall　and　be　dashed　to　pieces。　Or；　if　you　so

decree　it；　he　will　be　set　free　to　return　to　his　own　land。〃



〃At　what　price　will　he　be　set　free；　king　Ithobal？〃



〃Lady；　you　know　the　price；　it　is　yourself。　Oh！　I　beseech　you；　be　wise！

spare　his　life　and　your　own。　Listen：　spare　his　life；　and　I　will　spare

this　city　which　lies　in　the　hollow　of　my　hand；　and　you　shall　rule　it

with　me。〃



〃You　cannot　bribe　me　thus；　king　Ithobal。　My　father　whom　I　loved　is

dead；　and　shall　I　give　myself　to　you　for　the　sake　of　a　city　and　a

Faith　that　would　have　betrayed　me　into　your　hands？〃



〃Nay；　but　for　the　sake　of　the　man　to　whom　you　are　dear；　you　shall　do

even　this；　Elissa。　Think：　if　you　refuse；　his　blood　will　be　upon　your

head；　and　what　will　you　have　gained？〃



〃Death；　which　I　seek；　for　I　weary　of　the　struggle　of　my　days。〃



〃Then　end　it　in　my　arms；　lady。　Soon　this　fancy　will　escape　your　mind；

and　you　will　remain　one　of　the　mightiest　queens　of　men。〃



Elissa　returned　no　answer；　and　for　a　while　there　was　silence。



〃Lady；〃　said　Ithobal　at　length；　〃the　sun　rises　and　my　servants　yonder

await　a　signal。〃



Then　she　spoke　like　one　who　hesitates。



〃Are　you　not　afraid；　king　Ithobal；　to　trust　your　life　to　a　woman　won

in　such　a　fashion？〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Ithobal；　〃for　though　you　say　that　their　fate　does　not

concern　you；　the　lives　of　all　those　penned…up　thousands　are　hostages

for　my　own。　Should　you　by　chance　find　a　means　to　stab　me　unawares；

then　to…night　fire　and　sword　would　rage　through　the　city　of　Zimboe。

Nor　do　I　fear　the　future；　since　I　know　well　that　you　who　think　you

hate　me　now；　very　soon　will　learn　to　love　me。〃



〃You　promise；　king　Ithobal；　that　if　I　yield　myself　you　will　set　the

prince　Aziel　free；　but　how　can　I　believe　you　who　twice　have　tried　to

murder　him？〃



〃Doubt　me　if　you　will；　Elissa；　at　least；　you　cannot　doubt　your　own

eyes。　Look；　his　road　to　the　sea　runs　beneath　this　rock。　Come　from　the

tomb　and　take　your　stand　upon　it　and　you　shall　see　him　pass；　yes；　and

should　you　wish；　speak　with　him　in　farewell　that　you　may　be　sure　that

it　is　he　and　alive。　Further；　I　swear　to　you　by　my　head　and　honour；

that　no　finger　shall　be　laid　upon　you　till　he　is　gone　by；　and　that　no

pursuit　of　him　shall　be　attempted。　Now　choose。〃



Again　there　was　silence　for　a　while。　Then　Elissa　spoke　in　a　broken

voice。



〃King　Ithobal；　I　have　chosen。　Trusting　to　your　royal　word　I　will　stand

upon　the　rock　and　when　I　have　seen　the　prince　Aziel　go　by　in　safety；

then；　since　you　desire　it；　you　shall　put　your　arms　about　me　and　bear

me　whither　you　will。　You　have　conquered　me；　king　Ithobal！　Henceforward

these　lips　of　mine　are　yours　and　no　other　man's。　Give　the　signal；　I

pray　you；　and　I　will　cast　aside　the　dagger　and　the　poison　and　come　out

living　from　this　tomb。〃



Aziel　hung　in　his　cage　over　the　abyss　of　air；　awaiting　death；　and　glad

to　die；　because　now　he　was　sure　that　Elissa　had　refused　to　purchase

his　life　at　the　expense　of　her　own　surrender。　There　he　hung；　dizzy　and

sick　at　heart；　making　his　prayer　to　heaven　and　waiting　the　end；　while

the　eagles　that　would　prey　upon　his　shattered　flesh　swept　past　him。



Presently；　from　the　opposing　cliff；　came　the　sound　of　a　horn　blown

thrice。　Then；　while　Aziel　wondered　what　this　might　mean；　the　cage　in

which　he　lay　was　drawn　in　gently　over　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　and

carried　down　the　steeps　of　the　granite　hill　as　it　had　been　carried　up

them。



At　the　foot　of　the　hill　its　covering　was　torn　aside；　and　he　saw　before

him　a　caravan　of　camels；　and　seated　on　each　camel　a　comrade　of　his

own。　But　one　camel　had　no　rider；　and　Metem　led　it　by　a　rope。



The　servants　of　Ithobal　took　him　from　the　cage　and　set　him　upon　this

camel；　though　they　did　not　loosen　the　bonds　about　the　wrists。



〃This　is　the　command　of　the　king；〃　said　the　captain　to　Metem　〃that　the

arms　of　the　prince　Aziel　shall　remain　bound　until　you　have　travelled

for　six　hours。　Begone　in　safety；　fearing　nothing。〃



*****



〃What　happens　now；　Metem；〃　asked　Aziel；　as　the　camels　strode　forward；

〃and　why　am　I　set　free　who　was　expecting　death？　Is　this　some　new

artifice　of　yours；　or　has　the　lady　Elissa〃　and　he　ceased。



〃Upon　the　word　of　an　honest　merchant　I　cannot　tell　you；　Prince。

Yesterday；　as　I　was　forced；　I　gave　the　message　of　king　Ithobal　to　the

lady　Elissa　yonder　in　the　tomb。　She　would　answer　me　only　one　thing；

which　she　whispered　in　my　ear　through　the　bars　of　the　holy　tomb；　that

if　we　could　escape　we　should　do　so；　moreover　that　you　must　have　no

fear　for　her　since　she　also　had　found　a　means　of　escape　from　Ithobal；

and　would　certainly　join　us　upon　the　road。〃



As　Metem　spoke；　the　camels　passed　round　the　little　hill　on　to　the　path

that　ran　beneath　the　tomb　of　Baaltis。　There；　standing　upon　the　rock

some　fifty　feet　above　them；　was　Elissa；　and　with　her；　but　at　a

distance；　Ithobal　the　king。



〃Halt；　prince　Aziel；〃　she　called　in　a　clear　voice；　〃and　hearken　to　my

farewell。　I　have　bought　your　life；　and　the　lives　of　your　companions；

and　you　are　free；　for　the　road　is　clear　and　nothing　can　overtake　the

twelve　swiftest　camels　in　Zimboe。　Go；　therefore；　and　be　happy；

forgetting　no　word　that　has　passed　my　lips。　For　all　my　words　are　true；

even　to　a　certain　promise　which　I　made　you　lately　by　the　mouth　of

Metem；　and　which　I　now　fulfilthat　I　would　join　you　on　your　road　lest

you　should　deem　me　faithless　to　the　troth　which　I　have　so　often　sworn

to　you。



〃King　Ithobal；　this　shape　is　yours；　come　now　and　take　your　prize。

Prince　Aziel；　my　soul　is　yours；　in　life　it　shall　companion　you；　and　in

death　await　you。　Prince　Aziel；　I　come　to　you。〃　Then；　before　he　could

answer　a　single　word；　with　one　swift　and　sudden　spring　she　hurled

herself　from　the　cliff　edge　to　fall　crushed　upon　the　road　beneath。



Aziel　saw。　In　his　agony　he　strained　so　fiercely　at　the　bonds　which

held　him　that　they　burst　like　rushes。　He　leapt　from　the　camel　and

knelt　beside　Elisa。　She　was　not　yet　dead；　for　her　eyes　were　open　and

her　lips　stirred。



〃I　have　kept　faith；　keep　it　also；　Aziel！　the　story　is　not　yet　done；〃

she　gasped。　Then　her　life　flickered　out；　and　her　spirit　passed。



Aziel　rose　from　beside　the　corpse　and　looked　upward。　There　upon　the

edge　of　the　rock　above　him；　leaning　forward；　his　eyes　blind　with

horror；　stood　Ithobal　the　king。　Aziel　saw　him；　and　a　fury　entered　into

his　heart　because　this　man；　whose　jealous　rage　and　evil　doing　had　bred

such　woe　and　caused　the　death　of　his　beloved　still　lived　upon　the

earth。　By　the　prince　was　Metem；　who；　for　once；　had　no　words；　and　from

his　hand　he　snatched　a　bow；　set　an　arrow　on　the　string　and　loosed。



The　shaft　rushed　upwards；　it　smote　Ithobal　between　the　joints　of　his

harness　so　that　the　point　of　it　sunk　through　this　neck。



〃This　gift；　king　Ithobal；　from　Aziel　the　Israelite；〃　he　cried；　as　the

arrow　sped。



For　a　moment　the　great　man　stood　still；　then　he　opened　his　arms　wide

and　of　a　sudden　plunged　downward；　falling　with　a　crash　on　the　roadway；

where　he　lay　dead　at　the　side　of　dead　Elissa。



*****



〃The　play　is　played；　and　the　fate　fulfilled；〃　cried　Metem。　〃See；　the

servants　of　the　king　speed　yonder　with　their　evil　tidings；　let　us　away

lest　we　bide　here　with　these　two　for　ever。〃



〃That　is　my　desire；〃　said　Aziel。



〃A　desire　which　may　not　be　fulfilled；〃　answered　Metem。　〃Come；　Prince；

since　we　cannot　go　without　you。　Surely　you　do　not　wish　to　sacrifice

the　lives　of　all　of　us　as　an　offering　to　the　great　spirit　of　the　lady

who　is　dead。　It　is　one　that　she　would　not　seek。〃



Then　Aziel　knelt　down　and　kissed　the　brow　of　the　dead　Elissa；　and　went

his　way；　saying　no　word。



*****



That　night；　when　the　darkness　fell；　the　sky　behind　these　travellers

grew　red　with　fire。



〃Behold　the　end　of　the　golden　city！〃　said　Metem。　〃Zimboe　is　food　for

flames　and　its　children　for　the　sword。　Issachar　was　a　prophet　indeed；

who　foretold　that　it　should　be　so。〃



Aziel　bowed　his　head；　remembering　that　Issachar　had　foretold　also　that

for　Elissa　and　for　him　there　was　hope　beyond　the　grave。　As　he　thought

it；　a　wind　beat　upon　his　brow　and　through　it　a　soft　voice　seemed　to

murmur　to　his　heart：



〃Be　of　good　courage：　Beloved；　/there　is　hope/。〃



*****



So；　turning　from　the　death　behind　him；　this　far　away　forgotten　lover

set　his　face　to　the　sea　of　Life　and　passed　it；　and　long　ago；　at　his

appointed　hour；　gained　its　further　shore；　to　be　welcomed　there　by　her

who　watched　for　him。



And　thus；　because　of　the　fateful　and　predestined　loves　of　Aziel　the

prince；　and　Elissa　the　priestess　and　daughter　of　Sakon；　three

thousands　years　and　more　ago；　the　ancient　city　of　Zimboe　fell　at　the

hand　of　king　Ithobal　and　his　Tribes；　so　that　to…day　there　remain　of　it

nothing　but　a　desolate　grey　tower　of　stone；　and　beneath；　the　crumbling

bones　of　men。











End