elissa-第4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！



〃Well；　since　I　did　hear　it　I　will　add　that　it　was　a　beautiful　prayer；

revealing　a　heart　high　and　pure；　though　I　grieve　that　it　should　have

been　offered　to　one　whom　I　hold　to　be　a　demon。〃



〃I　am　honoured；〃　she　answered　coldly；　〃but；　Prince；　you　forget　that

though　you；　being　a　Hebrew；　worship　Him　they　call　Jehovah；　or　so　I

have　been　told；　I；　being　of　the　blood　of　the　Sidonians；　worship　the

lady　Baaltis；　the　Queen　of　Heaven　the　holy　one　of　whom　I　am　a

priestess。〃



〃So　it　is；　alas！〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh；　adding：



〃Well；　let　us　not　dispute　of　these　matters；　though；　if　you　wish；　the

prophet　Issachar；　the　Levite　who　accompanies　me；　can　explain　the　truth

of　them　to　you。〃



Elissa　made　no　reply；　and　for　a　while　they　walked　on　in　silence。



〃Who　was　that　black　robber　whom　I　slew？〃　Aziel　asked　presently。



〃I　am　not　sure；　Prince；〃　she　answered；　hesitating；　〃but　savages　such

as　he　haunt　the　outskirts　of　the　city　seeking　to　steal　white　women　to

be　their　wives。　Doubtless　he　watched　my　steps；　following　me　into　the

holy　place。〃



〃Why；　then；　did　you　venture　there　alone；　lady？〃



〃Because；　to　be　heard；　such　prayers　as　mine　must　be　offered　in

solitude　in　the　consecrated　grove；　and　at　the　hour　of　the　rising　of

the　moon。　Moreover；　cannot　Baaltis　protect　her　priestess；　Priest；　and

did　she　not　protect　her？〃



〃I　thought；　lady；　that　I　had　something　to　do　with　the　matter；〃　he

answered。



〃Ay；　Prince；　it　was　your　hand　that　struck　the　blow　which　killed　the

thief；　but　Baaltis；　and　no　other；　led　you　to　the　place　to　rescue　me。〃



〃I　understand；　lady。　To　save　you；　Baaltis；　laying　aside　her　own　power；

led　a　mortal　man　to　the　grove；　which　it　is　death　that　mortal　man

should　violate。〃



〃Who　can　fathom　the　way　of　the　gods？〃　she　replied　with　passion；　then

added；　as　though　reasoning　with　a　new…born　doubt；　〃Did　not　the　goddess

hear　my　prayer　and　answer　it？〃



〃In　truth；　lady；　I　cannot　say。　Let　me　think。　If　I　understood　you

rightly；　you　prayed　for　heavenly　wisdom；　but　whether　or　not　you　have

gained　it　within　this　last　hour；　I　do　not　know。　And　then　you　prayed

for　love；　an　immortal　love。　O；　maiden；　has　it　come　to　you　since　yonder

moon　appeared　upon　the　sky？　And　you　prayed〃



〃Peace！〃　she　broke　in；　〃peace　and　mock　me　not；　or；　prince　that　you

are；　I　will　publish　your　crime　of　spying　upon　the　prayer　of　a

priestess　of　Baaltis。　I　tell　you　that　I　prayed　for　a　symbol　and　a

sign；　and　the　prayer　was　answered。



〃Did　not　the　black　giant　spring　upon　me　to　bear　me　away　to　be　his

slavehis；　or　another's？　And　is　he　not　a　symbol　of　the　evil　and　the

ignorance　which　are　on　the　earth　and　that　seek　to　drag　down　the　beauty

and　the　wisdom　of　the　earth　to　their　own　level？　Then　the　Ph？nician　ran

to　rescue　me　and　was　defeated；　since　the　spirit　of　Mammon　cannot

overcome　the　black　powers　of　ill。　Next　you　came　and　fought　hard　and

long；　till　in　the　end　you　slew　the　mighty　foe；　you　a　Prince　born　of

the　royal　blood　of　the　world〃　and　she　ceased。



〃You　have　a　pretty　gift　of　parable；　lady；　as　it　should　be　with　one　who

interprets　the　oracles　of　a　goddess。　But　you　have　not　told　me　of　what

I；　your　servant；　am　the　symbol。〃



She　stopped　in　her　walk　and　looked　him　full　in　the　face。



〃I　never　heard；〃　she　said；　〃that　either　the　Jews　or　the　Egyptians；

being　instructed；　were　blind　to　the　reading　of　an　allegory。　But；

Prince；　if　you　cannot　read　this　one　it　is　not　for　me；　who　am　but　a

woman；　to　set　it　out　to　you。〃



Just　then　their　glances　met；　and　in　the　clear　moonlight　Aziel　saw　a

wave　of　doubt　sweep　over　his　companion's　dark　and　beautiful　eyes；　and

a　faint　flush　appear　upon　her　brow。　He　saw；　and　something　stirred　at

his　heart　that　till　this　hour　he　had　never　felt；　something　which　even

now　he　knew　it　would　trouble　him　greatly　to　escape。



〃Tell　me；　lady；〃　he　asked；　his　voice　sinking　almost　to　a　whisper；　〃in

this　fable　of　yours　am　I　even　for　an　hour　deemed　worthy　to　play　the

part　of　that　immortal　love　embodied　which　you　sought　so　earnestly　a

while　ago？〃



〃Immortal　love；　Prince；〃　she　answered；　in　a　new　voice；　a　voice　low　and

deep；　〃is　not　for　one　hour；　but　for　all　hours　that　are　and　are　to　be。

You；　and　you　alone；　can　know　if　you　would　dare　to　play　such　a　part　as

thiseven　in　a　fable。〃



〃Perchance；　lady；　there　lives　a　woman　for　whom　it　might　be　dared。〃



〃Prince；　no　such　woman　lives；　since　immortal　love　must　deal；　not　with

the　flesh；　but　with　the　spirit。　If　a　spirit　worthy　to　be　thus　loved

and　worshipped　now　wanders　in　earthly　shape　upon　the　world；　seeking

its　counterpart　and　its　completion；　I　cannot　tell。　Yet　were　it　so；　and

should　they　chance　to　meet；　it　might　be　happy　for　such　brave　spirits；

for　then　the　answer　to　the　great　riddle　would　be　theirs。〃



Wondering　what　this　riddle　might　be；　Aziel　bent　towards　her　to　reply；

when　suddenly　round　a　bend　in　the　path　but　a　few　paces　from　them　came

a　body　of　soldiers　and　attendants；　headed　by　a　man　clad　in　a　white

robe　and　walking　with　a　staff。　This　man　was　grey…headed　and　keen…eyed；

thin　in　face　and　ascetic　in　appearance；　with　a　brow　of　power　and　a

bearing　of　dignity。　At　the　sight　of　the　pair　he　halted；　looking　at

them　in　question；　and　with　disapproval。



〃Our　search　is　ended；〃　he　said　in　Hebrew；　〃for　here　is　he　whom　we

seek；　and　alone　with　him　a　heathen　woman；　robed　like　a　priestess　of

the　Groves。〃



〃Whom　do　you　seek；　Issachar？〃　asked　Aziel　hurriedly；　for　the　sudden

appearance　of　the　Levite　disturbed　him。



〃Yourself；　Prince。　Surely　you　can　guess　that　your　absence　has　been

noted。　We　feared　lest　harm　should　have　come　to　you；　or　that　you　had

lost　your　path；　but　it　seems　that　you　have　found　a　guide；〃　and　he

stared　at　his　companion　sternly。



〃That　guide；　Issachar；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃being　none　other　than　the

lady　Elissa；　daughter　of　Sakon；　governor　of　this　city；　and　our　host；

whom　it　has　been　my　good　fortune　to　rescue　from　a　woman…stealer　yonder

in　the　grove　of　the　goddess　Baaltis。〃



〃And　whom　it　was　my　bad　fortune　to　try　to　rescue　in　the　said　grove；　as

my　broken　head　bears　witness；〃　added　Metem；　who　by　now　had　come　up；

dragging　the　two　mules　after　him。



〃In　the　grove　of　the　goddess　Baaltis！〃　broke　in　the　Levite　with　a

kindling　eye；　and　striking　the　ground　with　his　staff　to　emphasise　his

words。　〃You；　a　Prince　of　Israel；　alone　in　the　high　place　of

abomination　with　the　priestess　of　a　fiend？　Fie　upon　you；　fie　upon　you！

Would　you　also　walk　in　the　sin　of　your　forefathers；　Aziel；　and　so

soon？〃



〃Peace！〃　said　Aziel　in　a　voice　of　command；　〃I　was　not　in　the　grove

alone　or　by　my　own　will；　and　this　is　no　time　or　place　for　insults　and

wrangling。〃



〃Between　me　and　those　who　seek　after　false　gods；　or　the　women　who

worship　them；　there　is　no　peace；〃　replied　the　old　priest　fiercely。



Then；　followed　by　all　the　company；　he　turned　and　strode　towards　the

gates　of　the　city。







CHAPTER　III



ITHOBAL　THE　KING



Two　hours　had　gone　by；　and　the　prince　Aziel；　together　with　his

retinue；　the　officers　of　the　caravan；　and　many　other　guests；　were

seated　at　a　great　feast　made　in　their　honour；　by　Sakon；　the　governor

of　the　city。　This　feast　was　held　in　the　large　pillared　hall　of　Sakon's

house；　built　beneath　the　northern　wall　of　the　temple　fortress；　and　not

more　than　a　few　paces　from　its　narrow　entrance；　through　which　in　case

of　alarm　the　inhabitants　of　the　palace　could　fly　for　safety。　All　down

this　chamber　were　placed　tables；　accommodating　more　than　two　hundred

feasters；　but　the　principal　guests　were　seated　by　themselves　upon　a

raised　da？s　at　the　head　of　the　hall。　Among　them　sat　Sakon　himself；　a

middle…aged　man　stout　in　build；　and　thoughtful　of　face；　his　daughter

Elissa；　some　other　noble　ladies；　and　a　score　or　more　of　the　notables

of　the　city　and　its　surrounding　territories。



One　of　these　strangers　immediately　attracted　the　attention　of　Aziel；

who　was　seated　in　the　place　of　honour　at　the　right　of　Sakon；　between

him　and　the　lady　Elissa。　This　man　was　of　large　stature；　and　about

forty　years　of　age；　the　magnificence　of　his　apparel　and　the　great　gold

chain　set　with　rough　diamonds　which　hung　about　his　neck　showing　him　to

be　a　person　of　importance。　His　tawny　complexion　marked　him　of　mixed

race。　This　conclusion　his　features　did　not　belie；　for　the　brow；　nose；

and　cheek…bones　were　Semitic　in　outline；　while　the　full；　prominent

eyes；　and　thick；　sensuous　lips　could　with　equal　certainty　be

attributed　to　the　Negroid　stock。　In　fact；　he　was　the　son　of　a　native

African　queen；　or　chieftainess；　and　a　noble　Ph？nician；　and　his　rank　no

less　than　that　of　absolute　king　and　hereditary　chief　of　a　vast　and

undefined　territory　which　lay　around　the　trading　cities　of　the　white

men；　whereof　Zimboe　was　the　head　and　largest。　Aziel　noticed　that　this

king；　who　was　named　Ithobal；　seemed　angry　and　ill　at　ease；　whether

because　he　was　not　satisfied　with　the　place　which　had　been　allotted　to

him　at　the　table；　or　for　other　reasons；　he　could　not　at　the　time

determine。



When　the　meats　had　been　removed；　and　the　goblets　were　filled　with

wine；　men　began　to　talk；　till　presently　Sakon　called　for　silence；　and

rising；　addressed　Aziel：



〃Prince；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　name　of　this　great　and　free　cityfor　free

it　is；　though　we　acknowledge　the　king　of　Tyre　as　our　suzerainI　give

you　welcome　within　our　gates。　Here；　far　in　the　heart　of　Libya；　we　have

heard　of　the　glorious　and　wise　king；　your　grandfather；　and　of　the

mighty　Pharaoh　of　Egypt；　whose　blood　runs　also　within　your　veins。

Prince；　we　are　honoured　in　your　coming；　and　for　the　asking；　whatever

this　land　of　gold　can　boast　is　yours。　Long　may　you　live；　may　the

favour　of　those　gods　you　worship　attend　you；　and　in　the　pursuit　of

wisdom；　of　wealth；　of　war；　and　of　love；　may　the　good　grain　of　all　be

garnered　in　your　bosom；　and　the　wind　of　prosperity　winnow　out　the

chaff　of　them　to　fall　beneath　your　feet。　Prince；　I　have　greeted　you　as

it　behoves　me　to　greet　the　blood