elissa-第5部分

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it　behoves　me　to　greet　the　blood　of　Solomon　and　Pharaoh；　now　I　add　a

word。　Now　I　greet　you　as　a　father　greets　the　man　who　has　saved　his

only　and　beloved　daughter　from　death；　or　shameful　bondage。　Know　you；

friends；　what　this　stranger　did　since　to…night's　moonrise？　My　daughter

was　at　worship　alone　yonder　without　the　walls；　and　a　great　savage　set

on　her；　purposing　to　bear　her　away　captive。　Ay；　and　he　would　have　done

it　had　not　the　prince　Aziel　here　given　him　battle；　and；　after　a　fierce

fight；　slain　him。〃



〃No　great　deed　to　kill　a　single　savage；〃　broke　in　the　king　Ithobal；

who　had　been　listening　with　impatience　to　Sakon's　praises　of　this

high…born　stranger。



〃No　great　deed　you　say；　King；〃　answered　Sakon。　〃Guards；　being　in　the

body　of　the　man　and　set　it　before　us。〃



There　was　a　pause；　till　presently　six　men　staggered　up　the　hall

bearing　between　them　the　corpse　of　the　barbarian；　which；　still　covered

with　the　leopard　skin　mantle；　they　threw　down　on　the　edge　of　the　da？s。



〃See！〃　said　one　of　the　bearers；　withdrawing　the　cloak　from　the　huge

body。　Then　pointing　to　the　sword　which　still　transfixed　it；　he　added；

〃and　learn　what　strength　heaven　gives　to　the　arms　of　princes。〃



Such　as　the　guests　as　were　near　enough　rose　to　look　at　the　grizzly

sight；　then　turned　to　offer　their　congratulations　to　the　conqueror。

but　there　was　one　of　themthe　king　Ithobalwho　offered　none；　indeed；

as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　face　of　the　corpse；　they　grew　alight　with

rage。



〃What　ails　you；　King？　Are　you　jealous　of　such　a　blow？〃　asked　Sakon；

watching　him　curiously。



〃Speak　no　more　of　that　thrust；　I　pray　you；〃　said　Aziel；　〃for　it　was

due　to　the　weight　of　the　man　rushing　on　the　sword；　which　after　he　was

dead　I　could　not　find　the　power　to　loosen　from　his　breast…bone。〃



〃Then　I　will　do　you　that　service；　Prince；〃　sneered　Ithobal；　and；

setting　his　foot　upon　the　breast　of　the　corpse；　with　a　sudden　effort

of　his　great　frame；　he　plucked　out　the　sword　and　cast　it　down　upon　the

table。



〃Now；　one　might　think；〃　said　Aziel；　flushing　with　anger；　〃that　you；

King；　who　do　a　courtesy　to　a　man　of　smaller　strength；　mean　a

challenge。　Doubtless；　however；　I　am　mistaken；　who　do　not　understand

the　manners　of　this　country。〃



〃Think　what　you　will；　Prince；〃　answered　the　chieftain；　〃but　learn　that

he　who　lies　dead　before　us　by　your　handas　you　saywas　no　slave　to

be　killed　at　pleasure；　but　a　man　of　rank；　none　other；　indeed；　than　the

son　of　my　mother's　sister。〃



〃Is　it　so？〃　replied　Aziel；　〃then　surely；　King；　you　are　well　rid　of　a

cousin；　however　highly　born；　who　made　it　his　business　to　ravish

maidens　from　their　homes。〃



By　way　of　answer　to　these　words　Ithobal　sprang　from　his　seat　again；

laying　hand　upon　his　sword。　But　before　he　could　speak　or　draw　it；　the

governor　Sakon　addressed　him　in　a　cold　and　meaning　voice：



〃Of　your　courtesy；　King；〃　he　said；　〃remember　that　the　prince　here　is

my　guest；　as　you　are；　and　give　us　peace。　If　that　dead　man　was　your

cousin；　at　least　he　well　deserved　to　die；　not　at　the　hand　of　one　of

royal　blood；　but　by　that　of　the　executioner；　for　he　was　the　worst　of

thievesa　thief　of　women。　Now　tell　me；　King；　I　pray　you；　how　came

your　cousin　here；　so　far　from　home；　since　he　was　not　numbered　in　your

retinue？〃



〃I　do　not　know；　Sakon；〃　answered　Ithobal；　〃and　if　I　knew　I　would　not

say。　You　tell　me　that　my　dead　kinsman　was　a　thief　of　women；　which；　in

Ph？nician　eyes；　must　be　a　crime　indeed。　So　be　it；　but　thief　or　no

thief；　I　say　that　there　is　a　blood　feud　between　me　and　the　man　who

slew　him；　and　were　he　great　Solomon　himself；　instead　of　one　of　fifty

princelets　of　his　line；　he　should　pay　bitterly　for　the　dead。

To…morrow；　Sakon；　I　will　meet　you　before　I　leave　for　my　own　land；　for

I　have　words　to　speak　to　you。　Till　then；　farewell！〃and　rising；　he

strode　down　the　hall；　followed　by　his　officers　and　guard。



*****



The　sudden　departure　of　king　Ithobal　in　anger　was　the　signal　for　the

breaking　up　of　the　feast。



〃Why　is　that　half…bred　chief　so　wrath　with　me？〃　asked　Aziel　in　a　low

voice　of　Elissa　as　they　followed　Sakon　to　another　chamber。



〃Becauseif　you　would　know　the　truthhe　set　his　dead　cousin　to

kidnap　me；　and　you　thwarted　him；〃　she　answered；　looking　straight

before　her。



Aziel　made　no　reply；　for　at　that　moment　Sakon　turned　to　speak　with

him；　and　his　face　was　anxious。



〃I　crave　your　pardon；　Prince；〃　he　said；　drawing　him　aside；　〃that　you

should　have　met　with　such　insults　at　my　board。　Had　it　been　any　other

man　who　spoke　thus　to　you；　by　now　he　had　rued　his　words；　but　this

Ithobal　is　the　terror　of　our　city；　for　if　he　chooses　he　can　bring　a

hundred　thousand　savages　upon　us；　shutting　us　within　our　walls　to

starve；　and　cutting　us　off　from　the　working　of　the　mines　whence　we　win

gold。　Therefore；　in　this　way　or　that；　he　must　be　humoured；　as　indeed

we　have　humoured　him　and　his　father　for　years；　though　now；〃　he　added；

his　brow　darkening；　〃he　demands　a　price　that　I　am　loth　to　pay；〃　and　he

glanced　towards　his　daughter；　who　stood　watching　them　at　a　little

distance；　looking　most　beautiful　in　her　white　robes　and　ornaments　of

gold。



〃Can　you　not　make　war　upon　him；　and　break　his　power？〃　asked　Aziel；

with　a　strange　anxiety；　guessing　that　this　price　demanded　by　Ithobal

was　none　other　than　Elissa；　the　woman　whom　he　had　rescued；　and　whose

wisdom　and　beauty　had　stirred　his　heart。



〃It　might　be　done；　Prince；　but　the　risk　would　be　great；　and　we　are

here　to　work　the　mines　and　grow　rich　in　tradenot　to　make　war。　The

policy　of　Zimboe　has　always　been　a　policy　of　peace。〃



〃I　have　a　better　and　cheaper　plan；〃　said　a　calm　voice　at　his　elbow

that　of　Metem。　〃It　is　this：　Slip　a　bow…string　over　the　brute's　head　as

he　lies　snoring；　and　pull　it　tight。　An　eagle　in　a　cage　is　easy　to　deal

with；　but　once　on　the　wing　the　matter　is　different。〃



〃There　is　wisdom　in　your　counsel；〃　said　Sakon；　in　a　hesitating　voice。



〃Wisdom！〃　broke　in　Aziel；　〃ay；　the　wisdom　of　the　assassin。　What；　noble

Sakon；　would　you　murder　a　sleeping　guest？〃



〃No；　Prince；　I　would　not；〃　he　answered　hastily；　〃also；　such　a　deed

would　bring　the　Tribes　upon　us。〃



〃Then；　Sakon；　you　are　more　foolish　than　you　used　to　be；〃　said　Metem

laughing。　〃A　man　who　will　not　despatch　a　foe；　whenever　he　can　catch

him；　by　means　fair　or　foul；　is　not　the　man　to　govern　a　rich　city　set

in　the　heart　of　a　barbarous　land；　and　so　I　shall　tell　Hiram；　our　king；

if　ever　I　live　to　see　Tyre　again。　As　for　you；　most　high　Prince；

forgive　the　humblest　of　your　servants　if　he　tells　you　that　the

tenderness　of　your　heart　and　the　nobility　of　your　sentiments　will；　I

think；　bring　you　to　an　early　and　evil　end；〃　and；　glancing　towards

Elissa　as　though　to　put　a　point　upon　his　words；　Metem　smiled

sarcastically　and　withdrew。



At　this　moment　a　messenger；　whose　long　white　hair；　wild　eyes　and　red

robe　announced　him　to　be　a　priest　of　El；　by　which　name　the　people　of

Zimboe　worshipped　Baal；　entered　the　room；　and　whispered　something　into

the　ear　of　Sakon　which　seemed　to　disturb　him　much。



〃Pardon　me；　Prince；　and　you；　my　guests；　if　I　leave　you；〃　said　the

governor；　〃but　I　have　evil　tidings　that　call　me　to　the　temple。　The

lady　Baaltis　is　seized　with　the　black　fever；　and　I　must　visit　her。　For

an　hour；　farewell。〃



This　news　caused　consternation　among　the　company；　and　in　the　general

confusion　that　followed　its　announcement　Aziel　joined　Elissa；　who　had

passed　on　to　the　balcony　of　the　house；　and　was　seated　there　alone；

looking　out　over　the　moonlit　city　and　the　plains　beyond。　At　his

approach　she　rose　in　token　of　respect；　then　sat　herself　down　again；

motioning　him　to　do　likewise。



〃Give　me　of　your　wisdom；　lady；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　that　Baaltis　was

the　goddess　whom　I　heard　you　worshipping　yonder　in　the　grove；　how；

then；　can　she　be　stricken　with　a　fever？〃



〃She　is　the　goddess；〃　Elissa　answered　smiling；　〃but　the　/lady/　Baaltis

is　a　woman　whom　we　revere　as　the　incarnation　of　that　goddess　upon

earth；　and　being　but　a　woman　in　her　hour　she　must　die。〃



〃Then；　what　becomes　of　the　incarnation　of　the　goddess？〃



〃Another　is　chosen　by　the　college　of　the　priests　of　El；　and　the

company　of　the　priestesses　of　Baaltis。　If　that　lady　Baaltis　who　is

dead　chances　to　leave　a　daughter；　it　is　usual　for　the　lot　to　fall　upon

her；　if　not；　upon　such　one　of　the　noble　maidens　as　may　be　chosen。〃



〃Does　the　lady　Baaltis　marry；　then？〃



〃Yes；　Prince；　within　a　year　of　her　consecration；　she　must　choose

herself　a　husband；　and　he　may　be　whom　she　will；　provided　only　that　he

is　of　white　blood；　and　does　public　sacrifice　to　El　and　Baaltis。　Then

after　she　has　named　him；　this　husband　takes　the　title　of　Shadid；　and

for　so　long　as　his　wife　shall　live　he　is　the　high　priest　of　the　god

El；　and　clothed　with　the　majesty　of　the　god；　as　his　wife　is　clothed

with　the　majesty　of　Baaltis。　But　should　she　die；　another　wins　his

place。〃



〃It　is　a　strange　faith；〃　said　Aziel；　〃which　teaches　that　the　Lord　of

Heaven　can　find　a　home　in　mortal　breasts。　But；　lady；　it　is　yours；　so

of　it　I　say　no　more。　Now　tell　me；　if　you　will；　what　did　you　mean　when

you　said　that　this　barbarian　king；　Ithobal；　set　the　savage　whom　I　slew

to　kidnap　you？　Do　you　know　this；　or　do　you　suspect　it　only？〃



〃I　suspected　it　from　the　first；　Prince；　and　for　good　reasons；

moreover；　I　read　it　in　the　king's　face　as　he　looked　upon　the　corpse；

and　when　he　perceived　me　among　the　feasters。〃



〃And　why　should　he　wish　to　carry　you　away　this　brutally；　lady；　when　he

is　at　peace　with　the　great　city？〃



〃Perchance；　Prince；　after　what　passed　to…night　you　can　guess；〃　she

answered　lowering　her　eyes。



〃Yes；　lady；　I　can　guess；　and　though　it　is　shameful　that　such　an　one

should　dare　to　think　of　you；　still；　since　he　is　a　man；　I　cannot　blame

him　overmuch。　But　why　should　he　press　his　suit　in　this　rough　and

secret　fashion　instead　of　openly　as　a　king　might　do？〃



〃He　may　have　pressed　it　o