elissa-第6部分

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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　openly　and　been　repulsed；〃　she　replied　in　a

low　voice。　〃But　if　he　could　have　carried　me　to　some　far　fortress；　how

should　I　flout　him　there；　that　is；　if　I　still　lived？　There；　with　no

price　to　pay　in　gold　or　lands　or　power；　he　would　have　been　my　master；

and　I　should　have　been　his　slave　till　such　time　as　he　wearied　of　me。

That　is　the　fate　from　which　you　have　saved　me；　Prince；　or　rather　from

death；　for　I　am　not　one　who　could　bear　such　shame　at　the　hands　of　a

man　I　hate。〃



〃Lady；〃　he　said　bowing；　〃I　think　that　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　my

life　I　am　glad　to…night　that　I　was　born。〃



〃And　I；〃　she　answered；　〃who　am　but　a　Ph？nician　maiden；　am　glad　that　I

should　have　lived　to　hear　one　who　is　as　royal　in　thought　and　soul　as

he　is　in　rank　speak　thus　to　me。　Oh！　Prince；〃　she　added；　clasping　her

hands；　〃if　your　words　are　not　those　of　empty　courtesy　alone；　hear　me；

for　you　are　great；　a　Lord　of　the　Earth　whom　none　refuse；　and　it　may　be

in　your　power　to　give　me　aid。　Prince；　I　am　in　a　sore　strait；　for　that

danger　from　which　I　prayed　to　be　delivered　this　night　presses　me　hard。

Prince；　it　is　true　that　Ithobal　has　been　refused　my　hand；　both　by

myself　and　by　my　father；　and　therefore　it　was　that　he　strove　to　steal

me　away。　But　the　evil　is　not　done　with；　for　the　great　nobles　of　the

city　and　the　chief　priests　of　El　came　to　my　father　at　sunset　and

prayed　him　that　he　would　let　Ithobal　take　me；　seeing　that　otherwise　in

his　rage　he　will　make　war　upon　Zimboe。　When　a　man　placed　as　is　my

father　must　choose　between　the　safety　of　thousands　and　the　honour　and

happiness　of　one　poor　girl；　what　will　his　answer　be；　think　you？〃



〃Now；〃　said　Aziel；　〃save　that　no　wrong　can　right　a　wrong；　I　almost

grieve　that　I　cried　shame　upon　the　counsel　of　Metem。　Sweet　lady；　be

sure　of　this；　that　I　will　give　all　I　have；　even　to　my　life；　to　protect

you　from　the　vile　fate　you　dreadyes；　all　I　haveexcept　my　soul。〃



〃Ah！〃　she　cried　with　a　sudden　flash　of　her　dark　eyes；　〃all　except　your

soul。　If　we　women　could　find　the　man　who　would　risk　both　life　and　soul

for　us；　then；　were　he　but　a　slave；　we　would　worship　him　as　never　man

was　worshipped　since　Baaltis　mounted　her　heavenly　throne。〃



〃Were　I　not　a　Hebrew　you　would　tempt　me；　lady；〃　Aziel　answered

smiling；　〃but　being　one　I　may　not　risk　my　soul　even　were　such　a　prize

within　my　reach。〃



〃Nay；　Prince；〃　she　broke　in；　〃I　did　but　jest；　forget　my　words；　for

they　were　wrung　from　a　heart　torn　with　fears。　Oh！　did　you　know　the

terror　of　this　half…savage　Ithobal　which　oppresses　me；　you　would

forgive　me　alla　terror　that　to…night　lies　upon　me　with　a　tenfold

weight。〃



〃Why　so；　lady？〃



〃Doubtless　because　it　is　nearer；〃　Elissa　whispered；　but　her　beautiful

pleading　eyes　and　quivering　lips　seemed　to　belie　her　words　and　say；

〃because　/you/　are　near；　and　a　change　has　come　upon　me。〃



For　the　second　time　that　day　Aziel's　glance　met　hers；　and　for　the

second　time　a　strange　new　pang　that　was　more　pain　than　joy；　and　yet

half…divine；　snatched　at　his　heart…strings；　for　a　while　numbing　his

reason　and　taking　from　him　the　power　of　speech。



〃What　was　it？〃　he　wondered　vaguely。　He　had　seen　many　lovely　faces；　and

many　noble　women　had　shown　him　favour；　but　why　had　none　of　them

stirred　him　thus？　Could　it　be　that　this　stranger　Gentile　maiden　was

his　soul…mateshe　whom　he　was　destined　to　love　above　all　upon　the

earth；　nay；　whom　he　did　already　love；　and　so　soon？



〃Lady；〃　he　said；　taking　a　step　towards　her；　〃lady〃　and　he　paused。



Elissa　bowed　her　dark　head　till　her　gold…bedecked　and　scented　hair

almost　fell　upon　his　feet；　but　she　made　no　answer。



Then　another　voice　broke　upon　the　silence；　a　clear；　strident　voice

that　said：



〃Prince；　forgive　me；　if　for　the　second　time　to…day　I　disturb　you；　but

the　guests　have　gone；　your　chamber　is　made　ready；　and；　not　knowing　the

customs　of　the　women　of　this　country；　I　sought　you；　little　guessing

that；　at　such　an　hour；　I　should　find　you　alone　with　one　of　them。〃



Aziel　looked　up；　although　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　do　so；　for　he

knew　that　voice　well；　to　see　the　tall　form　of　the　Levite　Issachar

standing　before　them；　a　cold　light　of　anger　shining　in　his　eyes。



Elissa　saw　also；　and；　with　some　murmured　words　of　farewell；　she　turned

and　went；　leaving　them　together。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　DREAM　OF　ISSACHAR



For　a　moment　there　was　silence；　which　Aziel　broke；　saying：



〃It　seems　to　me；　Issachar；　that　you　are　somewhat　over　zealous　for　my

welfare。〃



〃I　think　otherwise；　Prince；〃　replied　the　Levite　sternly。　〃Did　not　your

grandsire　give　you　into　my　keeping；　and　shall　I　not　be　faithful　to　my

trust；　and　to　a　higher　duty　than　any　which　he　could　lay　upon　me？〃



〃Your　meaning；　Issachar？〃



〃It　is　plain；　Prince；　but　I　will　set　it　out。　The　great　king　said　to　me

yonder　in　the　hall　of　his　golden　palace　at　Jerusalem；　'To　others；　men

of　war；　I　have　given　charge　of　the　body　of　my　grandson　to　keep　him

safe。　To　you；　Issachar　the　Levite；　who　have　fostered　him；　I　give

charge　over　his　soul　to　keep　it　safea　higher　task；　and　more

difficult。　Guard　him；　Issachar；　from　the　temptation　of　strange

doctrines　and　the　whisperings　of　strange　gods；　but　guard　him　most　of

all　from　the　wiles　of　strange　women　who　bow　the　knee　to　Baal；　for　such

are　the　gate　of　Gehenna　upon　earth；　and　those　who　enter　by　it　shall

find　their　place　in　Tophet。'〃



〃Truly　my　grandsire　speaks　wisely　on　this　matter　as　on　all　others；〃

answered　Aziel；　〃but　still　I　do　not　understand。〃



〃Then　I　will　be　more　clear；　Prince。　How　comes　it　that　I　find　you　alone

with　this　beautiful　sorceress；　this　worshipper　of　the　she…devil；

Baaltis；　with　whom　you　should　scorn　even　to　speak；　except　such　words

as　courtesy　demands？〃



〃Is　it　then　forbidden　to　me；〃　asked　Aziel　angrily；　〃to　talk　with　the

daughter　of　my　host；　a　lady　whom　I　chanced　to　save　from　death；　of　the

customs　of　her　country　and　the　mysteries　of　worship？〃



〃The　mysteries　of　worship！〃　answered　Issachar　scornfully。　〃Ay！　the

mysteries　of　the　worship　of　that　fair　body　of　hers；　that　ivory　chalice

filled　with　foulnesswhereof；　if　a　man　drink；　his　faith　shall　be

rotted　and　his　soul　poisoned。　The　mysteries　of　that　worship　was　it；

Prince；　that　caused　you　but　now　to　lean　towards　this　woman　as　though

to　embrace　her；　with　words　of　love　burning　in　your　heart　if　not

between　your　lips？　Ah！　these　witches　of　Baaltis　know　their　trade　well；

they　are　full　of　evil　gifts；　and　of　the　wisdom　given　to　them　by　the

fiend　they　serve。　With　touch　and　sigh　and　look　they　can　stir　the　blood

of　youth；　having　much　practice　in　the　art；　till　it　seethes　within　the

veins　and　drowns　conscience　in　its　flood。



〃Nay；　Prince；　hear　the　truth；〃　continued　Issachar。　〃Till　moonrise　you

had　never　seen　this　woman；　and　now　your　quick　blood　is　aflame；　and　you

love　her。　Deny　it　if　you　candeny　it　on　your　honour　and　I　will

believe　you；　for　you　are　no　liar。〃



Aziel　thought　for　a　moment　and　answered：



〃Issachar；　you　have　no　right　to　question　me　on　this　matter；　yet　since

you　have　adjured　me　by　my　honour；　I　will　be　open　with　you。　I　do　not

know　if　I　love　this　woman；　who；　as　you　say；　is　a　stranger　to　me；　but

it　is　true　that　my　heart　turns　towards　her　like　flowers　to　the　sun。

Till　to…day　I　had　never　seen　her；　yet　when　my　eyes　first　fell　upon　her

face　yonder　in　that　accursed　grove；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　been

born　only　that　I　might　find　her。　It　seemed　to　me　even　that　for　ages　I

had　known　her；　that　for　ever　she　was　mine　and　that　I　was　hers。　Read　me

the　riddle；　Issachar？　Is　this　but　passion　born　of　youth　and　the　sudden

sight　of　a　fair　woman？　That　cannot　be；　for　I　have　known　others　as

fair；　and　have　passed　through　some　such　fires。　Tell　me；　Issachar；　you

who　are　old　and　wise　and　have　seen　much　of　the　hearts　of　men；　what　is

this　wave　that　overwhelms　me？〃



〃What　is　it；　Prince？　It　is　witchery；　it　is　the　wile　of　Beelzebub

waiting　to　snatch　your　soul；　and　if　you　hearken　to　it　you　shall　pass

through　the　firethrough　the　fire　to　Moloch；　if　not　in　the　flesh；

then　in　the　spirit；　which　is　to　all　eternity。　Oh！　not　in　vain　do　I

fear　for　you；　my　son；　and　not　without　reason　was　I　warned　in　a　dream。

Listen：　Last　night；　as　I　lay　in　my　tent　yonder　upon　the　plain；　I

dreamed　that　some　danger　overshadowed　you；　and　in　my　sleep　I　prayed

that　your　destiny　might　be　revealed　to　me。　As　I　prayed　thus；　I　heard　a

voice　saying；　'Issachar；　you　seek　to　learn　the　future；　know　then　that

he　who　is　dear　to　you　shall　be　tried　in　the　furnace　indeed。　Yes；

because　of　his　great　love　and　pity；　he　shall　forswear　his　faith；　and

with　death　and　sorrow　he　shall　pay　the　price　of　his　sin。'



〃Then　I　was　troubled　and　besought　Heaven　that　you；　my　son；　might　be

saved　from　this　unknown　temptation；　but　the　voice　answered　me：



〃'Of　their　own　will　only　can　they　who　were　one　from　the　beginning　be

held　apart。　Through　good　and　ill　let　them　work　each　other's　woe　or

weal。　The　goal　is　sure；　but　they　must　choose　the　road。'



〃Now　as　I　wondered　what　these　dark　sayings　might　mean；　the　gloom

opened　and　I　saw　you；　Aziel；　standing　in　a　grove　of　trees；　while

towards　you　with　outstretched　hands　drew　a　veiled　woman　who　bore　upon

her　brow　the　golden　bow　of　Baaltis。　Then　fire　raged　about　you；　and　in

the　fire　I　beheld　many　things　which　I　have　forgotten；　and　moving

through　it　was　the　Prince　of　Death；　who　slew　and　slew　and　spared　not。

So　I　awoke　heavy　at　heart；　knowing　that　there　had　fallen　on　me　who

love　you　a　shadow　of　doom　to　come。〃



In　these　latter　days　any　educated　man　would　set　aside　Issachar's　wild

vision　as　the　vapourings　of　a　mind　distraught。　But　Aziel　lived　in　the

time　of　Solomon；　when　men　of　his　nation　guided　their　steps　by　the

light　of　prophecy；　and　believed　that　it　was　the　Divine　pleasure；　by

means　of　dreams　and　wonde