elissa-第7部分

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

means　of　dreams　and　wonders　and　through　the　mouths　of　chosen　seers；　to

declare　the　will　of　Jehovah　upon　earth。　To　this　faith；　indeed；　we

still　hold　fast；　at　least　so　far　as　that　period　and　people　are

concerned；　seeing　that　we　acknowledge　Isaiah；　David；　and　their

company；　to　have　been　inspired　from　above。　Of　that　company　Issachar

the　Levite　was　one；　for　to　him；　from　his　youth　up；　voices　had　spoken

in　the　watches　of　the　night；　and　often　he　had　poured　his　warnings　and

denunciations　into　the　ears　of　kings　and　peoples；　telling　them　with　no

uncertain　voice　of　the　consequences　of　sin　and　idolatry；　and　of

punishment　to　come。　This　Aziel；　who　had　been　his　ward　and　pupil；　knew

well；　and　therefore　he　did　not　mock　at　the　priest's　dream　or　set　it

aside　as　naught；　but　bowed　his　head　and　listened。



〃I　am　honoured　indeed；〃　he　said　with　humility；　〃that　the　destiny　of　my

poor　soul　and　body　should　be　a　thing　of　weight　to　those　on　high。〃



〃Of　your　poor　soul；　Aziel？〃　broke　in　Issachar。　〃That　soul　of　yours；　of

which　you　speak　so　lightly；　is　of　as　great　value　in　the　eyes　of　Heaven

as　that　of　any　cherubim　within　its　gates。　The　angels　who　fell　were　the

first　and　chiefest　of　the　angels；　and　though　now　we　are　clad　with

mortal　shape　in　punishment　of　our　sins；　again　redeemed　and　glorified

we　can　become　among　the　mightiest　of　their　hosts。　Oh！　my　son；　I

beseech　you；　turn　from　this　woman　while　there　yet　is　time；　lest　to　you

her　lips　should　be　a　cup　of　woe　and　your　soul　shall　pay　the　price　of

them；　sharing　the　hell　of　the　worshippers　of　Ashtoreth。〃



〃It　may　be　so；〃　said　Aziel；　〃but；　Issachar；　what　said　the　voice？　That

this；　the　woman　of　your　dream　and　I　were　one　from　the　beginning？

Issachar；　you　believe　that　the　lady　Elissa　is　she　of　whom　the　voice

spoke　in　your　sleep　and　you　bid　me　turn　from　her　because　she　will

bring　me　sin　and　punishment。　In　truth；　if　I　can；　I　will　obey　you；

since　rather　than　forswear　my　faith；　as　your　dream　foretold；　I　would

die　a　hundred　deaths。　Nor　do　I　believe　that　for　any　bribe　of　woman's

love　I　shall　forswear　it　in　act　or　thought。　Yet　if　such　things　come

about　it　is　fate　that　drives　me　on；　not　my　willand　what　man　can　flee

his　fate？　But　even　though　this　lady　be　she　whom　I　am　doomed　to　love；

you　say　that　because　she　is　heathen　I　must　reject　her。　Shame　upon　the

thought；　for　if　she　is　heathen　it　is　through　ignorance；　and　it　may　be

mine　to　change　her　heart。　Because　I　stand　in　danger　shall　I　suffer　her

who；　as　you　tell　me；　was　one　with　me　from　the　beginning；　to　be　lost　in

that　hell　of　Baal　of　which　you　speak？　Nay；　your　dream　is　false。　I　will

not　renounce　my　faith；　but　rather　will　win　her　to　share　it；　and

together　we　shall　triumph；　and　that　I　swear　to　you；　Issachar。〃



〃Truly　the　evil　one　has　many　wiles；〃　answered　the　Levite；　〃and　I　did

ill　to　tell　you　of　my　dream；　seeing　that　it　can　be　twisted　to　serve

the　purpose　of　your　madness。　Have　your　will；　Aziel；　and　reap　the　fruit

of　it；　but　of　this　I　warn　youthat　while　I　can　find　a　way　to　thwart

it；　never；　Prince；　shall　you　take　that　witch　to　your　bosom　to　be　the

ruin　of　your　life　and　soul。〃



〃Then；　Issachar；　on　this　matter　there　may　be　war　between　us！〃



〃Ay！　there　is　war；〃　said　the　Levite；　and　left　him。



*****



The　sun　was　already　high　in　the　heavens　when　Aziel　awoke　from　the　deep

and　dreamless　sleep　which　followed　on　the　excitements　and　exhaustion

of　the　previous　day。　After　his　servants　had　waited　upon　him　and　robed

him；　bringing　him　milk　and　fruit　to　eat；　he　dismissed　them；　and　sat

himself　down　by　the　casement　of　his　chamber　to　think　a　while。



Below　him　lay　the　city　of　flat…roofed　houses　enclosed　with　a　double

wall；　without　the　ring　of　which　were　thousands　of　straw　huts；　shaped

like　bee…hives；　wherein　dwelt　natives　of　the　country；　slaves　or

servants　of　the　occupying　Ph？nician　race。　To　Aziel's　right；　and　not

more　than　a　hundred　paces　from　the　governor's　house　in　which　he　was；

rose　the　round　and　mighty　battlements　of　the　temple；　where　the

followers　of　El　and　Baaltis　worshipped；　and　the　gold　refiners　carried

on　their　business。　At　intervals　on　its　flat…topped　walls　stood　towers

of　observation；　alternating　with　pointed　monoliths　of　granite　and

soapstone　columns　supporting　vultures；　rudely　carved　emblems　of

Baaltis。　Between　these　towers　armed　soldiers　walked　continually；

watching　the　city　below　and　the　plain　beyond；　for　though　the　mission

of　the　Ph？nicians　here　was　one　of　peaceful　gain　it　was　evident　that

they　considered　it　necessary　to　be　always　prepared　for　war。　On　the

hillside　above　the　great　temple　towered　another　fortress　of　stonea

citadel　deemed　to　be　impregnable　even　should　the　temple　fall　into　the

hands　of　an　enemywhile　on　the　crest　of　the　precipitous　slope；

stretching　as　far　to　right　and　left　as　the　eye　could　reach；　were　many

smaller　detached　strongholds。



The　scene　that　Aziel　saw　from　his　window　was　a　busy　one；　for　beneath

him　a　market　was　being　held　in　an　open　square　in　the　city。　Here；

sheltered　from　the　sun　by　grass…thatched　booths；　the　Ph？nician

merchants　who　had　been　his　companions　in　their　long　and　perilous

journey　from　the　coast　were　already　in　treaty　with　numerous　customers；

hoping；　not　in　vain；　to　recoup　themselves　amply　for　the　toils　and

dangers　which　they　had　survived。　Beneath　these　booths　were　spread

their　goods；　silks　from　Cos；　bronze　weapons　and　copper　rods；　or　ingots

from　the　rich　mines　of　Cyprus；　linens　and　muslins　from　Egypt；　beads；

idols；　carven　bowls；　knives；　glass　ware；　pottery　in　all　shapes；　and

charms　made　of　glazed　faience　or　Egyptian　stone；　bales　of　the　famous

purple　cloth　of　Tyre；　surgical　instruments；　jewellery；　and　objects　of

toilet；　scents；　pots　of　rouge；　and　other　unguents　for　the　use　of

ladies　in　little　alabaster　and　earthenware　vases；　bags　of　refined

salt；　and　a　thousand　other　articles　of　commerce　produced　or　stored　in

the　workshops　of　Ph？nicia。　These　the　chapmen　bartered　for　raw　gold　by

weight；　tusks　of　ivory；　ostrich　feathers；　and　girls　of　approved

beauty；　slaves　taken　in　war；　or　in　some　instances　maidens　whom　their

unnatural　parents　or　relatives　did　not　scruple　to　sell　into　bondage。



In　another　portion　of　the　square；　provisions　and　stock；　alive　and

dead；　were　being　offered　for　sale；　for　the　most　part　by　natives　of　the

country。　Here　were　piles　of　vegetables　and　fruits　grown　in　the

gardens；　sacks　of　various　sorts　of　grain；　bundles　of　green　forage　from

the　irrigated　lands　without　the　walls；　calabashes　full　of　curdled

milk；　thick　native　beer　and　trusses　of　reed　for　thatching。　Here　again

were　oxen；　mules　and　asses；　or　great　bucks　such　as　we　now　know　as

eland　or　kudoo；　carried　in　on　rough　litters　of　boughs　to　be　disposed

of　by　parties　of　savage　huntsmen　who　had　shot　them　with　arrows　or

trapped　them　in　pitfalls。　Every　Eastern　tribe　and　nation　seemed　to　be

represented　in　the　motley　crowd。　Yonder　stalked　savages；　naked　except

for　their　girdles；　and　armed　with　huge　spears；　who　gazed　with

bewilderment　on　the　wonders　of　this　mart　of　the　white　man；　there　moved

grave；　long…bearded　Arab　merchants　or　Ph？nicians　in　their　pointed

caps；　or　bare…headed　white…robed　Egyptians；　or　half…bred　mercenaries

clad　in　mail。　Their　variety　was　without　end；　while　from　them　came　a

very　babel　of　different　tongues　as　they　cried　their　wares；　bargained

and　quarrelled。



Aziel　gazed　at　this　novel　sight　with　interest；　till；　as　he　was

beginning　to　weary　of　it；　the　crowd　parted　to　right　and　left；　leaving

a　clear　lane　across　the　market…place　to　the　narrow　gate　of　the　temple。

Along　this　lane　advanced　a　procession　of　the　priests　of　El　clad　in　red

robes；　with　tall　red　caps　upon　their　heads；　beneath　which　their

straight　hair　hung　down　to　their　shoulders。　In　their　hands　were　gilded

rods；　and　round　their　necks　hung　golden　chains；　to　which　were　attached

emblems　of　the　god　they　worshipped。　They　walked　two…and…two　to　the

number　of　fifty；　chanting　a　melancholy　dirge；　one　hand　of　each　priest

resting　upon　his　fellow's　shoulder；　and　as　they　passed；　with　the

exception　of　certain　Jews；　all　the　spectators　uncovered；　while　some　of

the　more　pious　of　them　even　fell　upon　their　knees。



After　the　priests　came　a　second　procession；　that　of　the　priestesses　of

Baaltis。　These　women；　who　numbered　at　least　a　hundred；　were　clad　in

white；　and　wore　upon　their　heads　a　gauze…like　veil　that　fell　to　the

knees；　and　was　held　in　place　by　a　golden　fillet　surmounted　with　the

symbol　of　a　crescent　moon。　Instead　of　the　golden　rods；　however；　each

of　them　held　in　her　left　hand　a　growing　stalk　of　maize；　from　the

sheathed　cob　of　which　hung　the　bright　tassel　of　its　bloom。　On　her

right　wrist；　moreover；　a　milk…white　dove　was　fastened　by　a　wire；　both

corn　and　dove　being　tokens　of　that　fertility　which；　under　various

guises；　was　the　real　object　of　worship　of　these　people。　The　sight　of

these　white…veiled　women　about　whose　crescent…decked　brows　the　doves

fluttered；　wildly　striving　to　be　free；　was　very　strange　and　beautiful

as　they　advanced　also　singing　a　low　and　melancholy　chant。　Aziel

searched　their　faces　with　his　eyes　while　they　passed　slowly　towards

him；　and　presently　his　heart　bounded；　for　there　among　them；　clasping

the　dove　she　bore　to　her　breast；　as　though　to　still　its　frightened

strugglings；　was　the　Lady　Elissa。　He　noticed；　too；　that　as　she　went

beneath　the　palace　walls；　she　glanced　at　the　window…place　of　his

chamber；　but　without　seeing　him　for　he　was　seated　in　the　shadow。



Presently　the　long　line　of　priestesses；　followed　by　hundreds　of

worshippers；　had　vanished　through　the　tortuous　and　narrow　entrance　of

the　temple；　and　Aziel　leaned　back　to　think。



There；　among　the　principal　votaries　of　a　goddess；　the　wickedness　of

whose　worship　was　a　scandal　and　a　by…word　even　in　the　ancient　world；

walked　the　woman　to　whom　he　felt　so　strangely　drawn　and　with　whom；　if

there　were　any　truth　in　the　visions　of　Issachar　and　the　mysterious