elissa-第8部分

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

warnings　of　his　own　soul；　his　fate　was　intertwined。　As　he　thought　of

it　a　sudden　revulsion　filled　his　heart。　She　was　wise　and　beautiful；

and　she　seemed　innocent；　but　Issachar　was　right；　this　girl　was　the

minister　of　an　abominable　creed；　nay；　for　aught　he　knew；　she　was

herself　defiled　with　its　abominations；　and　her　wisdom　but　an　evil　gift

from　the　evil　powers　she　served。　Could　he；　a　prince　of　the　royal　blood

of　the　House　of　Israel　and　of　the　ancient　Pharaohs　of　Khem；　desire　to

have　anything　to　do　with　such　an　one；　he　a　child　of　the　Chosen　People；

a　worshipper　of　the　true　and　only　God？　Yesterday　she　had　thrown　a

spell　upon　him；　a　spell　of　black　magic；　or　the　spell　of　her　imperial

beauty；　which；　it　mattered　not；　but　to…day　he　was　the　lord　of　his　own

mind；　and　would　shake　himself　free　of　it　and　her。



*****



In　the　market…place　below；　the　Levite　Issachar　also　had　watched　the

passing　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　of　El　and　Baaltis。



〃Tell　me；　Metem；〃　he　asked　of　the　Ph？nician　who　stood　beside　him；　his

head　respectfully　uncovered；　〃what　mummery　is　this？〃



〃It　is　no　mummery；　worthy　Issachar；　but　a　ceremony　of　public

sacrifice；　which　is　to　be　offered　in　the　temple　yonder；　for　the

recovery　from　her　sickness　of　the　Lady　Baaltis；　the　high…priestess。〃



〃Where　then　is　the　offering。　I　see　none；　unless　it　be　those　doves　that

are　tied　to　the　wrists　of　the　women？〃



〃Nay；　Issachar；〃　answered　Metem　smiling　darkly；　〃the　gods　ask　nobler

blood　than　that　of　doves。　The　offering　is　within；　and　it　is　the　first…

born　child　of　a　priestess　of　Baaltis。〃



〃O　Lord　of　Heaven！〃　said　Issachar　lifting　up　his　eyes；　〃how　long　will

you　suffer　that　this　murderous　and　accursed　race　should　defile　the

face　of　earth？〃



〃Softly；　friend；〃　broke　in　Metem；　〃I　have　read　your　Scriptures；　and　is

it　not　set　out　in　them　that　your　great　forefather　was　commanded　to

offer　up　his　first…born　in　such　a　sacrifice？〃



〃Blaspheme　not；〃　answered　the　Jew。　〃He　was　commanded　indeed；　that　his

heart　might　be　proved；　but　his　hand　was　stayed。　He　Whom　I　worship

delights　not　in　the　blood　of　children。〃



Here　Issachar　broke　off；　suddenly　recognising　the　lady　Elissa　among

the　white…robed　priestesses。　Watching　her；　he　noted　her　glance　at　the

window　of　Aziel's　chamber；　and　saw　what　she　could　not　see；　that　the

prince　was　seated　there。　〃This　daughter　of　Satan　spreads　her　nets；〃　he

muttered　between　his　teeth。　Then　a　thought　struck　him；　and　he　added

aloud；　〃Say；　Metem；　is　it　permitted　to　strangers　to　witness　the　rites

in　yonder　temple？〃



〃Surely；〃　answered　the　Ph？nician；　〃that　is；　if　they　guard　their

tongues；　and　do　nothing　to　offend。〃



〃Then　I　desire　to　see　them；　Metem；　and　so　doubtless　does　the　prince

Aziel。　Therefore；　if　it　is　your　will；　do　me　the　service　to　enter　his

chamber　in　the　palace　where　he　is　sitting；　and　bid　him　to　a　great

ceremony　that　goes　forward　in　the　temple。　And；　Metem；　if　he　asks　what

that　ceremony　is；　I　charge　you；　say　only　that　a　dove　is　to　be

sacrificed。



〃I　will　wait　for　you　at　the　gate　of　the　temple；　but　do　not　tell　him

that　I　send　you　on　this　errand。　Metem；　you　love　gain；　remember　that　if

you　humour　me　in　this　and　other　matters　which　may　arise；　doing　my

bidding　faithfully；　I　have　the　treasury　of　Jerusalem　to　draw　upon。〃



〃No　ill　paymaster；〃　replied　Metem　cheerfully。　〃Certainly　I　will　obey

you　in　all　things；　holy　Issachar；　as　the　king　commanded　me　yonder　in

Judea。〃



〃Now；〃　he　reflected　to　himself；　as　he　went　upon　his　message；　〃I　see

how　the　bird　flies。　The　prince　Aziel　is　in　love　with　the　lady　Elissa；

or　far　upon　the　road　to　it；　as　at　his　age　it　is　right　and　proper　that

he　should　be；　after　a　twelve　months'　journey　by　sea　and　land　with

never　a　pretty　face　to　sigh　for。　The　holy　Issachar；　on　the　other　hand；

is　minded　that　his　charge　shall　have　naught　to　do　with　a　priestess　of

Baaltis；　as；　his　age　and　calling　considered；　is　also　right　and　proper。

Then　there　is　that　black　savage　Ithobal；　who　wishes　to　win　the　girl；

and　the　girl　herself；　who　after　the　fashion　of　her　sex；　will　probably

play　them　all　off　one　against　the　other。　Well；　so　much　the　better　for

me；　since　I　shall　be　a　richer　man　even　than　I　am　before　this　affair　is

done　with。　I　have　two　hands；　and　gold　is　gold　whoever　be　the　giver；〃

and　smiling　craftily　to　himself　Metem　passed　into　the　palace。







CHAPTER　V



THE　PLACE　OF　SACRIFICE



Suddenly　Aziel；　looking　up　from　his　reverie；　saw　the　Ph？nician　bowing

before　him；　cap　in　hand。



〃May　the　Prince　live　for　ever；〃　he　said；　〃yet　if　he　suffer　melancholy

to　overcome　him　thus；　his　life；　however　long；　will　be　but　sad。〃



〃I　was　only　thinking；　Metem；〃　answered　Aziel　with　a　start。



〃Of　the　lady　Elissa；　whom　you　rescued；　Prince？　Ah！　I　guessed　as　much。

She　is　beautiful；　is　she　notI　have　never　seen　the　equal　of　those

dreamy　eyes　and　that　mysterious　smileand　learned　also；　though

myself；　in　a　woman　I　prefer　the　beauty　without　the　learning。　It　is　a

pity　now　that　she　should　chance　to　be　a　priestess　of　our　worship；　for

that　will　not　please　the　holy　Issachar　whom；　I　fear；　Prince；　you　find

a　stern　guide　for　the　feet　of　youth。〃



〃Your　business；　merchant？〃　broke　in　Aziel。



〃I　crave　your　pardon；　Prince；〃　answered　the　Ph？nician；　spreading　out

his　hands　in　deprecation。　〃I　struck　a　good　bargain　for　my　wares　this

morning；　and　drank　wine　to　seal　it；　therefore；　let　me　be　forgiven　if　I

have　spoken　too　freely　in　your　presence；　Prince。　This　is　my　business：

Yonder　in　the　temple　they　celebrate　a　service　which　it　is　lawful　for

strangers　to　witness；　and　as　the　opportunity　is　rare；　I　thought　that；

having　heard　something　of　our　mysteries　in　the　grove　last　night；　you

might　wish　to　see　the　office。　If　this　be　so；　I　am　come　to　guide　you。〃



〃Aziel's　first　impulse　was　to　refuse　to　go；　indeed；　the　words　of

dismissal　were　on　his　lips　when　another　purpose　entered　his　mind。　For

this　once　he　would　look　upon　these　abominations　and　learn　what　part

Elissa　played　in　them；　and　thus　be　cured　for　ever　of　the　longings　that

had　seized　him。



〃What　is　the　ceremony？〃　he　asked。



〃A　sacrifice　for　the　recovery　of　the　lady　Baaltis　who　is　sick；

Prince。〃



〃And　what　is　the　sacrifice？〃　asked　Aziel。



〃A　dove；　as　I　am　told；〃　was　the　indifferent　answer。



〃I　will　come　with　you；　Metem。〃



〃So　be　it；　Prince。　Your　retinue　awaits　you　at　the　gate。〃



At　the　main　entrance　to　the　palace　Aziel　found　his　guard　and　other

servants　gathered　there　to　escort　him。　With　them　was　Issachar；　whom　he

greeted；　asking　him　if　he　knew　the　errand　upon　which　they　were　bent。



〃I　do；　Prince；　it　is　to　witness　the　abomination　of　a　sacrifice　of

these　heathens。〃



〃Will　you　then　accompany　me　there；　Issachar？〃



〃Where　my　lord　goes　I　go；〃　answered　the　Levite　gravely。　〃Moreover；

Prince；　if　you　have　your　reasons　for　wishing　to　see　this　devil…

worship；　I　may　have　mine。〃



Then　they　set　out；　Metem　guiding　them。　At　the　north　gate　of　the

temple；　which　was　not　more　than　a　yard　in　width；　the　Ph？nician　spoke

to　the　guards　on　duty；　who　drew　back　to　let　them　pass。　In　single　file；

for　the　passages　were　too　narrow　to　allow　of　any　other　means　of

progression；　they　threaded　the　tortuous　and　mazy　paths　of　the　great

building；　passing　between　huge　walls　built　of　granite　blocks　laid

without　mortar；　till　at　length　they　reached　a　large　open　space。　Here

the　ceremony　had　already　begun。　Almost　in　the　centre　of　this　space；

which　was　paved　with　blocks　of　granite；　stood　two　conical　towers；　the

larger　of　which　measured　thirty　feet　in　height　and　the　smaller　about

half　as　much。　These　towers；　also　build　of　blocks　of　stone；　were；　as

Metem　informed　them；　sacred　to　and　emblematical　of　the　gods　El　and

Baaltis。　In　front　of　them　was　a　platform　surmounted　by　a　stone　altar；

and　between　them；　built　in　a　pit　in　the　ground；　burned　a　great　furnace

of　wood。　All　the　centre　of　the　enclosure　was　occupied　by　the

marshalled　ranks　of　the　priests　and　priestesses。　Without　this　sacred

ring　stood　the　closely　packed　masses　of　spectators；　amongst　whom　Aziel

and　his　following　were　given　place；　though　some　of　the　more　pious

worshippers　murmured　audibly　at　the　admission　of　these　Jews。



When　they　entered；　the　companies　of　priests　and　priestesses　were

finishing　a　prayer；　the　sentences　of　which　they　chanted　alternately

with　strange　effect。　In　part　it　was　formal；　and　in　part　an　improvised

supplication　to　the　protecting　gods　to　restore　health　to　that　woman　or

high…priestess　who　was　known　as　the　lady　Baaltis。　The　prayer　ended；　a

beautiful　bold…faced　girl　advanced　to　an　open　space　in　front　of　the

altar；　and　with　a　sudden　movement　threw　off　her　white　robe；　revealing

herself　to　the　spectators　in　a　many…coloured　garment　of　gauze；　through

which　her　fair　flesh　gleamed。



The　black　hair　of　this　woman　was　adorned　with　a　coronet　of　scarlet

flowers　and　hung　loose　about　her；　her　feet　and　arms　were　naked；　and　in

each　hand　she　held　a　knife　of　bronze。　Very　slowly　she　began　to　dance；

her　painted　lips　parted　as　though　to　speak；　and　her　eyes；　brightened

with　pigments；　turned　up　to　heaven。　By　degrees　her　movements　grew　more

rapid；　till　at　length；　as　she　whirled　round；　her　long　locks　streamed

out　straight　upon　the　air　and　the　crown　of　flowers　looked　like　a

scarlet　ring。　Suddenly　the　bronze　knife　in　her　right　hand　flashed；　and

a　spot　of　red　appeared　above　her　left　breast；　then　the　knife　in　the

left　hand　flashed；　and　another　spot　appeared　over　the　right　breast。　At

each　stroke　the　multitude　cried；　〃/Ah！/〃　as　with　one　voice；　and　then

were　silent。



Now　the　maddened　dancer；　ceasing　her　whirlings；　leapt　high　into　the

air；　clashing　the　knives　above　her　head　and　crying；　〃Hear　me；　hear　me；

Baaltis！〃



Again　she　leapt；　and　this　time　the　answer　that　came　from　her　lips　was

spoken　in　another　voice；　which　said；　〃I　am　present。　What　seek　you？〃



A　third　t