elissa-第9部分

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



A　third　time　the　priestess　leapt；　replying　in　her　own　voice；　〃Health

for　thy　servant　who　is　sick。〃　Then　came　the　answer　in　the　second　voice

〃I　hear　you；　but　I　see　no　sacrifice。〃



〃What　sacrifice　would'st　thou；　O　Queen？　A　dove？〃



〃Nay。〃



〃What　then；　Queen？〃



〃One　only；　the　first…born　child　of　a　woman。〃



As　this　command；　which　they　supposed　to　be　divine　and　from　above；

issued　out　of　the　lips　of　the　gashed　and　bleeding　Pythoness；　the

multitude　that　hitherto　had　listened　in　perfect　silence；　shouted

aloud；　while　the　girl　herself；　utterly　exhausted；　fell　to　the　earth

swooning。



Now　the　high　priest　of　El；　who　was　named　the　Shadid；　none　other　indeed

than　the　husband　of　her　who　lay　sick；　sprang　upon　the　platform　and

cried：



〃The　goddess　has　spoken　by　the　mouth　of　her　oracle。　She　who　is　the

mother　of　all　demands　one　life　out　of　the　many　she　has　given；　that　the

Lady　Baaltis；　who　is　her　priestess　upon　earth；　may　be　recovered　of　her

sickness。　Say；　who　will　lay　down　a　life　for　the　honour　of　the　goddess；

and　that　her　regent　in　this　land　may　be　saved　alive？〃



Nowfor　all　this　scene　had　been　carefully　prepareda　woman　stepped

forward；　wearing　the　robe　of　a　priestess；　who　bore　in　her　arms　a

drugged　and　sleeping　child。



〃I；　father；〃　she　cried　in　a　shrill；　hard　voice；　though　her　lips

trembled　as　she　spoke。　〃Let　the　goddess　take　this　child；　the　first…

fruit　of　my　body；　that　our　mother　the　Lady　Baaltis　may　be　cured　of　her

sickness；　and　that　I；　her　daughter；　may　be　blessed　by　the　goddess；　and

through　me；　all　we　who　worship　her。〃　And　she　held　out　the　little

victim　towards　him。



The　Shadid　stretched　out　his　arms　to　take　it；　but　he　never　did　take

it；　for　at　that　moment　appeared　upon　the　platform　the　tall　and　bearded

figure　of　Issachar　clad　in　his　white　robes。



〃Hold！〃　he　cried　in　a　loud；　clear　voice；　〃and　touch　not　the　innocent

child。　Spawn　of　Satan；　would　you　do　murder　to　appease　the　devils　whom

you　worship？　Well　shall　they　repay　you；　people　of　Zimboe。　Oh！　mine

eyes　are　open　and　I　see；〃　he　went　on；　shaking　his　thin　arms　above　his

head　in　a　prophetic　frenzy。　〃I　see　the　sword　of　the　true　God；　and　it

flames　above　this　city　of　idolaters　and　abominations。　I　see　this　place

of　sacrifice；　and　I　tell　you　that　before　the　moon　is　young　again　it

shall　run　red　with　the　blood　of　you；　idol　worshippers；　and　of　you；

women　of　the　groves。　The　heathen　is　at　your　gates；　ye　followers　of

demons；　and　my　God　sends　them　as　He　sends　the　locusts　of　the　north

wind　to　devour　you　like　grass；　to　sweep　you　away　like　the　dust　of　the

desert。　Cry　then　upon　El　and　Baaltis；　and　let　El　and　Baaltis　save　you

if　they　can。　Doom　is　upon　you；　Azrael；　angel　of　death；　writes　his　name

upon　your　foreheads；　every　one　of　you；　giving　your　city　to　the　owls；

your　bodies　to　the　jackals；　and　your　souls　to　Satan〃



Thus　far　the　priests　and　the　spectators　had　listened　to　Issachar's

denunciations　in　bewildered　amazement　not　unmixed　with　fear。　Now　with

a　roar　of　wrath　they　awoke；　and　suddenly　he　was　dragged　from　the

platform　by　a　score　of　hands　and　struck　down　with　many　blows。　Indeed；

he　would　then　and　there　have　been　torn　to　pieces　had　not　a　guard　of

soldiers；　knowing　that　he　was　Sakon's　guest　and　in　the　train　of　the

prince　Aziel；　snatched　him　from　the　maddened　multitude；　and　borne　him

swiftly　to　a　place　of　safety　without　the　enclosure。



While　the　tumult　was　at　its　height；　a　Ph？nician；　who　had　arrived　in

the　temple　breathless　with　haste；　might　have　been　seen　to　pluck　Metem

by　the　sleeve。



〃What　is　it？〃　Metem　asked　of　the　man；　who　was　his　servant。



〃This：　the　lady　Baaltis　is　dead。　I　watched　as　you　bade　me；　and；　as　she

had　promised　to　do；　in　token　of　the　end；　her　woman　waved　a　napkin　from

the　casement　of　that　tower　where　she　lies。〃



〃Do　any　know　of　this？〃



〃None。〃



〃Then　say　no　word　of　it；〃　and　Metem　hurried　off　in　search　of　Aziel。



Presently　he　found　him　seeking　for　Issachar　in　company　with　his

guards。



〃Have　no　fear；　Prince；〃　Metem　said；　in　answer　to　his　eager　questions；

〃he　is　safe　enough；　for　the　soldiers　have　borne　the　fool　away。　Pardon

me　that　I　should　speak　thus　of　a　holy　man；　but　he　has　put　all　our

lives　in　danger。〃



〃I　do　not　pardon　you；〃　answered　Aziel　hotly；　〃and　I　honour　Issachar

for　his　act　and　words。　Let　us　begone　from　this　accursed　place　whither

you　entrapped　me。〃



Before　Metem　could　reply　a　voice　cried；　〃Close　the　doors　of　the

sanctuary；　so　that　none　can　pass　in　or　go　out；　and　let　the　sacrifice

be　offered。〃



〃Listen；　Prince；〃　said　Metem；　〃you　must　stay　here　till　the　ceremony　is

done。〃



〃Then　I　tell　you；　Ph？nician；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃that　rather　than　suffer

that　luckless　child　to　be　butchered　before　my　eyes　I　will　cut　my　way

to　it　with　my　guards；　and　rescue　it　alive。〃



〃To　leave　yourself　dead　in　place　of　it；〃　answered　Metem　sarcastically；

〃but；　see；　a　woman　desires　to　speak　with　you；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a

girl　in　the　robe　of　a　priestess；　whose　face　was　hidden　with　a　veil；

and　who；　in　the　tumult　and　confusion；　had　worked　her　way　to　Aziel。



〃Prince；〃　whispered　the　veiled　form；　〃I　am　Elissa。　For　your　life's

sake　keep　still　and　silent；　or　you　will　be　stabbed；　for　your　words

have　been　overheard；　and　the　priests　are　mad　at　the　insult　that　has

been　put　upon　them。〃



〃Away　with　you；　woman；〃　answered　Aziel；　〃what　have　I　to　do　with　a　girl

of　the　groves　and　a　murderess　of　children？〃



She　winced　at　his　bitter　words；　but　said　quietly：



〃Then　on　your　own　head　be　your　blood；　Prince；　which　I　have　risked　much

to　keep　unshed。　But　before　you　die；　learn　that　I　knew　nothing　of　this

foul　sacrifice；　and　that　gladly　would　I　give　my　own　life　to　save　that

of　yonder　child。〃



〃Save　it；　and　I　will　believe　you；〃　answered　the　prince；　turning　from

her。



Elissa　slipped　away；　for　she　saw　that　the　priestesses；　her　companions；

were　reforming　their　ranks；　and　that　she　must　not　tarry。　When　she　had

gone　a　few　yards；　a　hand　caught　her　by　the　sleeve；　and　the　voice　of

Metem；　who　had　overheard　something　of　this　talk；　whispered　in　her

ear：



〃Daughter　of　Sakon；　what　will　you　give　me　if　I　show　you　a　way　to　save

the　life　of　the　child；　and　with　it　that　of　the　prince；　and　at　the　same

time　to　make　him　think　well　of　you　again？〃



〃All　my　jewels　and　ornaments　of　gold；　and　they　are　many；〃　she　answered

eagerly。



〃Good；　it　is　a　bargain。　Now　listen：　The　lady　Baaltis　is　dead；　she　died

a　few　minutes　since；　and　none　here　know　it　save　myself　and　one　other；

my　servant；　nor　can　any　learn　it；　for　the　gates　are　shut。　Do　you　be；

therefore；　suddenly　inspiredof　the　godsand　say　so；　for　then　the

sacrifice　must　cease；　seeing　that　she　for　whom　it　was　to　be　offered　is

dead。　Do　you　understand？〃



〃I　understand；〃　she　answered；　〃and　though　the　blasphemy　bring　on　me

the　vengeance　of　Baaltis；　yet　it　shall　be　dared。　Fear　not；　your　pay　is

good；〃　and　she　pressed　forward　to　her　place；　keeping　the　veil　wrapped

about　her　head　till　she　reached　it　unobserved；　for　in　the　general

confusion　none　had　noticed　her　movements。



When　the　noise　of　shouting　and　angry　voices　had　at　length　died　away；

and　the　spectators　were　driven　back　outside　the　sacred　circle；　the

priest　upon　the　platform　cried：



〃Now　that　the　Jew　blasphemer　has　gone；　let　the　sacrifice　be　offered；

as　is　decreed。〃



〃Yea；　let　the　sacrifice　be　offered；〃　answered　the　multitude；　and　once

more　the　woman　with　the　sleeping　child　stepped　forward。　But　before　the

priest　could　take　it　another　figure　approached　him；　that　of　Elissa；

with　arms　outstretched　and　eyes　upturned。



〃Hold；　O　priest！〃　she　said；　〃for　the　goddess；　breathing　on　my　brow；

inspires　me；　and　I　have　a　message　from　the　goddess。〃



〃Draw　near；　daughter；　and　speak　it　in　the　ears　of　men；〃　the　priest

answered　wondering；　for　he　found　it　hard　to　believe　in　such

inspiration；　and　indeed　would　have　denied　her　a　hearing　had　he　dared。



So　Elissa　climbed　the　platform；　and　standing　upon　it　still　with

outstretched　hands　and　upturned　face；　she　said　in　a　clear　voice：



〃The　goddess　refuses　the　sacrifice；　since　she　has　taken　to　herself　her

for　whom　it　was　to　have　been　offeredthe　Lady　Baaltis　is　dead。〃



At　this　tidings　a　groan　went　up　from　the　people；　partly　of　grief　for

the　loss　of　a　spiritual　dignitary　who　was　popular；　and　partly　of

disappointment　because　now　the　sacrifice　could　not　be　offered。　For　the

Ph？nicians　loved　these　horrible　spectacles；　which　were　not；　however；

commonly　celebrated　by　daylight　and　in　the　presence　of　the　people。



〃It　is　a　lie；〃　cried　a　voice；　〃but　now　the　Lady　Baaltis　was　living。〃



〃Let　the　gates　be　opened；　and　send　to　see　whether　or　no　I　lie；〃　said

Elissa；　quietly。



Then　for　a　while　there　was　silence　while　a　priest　went　upon　the

errand。　At　length　he　was　seen　returning。　Pushing　his　way　through　the

crowd；　he　mounted　the　platform；　and　said：



〃The　daughter　of　Sakon　speaks　truth；　alas！　the　lady　Baaltis　is　dead。〃



Elissa　sighed　in　relief；　for　had　her　tidings　proved　false　she　could

scarcely　have　hoped　to　escape　the　fury　of　the　crowd。



〃Ay！〃　she　cried；　〃she　is　dead；　as　I　told　you；　and　because　of　your　sin；

who　would　have　offered　human　sacrifice　in　public；　against　the　custom

of　our　faith　and　city　and　without　the　command　of　the　goddess。〃



*****



Then　in　sullen　silence　the　priests　and　priestesses　reformed　their

ranks；　and　departed　from　the　sanctuary；　whence　they　were　followed　by

the　spectators；　the　most　of　them　in　no　good　mood；　for　they　had　been

baulked　of　the　promised　spectacle。







CHAPTER　VI



THE　HALL　OF　AUDIENCE



When　Elissa　reached　her　chamber　after　the　break　up　of　the　procession；

she　threw　herself　upon　her　couch；　and　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears。

Well　might　she　weep；　for　she　had　been　false　to　her　oath　as　a

priestess；　uttering　as　a　message　from　the　goddess　that　which　she