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diff --git a/old/lissa10.txt b/old/lissa10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..19239c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lissa10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6229 @@ +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Elissa, by H. Rider Haggard*** +#25 in our series by H. Rider Haggard + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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Rider Haggard + + + + +DEDICATION + +To the Memory of the Child + +Nada Burnham, + + who "bound all to her" and, while her father cut his way through + the hordes of the Ingobo Regiment, perished of the hardships of + war at Buluwayo on 19th May, 1896, I dedicate these tales--and + more particularly the last, that of a Faith which triumphed over + savagery and death. + +H. Rider Haggard. + + Ditchingham. + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE + + Of the three stories that comprise this volume[*], one, "The + Wizard," a tale of victorious faith, first appeared some years ago + as a Christmas Annual. Another, "Elissa," is an attempt, difficult + enough owing to the scantiness of the material left to us by time, + to recreate the life of the ancient Phœnician Zimbabwe, whose + ruins still stand in Rhodesia, and, with the addition of the + necessary love story, to suggest circumstances such as might have + brought about or accompanied its fall at the hands of the + surrounding savage tribes. The third, "Black Heart and White + Heart," is a story of the courtship, trials and final union of a + pair of Zulu lovers in the time of King Cetywayo. + +[*] This text was prepared from a volume published in 1900 titled + "Black Heart and White Heart, and Other Stories."--JB. + + + +NOTE + +The world is full of ruins, but few of them have an origin so utterly +lost in mystery as those of Zimbabwe in South Central Africa. Who +built them? What purpose did they serve? These are questions that must +have perplexed many generations, and many different races of men. + +The researches of Mr. Wilmot prove to us indeed that in the Middle +Ages Zimbabwe or Zimboe was the seat of a barbarous empire, whose +ruler was named the Emperor of Monomotapa, also that for some years +the Jesuits ministered in a Christian church built beneath the shadow +of its ancient towers. But of the original purpose of those towers, +and of the race that reared them, the inhabitants of mediæval +Monomotapa, it is probable, knew less even than we know to-day. The +labours and skilled observation of the late Mr. Theodore Bent, whose +death is so great a loss to all interested in such matters, have shown +almost beyond question that Zimbabwe was once an inland Phœnician +city, or at the least a city whose inhabitants were of a race which +practised Phœnician customs and worshipped the Phœnician deities. +Beyond this all is conjecture. How it happened that a trading town, +protected by vast fortifications and adorned with temples dedicated to +the worship of the gods of the Sidonians--or rather trading towns, for +Zimbabwe is only one of a group of ruins--were built by civilised men +in the heart of Africa perhaps we shall never learn with certainty, +though the discovery of the burying-places of their inhabitants might +throw some light upon the problem. + +But if actual proof is lacking, it is scarcely to be doubted--for the +numerous old workings in Rhodesia tell their own tale--that it was the +presence of payable gold reefs worked by slave labour which tempted +the Phœnician merchants and chapmen, contrary to their custom, to +travel so far from the sea and establish themselves inland. Perhaps +the city Zimboe was the Ophir spoken of in the first Book of Kings. At +least, it is almost certain that its principal industries were the +smelting and the sale of gold, also it seems probable that expeditions +travelling by sea and land would have occupied quite three years of +time in reaching it from Jerusalem and returning thither laden with +the gold and precious stones, the ivory and the almug trees (1 Kings +x.). Journeying in Africa must have been slow in those days; that it +was also dangerous is testified by the ruins of the ancient forts +built to protect the route between the gold towns and the sea. + +However these things may be, there remains ample room for speculation +both as to the dim beginnings of the ancient city and its still dimmer +end, whereof we can guess only, when it became weakened by luxury and +the mixture of races, that hordes of invading savages stamped it out +of existence beneath their blood-stained feet, as, in after ages, they +stamped out the Empire of Monomotapa. In the following romantic sketch +the writer has ventured--no easy task--to suggest incidents such as +might have accompanied this first extinction of the Phœnician +Zimbabwe. The pursuit indeed is one in which he can only hope to fill +the place of a humble pioneer, since it is certain that in times to +come the dead fortress-temples of South Africa will occupy the pens of +many generations of the writers of romance who, as he hopes, may have +more ascertained facts to build upon than are available to-day. + + + + + +ELISSA + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE CARAVAN + +The sun, which shone upon a day that was gathered to the past some +three thousand years ago, was setting in full glory over the expanses +of south-eastern Africa--the Libya of the ancients. Its last burning +rays fell upon a cavalcade of weary men, who, together with long +strings of camels, asses and oxen, after much toil had struggled to +the crest of a line of stony hills, where they were halted to recover +breath. Before them lay a plain, clothed with sere yellow grass--for +the season was winter--and bounded by mountains of no great height, +upon whose slopes stood the city which they had travelled far to seek. +It was the ancient city of Zimboe, whereof the lonely ruins are known +to us moderns as Zimbabwe. + +At the sight of its flat-roofed houses of sun-dried brick, set upon +the side of the opposing hill, and dominated by a huge circular +building of dark stone, the caravan raised a great shout of joy. It +shouted in several tongues, in the tongues of Phœnicia, of Egypt, of +the Hebrews, of Arabia, and of the coasts of Africa, for all these +peoples were represented amongst its numbers. Well might the wanderers +cry out in their delight, seeing that at length, after eight months of +perilous travelling from the coast, they beheld the walls of their +city of rest, of the golden Ophir of the Bible. Their company had +started from the eastern port, numbering fifteen hundred men, besides +women and children, and of those not more than half were left alive. +Once a savage tribe had ambushed them, killing many. Once the +pestilential fever of the low lands had taken them so that they died +of it by scores. Twice also had they suffered heavily through hunger +and thirst, to say nothing of their losses by the fangs of lions, +crocodiles, and other wild beasts which with the country swarmed. Now +their toils were over; and for six months, or perhaps a year, they +might rest and trade in the Great City, enjoying its wealth, its +flesh-pots, and the unholy orgies which, among people of the Phœnician +race, were dignified by the name of the worship of the gods of heaven. + +Soon the clamour died away, and although no command was given, the +caravan started on at speed. All weariness faded from the faces of the +wayworn travellers, even the very camels and asses, shrunk, as most of +them were, to mere skeletons, seemed to understand that labour and +blows were done with, and forgetting their loads, shambled unurged +down the stony path. One man lingered, however. Clearly he was a +person of rank, for eight or ten attendants surrounded him. + +"Go," said he, "I wish to be alone, and will follow presently." So +they bowed to the earth, and went. + +The man was young, perhaps six or eight and twenty years of age. His +dark skin, burnt almost to blackness by the heat of the sun, together +with the fashion of his short, square-cut beard and of his garments, +proclaimed him of Jewish or Egyptian blood, while the gold collar +about his neck and the gold graven ring upon his hand showed that his +rank was high. Indeed this wanderer was none other than the prince +Aziel, nick-named the Ever-living, because of a curious mole upon his +shoulder bearing a resemblance to the /crux ansata/, the symbol of +life eternal among the Egyptians. By blood he was a grandson of +Solomon, the mighty king of Israel, and born of a royal mother, a +princess of Egypt. + +In stature Aziel was tall, but somewhat slimly made, having small +bones. His face was oval in shape, the features, especially the mouth, +being fine and sensitive; the eyes were large, dark, and full of +thought--the eyes of a man with a destiny. For the most part, indeed, +they were sombre and over-full of thought, but at times they could +light up with a strange fire. + +Aziel the prince placed his hand against his forehead in such fashion +as to shade his face from the rays of the setting sun, and from +beneath its shadow gazed long and earnestly at the city of the hill. + +"At length I behold thee, thanks be to God," he murmured, for he was a +worshipper of Jehovah, and not of his mother's deities, "and it is +time, since, to speak the truth, I am weary of this travelling. Now +what fortune shall I find within thy walls, O City of Gold and devil- +servers?" + +"Who can tell?" said a quiet voice at his elbow. "Perhaps, Prince, you +will find a wife, or a throne, or--a grave." + +Aziel started, and turned to see a man standing at his side, clothed +in robes that had been rich, but were now torn and stained with +travel, and wearing on his head a black cap in shape not unlike the +fez that is common in the East to-day. The man was past middle age, +having a grizzled beard, sharp, hard features and quick eyes, which +withal were not unkindly. He was a Phœnician merchant, much trusted by +Hiram, the King of Tyre, who had made him captain of the merchandise +of this expedition. + +"Ah! is it you, Metem?" said Aziel. "Why do you leave your charge to +return to me?" + +"That I may guard a more precious charge--yourself, Prince," replied +the merchant courteously. "Having brought the child of Israel so far +in safety, I desire to hand him safely to the governor of yonder city. +Your servants told me that by your command they had left you alone, so +I returned to bear you company, for after nightfall robbers and +savages wander without these walls." + +"I thank you for your care, Metem, though I think there is little +danger, and at the worst I can defend myself." + +"Do not thank me, Prince; I am a merchant, and now, as in the past, I +protect you, knowing that for it I shall be paid. The governor will +give me a rich reward when I lead you to him safely, and when in years +to come I return with you still safe to the court of Jerusalem, then +the great king will fill my ship's hold with gifts." + +"That depends, Metem," replied the prince. "If my grandfather still +reigns it may be so, but he is very old, and if my uncle wears his +crown, then I am not sure. Truly you Phœnicians love money. Would you, +then, sell me for gold also, Metem?" + +"I said not so, Prince, though even friendship has its price----" + +"Among your people, Metem?" + +"Among all people, Prince. You reproach us with loving money; well, we +do, since money gives everything for which men strive--honour, and +place, and comfort, and the friendship of kings." + +"It cannot give you love, Metem." + +The Phœnician laughed contemptuously. "Love! with gold I will buy as +much of it as I need. Are there no slaves upon the market, and no free +women who desire ornaments and ease and the purple of Tyre? You are +young, Prince, to say that gold cannot buy us love." + +"And you, Metem, who are growing old, do not understand what I mean by +love, nor will I stay to explain it to you, for were my words as wise +as Solomon's, still you would not understand. At the least your money +cannot bring you the blessing of Heaven, nor the welfare of your +spirit in the eternal life that is to come." + +"The welfare of my spirit, Prince? No, it cannot, since I do not +believe that I have a spirit. When I die, I die, and there is an end. +But the blessing of Heaven, ah! that can be bought, as I have proved +once and again, if not with gold, then otherwise. Did I not in bygone +years pass the first son of my manhood through the fire to Baal-Sidon? +Nay, shrink not from me; it cost me dear, but my fortune was at stake, +and better that the boy should die than that all of us should live on +in penury and bonds. Know you not, Prince, that the gods must have the +gifts of the best, gifts of blood and virtue, or they will curse us +and torment us?" + +"I do not know it, Metem, for such gods are no gods, but devils, +children of Beelzebub, who has no power over the righteous. Truly I +would have none of your two gods, Phœnician; upon earth the god of +gold, and in heaven the devil of slaughter." + +"Speak no ill of him, Prince," answered Metem solemnly, "for here you +are not in the courts of Jehovah, but in his land, and he may chance +to prove his power on you. For the rest, I had sooner follow after +gold than the folly of a drunken spirit which you name Love, seeing +that it works its votary less mischief. Say now, it was a woman and +her love that drove you hither to this wild land, was it not, Prince? +Well, be careful lest a woman and her love should keep you here." + +"The sun sets," said Aziel coldly; "let us go forward." + +With a bow and a murmured salute, for his quick courtier instinct told +him that he had spoken too freely, Metem took the bridle of the +prince's mule, holding the stirrup while he mounted. Then he turned to +seek his own, but the animal had wandered, and a full half hour went +by before it could be captured. + +By now the sun had set, and as there is little or no twilight in +Southern Africa it became difficult for the two travellers to find +their way down the rough hill path. Still they stumbled on, till +presently the long dead grass brushing against their knees told them +that they had lost the road, although they knew that they were riding +in the right direction, for the watch-fires burning on the city walls +were a guide to them. Soon, however, they lost sight of these fires, +the boughs of a grove of thickly-leaved trees hiding them from view, +and in trying to push their way through the wood Metem's mule stumbled +against a root and fell. + +"Now there is but one thing to be done," said the Phœnician, as he +dragged the animal from the ground, "and it is to stay here till the +moon rises, which should be within an hour. It would have been wiser, +Prince, if we had waited to discuss love and the gods till we were +safe within the walls of the city, for the end of it is that we have +fallen into the hands of king Darkness, and he is the father of many +evil things." + +"That is so, Metem," answered the prince, "and I am to blame. Let us +bide here in patience, since we must." + +So, holding their mules by the bridles, they sat down upon the ground +and waited in silence, for each of them was lost in his own thoughts. + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE GROVE OF BAALTIS + +At length, as the two men sat thus silently, for the place and its +gloom oppressed them, a sound broke upon the quiet of the night, that +beginning with a low wail such as might come from the lips of a +mourner, ended in a chant or song. The voice, which seemed close at +hand, was low, rich and passionate. At times it sank almost to a sob, +and at times, taking a higher note, it thrilled upon the air in tones +that would have been shrill were they not so sweet. + +"Who is it that sings?" said Aziel to Metem. + +"Be silent, I pray you," whispered the other in his ear; "we have +wandered into one of the sacred groves of Baaltis, which it is death +for men to enter save at the appointed festivals, and a priestess of +the grove chants her prayer to the goddess." + +"We did not come of our own will, so doubtless we shall be forgiven," +answered Aziel indifferently; "but that song moves me. Tell me the +words of it, which I can scarcely follow, for her accent is strange to +me." + +"Prince, they seem to be holy words to which I have little right to +hearken. The priestess sings an ancient hallowed chant of life and +death, and she prays that the goddess may touch her soul with the wing +of fire and make her great and give her vision of things that have +been and that shall be. More I dare not tell you now; indeed I can +barely hear, and the song is hard to understand. Crouch down, for the +moon rises, and pray that the mules may not stir. Presently she will +go, and we can fly the holy place." + +The Israelite obeyed and waited, searching the darkness with eager +eyes. + +Now the edge of the great moon appeared upon the horizon, and by +degrees her white rays of light revealed a strange scene to the +watchers. About an open space of ground, some eighty paces in +diameter, grew seven huge and ancient baobab trees, so ancient indeed +that they must have been planted by the primæval hand of nature rather +than by that of man. Aziel and his companion were hidden with their +mules behind the trunk of one of these trees, and looking round it +they perceived that the open space beyond the shadow of the branches +was not empty. In the centre of this space stood an altar, and by it +was placed the rude figure of a divinity carved in wood and painted. +On the head of this figure rose a crescent symbolical of the moon, and +round its neck hung a chain of wooden stars. It had four wings but no +hands, and of these wings two were out-spread and two clasped a +shapeless object to its breast, intended, apparently, to represent a +child. By these symbols Aziel knew that before him was an effigy +sacred to the goddess of the Phœnicians, who in different countries +passed by the various names of Astarte, or Ashtoreth, or Baaltis, and +who in their coarse worship was at once the personification of the +moon and the emblem of fertility. + +Standing before this rude fetish, between it and the altar, whereon +lay some flowers, and in such fashion that the moonlight struck full +upon her, was a white-robed woman. She was young and very beautiful +both in shape and feature, and though her black hair streaming almost +to the knees took from her height, she still seemed tall. Her rounded +arms were outstretched; her sweet and passionate face was upturned +towards the sky, and even at that distance the watchers could see her +deep eyes shining in the moonlight. The sacred song of the priestess +was finished. Now she was praying aloud, slowly, and in a clear voice, +so that Aziel could hear and understand her; praying from her very +heart, not to the idol before her, however, but to the moon above. + +"O Queen of Heaven," she said, "thou whose throne I see but whose face +I cannot see, hear the prayer of thy priestess, and protect me from +the fate I fear, and rid me of him I hate. Safe let me dwell and pure, +and as thou fillest the night with light, so fill the darkness of my +soul with the wisdom that I crave. O whisper into my ears and let me +hear the voice of heaven, teaching me that which I would know. Read me +the riddle of my life, and let me learn wherefore I am not as my +sisters are; why feasts and offerings delight me not; why I thirst for +knowledge and not for wealth, and why I crave such love as here I +cannot win. Satisfy my being with thy immortal lore and a love that +does not fail or die, and if thou wilt, then take my life in payment. +Speak to me from the heaven above, O Baaltis, or show me some sign +upon the earth beneath; fill up the vessel of my thirsty soul and +satisfy the hunger of my spirit. Oh! thou that art the goddess, thou +that hast the gift of power, give me, thy servant, of thy power, of +thy godhead, and of thy peace. Hear me, O Heaven-born, hear me, +Elissa, the daughter of Sakon, the dedicate of thee. Hear, hear, and +answer now in the secret holy hour, answer by voice, by wonder, or by +symbol." + +The woman paused as though exhausted with the passion of her prayer, +hiding her face in her hands, and as she stood thus silent and +expectant, the sign came, or at least that chanced which for a while +she believed to have been an answer to her invocation. Her face was +hidden, so she could not see, and fascinated by her beauty as it +appeared to them in that unhallowed spot, and by the depth and dignity +of her wild prayer, the two watchers had eyes for her alone. Therefore +it happened that not until his arm was about to drag her away, did +either of them perceive a huge man, black as ebony in colour, clad in +a cloak of leopard skins and carrying in his right hand a broad-bladed +spear who, following the shadow of the trees, had crept upon the +priestess from the farther side of the glade. + +With a guttural exclamation of triumph he gripped her in his left arm, +and, despite her struggles and her shrill cry for help, began half to +drag and half to carry her towards the deep shade of the baobab grove. +Instantly Aziel and Metem sprang up and rushed forward, drawing their +bronze swords as they ran. As it chanced, however, the Israelite +caught his foot in one of the numerous tree-roots, which stood above +the surface of the ground and fell heavily upon his face. In a few +seconds, twenty perhaps, he found his breath and feet again, to see +that Metem had come up with the black giant who, hearing his approach, +suddenly wheeled round to meet him, still holding the struggling +priestess in his grasp. Now the Phœnician was so close upon him that +the savage could find no time to shift the grip upon his spear, but +drove at him with the knobbed end of its handle, striking him full +upon the forehead and felling him as a butcher fells an ox. Then once +more he turned to fly with his captive, but before he had covered ten +yards the sound of Aziel's approaching footsteps caused him to wheel +round again. + +At sight of the Israelite advancing upon him with drawn sword, the +great barbarian freed himself from the burden of the girl by throwing +her heavily to the ground, where she lay, for the breath was shaken +out of her. Then snatching the cloak from his throat he wound it over +his left arm to serve as a shield, and with a savage yell, rushed +straight at Aziel, purposing to transfix him with the broad-headed +spear. + +Well was it for the prince that he had been trained in sword-play from +his youth, also, notwithstanding his slight build, that he was strong +and active as a leopard. To await the onslaught would be to die, for +the spear must pierce him before ever he could reach the attacker's +body with his short sword. Therefore, as the weapon flashed upward he +sprang aside, avoiding it, at the same time, with one swift sweep of +his sword, slashing its holder across the back as he passed him. + +With a howl of pain and rage the savage sprang round and charged him a +second time. Again Aziel leapt to one side, but now he struck with all +his force at the spear shaft which his assailant lifted to guard his +head. So strong was the blow and so sharp the heavy sword, that it +shore through the wood, severing the handle from the spear, which fell +to the ground. Casting away the useless shaft, the warrior drew a long +knife from his girdle, and before Aziel could strike again faced him +for the third time. But he no longer rushed onward like a bull, for he +had learnt caution; he stood still, holding the skin cloak before him +shield fashion, and peering at his adversary from over its edge. + +Now it was Aziel's turn to take the offensive, and slowly he circled +round the huge barbarian, watching his opportunity. At length it came. +In answer to a feint of his the protecting cloak was dropped a little, +enabling him to prick its bearer in the neck, but only with the point +of his sword. The thrust delivered, he leapt back, and not too soon, +for forgetting his caution in his fury, the savage charged straight at +him with a roar like that of a lion. So swift and terrible was his +onset that Aziel, having no time to spring aside, did the only thing +possible. Gripping the ground with his feet, he bent his body forward, +and with outstretched arm and sword, braced up his muscles to receive +the charge. Another instant, and the leopard skin cloak fluttered +before him. With a quick movement of his left arm he swept it aside; +then there came a sudden pressure upon his sword ending in a jarring +shock, a flash of steel above his head, and down he went to the ground +beneath the weight of the black giant. + +"Now there is an end," he thought; "Heaven receive my spirit." And his +senses left him. + +When they returned again, Aziel perceived dimly that a white-draped +figure bent over him, dragging at something black which crushed his +breast, who, as she dragged, sobbed in her grief and fear. Then he +remembered, and with an effort sat up, rolling from him the corpse of +his foe, for his sword had pierced the barbarian through breast and +heart and back. At this sight the woman ceased her sobbing, and said +in the Phœnician tongue:-- + +"Sir, do you indeed live? Then the protecting gods be thanked, and to +Baaltis the Mother I vow a gift of this hair of mine in gratitude." + +"Nay, lady," he answered faintly, for he was much shaken, "that would +be a pity; also, if any, it is my hair which should be vowed." + +"You bleed from the head," she broke in; "say, stranger, are you +deeply wounded." + +"I will tell you nothing of my head," he replied, with a smile, +"unless you promise that you will not offer up your hair." + +"So be it, stranger, since I must; I will give the goddess this gold +chain instead; it is of more worth." + +"You would do better, lady," said the shrill voice of Metem again, who +by now had found his wits again, "to give the gold chain to me whose +scalp has been broken in rescuing you from that black thief." + +"Sir," she answered, "I am grateful to you from my heart, but it is +this young lord who killed the man and saved me from slavery worse +than death, and he shall be rewarded by my father." + +"Listen to her," grumbled Metem. "Did I not rush in first in my folly +and receive what I deserved for my pains? But am I to have neither +thanks nor pay, who am but an old merchant; they are for the young +prince who came after. Well, so it ever was; the thanks I can spare, +and the reward I shall claim from the treasury of the goddess. + +"Now, Prince, let me see your hurt. Ah! a cut on the ear, no more, and +thank your natal star that it is so, for another inch and the great +vein of the neck would have been severed. Prince, if you are able, +draw out your sword from the carcase of that brute, for I have tried +and cannot loosen the blade. Then perhaps this lady will guide us to +the city before his fellows come to seek him, seeing that for one +night I have had a stomach full of fighting." + +"Sirs, I will indeed. It is close at hand, and my father will thank +you there; but if it is your pleasure, tell me by what names I shall +make known to him you whose rank seems to be so high?" + +"Lady, I am Metem the Phœnician, captain of the merchandise of the +caravan of Hiram, King of Tyre, and this lord who slew the thief is +none other than the prince Aziel, the twice royal, for he is grandson +to the glorious King of Israel, and through his mother of the blood of +the Pharaohs of Egypt." + +"And yet he risked his life to save me," the girl murmured astonished; +then dropping to her knees before Aziel, she touched the ground with +her forehead in obeisance, giving him thanks, and praising him after +the fashion of the East. + +"Rise, lady," he broke in, "because I chance to be a prince I have not +ceased to be a man, and no man could have seen you in such a plight +without striking a blow on your behalf." + +"No," added Metem, "none; that is, as you happen to be noble and young +and lovely. Had you been old and ugly and humble, then the black man +might have carried you from here to Tyre ere I risked my neck to stop +him, or for the matter of that, although he will deny it, the prince +either." + +"Men do not often show their hearts so clearly," she answered with +sarcasm. "But now, lords, I will guide you to the city before more +harm befalls us, for this dead man may have companions." + +"Our mules are here, lady; will you not ride mine?" asked Aziel. + +"I thank you, Prince, but my feet will carry me." + +"And so will mine," said Aziel, ceasing from a prolonged and fruitless +effort to loosen his sword from the breast-bone of the savage, "on +such paths they are safer than any beasts. Friend, will you lead my +mule with yours?" + +"Ay, Prince," grumbled Metem, "for so the world goes with the old; you +take the fair lady for company and I a she-ass. Well, of the two give +me the ass which is more safe and does not chatter." + +Then they started, Aziel leaving his short sword in the keeping of the +dead man. + +"How are you named, lady?" he said presently, adding "or rather I need +not ask; you are Elissa, the daughter of Sakon, Governor of Zimboe, +are you not?" + +"I am so called, though how you know it I cannot guess." + +"I heard you name yourself, lady, in the prayer you made before the +altar." + +"You heard my prayer, Prince?" she said starting. "Do you not know +that it is death to that man who hearkens to the prayer of a priestess +of Baaltis, uttered in her holy grove? Still, none know it save the +goddess, who sees all, therefore I beseech you for your own sake and +the sake of your companion, say nothing of it in the city, lest it +should come to the ears of the priests of El." + +"Certainly it would have been death to you had I /not/ chanced to hear +it, having lost my way in the darkness," answered the prince laughing. +"Well, since I did hear it I will add that it was a beautiful prayer, +revealing a heart high and pure, though I grieve that it should have +been offered to one whom I hold to be a demon." + +"I am honoured," she answered coldly; "but, Prince, you forget that +though you, being a Hebrew, worship Him they call Jehovah, or so I +have been told, I, being of the blood of the Sidonians, worship the +lady Baaltis, the Queen of Heaven the holy one of whom I am a +priestess." + +"So it is, alas!" he said, with a sigh, adding:-- + +"Well, let us not dispute of these matters, though, if you wish, the +prophet Issachar, the Levite who accompanies me, can explain the truth +of them to you." + +Elissa made no reply, and for a while they walked on in silence. + +"Who was that black robber whom I slew?" Aziel asked presently. + +"I am not sure, Prince," she answered, hesitating, "but savages such +as he haunt the outskirts of the city seeking to steal white women to +be their wives. Doubtless he watched my steps, following me into the +holy place." + +"Why, then, did you venture there alone, lady?" + +"Because, to be heard, such prayers as mine must be offered in +solitude in the consecrated grove, and at the hour of the rising of +the moon. Moreover, cannot Baaltis protect her priestess, Priest, and +did she not protect her?" + +"I thought, lady, that I had something to do with the matter," he +answered. + +"Ay, Prince, it was your hand that struck the blow which killed the +thief, but Baaltis, and no other, led you to the place to rescue me." + +"I understand, lady. To save you, Baaltis, laying aside her own power, +led a mortal man to the grove, which it is death that mortal man +should violate." + +"Who can fathom the way of the gods?" she replied with passion, then +added, as though reasoning with a new-born doubt, "Did not the goddess +hear my prayer and answer it?" + +"In truth, lady, I cannot say. Let me think. If I understood you +rightly, you prayed for heavenly wisdom, but whether or not you have +gained it within this last hour, I do not know. And then you prayed +for love, an immortal love. O, maiden, has it come to you since yonder +moon appeared upon the sky? And you prayed----" + +"Peace!" she broke in, "peace and mock me not, or, prince that you +are, I will publish your crime of spying upon the prayer of a +priestess of Baaltis. I tell you that I prayed for a symbol and a +sign, and the prayer was answered. + +"Did not the black giant spring upon me to bear me away to be his +slave--his, or another's? And is he not a symbol of the evil and the +ignorance which are on the earth and that seek to drag down the beauty +and the wisdom of the earth to their own level? Then the Phœnician ran +to rescue me and was defeated, since the spirit of Mammon cannot +overcome the black powers of ill. Next you came and fought hard and +long, till in the end you slew the mighty foe, you a Prince born of +the royal blood of the world----" and she ceased. + +"You have a pretty gift of parable, lady, as it should be with one who +interprets the oracles of a goddess. But you have not told me of what +I, your servant, am the symbol." + +She stopped in her walk and looked him full in the face. + +"I never heard," she said, "that either the Jews or the Egyptians, +being instructed, were blind to the reading of an allegory. But, +Prince, if you cannot read this one it is not for me, who am but a +woman, to set it out to you." + +Just then their glances met, and in the clear moonlight Aziel saw a +wave of doubt sweep over his companion's dark and beautiful eyes, and +a faint flush appear upon her brow. He saw, and something stirred at +his heart that till this hour he had never felt, something which even +now he knew it would trouble him greatly to escape. + +"Tell me, lady," he asked, his voice sinking almost to a whisper, "in +this fable of yours am I even for an hour deemed worthy to play the +part of that immortal love embodied which you sought so earnestly a +while ago?" + +"Immortal love, Prince," she answered, in a new voice, a voice low and +deep, "is not for one hour, but for all hours that are and are to be. +You, and you alone, can know if you would dare to play such a part as +this--even in a fable." + +"Perchance, lady, there lives a woman for whom it might be dared." + +"Prince, no such woman lives, since immortal love must deal, not with +the flesh, but with the spirit. If a spirit worthy to be thus loved +and worshipped now wanders in earthly shape upon the world, seeking +its counterpart and its completion, I cannot tell. Yet were it so, and +should they chance to meet, it might be happy for such brave spirits, +for then the answer to the great riddle would be theirs." + +Wondering what this riddle might be, Aziel bent towards her to reply, +when suddenly round a bend in the path but a few paces from them came +a body of soldiers and attendants, headed by a man clad in a white +robe and walking with a staff. This man was grey-headed and keen-eyed, +thin in face and ascetic in appearance, with a brow of power and a +bearing of dignity. At the sight of the pair he halted, looking at +them in question, and with disapproval. + +"Our search is ended," he said in Hebrew, "for here is he whom we +seek, and alone with him a heathen woman, robed like a priestess of +the Groves." + +"Whom do you seek, Issachar?" asked Aziel hurriedly, for the sudden +appearance of the Levite disturbed him. + +"Yourself, Prince. Surely you can guess that your absence has been +noted. We feared lest harm should have come to you, or that you had +lost your path, but it seems that you have found a guide," and he +stared at his companion sternly. + +"That guide, Issachar," answered Aziel, "being none other than the +lady Elissa, daughter of Sakon, governor of this city, and our host, +whom it has been my good fortune to rescue from a woman-stealer yonder +in the grove of the goddess Baaltis." + +"And whom it was my bad fortune to try to rescue in the said grove, as +my broken head bears witness," added Metem, who by now had come up, +dragging the two mules after him. + +"In the grove of the goddess Baaltis!" broke in the Levite with a +kindling eye, and striking the ground with his staff to emphasise his +words. "You, a Prince of Israel, alone in the high place of +abomination with the priestess of a fiend? Fie upon you, fie upon you! +Would you also walk in the sin of your forefathers, Aziel, and so +soon?" + +"Peace!" said Aziel in a voice of command; "I was not in the grove +alone or by my own will, and this is no time or place for insults and +wrangling." + +"Between me and those who seek after false gods, or the women who +worship them, there is no peace," replied the old priest fiercely. + +Then, followed by all the company, he turned and strode towards the +gates of the city. + + + +CHAPTER III + +ITHOBAL THE KING + +Two hours had gone by, and the prince Aziel, together with his +retinue, the officers of the caravan, and many other guests, were +seated at a great feast made in their honour, by Sakon, the governor +of the city. This feast was held in the large pillared hall of Sakon's +house, built beneath the northern wall of the temple fortress, and not +more than a few paces from its narrow entrance, through which in case +of alarm the inhabitants of the palace could fly for safety. All down +this chamber were placed tables, accommodating more than two hundred +feasters, but the principal guests were seated by themselves upon a +raised daïs at the head of the hall. Among them sat Sakon himself, a +middle-aged man stout in build, and thoughtful of face, his daughter +Elissa, some other noble ladies, and a score or more of the notables +of the city and its surrounding territories. + +One of these strangers immediately attracted the attention of Aziel, +who was seated in the place of honour at the right of Sakon, between +him and the lady Elissa. This man was of large stature, and about +forty years of age; the magnificence of his apparel and the great gold +chain set with rough diamonds which hung about his neck showing him to +be a person of importance. His tawny complexion marked him of mixed +race. This conclusion his features did not belie, for the brow, nose, +and cheek-bones were Semitic in outline, while the full, prominent +eyes, and thick, sensuous lips could with equal certainty be +attributed to the Negroid stock. In fact, he was the son of a native +African queen, or chieftainess, and a noble Phœnician, and his rank no +less than that of absolute king and hereditary chief of a vast and +undefined territory which lay around the trading cities of the white +men, whereof Zimboe was the head and largest. Aziel noticed that this +king, who was named Ithobal, seemed angry and ill at ease, whether +because he was not satisfied with the place which had been allotted to +him at the table, or for other reasons, he could not at the time +determine. + +When the meats had been removed, and the goblets were filled with +wine, men began to talk, till presently Sakon called for silence, and +rising, addressed Aziel:-- + +"Prince," he said, "in the name of this great and free city--for free +it is, though we acknowledge the king of Tyre as our suzerain--I give +you welcome within our gates. Here, far in the heart of Libya, we have +heard of the glorious and wise king, your grandfather, and of the +mighty Pharaoh of Egypt, whose blood runs also within your veins. +Prince, we are honoured in your coming, and for the asking, whatever +this land of gold can boast is yours. Long may you live; may the +favour of those gods you worship attend you, and in the pursuit of +wisdom, of wealth, of war, and of love, may the good grain of all be +garnered in your bosom, and the wind of prosperity winnow out the +chaff of them to fall beneath your feet. Prince, I have greeted you as +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 daïs. + +"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 them--the king Ithobal--who 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 hand--as you say--was 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 +thieves--a 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 +Phœnician 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. + +"Because--if you would know the truth--he 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 trade--not 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 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 Phœnician 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 dread--yes, all I have--except 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 all--a 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-mate--she 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 safe--a 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 foulness--whereof, 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 can--deny 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 fire--through 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 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 will--and 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 you--that 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 Phœnician 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 Phœnicians 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 stone--a +citadel deemed to be impregnable even should the temple fall into the +hands of an enemy--while 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 Phœnician +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 Phœnicia. 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 Phœnicians 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 +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 Phœnician 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 Phœnician; "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 Phœnician 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 not--I have never seen the equal of those +dreamy eyes and that mysterious smile--and 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 Phœnician, 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 Phœnician 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 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?" + +Now--for all this scene had been carefully prepared--a 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 Phœnician, 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, Phœnician," 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 inspired--of the gods--and 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 offered--the 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 +Phœnicians 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 had +learnt from the lips of man. More, she could not rid herself of the +remembrance of the scorn and loathing with which the Prince Aziel had +looked upon her, or of the bitter insult of his words when he called +her, "a girl of the groves, and a murderess of children." + +It chanced that, so far as Elissa was concerned, these charges were +utterly untrue. None could throw a slur upon her, and as for these +rare human sacrifices, she loathed the very name of them, nor, unless +forced to it, would she have been present had she guessed that any +such offering was intended. + +Like most of the ancient religions, that of the Phœnicians had two +sides to it--a spiritual and a material side. The spiritual side was a +worship of the far-off unknown divinity, symbolised by the sun, moon +and planets, and visible only in their majestic movements, and in the +forces of nature. To this Elissa clung, knowing no truer god, and from +those forces she strove to wring their secret, for her heart was deep. +Lonely invocations to the goddess beneath the light of the moon +appealed to her, for from them she seemed to draw strength and +comfort, but the outward ceremonies of her faith, or the more secret +and darker of them, of which in practice she knew little, were already +an abomination in her eyes. And now what if the Jew prophet spoke +truly? What if this creed of hers were a lie, root and branch, and +there did lie in the heavens above a Lord and Father who heard and +answered the prayers of men, and who did not seek of them the blood of +the children He had given? + +A great doubt took hold of Elissa and shook her being, and with the +doubt came hope. How was it--if her faith were true--that when she +took the name of the goddess in vain, nothing had befallen her? She +desired to learn more of this matter, but who was to teach her? The +Levite turned from her with loathing as from a thing unclean, and +there remained, therefore, but the prince Aziel, who had put her from +him with those bitter words of scorn. Ah! why did they pain her so, +piercing her heart as with a spear? Was it because--because--he had +grown dear to her? Yes, that was the truth. She had learned it even as +he cursed her; all her quick southern blood was alight with a new +fire, the like of which she had never known before. And not her blood +only, it was her spirit--her spirit that yearned to his. Had it not +leapt within her at the first sight of him as to one most dear, one +long-lost and found again? She loved him, and he loathed her, and oh! +her lot was hard. + +As Elissa lay brooding thus in her pain, the door opened and Sakon, +her father, hurried into the chamber. + +"What is it that chanced yonder?" he asked, for he had not been +present in the sanctuary, "and, daughter, why do you weep?" + +"I weep, father, because your guest, the prince Aziel, has called me +'a girl of the groves, and a murderess of children,'" she replied. + +"Then, by my head, prince that he is, he shall answer for it to me," +said Sakon, grasping at his sword-hilt. + +"Nay, father, since to him I must have seemed to deserve the words. +Listen." And she told him all that had passed, hiding nothing. + +"Now it seems that trouble is heaped upon trouble," said the Phœnician +when she had finished, "and they were mad who suffered the prince and +that fierce Issachar to be present at the sacrifice. Daughter, I tell +you this: though I am a worshipper of El and Baaltis, as my fathers +were before me, I know that Jehovah of the Jews is a great and +powerful Lord, and that His prophets do not prophesy falsely, for I +have seen it in my youth, yonder in the coasts of Sidon. What did +Issachar say? That before the moon was young again, this temple should +run red with blood? Well, so it may happen, for Ithobal threatens war +against us, and for your sake, my daughter." + +"How for my sake, father?" she asked heavily, as one who knew what the +answer would be. + +"You know well, girl. Ever since you danced before him at the great +welcoming feast I made in his honour a month ago the man is besotted +of you; moreover, he is mad with jealousy of this new-comer, the +prince Aziel. He has demanded public audience of me this afternoon, +and I have it privately that then he will formally ask you in marriage +before the people, and if he is refused will declare war upon the +city, with which he has many an ancient quarrel. Yes, yes, king +Ithobal is that sword of God which the Jew said he saw hanging over +us, and should it fall it will be because of you, Elissa." + +"The Jew did not say that, father; he said it would be because of the +sins of the people and their idolatries." + +"What does it matter what he said?" broke in Sakon hastily. "How shall +I answer Ithobal?" + +"Tell him," she replied with a strange smile, "that he does wisely to +be jealous of the prince Aziel." + +"What! Of the stranger who this very day reviled you in words of such +shame, and so soon?" asked her father astonished. + +Elissa did not speak in answer; she only looked straight before her, +and nodded her head. + +"Had ever man such a daughter?" Sakon went on in petulant dismay. +"Truly it is a wise saying which tells that women love those best who +beat them, be it with the tongue or with the fist. Not but what I +would gladly see you wedded to a prince of Israel and of Egypt rather +than of this half-bred barbarian, but the legions of Solomon and of +Pharaoh are far away, whereas Ithobal has a hundred thousand spears +almost at our gate." + +"There is no need to speak of such things, father," she said, turning +aside, "since, even were I willing, the prince would have nought to do +with me, who am a priestess of Baaltis." + +"The matter of religion might be overcome," suggested Sakon; "but, no, +for many reasons it is impossible. Well, this being so, daughter, I +may answer Ithobal that you will wed him." + +"I!" she said; "I wed that black-hearted savage? My father, you may +answer what you will, but of this be sure, that I will go to my grave +before I pass as wife to the board of Ithobal." + +"Oh! my daughter," pleaded Sakon, "think before you say it. As his +wife at least you, who are not of royal blood, will be a queen, and +the mother of kings. But if you refuse, then either I must force you, +which is hateful to me, or there will be such a war as the city has +not known for generations, for Ithobal and his tribes have many +grievances against us. By the gift of yourself, for a while, at any +rate, you can, as it chances, make peace between us, but if that is +withheld, then blood will run in rivers, and perhaps this city, with +all who live in it, will be destroyed, or at the least its trade must +be ruined and its wealth stolen away." + +"If it is decreed that all these things are to be, they will be," +answered Elissa calmly, "seeing that this war has threatened us for +many years, and that a woman must think of herself first, and of the +fate of cities afterwards. Of my own free will I shall never take +Ithobal for husband. Father, I have said." + +"Of the fate of cities, yes; but how of my fate, and that of those we +love? Are we all to be ruined, and perhaps slaughtered, to satisfy +your whim, girl?" + +"I did not say so, father. I said that of my own free will I would not +wed Ithobal. If you choose to give me to him you have the right to do +it, but know then that you give me to my death. Perhaps it is best +that it should be thus." + +Sakon knew his daughter well, and it did not need that he should +glance at her face to learn that she meant her words. Also he loved +her, his only child, more dearly than anything on earth. + +"In truth my strait is hard, and I know not which way to turn," he +said, covering his face with his hand. + +"Father," she replied, laying her fingers lightly on his shoulder, +"what need is there to answer him at once? Take a month, or if he will +not give it, a week. Much may happen in that time." + +"The counsel is wise," he said, catching at this straw. "Daughter, be +in the great hall of audience with your attendants three hours after +noon, for then we must receive Ithobal boldly in all pomp, and deal +with him as best we may. And now I go to ask peace for the Levite from +the priests of El, and to discover whom the sacred colleges desire to +nominate as the new Baaltis. Doubtless it will be Mesa, the daughter +of her who is dead, though many are against her. Oh! if there were no +priests and no women, this city would be easier to govern," and with +an impatient gesture Sakon left the room. + +**** + +It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and the great hall of audience +in Zimboe was crowded with a brilliant assemblage. There sat Sakon, +the governor, and with him his council of the notables of the city; +there were prince Aziel and among his retinue, Issachar the prophet, +fierce-eyed as ever, though hardly recovered from the rough handling +he had experienced in the temple. There were representatives of the +college of the priests of El. There were many ladies, wives and +daughters of dignitaries and wealthy citizens, and with them a great +crowd of spectators of all classes gathered in the lower part of the +hall, for a rumour had spread about that the farewell audience given +by Sakon to King Ithobal was likely to be stormy. + +When all were gathered, a herald announced that Ithobal, King of the +Tribes, waited to take his leave of Sakon, Governor of Zimboe, before +departing to his own land on the morrow. + +"Let him be admitted," said Sakon, who looked weary and ill at ease. +Then as the herald bowed and left, he turned and whispered something +into the ear of his daughter Elissa, who stood behind his chair, her +face immovable as that of an Egyptian Sphinx, but magnificently +apparelled in gleaming robes and jewelled ornaments--which Metem, +looking on them, reflected with satisfaction were now his property. + +Presently, preceded by a burst of savage music, Ithobal entered. He +was gorgeously arrayed in a purple Tyrian robe decked with golden +chains, while on the brow, in token of his royalty, he wore a golden +circlet in which was set a single blood-red stone. Before him walked a +sword-bearer carrying a sword of ceremony, a magnificent ivory-handled +weapon encrusted with rough gems and inlaid with gold, while behind +him, clad in barbaric pomp, marched a number of counsellors and +attendants, huge and half-savage men who glared wonderingly at the +splendour of the place and its occupants. As the king came, Sakon rose +from his chair of state and, advancing down the hall, took him by the +hand and led him to a similar chair placed at a little distance. + +Ithobal seated himself and looked around the hall. Presently his +glance fell upon Aziel, and he scowled. + +"Is it common, Sakon," he asked, "that the seat of a prince should be +set higher than that of a crowned king?" And he pointed to the chair +of Aziel, which was placed a little above his own upon the daïs. + +The governor was about to answer when Aziel said coldly:-- + +"Where it was pointed out to me that I should sit, there I sat, +though, for aught I care, the king Ithobal may take my place. The +grandson of Pharaoh and of Solomon does not need to dispute for +precedence with the savage ruler of savage tribes." + +Ithobal sprang to his feet and cried, grasping his sword:-- + +"By my father's soul, you shall answer for this, Princelet." + +"You should have sworn by your mother's soul, King Ithobal," replied +Aziel quietly, "for doubtless it is the black blood in your veins that +causes you to forget your courtesy. For the rest, I answer to no man +save to my king." + +"Yet there is one other who will make you answer," replied Ithobal, in +a voice thick with rage, "and here he is," and he drew his sword and +flashed it before the prince's eyes. "Or if you fear to face him, then +the wands of my slaves shall cause you to cry me pardon." + +"If you desire to challenge me to combat, king Ithobal, for this +purpose only I am your servant, though the fashion of your challenging +is not that of any nation which I know." + +Before Ithobal could reply, Sakon cried out in a loud voice:-- + +"Enough, enough! Is this a place for brawling, king Ithobal, and would +you seek to fix a quarrel upon my guest, the prince Aziel, here in my +council chamber, and to bring upon me the wrath of Israel, of Tyre, +and of Egypt? Be sure that the prince shall cross no swords with you; +no, not if I have to set him under guard to keep him safe. To your +business, king Ithobal, or I break up this assembly and send you under +escort to our gates." + +Now his counsellors plucked Ithobal by the sleeve and whispered to him +some advice, which at last he seemed to take with an ill grace, for, +turning, he said, "So be it. This is my business, Sakon: For many +years I and the countless tribes whom I rule have suffered much at the +hands of you Phœnicians, who centuries ago settled here in my country +as traders. That you should trade we are content, but not that you +should establish yourselves as a sovereign power, pretending to be my +equals who are my servants. Therefore, in the name of my nation, I +demand that the tribute which you pay to me for the use of the mines +of gold shall henceforth be doubled; that the defences of this city be +thrown down; and that you cease to enslave the natives of the land to +labour in your service. I have spoken." + +Now as these arrogant demands reached their ears, the company +assembled in the hall murmured with anger and astonishment, then +turned to wait for Sakon's answer. + +"And if we refuse these small requests of yours, O King?" asked the +governor sarcastically, "what then? Will you make war upon us?" + +"First tell me, Sakon, if you do refuse them?" + +"In the name of the cities of Tyre and Sidon whom I serve, and of +Hiram my master, I refuse them one and all," answered Sakon with +dignity. + +"Then, Sakon, I am minded to bring up a hundred thousand men against +you and to sweep you and your city from the face of earth," said +Ithobal. "Yet I remember that I also have Phœnician blood in my veins +mixed with the nobler and more ancient blood at which yonder upstart +jeers, and therefore I would spare you. I remember also that for +generations there has been peace and amity between my forefathers and +the Council of this city, and therefore I would spare you. Behold, +then, I build a bridge whereby you may escape, asking but one little +thing of you in proof that you are indeed my friend, and it is that +you give me your daughter, the lady Elissa, whom I seek to make my +queen. Think well before you answer, remembering that upon this answer +may hang the lives of all who listen to you, ay, and of many thousand +others." + +For a while there was silence in the assemblage, and every eye was +fixed upon Elissa, who stood neither moving nor speaking, her face +still set like that of a Sphinx, and almost as unreadable. Aziel gazed +at her with the rest, and his eyes she felt alone of all the hundreds +that were bent upon her. Indeed, so strongly did they draw her, that +against her own will she turned her head and met them. Then +remembering what had passed between herself and the prince that very +day, she coloured faintly and looked down, neither the glance nor the +blush escaping the watchful Ithobal. + +Presently Sakon spoke:-- + +"King Ithobal," he said, "I am honoured indeed that you should seek my +daughter as your queen, but she is my only child, whom I love, and I +have sworn to her that I will not force her to marry against her will, +whoever be the suitor. Therefore, King, take your answer from her own +lips, for whatever it be it is my answer." + +"Lady," said Ithobal, "you have heard your father's words; be pleased +to say that you look with favour upon my suit, and that you will deign +to share my throne and power." + +Elissa took a step forward on the daïs and curtseyed low before the +king. + +"O King!" she said, "I am your handmaid, and great indeed is the +favour that you would do your servant. Yet, King, I Pray of you search +out some fairer woman of a more royal rank to share your crown and +sceptre, for I am all unworthy of them, and to those words on this +matter which I have spoken in past days I have none to add." Then +again she curtseyed, adding, "King, I am your servant." + +Now a murmur of astonishment went up from the audience, for few of +them thought it possible that Elissa, who, however beautiful, was but +the daughter of a noble, could refuse to become the wife of a king. +Ithobal alone did not seem to be astonished, for he had expected this +answer. + +"Lady," he said, repressing with an effort the passions which were +surging within him, "I think that I have something to offer to the +woman of my choice, and yet you put me aside as lightly as though I +had neither name, nor power, nor station. This, as it seems to me, can +be read in one way only, that your heart is given elsewhere." + +"Have it as you will, King," answered Elissa, "my heart is given +elsewhere." + +"And yet, lady, not four suns gone you swore to me that you loved no +man. Since then it seems that you have learned to love, and swiftly, +and it is yonder Jew whom you have chosen." And he pointed to the +prince Aziel. + +Again Elissa coloured, this time to the eyes, but she showed no other +sign of confusion. + +"May the king pardon me," she said, "and may the prince Aziel, whose +name has thus been coupled with mine, pardon me. I said indeed that my +heart was given elsewhere, but I did not say it was given to any man. +May not the heart of a mortal maid-priestess be given to the Ever- +living?" + +Now for a moment the king was silenced, while a murmur of applause at +her ready wit went round the audience. But before it died away a voice +at the far end of the hall called out:-- + +"Perchance the lady does not know that yonder in Egypt, and in +Jerusalem also, prince Aziel is named the Ever-living." + +Now it was Elissa's turn to be overcome. + +"Nay, I knew it not," she said; "how should I know it? I spoke of that +Dweller in the heavens whom I worship----" + +"And behold, the title fits a dweller on the earth whom you must also +worship, for such omens do not come by chance," cried the same voice, +but from another quarter of the crowded hall. + +"I ask pardon," broke in Aziel, "and leave to speak. It is true that +owing to a certain birth-mark which I bear, among the Egyptians I have +been given the bye-name of the Ever-living, but it is one which this +lady can scarcely have heard, therefore jest no more upon a chance +accident of words. Moreover, if you be men, cease to heap insult upon +a woman. I who am almost a stranger here have not dared to ask the +lady Elissa for her favour." + +"Ay, but you will ask and she will grant," answered the same voice, +the owner of which none could discover--for he seemed to speak from +every part of the chamber. + +"Indeed," went on Aziel, not heeding the interruption, "the last words +between us were words of anger, for we quarrelled on a matter of +religion." + +"What of that?" cried the voice; "love is the highest of religions, +for do not the Phœnicians worship it?" + +"Seize yonder knave," shouted Sakon, and search was made but without +avail. Afterwards, however, Aziel remembered that once, when they were +weather-bound on their journey from the coast, Metem had amused them +by making his voice sound from various quarters of the hut in which +they lay. Then Ithobal rose and said:-- + +"Enough of this folly; I am not here to juggle with words, or to +listen to such play. Whether the lady Elissa spoke of the gods she +serves or of a man is one to me. I care not of whom she spoke, but for +her words I do care. Now hearken, you city of traders: If this is to +be thy answer, then I break down that bridge which I have built, and +it is war between you and my Tribes, war to the end. But let her +change her words, and whether she loves me or loves me not, come to be +my wife, and, for my day, the bridge shall stand; for once that we are +wed I can surely teach her love, or if I cannot, at least it is she I +seek with or without her love. Reflect then, lady, and reply again, +remembering how much hangs upon your lips." + +"Do you think, king Ithobal," Elissa answered, looking at him with +angry eyes, "that a woman such as I am can be won by threats? I have +spoken, king Ithobal." + +"I know not," he replied; "but I do know that she can be won by force, +and then surely, lady, your pride shall pay the price, for you shall +be mine, but not my queen." + +Now one of the council rose and said:-- + +"It seems, Sakon, that there is more in this matter than whether or no +the king Ithobal pleases your daughter. Is the city then to be plunged +into a great war, of which none can see the end, because one woman +looks askance upon a man? Better that a thousand girls should be +wedded where they would not than that such a thing should happen. +Sakon, according to our ancient law you have the right to give your +daughter in marriage where and when you will. We demand, therefore, +that for the good of the commonwealth, you should exercise this right, +and hand over the lady Elissa to king Ithobal." + +This speech was received with loud and general shouts of approval, for +no Phœnician audience would have been willing to sacrifice its +interests for a thing so trivial as the happiness of a woman. + +"Between the desire of a beloved daughter to whom I have pledged my +word and my duty to the great city over which I rule, my strait is +hard indeed," answered Sakon. "Hearken, king Ithobal, I must have +time. Give me eight days from now in which to answer you, for if you +will not, I deny your suit." + +Ithobal seemed about to refuse the demand of Sakon. Then once more his +counsellors plucked him by the sleeve, pointing out to him that if he +did this, it was likely that none of them would leave the city alive. +At some sign from the governor, they whispered, the captains of the +guard were already hastening from the hall. + +"So be it, Sakon," he said. "To-night I camp without your walls, which +are no longer safe for one who has threatened war against them, and on +the eighth day from this see to it that your heralds being me the Lady +Elissa and peace--or I make good my threat. Till then, farewell." And +placing himself in the midst of his company king Ithobal left the +hall. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE BLACK DWARF + +Some two hours had passed since the break-up of the assembly in the +great hall. Prince Aziel was seated in his chamber, when the keeper of +the door announced that a woman was without who desired to speak with +him. He gave orders that she should be admitted, and presently a +veiled figure entered the room and bowed before him. + +"Be pleased to unveil, and to tell me your business," he said. + +With some reluctance his visitor withdrew the wrapping from her head, +revealing a face which Aziel recognised as one that he had seen among +the waiting women who attended on Elissa. + +"My message is for your ear, Prince," she said, glancing at the man +who had ushered her into the chamber. + +"It is not my custom to receive strangers thus alone," said the +prince; "but be it as you will," and he motioned to the servant to +retire without the door. "I await your pleasure," he added, when the +man had gone. + +"It is here," she answered, and drew from her bosom a little papyrus +roll. + +"Who wrote this?" he asked. + +"I know not, Prince; it was given to me to pass on to you." + +Then he opened the roll and read. It ran thus: "Though we parted with +bitter words, still in my sore distress I crave the comfort of your +counsel. Therefore, since I am forbidden to speak with you openly, +meet me, I beseech you, at moonrise in the palace garden under the +shade of the great fig tree with five roots, where I shall be +accompanied only by one I trust. Bring no man with you for my safety's +sake.--Elissa." + +Aziel thrust the scroll into his robe, and thought awhile. Then he +gave the waiting lady a piece of gold and said:-- + +"Tell her who sent you that I obey her words. Farewell." + +This message seemed to puzzle the woman, who opened her lips to speak. +Then, changing her mind, she turned and went. + +Scarcely had she gone when the Phœnician, Metem, was ushered into the +room. + +"O Prince," he said maliciously, "pardon me if I caution you. Yet in +truth if veiled ladies flit thus through your apartments in the light +of day, it will reach the ears of the holy but violent Issachar, of +whose doings I come to speak. Then, Prince, I tremble for you." + +Aziel made a movement half-impatient and half-contemptuous. "The woman +is a serving-maid," he said, "who brought me a message that I +understand but little. Tell me, Metem, for you know this place of old, +does there stand in the palace garden a great fig tree with five +roots?" + +"Yes, Prince; at least such a tree used to grow there when last I +visited this country. It was one of the wonders of the town, because +of its size. What of it?" + +"Little, except that I must be under it at moonrise. See and read, +since whatever you may say of yourself, you are, I think, no traitor." + +"Not if I am well paid to keep counsel, Prince," Metem answered with a +smile. Then he read the scroll. + +"I am glad that the noble lady brings an attendant with her," he said +as he returned it, with a bow. "The gossips of Zimboe are censorious, +and might misinterpret this moonlight meeting, as indeed would Sakon +and Issachar. Well, doves will coo and maids will woo, and unless I +can make money out of it the affair is none of mine." + +"Have I not told you that there is no question of wooing?" asked the +prince angrily. "I go only to give her what counsel I can in the +matter of the suit of this savage, Ithobal. The lady Elissa and I have +quarrelled beyond repair over that accursed sacrifice----" + +"Which her ready wit prevented," put in Metem. + +"But I promised last night that I would help her if I could," the +prince went on, "and I always keep my word." + +"I understand, Prince. Well, since you turn from the lady, whose name +with yours is so much in men's mouths just now, doubtless you will +give her wise counsel, namely, to wed Ithobal, and lift the shadow of +war from this city. Then, indeed, we shall all be grateful to you, for +it seems that no one else can move her stubbornness. And, by the way: +If, when she has listened to your wisdom, the daughter of Sakon should +chance to explain to you that the sight of this day's attempted +sacrifice filled her with horror, and that she parted with every jewel +she owns to put an end to it--well, her words will be true. But, since +you have quarrelled, they will have no more interest for you, Prince, +than has my talk about them. So now to other matters." And Metem began +to speak of the conduct of Issachar in the sanctuary, and of the +necessity of guarding him against assassination at the hands of the +priests of El as a consequence of his religious zeal. Presently he was +gone, leaving Aziel somewhat bewildered. + +Could it be true, as she herself had told him, and as Metem now +asserted, that Elissa had not participated willingly in the dark rites +in the temple? If so he had misjudged her and been unjust; indeed, +what atonement could suffice for such words as he had used towards +her? Well, to some extent she must have understood and forgiven them, +otherwise she would scarcely have sought his aid, though he knew not +how he could help her in her distress. + +***** + +When Elissa returned from the assembly, she laid herself down to rest, +worn out in mind and body. Soon sleep came to her, and with the sleep +dreams. At first these were vague and shadowy, then they grew more +clear. She dreamed that she saw a dim and moonlit garden, and in it a +vast tree with twisted roots that seemed familiar to her. Something +moving among the branches of this tree attracted her attention, but +for a long while she watched it without being able to discover what it +was. Now she saw. The moving thing was a hideous black dwarf with +beady eyes, who held in his hand a little ivory tipped bow, on the +string of which was set an arrow. Her consciousness concentrated +itself upon this arrow, and though she knew not how, she became aware +that it was poisoned. What was the dwarf doing in the tree with a bow +and poisoned arrow, she wondered? Suddenly a sound seemed to strike +her ear, the sound of a man's footsteps walking over grass, and she +perceived that the figure of the dwarf, crouched upon the bough, +became tense and alert, and that his fingers tightened upon the bow- +string until the blood was driven from their yellow tips. Following +the glance of his wicked black eyes, she saw advancing through the +shadow a tall man clad in a dark robe. Now he emerged into a patch of +moonlight and stood looking around him as though he were searching for +some one. Then the dwarf raised himself to his knees upon the bough, +and, aiming at the bare throat of the man, drew the bow-string to his +ear. At this moment the victim turned his head and the moonlight shone +full upon his face. It was that of the prince Aziel. + +***** + +Elissa awoke from her vision with a little cry, then rose trembling, +and strove to comfort herself in the thought that although it was so +very vivid she had dreamed but a dream. Still shaken and unnerved, she +passed into another chamber, and made pretence to eat of the meal that +was made ready for her, for it was now the hour of sunset. While she +was thus employed, it was announced that the Phœnician, Metem, desired +to speak with her, and she commanded that he should be admitted. + +"Lady," he said bowing, so soon as her attendants had withdrawn to the +farther end of the chamber, "you can guess my errand. This morning I +gave you certain tidings which proved both true and useful, and for +those tidings you promised a reward." + +"It is so," she said, and going to a chest she drew from it an ivory +casket full of ornaments of gold and among them necklaces and other +objects set with uncut precious stones. "Take them," she said, "they +are yours; that is, save this gold chain alone, for it is vowed to +Baaltis." + +"But lady," he asked, "how can you appear before Ithobal the king thus +robbed of all your ornaments?" + +"I shall not appear before Ithobal the king," she answered sharply. + +"You say so! Then what will the prince Aziel think of you when he sees +you thus unadorned?" + +"My beauty is my adornment," she replied, "not these gems and gold. +Moreover, it is nought to me what he thinks, for he hates me, and has +reviled me." + +Metem lifted his eyebrows incredulously and went on: "Still, I will +not deprive you of this woman's gear. Look now, I value it, and at no +high figure," and drawing out his writer's palette and a slip of +papyrus, he wrote upon it an acknowledgment of debt, which he asked +her to sign. + +"This document, lady," he said, "I will present to your father--or +your husband--at a convenient season, nor do I fear that either of +them will refuse to honour it. And now I take my leave, for you--have +an appointment to keep--and," he added with emphasis, "the time of +moonrise is at hand." + +"Your meaning, I pray you?" she asked. "I have no appointment at +moonrise, or at any other hour." + +Metem bowed politely, but in a fashion which showed that he put no +faith in her words. + +"Again I ask your meaning, merchant," she said, "for your dark +hintings are scarcely to be borne." + +The Phœnician looked at her; there was a ring of truth in her voice. + +"Lady," he said, "will you indeed deny, after I have seen it written +by yourself, that within some few minutes you meet the prince Aziel +beneath a great tree in the palace gardens, there--so said the scroll +--to ask his aid in this matter of the suit of Ithobal?" + +"Written by myself?" she said wonderingly. "Meet the prince Aziel +beneath a tree in the palace gardens? Never have I thought of it." + +"Yet, lady, the scroll I saw purported to be written by you, and your +own woman bore it to the prince. As I think, she sits yonder at the +end of the chamber, for I know her shape." + +"Come hither," called Elissa, addressing the woman. "Now tell me, what +scroll was this that you carried to-day to the prince Aziel, saying +that I sent you?" + +"Lady," answered the girl confusedly, "I never told the prince Aziel +that you sent him the scroll." + +"The truth, woman, the truth," said her mistress. "Lie not, or it will +be the worse for you." + +"Lady, this is the truth. As I was walking through the market-place an +old black woman met me, and offered me a piece of gold if I would +deliver a letter into the hand of the prince Aziel. The gold tempted +me, for I had need of it, and I consented; but of who wrote the letter +I know nothing, nor have I ever seen the woman before." + +"You have done wrong, girl," said Elissa, "but I believe your tale. +Now go." + +When she had gone, Elissa stood for a while thinking; and, as she +thought, Metem saw a look of fear gather on her face. + +"Say," she asked him, "is there anything strange about the tree of +which the scroll tells?" + +"Its size is strange," he answered, "and it has five roots that stand +above the ground." + +As he spoke Elissa uttered a little cry. + +"Ah!" she said, "it is the tree of my dream. Now--now I understand. +Swift, oh! come with me swiftly, for see, the moon rises," and she +sprang to the door followed by the amazed Metem. + +Another minute, and they were speeding down the narrow street so fast +that those who loitered there turned their heads and laughed, for they +thought that a jealous husband pursued his wife. As Elissa fumbled at +the hasp of the door of the garden, Metem overtook her. + +"What means this hunt?" he gasped. + +"That they have decoyed the prince here to murder him," she answered, +and sped through the gateway. + +"Therefore we must be murdered also. A woman's logic," the Phœnician +reflected to himself as he panted after her. + +Swiftly as Elissa had run down the street, here she redoubled her +speed, flitting through the glades like some white spirit, and so +rapidly that her companion found it difficult to keep her in view. At +length they came to a large open space of ground where played the +level beams of the rising moon, striking upon the dense green foliage +of an immense tree that grew there. Round this tree Elissa ran, +glancing about her wildly, so that for a few seconds Metem lost sight +of her, for its mass was between them. When he saw her again she was +speeding towards the figure of a man who stood in the open, about ten +paces from the outer boughs of the tree. To this she pointed as she +came, crying out aloud, "Beware! Beware!" + +Another moment and she had almost reached the man, and still pointing +began to gasp some broken words. Then, suddenly in the bright +moonlight, Metem saw a shining point of light flash towards the pair +from the darkness of the tree. It would seem that Elissa saw it also; +at least, she leapt from the ground, her arm lifted above her head as +though to catch the object. Then as her feet once more touched the +earth her knees gave way, and she fell down with a moan of pain. Metem +running on towards her, as he went perceived a shape, which looked +like that of a black dwarf, slip from the shadow of the tree into some +bushes beyond where it was lost. Now he was there, to find Elissa +half-seated, half-lying on the ground, the prince Aziel bending over +her, and fixed through the palm of her right hand, which she held up +piteously, a little ivory-pointed arrow. + +"Draw it out from the wound," he panted. + +"It will not help me," she answered; "the arrow is poisoned." + +With an exclamation, Metem knelt beside her, and, not heeding her +groans of pain, drew the dart through the pierced palm. Then he tore a +strip of linen from his robe, and knotting it round Elissa's wrist, he +took a broken stick that lay near and twisted the linen till it almost +cut into her flesh. + +"Now, Prince," he said, "suck the wound, for I have no breath for it. +Fear not, lady, I know an antidote for this arrow poison, and +presently I will be back with the salve. Till then, if you would live, +do not suffer that bandage to be loosed, however much it pains you," +and he departed swiftly. + +Aziel put his lips to the hurt to draw out the poison. + +"Nay," she said faintly, trying to pull away her hand, "it is not +fitting, the venom may kill you." + +"It seems that it was meant for me," he answered, "so at the worst I +do take but my own." + +Presently, directing Elissa to hold her hand above her head, he put +his arms about her and carried her a hundred paces or more into the +open glade. + +"Why do you move me?" she asked, her head resting on his shoulder. + +"Because whoever it was that shot the arrow may return to try his +fortune a second time, and here in the open his darts cannot reach +us." Then he set her down upon the grass and stood looking at her. + +"Listen, prince Aziel," Elissa said after a while, "the venom with +which these black men soak their weapons is very strong, and unless +Metem's salve be good, it may well chance that I shall die. Therefore +before I die I wish to say a word to you. What brought you to this +place to-night?" + +"A letter from yourself, lady." + +"I know it," she said, "but I did not write that letter; it was a +snare, set, as I think, by the king Ithobal, who would do you to death +in this way or in that. A messenger of his bribed my waiting-maid to +deliver it, and afterwards I learnt the tale from Metem. Then, +guessing all, I came hither to try to save you." + +"But how could you guess all, lady?" + +"In a strange fashion, Prince." And in a few words she told him her +dream. + +"This is marvellous indeed, that you should be warned of my danger by +visions," he said wondering, and half-doubtingly. + +"So marvellous, Prince, that you do not believe me," Elissa answered. +"I know well what you think. You think that a woman to whom this very +morning you spoke such words as women cannot well forgive, being +revengeful laid a plot to murder you, and then, being a woman, changed +her mind. Well, it is not so; Metem can prove it to you!" + +"Lady, I believe you," he said, "without needing the testimony of +Metem. But now the story grows still more strange, for if you had done +me no wrong, how comes it that to preserve me from harm you set your +tender flesh between the arrow and one who had reviled you?" + +"It was by chance," she answered faintly. "I learnt the truth and ran +to warn you. Then I saw the arrow fly towards your heart, and strove +to grasp it, and it pierced me. It was by chance, by such a chance as +made me dream your danger." And she fainted. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +AZIEL PLIGHTS HIS TROTH + +At first Aziel feared that the poison had done its work, and that +Elissa was dead, till placing his hand upon her heart he felt it +beating faintly, and knew that she did but swoon. To leave her to seek +water or assistance was impossible, since he dared not loose his hold +of the bandage about her wrist. So, patiently as he might, he knelt at +her side awaiting the return of Metem. + +How beautiful her pale face seemed there in the moonlight, set in its +frame of dusky hair. And how strange was this tale of hers, of a dream +that she had dreamed, a dream which, to save his own, led her to offer +her life to the murderer's arrow. Many would not believe it, but he +felt that it was true; he felt that even if she wished it she could +not lie to him, for as he had known since first they met, their souls +were open to each other. Yes, having thus been warned of his danger, +she had offered her life for him--for him who that morning had called +her, unjustly so Metem said, "a girl of the groves and a murderess." +How came it that she had done this, unless indeed she loved him as--he +loved her? + +Aziel could no longer palter with himself, it was the truth. Last +night when Issachar accused him, he had felt this, although then he +would not admit it altogether, and now to-night he knew that his fate +had found him. They would say that, after the common fashion of men, +he had been conquered by a lovely face and form and a brave deed of +devotion. But it was not so. Something beyond the flesh and its works +and attributes drew him towards this woman, something that he could +neither understand nor define (unless, indeed, the vision of Issachar +defined it), but of which he had been conscious since first he set +eyes upon her face. It was possible, it was even probable, that before +another hour had gone by she would have passed beyond his reach, into +the deeps of death, whither for a while he could not follow her. Yet +he knew that the knowledge that she never could be his would not +affect the love of her which burnt in him, for his desire towards her +was not altogether a desire of the earth. + +Aziel bent down over the swooning girl, looking into her pale face, +till her lips almost touched his own, and his breath beating on her +brow seemed to give her life again. Now she stirred, and now she +opened her eyes and gazed back at him a while, deeply and with +meaning, even as he gazed at her. + +He spoke no word, for his lips seemed to be smitten with silence, but +his heart said, "I love you, I love you," and her heart heard it, for +she whispered back:-- + +"Bethink you who and what I am." + +"It matters not, for we are one," he replied. + +"Bethink you," she said again, "that soon I may be dead and lost to +you." + +"It cannot be, for we are one," he replied. "One we have been, one we +are to-day, and one we shall be through all the length of life and +death." + +"Prince," she said again, "once more and for the last time I say: +Bethink you well, for it comes upon me that your words are true, and +that if I take that which to-night you offer, it will be for ever and +for aye." + +"For ever and aye, let it be," Aziel said, leaning towards her. + +"For ever and for aye, let it be," she repeated, holding up her lips +to his. + +And thus in the silent moonlit garden they plighted their strange +troth. + +***** + +"Lady," said a voice in their ears, the voice of Metem, "I pray you +let me dress your hand, for there is no time to lose." + +Aziel looked up to see the Phœnician bending over them with a sardonic +smile, and behind him the tall form of Issachar, who stood regarding +them, his arms folded on his breast. + +"Holy Issachar," went on Metem with malice, "be pleased to hold this +lady's hand, since it seems that the prince here can only tend her +lips." + +"Nay," answered the Levite, "what have I to do with this daughter of +Baaltis? Cure her if you can, or if you cannot, let her die, for so +shall a stone of stumbling be removed from the feet of the foolish." +And he glanced indignantly at Aziel. + +"Had it not been for this same stone at least the feet of the foolish +by now would have pointed skywards. The gods send me such a stone if +ever a black dwarf draws a poisoned arrow at me," answered Metem, as +he busied himself with his drugs. Then he added, "Nay, Prince, do not +stop to answer him, but hold the lady's hand to the light." + +Aziel obeyed, and having washed out the wound with water, Metem rubbed +ointment into it which burnt Elissa so sorely that she groaned aloud. + +"Be patient beneath the pain, lady," he said, "for if it has not +already passed into your blood, this salve will eat away the poison of +the arrow." + +Then half-leading and half-carrying her, they brought her back to the +palace. Here Metem gave her over into the care of her father, telling +him as much of the story as he thought wise, and cautioning him to +keep silent concerning what had happened. + +At the door of the palace Issachar spoke to Aziel. + +"Did I dream, Prince," he said, "or did my ears indeed hear you tell +that idolatress that you loved her for ever, and did my eyes see you +kiss her on the lips?" + +"It seems that you saw and heard these things, Issachar," said Aziel, +setting his face sternly. "Now hear this further, and then I pray you +give me peace on this matter of the lady Elissa: If in any way it is +possible, I shall make her my wife, and if it be not possible, then +for so long as she may live at least I will look upon no other woman." + +"Then that is good news, Prince, to me, who am charged with your +welfare, for be sure, if I can prevent you, you shall never mix your +life with that of this heathen sorceress." + +"Issachar," the prince replied, "I have borne much from you because I +know well that you love me, and have stood to me in the place of a +father. But now, in my turn, I warn you, do not seek to work harm to +the lady Elissa, for in striking her you strike me, and such blows may +bring my vengeance after them." + +"Vengeance?" mocked the Levite. "I fear but one vengeance, and it is +not yours, nor do I listen to the whisperings of love when duty points +the path. Rather would I see you dead, prince Aziel, then lured down +to hell by the wiles of yonder witch." + +Then before Aziel could answer he turned and left him. + +***** + +As Issachar went to his own chamber full of bitterness and +indignation, he passed the door of Elissa's apartments, and came face +to face with Metem issuing from them. + +"Will the woman live?" he asked of him. + +"Be comforted, worthy Issachar. I think so; that is, if the bandage +does not slip. I go to tell the prince." + +"Gladly would I give a hundred golden shekels to him who brought me +tidings that it had slipped and the woman with it, down to the arms of +her father Beelzebub," broke in the Levite passionately. + +"Pretty words for a holy man," said Metem, feigning amazement. "Well, +Issachar, I will do most things for good money, but to shift that +bandage would be but murder, and this I cannot work even for the gold +and to win your favour." + +"Fool," answered Issachar, "did I ask you to do murder? I do not fight +with such weapons; let the woman live or die as it is decreed. Nay, +enter my chamber, for I would speak with you, who are a cunning man +versed in the craft of courts. Listen now: I love this prince Aziel, +for I have reared him from his childhood, and he has been a son to me +who have none. More, I am sent hither to this hateful land to watch +him and hold him from harm, and for all that chances to him I must +account. And now, what has chanced? This woman, Elissa, by her +witcheries----" + +"Softly, Issachar; what witcheries does she need beyond those lips and +form and eyes?" + +"By her witcheries, I tell you, has ensnared him so that now he swears +that he will wed her." + +"What of it, Issachar? He might travel far to find a lovelier woman." + +"What of it, do you ask, remembering who he is? What of it, when you +know his faith, and that this fair idolater will sap it, and cause him +to cast away his soul? What of it, when with your own ears you heard +him swear to love her through all the deeps of life and death? Man, +are you mad?" + +"No, but some might say that you are, holy father, who forget that I +am also of this religion which you revile. But for good or ill, so the +matter stands; and now what is it that you wish of me?" + +"I wish that you should make it impossible that the prince Aziel +should take this woman to wife. Not by murder, indeed, for 'thou shalt +not kill,' saith the law, but by bringing it about that she should +marry the king Ithobal, or if that fail, in any other fashion which +seems good to you." + +"'Thou shalt not kill,' saith your law; tell me then, Issachar, does +it say also that thou shalt hand over a woman to a fate that she +chances to hold to be worse than death? Doubtless it is foolish of +her, and we should not heed such woman's folly. Yet this one has a +certain strength of will, and I question if all the elders of the city +will bring her living to the arms of Ithobal." + +"It is nought to me, Metem, if she weds Ithobal, or weds him not, save +that I do not love this heathen man, and surely her temper and her +witcheries would bring ruin on him. What I would have you do is to +prevent her from marrying Aziel; the way I leave to you." + +"And what should I be paid for this service, holy Issachar?" + +The Jew thought and answered, "A hundred golden shekels." + +"Two hundred gold shekels," replied Metem reflectively, "nay, I am +sure you said /two/ hundred, Issachar. At least, I do not work for +less, and it is a small sum enough, seeing that to earn it I must take +upon myself the guilt of severing two loving hearts. But I know well +that you are right, and that this would be an evil marriage for the +prince Aziel, and also for the lady Elissa, who then day by day and +year by year must bear the scourge of your reproaches, Issachar. +Therefore I will do my best, not for the money indeed, but because I +see herein a righteous duty. And now here is parchment, give me the +lamp that I may prepare the bond." + +"My word is my bond, Phœnician," answered the Levite haughtily. + +Metem looked at him. "Doubtless," he said, "but you are old, and this +is--a rough country where accidents chance at times. Still, the thing +would read very ill, and, as you say, your word is your bond. Only +remember, Issachar, two hundred shekels, bearing interest at two +shekels a month. And now you are weary, holy Issachar, with plotting +for the welfare of others, and so am I. Farewell, and good dreams to +you." + +The Levite watched him go, muttering to himself, "Alas that I should +have fallen to such traffic with a knave, but it is for your sake and +for your soul's sake, O Aziel my son. I pray that Fate be not too +strong for me and you." + +***** + +For two days from this night Elissa lay almost senseless, and by many +it was thought that she would die. But when Metem saw her on the +morning after she had been wounded, and noted that her arm was but +little swollen, and had not turned black, he announced that she would +certainly live, whatever the doctors of the city might declare. +Thereon Sakon, her father, and Aziel blessed him, but Issachar said +nothing. + +As the Phœnician was walking through the market-place early on the +next day an aged black woman, whom he did not know, accosted him, +saying that she had a message for his ear from the king Ithobal who +was camped without the city and who desired to see the merchandise +that he had brought with him from the coasts of Tyre. Now Metem had +already sold all his wares at a great advantage; still, as he would +not neglect this opportunity of trade, he purchased others from his +fellow merchants, and loading two camels with them, set out for the +camp of Ithobal, riding on a mule. By midday he had reached it. The +camp was pitched near water in a pleasant grove of trees, and on one +of these not far from the tent of Ithobal Metem noted that there hung +the body of a black dwarf. + +"Behold the fate of him who shoots at the buck and hits the doe. Well, +I have always said that murder is a dangerous game, since blood calls +out for blood," thought Metem as he rode towards the tent. + +At its door stood king Ithobal looking very huge and sullen in the +sunlight. Metem dismounted and prostrated himself obsequiously. + +"May the King live for ever," he said, "the great King, the King to +whom all the other kings of the earth are as the little gods to Baal, +or the faint stars to the sun." + +"Rise, and cease from flatteries," said Ithobal shortly; "I may be +greater than the other kings, but at least you do not think it." + +"If the king says so, so let it be," replied Metem calmly. "A woman +yonder in the market-place told me that the king wished to trade for +my merchandise. So I have brought the best of it; priceless goods that +which much toil I have carried hither from Tyre," and he pointed to +the two camels laden with the inferior articles which he had +purchased, and began to read the number and description of the goods +from his tablets. + +"What value do you set upon the whole of them, merchant?" asked +Ithobal. + +"To the traders of the country so much, but to you, O King, so much +only," and he named a sum twice that which he had paid in the city. + +"So be it," assented Ithobal indifferently; "I do not haggle over +wares. Though your price is large, presently my treasurer shall weigh +you out the gold." + +There was a moment's pause, then Metem said:-- + +"The trees in this camp of yours bear evil fruit, O King. If I might +ask, why does that little black monkey hang yonder." + +"Because he tried to do murder with his poisoned arrows," answered +Ithobal sullenly. + +"And failed? Well, it must comfort you to think that he did fail if he +was of the number of your servants. It is strange now that some knave +unknown attempted murder last night in the palace gardens, also with +poisoned arrows. I say attempted, but as yet I cannot be sure that he +did not succeed." + +"What!" exclaimed Ithobal, "was----" and he stopped. + +"No, King, prince Aziel was not hit; the Lady Elissa took that shaft +through her hand, and lies between life and death. I am doctoring her, +and had it not been for my skill she would now be stiff and black--as +the rogue who shot the arrow." + +"Save her," said Ithobal hoarsely, "and I will pay you a doctor's fee +of a hundred ounces of pure gold. Oh! had I but known, the clumsy fool +should not have died so easily." + +Metem took out his tablets and made a note of the amount. + +"Take comfort, King," he said, "I think that I shall earn the fee. But +to speak truth, this matter looks somewhat ugly, and your name is +mentioned in it. Also it is said that your cousin, the great man whom +the prince Aziel slew, was charged to abduct a certain lady by your +order." + +"Then false tales are told in Zimboe, and not for the first time," +answered Ithobal coldly. "Listen, merchant, I have a question to ask +of you. Will the prince Aziel meet me in single combat with whatever +weapons he may choose?" + +"Doubtless, and--pardon me if I say it--slay you as he slew your +cousin, for he is a fine swordsman, who has studied the art in Egypt, +where it is understood, and your strength would not avail against him. +But your question is already answered, for though the prince would be +glad enough to fight you, Sakon will have none of it. Have you nothing +else to ask me, King?" + +Ithobal nodded and said:-- + +"Listen, merchant. I know your repute of old, that you love money and +will do much to gain it, and that you are craftier than any hill-side +jackal. Now, if you can do my will, you will have more wealth than +ever you won in your life before." + +"The offer sounds good in a poor man's ears, King, but it depends upon +what is your will." + +Ithobal went to the door of the tent, and commanded the sentries who +stood without to suffer none to disturb him or draw near. Then he +returned and said:-- + +"I will tell you, but beware that you do not betray my counsels in +this or in any other matter, for I have sharp ears and a long arm. You +know how things are between me and the lady Elissa and her father +Sakon and the city which he governs. They stand thus: Unless within +eight days she is given to me in marriage, I have sworn that I will +make war upon Zimboe. Ay, and I will make it, for, filled with hate +for the white man, already the great tribes are gathering to my +banners in ten armies, each of them ten thousand strong. Once let them +march beneath yonder walls, and before they leave it Zimboe, city of +gold, shall be nothing but a heap of ruins, and a habitation of the +dead. Such shall be my vengeance; but I seek love more than vengeance, +for what will it avail me to butcher all that people of traders if--as +well may chance in the accidents of war--I lose her whom I desire, +whose beauty shall be my crown of crowns, and whose mind shall make me +great indeed? + +"Therefore, Metem, if may be, I would win her without war; let the war +come afterwards, as come it must, for the time is ripe. And though she +turned from me, this I should have done, had it not been for yonder +prince Aziel, whom she met in a strange fashion, and straightway +learned to love. Now the thing is more difficult. Nay, while the +prince Aziel can take her to wife it is well-nigh impossible, since no +threats of war or ruin can turn a woman's heart from him she seeks--to +him she flies. Therefore, I ask you----" + +"Your pardon, King," Metem broke in, "I see that you, like your rival, +are so besotted with the beauty of this girl, that in all with which +she has to do you have lost the rule of your own reason. I would save +you perchance from saying words to which I do not wish to listen, and +when you find a quiet mind again, that you may regret having spoken. +If you were about to require of me that I should cause or be privy to +the death of the prince Aziel, you would require it in vain; yes, even +if you were willing to pay me gold in mountains, and gems in camel +loads. With murder I will have nothing to do; moreover, the prince, +your rival, is my friend and master, and I will not harm him. Further, +I may tell you that after the adventure of last night none will be +able to come near him to hurt a hair of his head, seeing that through +daylight and through darkness he is guarded by two men." + +"With a woman's body to set before him as a shield," said Ithobal +bitterly. "But you speak too fast; I was not about to ask you to kill +this man, or even to procure his death, because I know it would be +useless, but rather that you should so contrive that he cannot take +Elissa. How you contrive it I care nothing, so that she is not harmed. +You may kidnap him, or stir up the city against him, as one destined +to be the source of war, and cause him to be despatched back to the +great sea, or bribe the priests of El to hide him away, or what you +will, if only you separate him from this woman for ever. Say, +merchant, are you willing to undertake the task, or must my good gold +go elsewhere?" + +Metem pondered awhile and answered:-- + +"I think that I will undertake it, King; that is, if we come to terms, +though whether I shall succeed is another matter. I will undertake it +not only because I seek to enrich myself, but because I and others who +serve him think it is a very evil thing that this prince, Aziel, whose +blood is the most royal in the whole world, without the consent of the +great king of Israel, his grandfather, should wed the daughter of a +Phœnician officer, however beautiful and loving she may be. Also I +love yonder city, which I have known for forty years, and would not +see it plunged in a bloody war and perhaps destroyed because a certain +man desires to call a certain girl his sweetheart. And now if I +succeed in this, what will you give me?" + +Ithobal named a great sum. + +"King," replied Metem, "you must double it, for that amount you speak +of I shall be forced to spend in bribes. More; you must give me the +gold now, before I leave your camp, or I will do nothing." + +"That you may steal it--and do nothing," laughed Ithobal angrily. + +"As you will, King. Such are my terms; if they do not please you, +well, let me go. But if you accept them, I will sign a bond under +which if within eight days I do not make it impossible for the prince +Aziel to marry the lady Elissa, you may reclaim so much of the gold as +I do not prove to you to have been spent upon your service, and no +bond of Metem the Phœnician was ever yet dishonoured. No, on second +thought I will learn wisdom from Issachar the Levite and put my hand +to no writing which it would pain me that some should read. King, my +sworn word must content you. Another thing, soon war may break out, or +I may be forced to fly. Therefore, I demand of you a pass sealed with +your seal that will enable me to ride with twenty men and all my goods +and treasure, even through the midst of your armies. Moreover you +shall swear the great oath to me that notice of this pass will be +given to your generals and that it shall be respected to the letter. +Do you consent to these terms?" + +"I consent," said the king presently. + +***** + +That evening Metem returned to the city of Zimboe, but those who led +his two camels little guessed that now they were laden, not with +merchandise, but with treasure. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +GREETING TO THE BAALTIS + +When Metem accepted bribes from Issachar and from Ithobal, in +consideration of his finding means to make the union of Aziel and +Elissa impossible, he had already thought out his scheme. It was one +which, while promoting, as he considered, the true welfare of the +lovers, if successful would separate them effectually and for ever. + +It will be remembered that Elissa had explained to the prince how, on +the death of the lady Baaltis, another woman was elected by the +colleges of the priests and priestesses to fill her place. This lady +could marry, indeed she was expected to do so, but her husband must +take the title of Shadid, and for her lifetime act as high-priest of +El. Therefore, thought Metem, if it could be brought about that Elissa +should be chosen as the new Baaltis, it was obvious that there would +be an end of the possibility of her marriage to Aziel. Then, in order +to wed her, he must renounce his own religion--a thing which no Jew +would do--and pose as the earthly incarnation of one whom he +considered a false divinity or a devil. + +Indeed, not only marriage, but any further intimacy between the pair +would be rendered impracticable, for upon this point the religious +law, lax enough in many particulars, was very strict. In fact, so +strict was it that for the lady Baaltis of the day to be found alone +with any man meant death to her and him. The reason of this severity +was that she was supposed to represent the goddess; and her husband, +the Shadid, a god, so that any questionable behaviour on her part +became an insult to the most powerful divinities of Heaven, which +could only be atoned by the death of their unworthy incarnations. That +these laws were actual and not formal only was proved by the instance +that within the hundred years before the birth of Elissa, a lady +Baaltis had been executed for some such offence, having been hurled +indeed from the topmost pinnacle of the fortress above the temple to +the foot of the precipice beneath. + +All these sacerdotal customs were familiar to Metem, who argued from +them that to procure the nomination of Elissa as the Baaltis would be +to build an impassable wall between her and the prince Aziel. Also, by +way of compensation, that office would confer upon her the highest +dignity and honour which could be attained by any woman in the city. +Moreover, her election would place her beyond the reach of the +persecutions of Ithobal, since as lady Baaltis she was entitled to +choose her own husband without hindrance or appeal, provided only that +he was of pure white blood, which Ithobal was not. + +Having thought the matter out, and convinced himself that such a +course would not only benefit his own pocket, but prove to the lasting +advantage of all concerned, Metem, filled with a glow of righteous +zeal, set about his task with the promptitude and cunning of his race. +It was not an easy task, for although she had enemies and rivals, the +daughter of the dead Baaltis, Mesa by name, was considered to be +certain of election at the poll of the priests and priestesses. This +ceremony was to take place within two days. Nothing discouraged, +however, by the scant time at his disposal or other difficulties, +without her knowledge or that of her father, Metem began his canvass +on behalf of Elissa. + +First with a great sum of gold he bought over the ex-Shadid, the +husband of the late lady Baaltis. As it chanced, this worthy had +quarrelled with his daughter. Therefore it followed that he would +prefer to see some stranger chosen in her place in the hope that, +notwithstanding his years, by choosing him in marriage she might +confirm him in his position of spouse to the goddess. + +All Metem's further negotiations need not be followed: money played a +part in most of them; jealousy and dislike in some. A few there were +also whom he won over by urging the beauty and wisdom of Elissa, and +her extraordinary fitness for the post, as evinced by her recent +inspiration in the temple! He found his most powerful allies, however, +among the members of the council of the city. To these grandees he +pointed out that Elissa was a woman of great strength of character, +who would certainly never consent to be forced into a marriage with +Ithobal, although her refusal should mean a desperate war, and that +her father was so much under her influence that he could not be +brought to put pressure upon her. Therefore it was obvious that the +only way out of the difficulty was her election as Baaltis. This must +prove a perfect answer to the suit of the savage king, since the +goddess could not be compelled, and even Ithobal, fearing the +vengeance of Heaven, would shrink from offering her violence. + +There support gained, having first sworn him to secrecy, he attacked +Sakon himself, using similar arguments with him. He pointed out, in +addition, that if the governor hoped to see his daughter married to +prince Aziel, who was in love with her, however dazzling might be the +prospects of such a match, it would certainly bring upon him the +present wrath of Ithobal, and, in all probability, future trouble with +the Courts of Egypt, of Israel, and through them, of Tyre. Thus +working in many ways, Metem laboured incessantly to win his end, so +that when at last the hour of election came he awaited its issue, +fairly confident of success. + +It was on this same afternoon that for the first time since she had +received the arrow which was meant for his heart, Aziel was admitted +to see Elissa. Now at length her recovery was certain, although she +had not shaken off her weakness, and her right arm and wrist were +still stiff and swollen. Except for two or three of her women, who +were seated at their work behind a screen near the far end of the +great chamber, she was alone, lying upon a couch in the recess of the +window-place. Advancing to her, Aziel bent down to kiss her wounded +hand. + +"Nay," said Elissa, hiding it beneath the folds of her robe, "it is +still black and unsightly with the poison." + +"The more reason that I should kiss it, seeing how the stain came +there," he answered. + +Her eyes met his, and she whispered, "Not my hand, but my brow, +Prince, for so I shall be crowned." + +He pressed his lips upon her forehead, and replied:-- + +"Queen of my heart you are already, and though the throne be humble it +is sure. The life you saved is yours, and no other's." + +"I did but repay a debt," she answered; "but speak of it no more. +Gladly would I have died to save you; should such choice arise, would +you do so for me, I wonder?" + +"There is little need to ask such a question, lady; for your sake I +would not only die, I would even endure shame--that is worse than +death." + +"Sweet words, Aziel," she answered, smiling, "of which we shall learn +the value when the hour of trial comes, as come, I think, it will. You +told me but now that you were mine, and no other's; but is it so? I +have heard the story of a certain princess of Khem with whom your name +was mingled. Tell me, if you will, what was it that set you journeying +to this far city of ours?" + +"The desire to find you," he answered smiling; then seeing that she +still looked at him with questioning eyes, he added, "Nay, this is the +truth, if you seek truth. Indeed, it is the best that I should tell +you, since it seems that already you have heard something of the tale. +A while ago I was sent to the Court of the Pharaoh of Egypt, by the +will of my grandsire, the king of Israel, upon an embassy of +friendship, and to escort thence a certain beautiful princess, my +cousin, who was affianced by treaty to an uncle of mine, a great +prince of Israel. This I did, showing to the lady courtesy, and no +more. But the end of the matter was that when we came to Jerusalem the +princess refused to be married to my uncle, to whom she was +betrothed----" and he hesitated. + +"Nay, be not timid, Prince," said Elissa sharply; "continue, I pray +you. I have heard that the lady added somewhat to her refusal." + +"That is so, Elissa. She declared before the king that she would wed +no man except myself only, whereon my uncle was very angry, and +accused me of playing him false, which, indeed, I had not done." + +"Although the lady was so fair, Aziel? But what said the great king?" + +"He said that never having seen him to whom she was affianced, he +would not suffer that she should be forced into marriage with him +against her will. Yet that her will might be uninfluenced, he +commanded that I should be sent upon a long journey. That was his +judgment, lady." + +"Yes, but not all of it; surely he added other words?" she broke in +eagerly. + +"He added," continued Aziel, with some reluctance, "that if while I +was on this journey the princess changed her mind, and chose to wed my +uncle, it would be well. But, when I returned from it, if she had not +changed her mind, and chose--to marry me--then it would be well also, +and, though he was little pleased, with this saying my uncle must be +satisfied." + +"It does not satisfy me, prince Aziel," Elissa answered, the tears +starting to her dark eyes. "I know full well that the lady will not +change her mind, and take a man who is in years, and whom she hates, +in place of one who is young, and whom she loves. Therefore, when you +return hence to Jerusalem, by the king's command you will wed her." + +"Nay, Elissa; if I am already married that cannot be," he said. + +"In Judea, Prince, I am told that men take more wives than one; also, +they divorce them," she replied; then added, "Oh, return not there +where I shall lose you. If, indeed, you love me, I pray you return not +there." + +Before he could answer, a sound of singing and of all sorts of music +caught Aziel's ear. Looking through the casement, he saw a great +procession of the priests and priestesses of El and Baaltis clad in +their festal robes and accompanied by many dignitaries of the city, a +multitude of people and bands of musicians, advancing across the +square towards the door of the palace. + +"Why, what passes?" he exclaimed. As he spoke the door opened and two +richly arrayed heralds, wands of office in their hands, entered and +prostrated themselves before Elissa. + +"Greeting to you, most noble and blessed lady, the chosen of the +gods!" they cried with one voice. "Prepare, we beseech you, to hear +glad tidings, and to receive those who are sent to tell them." + +"Glad tidings?" said Elissa. "Has Ithobal then withdrawn his suit?" + +"Nay, lady; it is not of Ithobal that the messengers come to speak." + +"Then I cannot receive them," she said, sinking back in apprehension. +"I am still ill and weak, and I pray to be excused." + +"Nay, lady," answered the herald, "that which they have to tell will +cure your sickness." + +Again Elissa protested. Before the words had left her lips there +appeared in the doorway he who had been husband of the dead Baaltis, +followed by priests and priestesses, by Sakon her father, with whom +was Metem, and many other nobles and dignitaries. + +"All hail, lady!" they cried, prostrating themselves before her. "All +hail, lady, chosen of the gods!" + +Elissa looked at them bewildered. + +"Your pardon," she said, "I do not understand." + +Then, rising from his knees, he who was still the Shadid until his +successor was appointed, addressed her as spokesman. + +"Listen," he said, "and learn, lady, the great thing that has befallen +you. Know, O divine One, that by the inspiration of El and Baaltis, +rulers of the heavens, the colleges of the priests and priestesses of +the city, following the voice of the oracles and the pointing of the +omens, have set you in that high place which death has emptied. +Greeting to you, holder of the spirit of the goddess! Greeting to the +Baaltis!" + +"I did not seek this honour," she murmured in the silence that +followed, "and I refuse it. The throne of the goddess is Mesa's right; +let her take it, or if she will not, then find some other woman who is +more worthy." + +"Lady," said the Shadid, "these words become you well, but it has +pleased the gods to choose you and not my daughter, the lady Mesa, or +any other woman, and the choice of the gods may not be set aside. Till +death shall take you, you and you alone are the lady Baaltis whom we +obey." + +"Must I then be made divine against my will," she pleaded, and turned +to Aziel as though for counsel. + +"Be pleased to stand back, prince Aziel," said the stern voice of the +Shadid, interposing. "Remember that henceforth no man may speak to the +Baaltis save he whom she names with the name of Shadid to be her +husband. Henceforward you are parted, since to seek her company would +be to cause her death." + +Now understanding that the doom of life-long separation had fallen +upon them like the sudden sword of fate, Aziel and Elissa gazed at +each other in despair. Then, before either of them could speak a word, +at a sign from the Shadid, the priestesses closed round Elissa. +Throwing a white veil over her head, they broke into a joyful pæan of +song, and half-led, half-carried her from the chamber to enthrone her +in the palace of the goddess, which was henceforth to be her home. + +Presently all the company, including the waiting women, having joined +the procession, the chamber was empty, with the exception of Aziel, +Metem and Issachar the Levite, who, drawn by the sound of singing, had +entered the place unnoticed. + +"Take comfort, Prince," said the Phœnician in a half-bantering voice, +"if you and the lady Baaltis are truly dear to each other she may +still be yours, for you have but to bow the knee to El, and she will +name you Shadid and husband." + +"Blaspheme not," cried Issachar sternly. "Shall a worshipper of the +God of Israel do sacrifice to a demon to win a woman's smile?" + +"That time will prove," answered Metem, shrugging his shoulders; "at +least it is certain that he will win it in no other way. Prince," he +added, changing his tone, "if you have any such thoughts, abandon +them, I pray of you, for on this matter the law may not be broken. The +man spoke truth, moreover, when he told you that should you be found +with the Baaltis, not being her husband, you would cause her death." + +Aziel took no notice of his words, but turning to the Levite, he asked +in a quiet voice:-- + +"Did you plot this to separate us, Issachar? If so, you shall live to +mourn the deed." + +"Listen, Prince," broke in Metem, "it was not Issachar who plotted +that the lady Elissa should be chosen Baaltis, but I, or at least I +helped the plot. Shall I tell you why I did this? It was to save you +and her, and if possible to prevent a great war also. You could not +wed this woman who is not of your race, or rank, or religion; and if +you could, it would bring about a struggle that must cost thousands +their lives, and this city its wealth. Nor could you make of her less +than a wife, seeing that she is well-born and that you are her +father's guest. Therefore for your own sake it is best that she should +be placed beyond your reach. For her sake also it is best, since she +is ambitious and born to rule, who henceforth will be clothed with +power for all her days. Moreover, had it been otherwise, in the end +she must have passed to that savage Ithobal, whom she hates. Now this +is scarcely possible, for the lady Baaltis can wed no man who is not +of pure white blood, and whom she does not choose of her own free +will. That is a decree which may not be broken even by Ithobal. So +revile me not, but thank me, though for a little while your heart be +sore." + +"My heart is sore indeed," answered Aziel, "and if you think your +words be wise, their medicine does not soothe, Phœnician. You may have +laboured for my welfare and for that of the lady Elissa, or, like the +huckster that you are, for your own advantage, or for both--I know +not, and do not care to know. But this I know, that you, and Issachar +also, are striving to snare Fate in a web of sand, and that Fate will +be too strong for it and you. I love this woman and she loves me, +because such is our destiny, and no barriers which man may build can +serve to separate us. Also of this I am assured, that by your plots +you draw the evils you would ward away upon the heads of us all, for +from them shall spring war, and deaths, and misery. + +"For the rest, do not think, Metem and Issachar, that I, whom you +betrayed, and the woman you have ruined with a crown of greatness she +did not seek, are clay to be moulded at your will. It is another hand +than yours which fashioned the vessel of our destiny; nor can you stay +our lips from drinking of the pure wine that fills it. Farewell," and +with a grave inclination of the head he left the room. + +Metem watched him go, then he turned to Issachar and said:-- + +"I have earned my hire well, and you must pay the price, but now it +troubles me to think that I touched this business. Why it is I cannot +say, but it comes upon me that the prince speaks truth, and that no +plot of ours can avail to separate these two who were born to each +other, although it well may happen that we shall unite them in death +alone. Issachar," he added with fierce conviction, "I will not take +your gold, for it is the price of blood! I tell you it is the price of +blood!" + +"Take it or no, as you will, Phœnician," answered the Levite; "at +least I am well pleased that the promise of it bought your service. +Even should the prince Aziel discharge this day's work with his young +life, it is better that he should perish in the body than that he +should lose his soul for the bribe of a woman's passing beauty. +Whatever else be lost, that is saved to him, since those sorceress +lips of hers are set beyond his reach. An Israelite cannot mate with +the oracle of Baaltis, Metem." + +"You say so, Issachar, but I have seen men climb high to pluck such +fruit. Yes, I have seen them climb even when they knew that they must +fall before the fruit was reached." + +Then he went also, leaving Issachar alone and oppressed with a dread +of the future which was none the less real because it could not be +defined. + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE EMBASSY + +Weak as she was still with recent illness, half-fainting also from the +shock of the terrible and unexpected fate which had overtaken her, +Elissa was borne in triumph to the palace that now was hers. Around +her gilded litter priestesses danced and sang their wild chants, half- +bacchanalian and half-religious; before it marched the priests of El, +clashing cymbals and crying, "Make way, make way for the new-born +goddess! Make way for her whose throne is upon the horned moon!" while +all about the multitude of spectators prostrated themselves in +worship. + +Elissa was borne in triumph. Vaguely she heard the shouts and music, +dimly she saw the dancing-girls and the bowing crowds. But all the +while her heart was alive with pain and her brain, crushed beneath the +menace of this misery, could grasp nothing clearly save the +completeness of her loss. Loss! Yes, she was lost indeed. One short +hour ago and she was rejoicing in the presence of the man she loved, +and who, as she believed, loved her, while in her mind rose visions of +some happy life with him far away from this city and the dark rites of +the worshippers of Baal. And now she found herself the chief priestess +of that worship which already she had learned to fear if not to hate. +More, as its priestess, till death should come to comfort her, she was +cut off for ever from him whom she adored, cut off also from the hope +of that new spiritual light which had begun to dawn upon her soul. + +Elissa looked upon the beautiful women who leapt and sang about her +litter, listening to the clash of their ornaments of gold, and as she +listened and looked her eyes seemed to gain power to behold the +spirits within them. Surely she could see these, dark and hideous +things, with shifting countenances, terrible to look on, and +themselves wearing in their eyes of flame a stamp of eternal terror, +while in her ears the music of their golden necklaces was changed to a +clank as of fetters and of instruments of torment. Yes; and there +before the dancers in the red cloud of dust which rose from their +beating feet, floated the dim shape of that demon of whom she had been +chosen the high-priestess. + +Look at her mocking, inhuman countenance, and her bent brow of power! +Look at her spread and flaming hair and her hundred hands outstretched +to grasp the souls of men! Hark! the clamour of the cymbals and the +cry of the dancers blended together and became her voice, a dreadful +voice that gave greeting to her princess, promising her pride of place +and life-long power in payment for her service. + +"I desire none of these," her heart seemed to answer; "I desire him +only whom I have lost." + +"Is it so?" replied the Voice. "Then bid him burn incense upon my +altar and take him to yourself. Have I not given you enough of beauty +to snare a single soul from among the servants of my enemy the God of +the Jews?" + +"Nay, nay!" her heart cried; "I will not tempt him to do this evil +thing." + +"Yea, yea!" mocked the phantom Voice; "for your sake he shall burn +incense upon my altar." + +***** + +The phantasy passed, and now the golden gates of the palace of Baaltis +rolled open before Elissa. Now, too, the priestesses bore her to the +golden throne shaped like a crescent moon, and threw over her a black +veil spangled with stars, symbol of the night. Then having shut out +the uninitiated, they worshipped her after their secret fashion till +she sank down upon the throne overcome with fear and weariness. Then +at last they carried her to that wonder of workmanship and allegorical +art, the ivory bed of Baaltis, and laid her down to sleep. + +***** + +At dawn upon the following day an embassy, headed by Sakon, governor +of the city, in whose train were Metem and Aziel, went to the camp of +Ithobal. The mission of these envoys was to give the king answer to +his suit, for he refused to come to Zimboe unless he were allowed to +bring a larger force than it was thought prudent to admit into the +city gates. At some distance from the tents they halted, while +messengers were sent forward inviting Ithobal to a conference on the +plain, as it seemed scarcely safe to trust themselves within the stout +thorn fence which had been built about the camp. Metem, who said that +he had no fear of the king, went with these men, and on reaching the +/zeriba/ was at once bidden to the pavilion of Ithobal. He found the +great man pacing its length sullenly. + +"What seek you here, Phœnician?" he asked, glancing at him over his +shoulder. + +"My fee, King. The king was pleased to promise me a hundred ounces of +gold if I saved the life of the Lady Elissa. I come, therefore, to +assure him that my skill has prevailed against the poisoned arrow of +that treacherous dog of the desert, which pierced her hand as she +spoke with the prince Aziel the other night, and to claim my reward. +Here is a note of the amount," and he produced his tablets. + +"If half of what I hear is true, rogue," answered Ithobal savagely, +"the tormentor and the headsman alone could satisfy all my debt to +you. Say, merchant, what return have you made me for that sackful of +gold which you bore hence some few days gone?" + +"The best of all returns, King," answered Metem cheerfully, although +in truth he began to feel afraid. "I have kept my word, and fulfilled +the command of the king. I have made it impossible that the prince +Aziel should wed the daughter of Sakon." + +"Yes, rogue, you have made it impossible by causing her to be +consecrated Baaltis, and thus building a barrier which even I shall +find too hard to climb. It is scarcely to be hoped that now she will +choose me of her own will, and to offer violence to the Baaltis is a +sacrilege from which any man--yes, even a king--may shrink, for such +deeds draw the curse of Heaven. Know that for this service I am minded +to settle my account with you in a fashion of which you have not +thought. Have you heard, Phœnician, that the chiefs of certain of my +tribes love to decorate their spear-shafts with the hide of white men, +and to bray their flesh into a medicine which gives courage to its +eater?" + +With this pleasing and suggestive query Ithobal paused, and looked +towards the door of the tent as though he were about to call his +guard. + +Now Metem's blood ran cold, for he knew that this royal savage was not +one who uttered idle threats. Yet the coolness and cunning which had +so often served him well did not fail him in his need. + +"I have heard that your people have strange customs," he answered with +a laugh, "but I think that even a spear-shaft would scarcely gain +beauty from my wrinkled hide, and if anything, the eating of my flesh +would make tradesmen and not warriors of your chiefs. Well, let the +jest pass, and listen. King, in all my schemings one thought never +crossed my mind, namely, that you were a man to suffer scruples to +stand between you and the woman you would win. You think that now she +is a goddess? Well, if that be so--and it is not for me to say--who +could be a fitter mate for the greatest king upon the earth than a +goddess from the heavens? Take her, king Ithobal, take her, and this I +promise you, that when your armies are encamped without the walls, the +priests of El will absolve you of the crime of aspiring to the fair +lips of Baaltis." + +"The lips of Baaltis," broke in Ithobal; "do you think that I shall +find them sweet when another man has rifled them? Secret chambers are +many yonder in the palace of the gods, and doubtless the Jew will find +his way there." + +"Nay, King, for between these two I have indeed built a wall which +cannot be climbed. The worshipper of the Lord of Israel may not +traffic with the high-priestess of Ashtoreth. Moreover, I shall bring +it about that ere long Prince Aziel's face is set seawards." + +"Do that, and I will believe you, merchant, though it would be better +if you could bring it about that his face was set earthwards, as I +will if I can. Well, this time I spare you, though be sure that if +aught miscarry, you shall pay the price, how, I have told you. Now I +go to talk with these traders, these outlanders, of Zimboe. Why do you +wait? You are dismissed and--alive." + +Metem looked steadily at the tablets which he still held in his hand. + +"I have heard," he said humbly, "that the king Ithobal, the great +king, always pays his debts, and as I--an outlander--shall be leaving +Zimboe shortly under his safe conduct, I desire to close this small +account." + +Ithobal went to the door of his tent and commanded that his treasurer +should attend him, bringing money. Presently he came, and at his +lord's bidding weighed out one hundred ounces of gold. + +"You are right, Phœnician," said Ithobal; "I always pay my debts, +sometimes in gold and sometimes in iron. Be careful that I owe you no +more, lest you who to-day are paid in gold, to-morrow may receive the +iron, weighed out in the fashion of which I have spoken. Now, begone." + +Metem gathered up the treasure, and hiding it in his ample robe, bowed +himself from the royal presence and out of the thorn-hedged camp. + +"Without doubt I have been in danger," he said to himself, wiping his +brow, "since at one time that black brute, disregarding the sanctity +of an envoy, had it in his mind to torture and to kill me. So, so, +king Ithobal, Metem the Phœnician is also an honest merchant who +'always pays his debts,' as you may learn in the market-places of +Jerusalem, of Sidon and of Zimboe, and I owe you a heavy bill for the +fright you have given me to-day. Little of Elissa's company shall you +have if I can help it; she is too good for a cross-bred savage, and if +before I go from these barbarian lands I can set a drop of medicine in +your wine, or an arrow in your gizzard, upon the word of Metem the +Phœnician, it shall be done, king Ithobal." + +***** + +When Metem reached Sakon and the envoys, he found that a message had +already been sent to them announcing that Ithobal would meet them +presently upon the plain outside his camp. But still the king did not +come; indeed, it was not until Sakon had despatched another messenger, +saying that he was about to return to the city, that at length Ithobal +appeared at the head of a bodyguard of black troops. Arranging these +in line in front of the camp, he came forward, attended by twelve or +fourteen counsellors and generals, all of them unarmed. Half-way +between his own line and that of the Phœnicians, but out of bowshot of +either, he halted. + +Thereon Sakon, accompanied by a similar number of priests and nobles, +among whom were Aziel and Metem, all of them also unarmed, except for +the knives in their girdles, marched out to meet him. Their escort +they left drawn up upon the hillside. + +"Let us to business, King," said Sakon, when the formal words of +salutation had passed. "We have waited long upon your pleasure, and +already troops move out from the city to learn what has befallen us." + +"Do they then fear that I should ambush ambassadors?" asked Ithobal +hotly. "For the rest, is it not right that servants should bide at the +door of their king till it is his pleasure to open?" + +"I know not what they fear," answered Sakon, "but at least we fear +nothing, for we are too many," and he glanced at his soldiers, a +thousand strong, upon the hillside. "Nor are the citizens of Zimboe +the servants of any man unless he be the king of Tyre." + +"That we shall put to proof, Sakon," said Ithobal; "but say, what does +the Jew with you?" and he pointed to Aziel. "Is he also an envoy from +Zimboe?" + +"Nay, King," answered the prince laughing, "but my grandsire, the +mighty ruler of Israel, charged me always to take note of the ways of +savages in peace and war, that I might learn how to deal with them. +Therefore, I sought leave to accompany Sakon upon this embassy." + +"Peace, peace!" broke in Sakon. "This is no time for gibes. King +Ithobal, since you did not dare to venture yourself again within the +walls of our city, we have come to answer the demands you made upon us +in the Hall of Audience. You demanded that our fortifications should +be thrown down, and this we refuse, since we do not court destruction. +You demanded that we should cease to enslave men to labour in the +mines, and to this we answer that for every man we take we will pay a +tax to his lawful chief, or to you as king. You demanded that the +ancient tribute should be doubled. To this, out of love and +friendship, and not from fear, we assent, if you will enter into a +bond of lasting peace, since it is peace we seek, and not war. King, +you have our answer." + +"Not all of it, Sakon. How of that first condition--that Lady Elissa +the fair, your daughter, should be given me to wife?" + +"King, it cannot be, for the gods of heaven have taken this matter +from our hands, anointing the lady Elissa their high-priestess." + +"Then as I live," answered Ithobal with fury, "I will take her from +the hands of the gods and anoint her my dancing-woman. Do you think to +make a mock of me, you people of Zimboe, whom I have honoured by +desiring one of your daughters in marriage? You seek to trick me with +your priests' juggling that you may keep her to be the toy of yonder +princeling? So be it, but I tell you that I will tear your city stone +from stone, and anoint its ruins with your blood. Yes, your young men +shall labour in the mines for me, and your high-born maidens shall +wait upon my queens. Listen, you"--and he turned to his generals--"Let +the messengers who are ready start east and west, and north and south, +to the chiefs whose names you have, bidding them to meet me with their +tribesmen, at the time and place appointed. When next I speak with +you, Elders of Zimboe, it shall be at the head of a hundred thousand +warriors." + +"Then, King, on your hands be all the innocent lives that these words +of yours have doomed, and may the weight of their wasted blood press +you down to ruin and death." + +Thus answered Sakon proudly, but with pale lips, for do what they +would to hide it, something of the fear they felt for the issue of +this war was written on the faces of all his company. + +Ithobal turned upon his heel, deigning no reply, but as he went he +whispered a word into the ear of two of his captains, great men of +war, who stayed behind the rest of his party searching for something +upon the ground. Sakon and his counsellors also turned, walking +towards their escort, but Aziel lingered a little, fearing no danger, +and being curious to learn what the men sought. + +"What do you seek, captains?" he asked courteously. + +"A gold armlet that one of us has lost," they answered. + +Aziel let his eyes wander on the ground, and not far away perceived +the armlet half-hidden in a tussock of dry grass, where, indeed, it +had been placed. + +"Is this the ring?" he asked, lifting it and holding it towards them. + +"It is, and we thank you," they answered, advancing to take the +ornament. + +The next moment, before Aziel even guessed their purpose, the captains +had gripped him by either arm and were dragging him at full speed +towards their camp. Understanding their treachery and the greatness of +his danger, he cried aloud for help. Then throwing himself swiftly to +the ground, he set his feet against a stone that chanced to lie in +their path in such fashion that the sudden weight tore his right arm +from the group of the man that held him. Now, quick as thought, Aziel +drew the dagger from his girdle, and, still lying upon his back, +plunged it into the shoulder of the second man so that he loosed him +in his pain. Next he sprang to his feet, and, leaping to one side to +escape the rush of his captors, ran like a deer towards the party of +Sakon, who had wheeled round at the sound of his cry. + +Ithobal and his men had turned also and sped towards them, but at a +little distance they halted, the king shouting aloud:-- + +"I desired to hold this foreigner, who is the cause of war between us, +hostage for your daughter's sake, Sakon, but this time he has escaped +me. Well, it matters nothing, for soon my turn will come. Therefore, +if you and he are wise, you will send him back to the sea, for thither +alone I promise him safe conduct." + +Then without more words he walked to his camp, the gates of which were +closed behind him. + +***** + +"Prince Aziel," said Sakon, as they went towards the city, "it is ill +to speak such words to an honoured guest, but it cannot be denied that +you bring much trouble on my head. Twice now you have nearly perished +at the hands of Ithobal, and should that chance, doubtless I must earn +the wrath of Israel. On your behalf, also, the city of Zimboe is this +day plunged into a war that well may be her last, since it is because +you have grown suddenly dear to her that my daughter has continued to +refuse the suit of Ithobal, and because of his outraged pride at this +refusal that he has raised up the nations against us. Prince, while +you remain in this city there is no hope of peace. Do not, therefore, +hate me, your servant, if I pray of you to leave us while there is yet +time." + +"Sakon," answered Aziel, "I thank you for your open speech, and will +pay you back in words as honest as your own. Gladly would I go, for +here nothing but sorrow has befallen me, were it not for one thing +which to you may seem little, but to me, and perhaps to another, is +all in all. I love your daughter as I have never loved a woman before, +and as my mind is to hers, so is hers to mine. How, then, can I go +hence when the going means that I must part from her for ever?" + +"How can you stay here, Prince, when the staying means that you must +bring her to shame and death, and yourself with her? Say now, are you +prepared, for the sake of this maiden, to abandon the worship of your +fathers and to become the servant of El and Baaltis?" + +"You know well that I am not so prepared, Sakon. For nothing that the +world could give me would I do this sin." + +"Then, Prince, it is best that you should go, for that and no other is +the price you must pay if you would win my daughter Elissa. Should you +seek to do so by other means, I tell you that neither your high rank +nor the power of my rule and friendship, nor pity for your youth and +hers, can save you both from death, since to forgive you then would be +to bring down the wrath of its outraged gods upon Zimboe. Oh! Prince, +for your own sake and for the sake of her whom both you and I love +thus dearly, linger no longer in temptation, but turn your back upon +it as a brave man should, for so shall my blessing follow you to the +grave and your years be filled with honour." + +Aziel covered his eyes with his hand, and thought a while; then he +answered:-- + +"Be it as you will, friend. I go, but I go broken-hearted." + + + +CHAPTER XI + +METEM SELLS IMAGES + +Upon reaching the palace, Aziel went to the apartments of Issachar. +Finding no keeper at the door, he entered, to discover the old priest +kneeling in prayer at the window, which faced towards Jerusalem. So +absorbed was he in his devotions that it was not until he had ended +them and risen that Issachar saw Aziel standing in the chamber. + +"Behold, an answer to my prayer," he said. "My son, they told me that +some fresh danger had overtaken you, though none knew its issue. +Therefore it was that I prayed, and now I see you unharmed." And +taking him in his arms, he embraced him. + +"It is true that I have been in danger, father," answered Aziel, and +he told him the story of his escape from Ithobal. + +"Did I not pray thee not to accompany this embassy?" + +"Yes, father, yet I have returned in safety. Listen: I come with +tidings which you will think good. Not an hour ago I promised Sakon +that I would leave Zimboe, where it seems my presence breeds much +trouble." + +"Good tidings, indeed!" exclaimed Issachar, "and never shall I know a +peaceful hour until we have seen the last of the towers of this doomed +city and its accursed people of devil-worshippers." + +"Yes, good for you, father, but for me most ill, for here I shall +leave my youth and happiness. Nay, I know what you think; that this is +but some passing fancy bred of the pleasant beauty of a woman, but it +is not so. I say that from the moment when first I saw Elissa, she +became life of my life, and soul of my soul and that I go hence +beggared of joy and hope, and carrying with me a cankering memory +which shall eat my heart away. You deem her a witch, one to whom +Baaltis has given power to drag the minds of men to their destruction, +but I tell you that her only spell is the spell of her love for me, +also that she whom you named so grossly is no longer the servant of +the demon Baaltis." + +"Elissa not the servant of Baaltis? How comes she then to be her high- +priestess? Aziel, your passion has made you mad." + +'She is high-priestess because Metem and others brought about her +election without her will, urged on to it by I know not whom." And he +looked hard at Issachar, who turned away. "But what matters it who did +the ill deed," he continued, "since this, at least, is certain, that +here my presence breeds sorrow and bloodshed, and therefore I must go +as I have promised." + +"When do we depart, Prince?" queried Issachar. + +"I know not, it is naught to me. Here comes Metem, ask of him." + +"Metem," said the Levite, "the prince desires to leave Zimboe and +march to the coast, there to take ship to Tyre. When can your caravan +be ready?" + +"So I have heard, Issachar, for Sakon tells me that he has come to an +agreement with the prince upon this matter. Well, I am glad to learn +it, for troubles thicken here, and I think that the woe you prophesied +is not far from this city of Zimboe where every man seeks to serve his +own hand, and is ready to sell his neighbour. When can the caravan be +got ready? Well, the night after next; at least, we can start that +night. To-morrow evening, so soon as the sun is down, I will send on +the camels by ones and twos, and with them the baggage and treasure, +to a secret place I know of in the mountains, where we and the +prince's guard can follow upon the mules and join them. As it chances, +I have a safe conduct from Ithobal. Still I should not wish to put his +troops into temptation by marching through them with twenty laden +camels, or to lose certain earnings of my own that will be hidden in +the baggage. Moreover, if our departure becomes known, half the city +would wish to join us, having no love of soldiering, and misdoubting +them much of the issue of this war with Ithobal." + +"As you will," said Issachar, "you are captain of the caravan, and +charged with the safety of the prince upon his journeyings. I am ready +whenever you appoint, and the quicker that hour comes, the more praise +you will have from me." + +"Come with me, I wish to speak with you," said Aziel to the Phœnician +as they left the presence of Issachar. "Listen," he added, when they +had reached his chamber, "we leave this city soon, and I have +farewells to make." + +"To the Baaltis?" suggested Metem. + +"To the lady Elissa. I desire to send her a letter of farewell; can +you deliver it into her own hand?" + +"It may be managed, Prince, at a price--nay, from you I ask no price. +I have still some images that I wish to sell, and we merchants go +everywhere, even into the presence of the Baaltis if it pleases her to +admit them. Write your scroll and I will take it, though, to be plain, +it is not a task which I should have sought." + +So Aziel wrote slowly and with care. Then having sealed the writing he +gave it to Metem. + +"Your face is sat, Prince," he said, as he hid it in his robe, "but, +believe me, you are doing what is right and wise." + +"It may be so," answered Aziel, "yet I would rather die than do it, +and may my curse lie heavy upon the heads of those who have so wrought +that it must be done. Now, I pray you, deliver this scroll into the +hands of her you know, and bring me the answer if there be any, +betraying it to none, for I will double whatever sum is offered for +that treachery." + +"Have no fear, Prince," said Metem quietly, but without taking +offence, "this errand is undertaken for friendship, not for profit. +The risk is mine alone; the gain--or loss--is yours." + +***** + +An hour later the Phœnician stood in the palace of the gods, +demanding, under permit from Sakon, governor of the city, to be +admitted into the presence of the Baaltis, to whom he desired to sell +certain sacred images cunningly fashioned in gold. Presently it was +announced that he was allowed to approach, and the officers of the +temple led him through guarded passages, to the private chambers of +the priestesses. Here he found Elissa in a long, low hall, sweet with +scented woods, rich with gold, and supported by pillars of cedar. + +She was seated alone at the far end of this hall, beneath the window- +plate, clad in her white robes of office, richly broidered with +emblems of the moon. Her women, most of whom were employed in needle- +work, though some whispered idly to each other, were gathered at the +lower end of the hall near to its door. + +Metem saluted them as he entered, and they detained him, answering his +greeting by requests for news and with jests, not too refined, or by +demands for presents of jewels, in return for which they promised him +the blessings of the goddess. To each he made some apt reply, for even +the priestesses of Baaltis could not abash Metem. But while he bandied +words, his quick eyes noted one of their number who did not join in +this play. She was a spare, thin-lipped woman whom he knew for Mesa, +the daughter of the dead Baaltis, who had been a rival candidate for +the throne of the high-priestess when Elissa was chosen in her place. + +When he entered the hall Mesa was seated upon a canvas stool, a little +apart from the others, her chin resting upon her hand, staring with an +evil look towards the place where Elissa was enthroned. Nor did her +face grow more gentle at the sight of the cunning merchant, for she +knew well it was through his plots and bribery that she had been +ousted from her mother's place. + +"A woman to be feared," thought Metem to himself as, shaking off the +priestesses, he passed her upon his way up the long chamber. Presently +he had reached the end of it, and was saluting the presence of the +Baaltis by kneeling and touching the carpet with his brow. + +"Rise, Metem," said Elissa, "and set out your business, for the hour +of the sunset prayer is at hand, and I cannot talk long with you." + +So he rose, and, looking at her while he laid out his store of images, +saw that her face was sad, and that her eyes were full of a strange +fear. + +"Lady," he said, "on the second night from now I depart from this city +of yours, and glad shall I be to leave it living. Therefore I have +brought you these four priceless images of the most splendid +workmanship of Tyre, thinking that it might please you to purchase +them for the service of the goddess." + +"You depart," she whispered; "alone?" + +"No lady, not alone; the holy Issachar goes with me, also the escort +of the prince Aziel--and the prince himself, whose presence is no +longer desired in Zimboe." Here he stopped, for he saw that Elissa was +about to betray her agitation, and whispered, "Be not foolish, for you +are watched; I have a letter for you. Lady," he continued in a louder +voice, "if it will please you to examine this precious image in the +light, you will no longer hesitate or think the price too high," and +bowing low he led the way behind the throne, whither Elissa followed +him. + +Now they were standing beneath the window-place, which they faced, and +hidden from the gaze of the women by the gilded back of the high seat. + +"Here," he said, thrusting the parchment into her hand, "read quickly, +and return it to me." + +She snatched the roll from him, and as her eyes devoured the lines, +her face fell in, and her lips grew pale with anguish. + +"Be brave," murmured Metem, for his heart was stirred to pity; "it is +best for all that he should go." + +"For him, perchance it is best," she answered; as with an unwilling +hand she gave him back the letter which she dared not keep, "but what +of me? Oh! Metem, what of me?" + +"Lady," he said sadly, "I have no words to soothe your sorrow save +that the gods have willed it thus." + +"What gods?" she asked fiercely; "not those they bid me worship." She +shuddered, then went on, "Metem, be pitiful! Oh! if ever you have +loved a woman, or have been loved of one, for her sake be pitiful. I +must see him for the last time in farewell, and you can help me to +it." + +"I! In the name of Baal, how?" + +"When do you have to leave the city, Metem?" + +"At moonrise on the night after next." + +"Then an hour before moonrise I will be in the temple, whither I can +come by the secret way that leads thither from this palace, and he can +enter there, for the little gate shall be left unbarred. Pray him to +meet me, then--for the last time." + +"Lady," he urged, "this is but madness, and I refuse. You must find +another messenger." + +"Madness or not it is my will, and beware how you thwart me in it, +Metem, for at least I am the Lady Baaltis, and have power to kill +without question. I swear to you that if I do not see him, you shall +never leave this city living." + +"A shrewd argument, and to the point," said Metem reflectively. "Well, +I have prepared myself a rock-hewn tomb at Tyre, and do not wish that +my graven sarcophagus of best Egyptian alabaster should be wasted, or +sold to some upstart for a song." + +"As assuredly it will be, if you do not obey me in this matter, Metem. +Remember--an hour before moonrise, at the foot of the pillar of El in +the inner court of the temple." + +As she spoke Metem started, for his quick ears had caught a sound. + +"O Queen divine," he said in a loud voice, as he led the way to the +front of the throne, "you are a hard bargainer! Were there many such, +a poor trader could not make a living. Ah! here is one who knows the +value of such priceless works of art," and he pointed to Mesa, who, +with folded arms and downcast eyes, stood within five paces of the +throne, as near, indeed, as custom allowed her to approach. "Lady," he +went on addressing you, "you will have heard the price I asked; say, +now, is it too much?" + +"I have heard nothing, sir. I stand here, waiting the return of my +holy mistress that I may remind her that the hour of sunset prayer is +at hand." + +"Would that I had so fair a mentor," exclaimed Metem, "for then I +should lose less time." But to himself he said, "She /has/ heard +something, though I think but little," then added aloud: "Well judge +between us, lady. Is fifty golden shekels too much for these images +which have been blessed and sprinkled with the blood of children by +the high priest of Baal at Sidon?" + +Mesa lifted her cold eyes and looked at them. "I think it too much," +she said, "but it is for the lady Baaltis to judge. Who am I that I +should open my lips in the presence of the lady Baaltis?" + +"I have appealed to the oracle, and it has spoken against me," said +Metem, wringing his hands in affected dismay. "Well, I abide the +result. Queen, you offered me forty shekels and for forty you shall +take them, for the honour of the holy gods, though in truth I lose ten +shekels by the bargain. Give your order to the treasurer, and he will +pay me to-morrow. So now farewell," and bowing till his forehead +touched the ground, he kissed the hem of her robe. + +Elissa bent her head in acknowledgment of the salute, and as he rose +her eyes met his. In them was written a warning which he could not +fail to understand, and although she did not speak, her lips seemed to +shape the word, "Remember." + +Ten minutes later Metem stood in the chamber of Aziel. + +"Has she seen the letter, and what did she answer?" asked the prince, +springing up almost as he passed the threshold. + +"In the name of all the gods of all the nations I pray you not to +speak so loud," answered Metem when he had closed the door and looked +suspiciously about him. "Oh! if ever I find myself safe in Tyre again, +I vow a gift, and no mean one, to each of them that has a temple +there, and they are many; for no single god is strong enough to bring +me safe out of this trouble. Have I seen the lady Elissa? Oh, yes, I +have seen her. And what think you that this innocent lamb, this +undefiled dove of yours, threatens me with now? Death! nothing less +than death, if I will not carry out her foolish wishes. More, she +means the threat, and has the strength to fulfil it, for to the lady +Baaltis is given power over the lives of men, or at the least, if she +takes life none question the authority of the goddess. Unless I do her +will I am a dead man, and that is the reward I get for mixing myself +up in your mad love affairs." + +"Hold!" broke in Aziel, "and tell me, man, what is her will?" + +"Her will is--what do you think? To meet you in farewell an hour +before you leave this city. Well, as my throat is at stake, by Baal! +it shall be gratified if I can find the means, though I tell you that +it is madness and nothing else. But listen to the story----" and he +repeated all that had passed. "Now," he added, "are you ready to take +the risk, Prince?" + +"I should be a coward indeed if I did not," answered Aziel, "when she, +a woman, dares a heavier." + +"And I am a coward, that is why I take it, for otherwise I also must +dare a heavier. But what of Issachar? This meeting can scarcely be +kept a secret from him." + +Aziel thought awhile and said:-- + +"Go fetch him here." So Metem went, to return presently with the +Levite, to whom, without further ado, the prince told all, hiding +nothing. + +Issachar listened in silence. When both Aziel and Metem had done +speaking, he said:-- + +"At least, I thank you, Prince, for being open with me; and now +without more words I pray you to abandon this rash plan, which can end +only in pain, and perhaps in death." + +"Abandon it not, Prince," interrupted Metem, "seeing that if you do it +will certainly end in my death, for the girl is mad, and will have her +way. Or if she does not, then I must pay the price." + +"Have no fear," answered Aziel smiling. "Issachar, this must be done +or----" + +"Or what, Prince?" + +"I will not leave the city. It is true that Sakon may thrust me from +it, but it shall be as a dead man. Nay, waste no words, since she +desires it; I must and will meet the Lady Elissa for the last time, +not as lover meets lover, but as those meet who part for ever in the +world." + +"You say so, Prince; then have I your permission to accompany you?" + +"Yes, if you wish it, Issachar; but there is danger." + +"Danger! What care I for danger? The will of Heaven be done to me. So +be it, we will go together, but the end of it is not with us." + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE TRYST + +Two days had gone by, and at the appointed hour three figures, wrapped +in dark cloaks, might have been seen walking swiftly towards the +little entrance of the temple fortress. Although it was near to +midnight the city was still astir with men, for this very evening news +had reached it that Ithobal was advancing at the head of tens of +thousands of the warriors of the Tribes. More, it was rumoured freely +that within the next few days the siege of Zimboe would begin. Late as +it was, the council had been just summoned to the palace of Sakon to +consider the conduct of the defence, while in every street stood knots +of men engaged in anxious discussion, and from many a smithy rose the +sound of armourers at their work. Here marched parties of soldiers of +various races, there came long strings of mules laden with dried flesh +and grain; yonder a woman beat her breast, and wept loudly because her +three sons had been impressed by order of the council, two of them to +serve as archers and the third to carry blocks of stone for the +fortifications. + +Passing unnoticed through all this crowd and tumult, Aziel, Issachar +and Metem entered a winding passage in the temple wall, and came to +the little gate. Metem tried it, and whispered:-- + +"She has kept her word; it is unlocked. Now enter to your love-tryst, +holy Issachar." + +"Do you not come with us?" asked the Levite. + +"No, I am too old for such adventures. Listen, I go to make ready. +Within an hour the mules with the prince's bodyguard will stand in the +archway near the small gate of the palace, for by now the baggage and +its escort await us a day's march from this accursed city. Will you +meet me there? No; I think it is best that I should come to your +chambers to fetch you, and, I pray you, let there be no delay, for it +is dangerous in many ways. When once the prince has done with his +tender interview, and wiped away his tears, there should be nothing to +stay him, since the farewell cup with Sakon has been already drunk. +Enter now swiftly before some prowling priest happens upon you, and +pray that you may come out as sound as you go in. Oh! what a sight! A +prince of Israel and an aged Levite of established reputation going to +keep a tryst at midnight with the high-priestess of Baaltis in the +sanctuary of her god! Nay, answer not; there is no time"--and he was +gone. + +***** + +Having passed the gate, Aziel and Issachar crept down the winding +passages of stone, groping their path by such light as fell from the +narrow line of sky above them, till at length they reached the court +of the sanctuary. Here the place was as silent as death, for the noise +from the city without could not pierce its towering walls of massive +granite. + +"It is the very pit of Tophet," murmured Issachar, peering through the +dense shadows, "the house of Beelzebub, where his presence dwells. +Whither now, Aziel?" + +The prince pointed to two objects that were visible in the starlight, +and answered:-- + +"Thither, at the foot of the pillar of El." + +"Ah! I remember," said Issachar, "where the accursed woman would have +offered sacrifice, and the priests struck me down because I prophesied +to them of the wrath to come, and that is now at hand. An ill-omened +spot, indeed, and an ill-omened tryst with the fiends for witnesses. +Well, lead on, and I pray you to be brief as may be, for this place +weighs down my soul, and I feel danger in it--danger to the body and +the spirit." + +So they went forward. "Be careful," whispered Aziel presently. "The +pit of sacrifice is at your feet." + +"Yes, yes," he answered, "we walk upon the edge of the pit, and, in +truth, I grow fearful, for at the threshold of such places the angel +of the Lord deserts us." + +"There is nothing to fear," said Aziel. But even as he spoke, although +he could not see it, a white face rose above the edge of the pit, like +that of some ghost struggling from the tomb, watched them a moment +with cold eyes, then disappeared again. + +Now they were near the greater pillar, and now from its shadow glided +a black-veiled shape. + +"Elissa?" murmured Aziel. + +"It is I," whispered a soft voice; "but who comes with you?" + +"I, Issachar," said the Levite, "who would not suffer that he of whom +I am given charge should seek such company alone. Now, priestess, say +your say with the prince yonder and let us be gone swiftly from this +blood-stained place." + +"You speak harsh words to me, Issachar," she said gently, "yet I am +most glad that you have come, for, believe me, I sought no lovers' +meeting with the prince Aziel. Listen, both of you: you know that they +have consecrated me high-priestess of Baaltis against my will. Now, I +tell you, Issachar, what I have already told the prince Aziel--that I +am no longer a worshipper of Baaltis. Yes, here in her very temple I +renounce her, even though she takes my life in vengeance. Oh! since +they made me priestess I have been forced to learn all her worship, +which before I never even guessed, and to see sights that would chill +your blood to hear of them. Now I tell you, prince Aziel and Issachar, +that I will bear no more. From El and Baaltis I turn to Him you +worship, though, alas! little time is left to me in which to plead for +pardon." + +"Why is little time left?" broke in Aziel. + +"Because my death is very near me, Prince, for if I live, see what a +fate is mine. Either I must remain high-priestess of Baaltis and to +her day by day bow the knee, and month by month make sacrifice--of +what think you? Well, to be plain, of the blood of maids and children. +Or, perhaps, should their fears overcome their scruples, I shall be +given by the council as a peace-offering to Ithobal. + +"I say that I will bear neither of these burdens of blood or shame; +they are too heavy for me. Prince, so soon as you are gone I too shall +leave this city, not in the body, but in the spirit, searching for +peace or sleep. It was for this reason that I sought to speak with you +in farewell, since in my weakness I desired that you should learn the +truth of the cause and manner of my end. + +"Now you know all, and as for me there is no escape, farewell for +ever, prince Aziel, whom I have loved, and whom I can scarcely hope to +meet again, even beyond the grave." Then with a little despairing +motion of her hand she turned to go. + +"Stay," said Aziel hoarsely, "we cannot be parted thus; since by your +own act you can dare to leave the world, will you not dare to fly this +place with me?" + +"Perhaps, Prince," she answered with a little laugh, "but would you +dare to take me, and if so, would Issachar here suffer it? No, no; go +your own path in life, and leave me death--it is the easier way." + +"In this matter I am master and not Issachar," said Aziel, "though it +be true that should it please him, he can warn the priests of El. +Listen, Elissa: either you leave this city with me, or I stay in it +with you. You hear me, Issachar?" + +"I hear you," said the Levite, "but perchance before you throw more +sharp words at my head, you will suffer me to speak. Self-murder is a +crime, yet I honour this woman who would shed her own blood, rather +than the blood of the innocent in sacrifice to Baal, and who refuses +to be given in marriage to one she hates; who, moreover, has found +strength and grace to trample on her devil-worship, if so in truth she +has. If therefore she will come with us and we can escape with her, +why, let her come. Only swear to me, Aziel, that you will make no wife +of her till the king, your grandsire, has heard this tale and given +judgment on it." + +"That I will swear for him," exclaimed Elissa; "is it not so, Aziel?" + +"As you will, lady," he answered. "Issachar, you have my word that +until then she shall be as my sister, and no more." + +"I hear and I believe you," said Issachar, adding: "And now, lady, we +go at once, so if you desire to accompany us, come." + +"I am ready," she replied, "and the hour is well chosen for I shall +not be missed till dawn." + +So they turned and left the temple. None stayed or hindered them, yet +although they reached the chambers of Aziel in safety, their hearts, +which should have been light, were still heavy with the presage of new +sorrow to come. + +Scarcely could they have been heavier, indeed, had they seen a white- +faced woman creep from the pit of death and follow them stealthily +till they had passed from the temple into the palace doors, then turn +and run at full speed towards the college of the priests of El. + +In the chamber of Aziel they found Metem. + +"I rejoice to see you back again in safety, since it is more than I +thought to do," he said, while they entered, adding, as the black- +veiled shape of Elissa followed them into the room, "but who is the +third? Ah! I see, the lady Elissa. Does the Baaltis accompany us upon +our journey?" + +"Yes," answered Aziel shortly. + +"Then with her high Grace on the one side and the holy Issachar on the +other it should not lack for blessings. Surely that evil must be great +from which, separately or together, they are unable to defend us. But, +lady, if I may ask it, have you bid farewell to your most honoured +father?" + +"Torment me not," murmured Elissa. + +"Indeed, I did not wish to, though you may remember that not so long +ago you threatened to silence me for ever. Well, doubtless your +departure is too hurried for farewells, and, fortunately, foreseeing +it, I have provided spare mules. So my deeds are kinder than my words. +I go to see that all is prepared. Now eat before you start; presently +I will return for you," and he left the chamber. + +When he had gone they gathered round the table on which stood food, +but could touch little of it; for the hearts of all three of them were +filled with sad forebodings. Soon they heard a noise as of people +talking excitedly outside the palace gates. + +"It is Metem with the mules," said Aziel. + +"I hope so," answered Elissa. + +Again there was silence, which, after a while, was broken by a loud +knocking at the door. + +"Rise," said Aziel, "Metem comes for us." + +"No, no," cried Elissa, "it is Doom that knocks, not Metem." + +As the words passed her lips the door was burst open, and through it +poured a mob of armed priests, at the head of whom marched the Shadid. +By his side was his daughter Mesa, in whose pale face the eyes burned +like torches in a wind. + +"Did I not tell you so?" she said in a shrill voice, pointing at the +three. "Behold the Lady Baaltis and her lover, and with them that +priest of a false faith who called down curses upon our city." + +"You told us indeed, daughter," answered the Shadid; "pardon us if we +were loth to believe that such a thing could be." Then with a cry of +rage he added, "Take them." + +Now Aziel drew his sword, and sprang in front of Elissa to protect +her, but before he could strike a blow it was seized from behind, and +he was gripped by many hands, gagged, bound and blindfolded. Then like +a man in a dream he felt himself carried away through long passages, +till at length he reached an airless place, where the gag and bandages +were removed. + +"Where am I?" Aziel asked. + +"In the vaults of the temple," answered the priests as they left the +prison, barring its great door behind them. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE SACRILEGE OF AZIEL + +How long he lay in his dungeon, lost in bitter thought and tormented +by fears for Elissa, Aziel could not tell, for no light came there to +mark the passage of the hours. In the tumult of his mind, one terrible +thought grew clear and ever clearer; he and Elissa had been taken red- +handed, and must pay the price of their sin against the religious +customs of the city. For the Baaltis to be found with any man who was +not her husband meant death to him and her, a doom from which there +was little chance of escape. + +Well, to his own fate he was almost indifferent, but for Elissa and +Issachar he mourned bitterly. Truly the Levite and Metem had been wise +when they cautioned him, for her sake and his own, to have nothing to +do with a priestess of Baal. But he had not listened; his heart would +not let him listen--and now, unless they were saved by a miracle--or +Metem--in the fulness of their youth and love, the lives of both of +them were forfeited. + +Worn out with sore fears and vain regrets Aziel fell at length into a +heavy sleep. He was awakened by the opening of the door of his +dungeon, and the entry of priests--grim, silent men who seized and +blindfolded him. Then they led him away up many stairs, and along +paths so steep that from time to time they paused to rest, till at +length he knew, by the sound of voices, that he had reached some place +where people were assembled. Here the bandage was removed from his +eyes. He stepped backwards, recoiling involuntarily at the glare of +light that poured upon him from the setting sun, whereon, uttering an +exclamation, those who stood near seized and held him. Presently he +saw the reason. He was standing on the brink of a precipice at the +back of and dominating the dim and shadow-clad city, while far beneath +him lay a gloomy rift along which ran the trade road to the coast. + +Here in this dizzy spot was a wide space of rock, walled in upon three +sides. The precipice formed the fourth side of its square, in which, +seated upon stones that seemed to have been set there in semi-circles +to serve as judgment chairs, were gathered the head priests and +priestesses of El and Baaltis, clad in their sacerdotal robes. To the +right and left of these stood knots of favoured spectators, among whom +Aziel recognised Metem and Sakon, while at his side, but separated +from him by armed priests, were Elissa herself, wrapped in a dark +veil, and Issachar. Lastly, in front of him, a fire flickered upon a +little altar, and behind the altar stood a shrine containing a +symbolical effigy of Baaltis fashioned of gold, ivory and wood to the +shape of a woman with a hundred breasts. + +Seeing all this, Aziel understood that they three had been brought +here for trial, and that the priests and priestesses before him were +their judges. Indeed, he remembered that the place had been pointed +out to him as one where those who had offended against the gods were +carried for judgment. Thence, if found guilty, such unfortunates were +hurled down the face of the precipice and left, a shapeless mass of +broken bone, to crumble on the roadway at its foot. + +After a long and solemn pause, at a sign from the Shadid, he who had +been the husband of the dead Baaltis, the veil was removed from +Elissa. At once she turned, looked at Aziel, and smiled sadly. + +"Do you know the fate that waits us?" the prince asked of Issachar in +Hebrew. + +"I know, and I am ready," answered the old Levite, "for since my soul +is safe I care little what these dogs may do to my body. But, oh! my +son, I weep for you, and cursed be the hour when first you saw that +woman's face." + +"Spare to reproach me in my misfortune," murmured Elissa; "have I not +enough to bear, knowing that I have brought death upon him I love? Oh! +curse me not, but pray that my sins may be forgiven me." + +"That I will do gladly, daughter," replied Issachar more gently, "the +more so that, although you seem to be the cause of them, these things +can have happened only by the will of Heaven. Therefore I was wrong to +revile you, and I ask your pardon." + +Before she could answer the Shadid commanded silence. At the same +moment the woman Mesa stepped from behind the effigy of the goddess on +the shrine. + +"Who are you and what do you here?" asked the Shadid, as though he did +not know her. + +"I am Mesa, the daughter of her who was the lady Baaltis," she +answered, "and my rank is that of Mother of the priestesses of +Baaltis. I appear to give true evidence against her, who is the +anointed Baaltis, against the Israelitish stranger named Aziel, and +the priest of the Lord of the Jews." + +"Lay your hand upon the altar and speak, but beware what you speak," +said the Shadid. + +Mesa bowed her head, took the oath of truth by touching the altar with +her fingers, and began:-- + +"From the time that she was appointed I have been suspicious of the +lady Baaltis." + +"Why were you suspicious?" asked the Shadid. + +The witness let her eyes wander towards Metem, then hesitated. +Evidently for some reason of her own she did not wish to implicate +him. + +"I was suspicious," she answered, "because of certain words that came +from the lips of the Baaltis, when she had been thrown into the holy +trance before the fire of sacrifice. As is my accustomed part, I bent +over her to hear and to announce the message of the gods, but in place +of the hallowed words there issued babblings about this Hebrew +stranger and of a meeting to be held with him at one hour before +moonrise by the pillar of El in the courtyard of the temple. +Thereafter for several nights as was my duty I hid myself in the pit +of offerings in the courtyard and watched. Last night at an hour +before the moonrise the Lady Baaltis came disguised by the secret way +and waited at the pillar, where presently she was joined by the Jew +Aziel and the Levite, who spoke with her. + +"What they said I could not hear, because they were too far from me, +but at length they left the temple and I traced them to the chambers +of the Jew Aziel, in the palace of Sakon. Then, Shadid, I warned you, +and the priests and you accompanied me and took them. Now, as Mother +of the priestesses, I demand that justice be done upon these wicked +ones, according to the ancient custom, lest the curse of Baaltis +should fall upon this city." + +When she had finished her evidence, with a cold stare of triumphant +hate at her rival, Mesa stepped to one side. + +"You have heard," said the Shadid addressing his fellow-judges. Do you +need further testimony? If so, it must be brief, for the sun sinks." + +"Nay," answered the spokesman, "for with you we took the three of them +together in the chamber of the prince Aziel. Set out the law of this +matter, O Judge, and let justice be done according to the strict +letter of the law--justice without fear or favour." + +"Hearken," said the Shadid. "Last night this woman Elissa, the +daughter of Sakon, being the lady Baaltis duly elected, met men +secretly in the courts of the temple and accompanied them, or one of +them, to the chamber of Aziel, a prince of Israel, the guest of Sakon. +Whether or no she was about to fly with him from the city which he +should have left last night, we cannot tell, and it is needless to +inquire, at least she was with him. This, however, is sure, that they +did not sin in ignorance of our law, since with my own mouth I warned +them both that if the lady Baaltis consorts with any man not her +husband duly named by her according to her right, she must die and her +accomplice with her. Therefore, Aziel the Israelite, we give you to +death, dooming you presently to be hurled from the edge of yonder +precipice." + +"I am in your power," said the prince proudly, "and you can murder if +you will, because, forsooth, I have offended against some law of Baal, +but I tell you, priest, that there are kings in Jerusalem and Egypt +who will demand my blood at your hands. I have nothing more to say +except to beseech you to spare the life of the lady Elissa, since the +fault of the meeting was not hers, but mine." + +"Prince," answered the Shadid gravely, "we know your rank and we know +also that your blood will be required at our hands, but we who serve +our gods, whose vengeance is so swift and terrible, cannot betray +their law for the fear of any earthly kings. Yet, thus says this same +law, it is not needful that you should die since for you there is a +way of escape that leads to safety and great honour, and she who was +the cause of your sin is the mistress of its gate. Elissa, holder of +the spirit of Baaltis upon earth, if it be your pleasure to name this +man husband before us all, then as the spouse of Baaltis he goes free, +for he whom the Baaltis chooses cannot refuse her gift of love, but +for so long as she shall live must rule with her as Shadid of El. But +if you name him not, then as I have said, he must die, and now. +Speak." + +"It seems that my choice is small," said Elissa with a faint smile. +"Praying you to pardon me for the deed, to save your life, prince +Aziel, according to the ancient custom and privilege of the Baaltis, I +name you consort and husband." + +Now Aziel was about to answer her when the Shadid broke in hurriedly, +"So be it," he said. "Lady, we hear your choice, and we accept it as +we must, but not yet, prince Aziel, can you take your wife and with +her my place and power. Your life is safe indeed, for since the +Baaltis, being unwed, names you as her mate, you have done no sin. Yet +she has sinned and doom awaits her, for against the law she has chosen +as husband one who worships a strange god, and of all crimes that is +the greatest. Therefore, either you must take incense and before us +all make offering to El and Baaltis upon yonder altar, thus renouncing +your faith and entering into ours, or she must die and you, your rank +having passed from you with her breath, will be expelled from the +city." + +Now Aziel understood the trap that had been laid for him, and saw in +it the handiwork of Sakon and Metem. Elissa having flagrantly violated +the religious law, and he, being the cause of her crime, even the +authority of the governor of the city could not prevent his daughter +and his guest from being put upon their trial. Therefore, they had +arranged this farce, for so it would seem to them, whereby both the +offenders might escape the legal consequences of their offence, +trusting, doubtless, to accident and the future to unravel this web of +forced marriage, and to free Aziel from a priestly rank which he had +not sought. It was only necessary that Elissa should formally choose +him as her husband, and that Aziel should go through rite of throwing +a few grains of incense upon an altar, and, the law satisfied, they +would be both free and safe. What Metem, and those who worked with +him, had forgotten was, that this offering of incense to Baal would be +the most deadly of crimes in the eyes of any faithful Jew--one, +indeed, which, were he alone concerned, he would die rather than +commit. + +When the prince heard this decree, and the full terror of the choice +came home to his mind, his blood turned cold, and for a while his +senses were bewildered. There was no escape for him; either he must +abjure his faith at the price of his own soul, or, because of it, the +woman whom he loved, now, before his eyes, must suffer a most horrible +and sudden death. It was hideous to think of, and yet how could he do +this sin in the face of heaven and of these ministers of Satan? + +The moment was at hand; a priest held out to him a bowl of incense, a +golden bowl, he noticed idly, with handles of green stone fashioned in +the likeness of Baaltis, whose servant he was asked to declare +himself. He, Aziel of the royal house of Israel, a servant of Baal and +Baaltis, nay, a high-priest of their worship! It was monstrous, it +might not be. But Elissa? Well, she must die--if this was not a farce, +and in truth they meant to murder her; her life could not be bought at +such a price. + +"I cannot do it," he gasped with dry lips, thrusting aside the bowl. + +Now all looked astonished, for his refusal had not been foreseen. +There was a pause, and once more the woman Mesa, in her character of +prosecutrix on behalf of the outraged gods, appeared before the altar, +and said in her cold voice: + +"The Jew whom the lady Baaltis has chosen as husband will not do +homage to her gods. Therefore, as Mother of the priestesses and +Advocate of Baaltis, I demand that Elissa, daughter of Sakon, be put +to death, and the throne of Baaltis be purged of one who has defiled +it, lest the swift and terrible vengeance of the goddess should fall +upon this city." + +The Shadid motioned to her to be silent, and addressed Aziel:-- + +"We pray you to think a while," he said, "before you give one to death +whose only sin is that, being the high-priestess of our worship, she +has named an unbeliever to fill the throne of El and be her husband. +Out of pity for her fate we give you time to think." + +Now Sakon, taking advantage of the pause, rushed forward, and throwing +his arms about Aziel's knees, implored him in heart-breaking accents +to preserve his only child from so horrible a doom. He said that did +he refuse to save her because of his religious scruples, he would be a +dog and a coward, and the scorn of all honest men for ever. It was for +love of him that she had broken the priestly law, to violate which was +death, and although he had been warned of her danger, yet in his +wickedness and folly he had brought her to this pass. Would he then +desert her now? + +But Issachar thrust him aside, and broke in with fiery words:-- + +"Hearken not to this man, Aziel," he said, "who strives to work upon +your weakness to the ruin of your soul. What! To save the life of one +woman, whose fair face has brought so much trouble upon us all, would +you deny your Lord and become the thrall of Baal and Ashtoreth? Let +her die since die she must, and keep your own heart pure, for be +assured, should you do otherwise, Jehovah, whom you renounce, will +swiftly be avenged on you and her. At the beginning I warned you, and +you would not listen. Now, Aziel, I warn you again, and woe! woe! woe! +to you should you shut your ears to my message." Then lifting his +hands towards the skies, he began to pray aloud that Aziel might be +constant in his trial. + +Meanwhile, Metem, who had drawn near, spoke in a low voice:-- + +"Prince," he said, "I am not chicken-hearted, and there are so many +young women in the world that one more or less can scarcely matter; +still, although she threatened to murder me three days ago, I cannot +bear to see this one come to so dreadful a death. Prince, do not heed +the howlings of that old fanatic, but remember that after all you are +the cause of this lady's plight, and play the part of a man. Can you +for the sake of your own scruples, however worthy, or of your own soul +even, however valuable to yourself, doom the fair body of a woman who +risked all for you to such an end as that?" And shuddering he nodded +towards the gloomy precipice. + +"Is there no other way?" Aziel asked him. + +"None, I swear it. They did not wish to kill her, except that wild-cat +Mesa who seeks her place, but having put her on her public trial, if +you persist--they must. + +"This is one of the few laws which cannot be broken for favour or for +gold, since the people, who are already half-mad with fear of Ithobal, +believe that to break it would bring the curses of heaven upon their +city. Perhaps we might have found some other plan, but none of us even +dreamed that you would refuse so small a thing for the sake of a woman +whom you swore you loved." + +"A small thing!" broke in Aziel. + +"Yes, Prince, a very small thing. Remember, this offering of incense +is but a form to which you are forced against your will--you can do +penance for it afterwards when I have arranged for both of you to +escape the city. If your God can be angry with you for burning a pinch +of dust to save a woman, who at the least has dared much for you, then +give me Baal, for he is less cruel." + +Now Aziel looked towards him who held the bowl of incense. But Elissa +who all this while had stood silent, stepped forward and spoke:-- + +"Prince Aziel," she said in a calm and quiet voice, "I named you +husband to save your life, but with all my strength I pray of you, do +not this thing to save mine, which is of little value and perhaps best +ended. Remember, prince Aziel, that being what you are, a Jew, this +act of offering, however small it seems, is yet the greatest of sins, +and one with which you should not dare to stain your soul for the sake +of a woman, who has chanced to love you to your sorrow. Be guided, +therefore, by the true wisdom of Issachar and by my humble prayer. +Make an end of your doubts and let me die, knowing that we do but part +a while, since in the Gate of Death I shall wait for you, prince +Aziel." + +Before Aziel could answer, the Shadid, either because his patience was +outworn, or because he wished to put him to a sharper trial, uttered a +command. "Be it done to her as she desires." + +Thereon four priests seized Elissa by the wrists and ankles. Carrying +her to the edge of the precipice, they thrust her back till she hung +over it, her long hair streaming downwards, and the red light of the +sunset shining upon her upturned ghastly face. Then they paused, +waiting for the signal to let her go. The Shadid raised his wand and +said:-- + +"Is it your pleasure that this woman should die or live, prince Aziel? +Decide swiftly, for my arm is weak, and when the wand falls +opportunity for choice will have passed from you." + +Now all eyes were fixed upon the wand, and the intense silence was +only broken by Sakon's cry of despair. Metem wrung his hands in grief; +even Issachar veiled his eyes with his robe, to shut out the sight of +dread, and the priest, who bore the bowl of incense, thrust it towards +Aziel imploringly. + +For some seconds, three perhaps, though to him they seemed an age, the +heart of Aziel was racked and torn in this terrific contest. Then he +glanced at the agonized face of the doomed woman, and just as the wand +began to bend, his human love and pity conquered. + +"May He Whom I blaspheme forgive me," he murmured, adding aloud, "I +will do sacrifice." Taking the incense in his hand now he cast it into +the flames upon the altar, repeating mechanically after the Shadid: +"By this sacrifice and homage, body and soul I give myself to you and +worship you, El and Baaltis, the only true gods." + +***** + +The echo of Aziel's voice died away, and the fumes of the incense rose +in a straight dense column upon that quiet air. To his tormented mind, +it seemed as though its smoke took the form of an avenging angel, +holding in the hand a sword of flame, wherewith to drive away his +perjured soul from Heaven, as our first forefathers were driven from +the shining gates of paradise. Yes, and they were not human, those +spectators who, in the intense glow of the sunset, stood in their +still ranks and stared at him with wide and eager eyes. Surely they +were fiends red with the blood of men, fiends gathered from the Pit to +bear everlasting witness to the unpardonable sin of his apostasy. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE MARTYRDOM OF ISSACHAR + +It was done, and from the mouths of the circle of priests and +priestesses leapt a shrill and sudden cry of triumph. For had not +their gods conquered? Had not this high-placed servant of the hated +Lord of Israel been caught by the bait of a priestess of Baaltis, and +seduced by her distress to deny and reject Him? Was not evil once more +triumphant, and must not they, its ministers, rejoice? + +Again the Shadid raised his wand and they were silent. + +"Brother you have, indeed, done well and wisely," he said, addressing +Aziel. "Now take to wife the divine lady who has chosen you," and he +pointed to Elissa, who lay prostrated on the rock. "Yes, take her and +be happy in her love, sitting in my seat, which henceforth is yours, +as ruler of the priests of El and master of their mysteries, +forgetting the follies of your former faith, and spitting on its +altars. Hail to you, Shadid, Lord of the Baaltis and chosen of El! +Take him, you priests, and with him the divine lady, his wife, to bear +them in triumph to their high house." + +"What of the Levite?" asked the woman Mesa. + +The Shadid glanced at Issachar, who all this while had stood like one +stricken to the soul, woe stamped upon his face, and a stare of horror +in his eyes. "Jew," he said, "I had forgotten you, but you also are on +your trial, who dared against the law to hold secret meeting with the +lady Baaltis. For this sin the punishment is death, nor, as I think, +would any woman name you husband to save you. Still in this hour of +joy we will be merciful; therefore do as your master did, cast incense +on the altar, uttering the appointed words, and go your way." + +"Before I make my offering on yonder altar according to your command, +I have indeed some words to say, O priest of El," answered Issachar +quietly, but in a voice that chilled the blood of those who listened. + +"First, I address myself to you, Aziel, and to you, woman," and he +pointed to Elissa, who had risen, and leaned, trembling, upon her +father. "My dream is fulfilled. Aziel, you have sinned indeed, and +must bear the appointed punishment of your sin. Yet hear a message of +mercy spoken through my lips: Because you have sinned through love and +pity, your offence is not unto death. Still shall you sorrow for it +all your life's days, and in desolation of heart and bitterness of +soul shall creep back to the feet of Him you have forsworn. + +"Woman, your spirit is noble and your feet are set in the way of +righteousness, yet through you has this offence come. Therefore your +love shall bear no fruit, nor shall the blasphemy of your beloved save +your flesh from doom. Upon this earth there is no hope for you, +daughter of Sakon; set your eyes beyond it, for there alone is hope. + +"Yonder she stands who swore our lives away?" and he fixed his burning +gaze on Mesa. "Priestess, you plotted this that you might succeed to +the throne of Baaltis; now hear your fate: You shall live to sweep the +huts and bear the babes of savages. You, priest," and he pointed to +the Shadid, "I read your heart; you design to murder this apostate +whom you greet as your successor that you may usurp his place. I show +you yours: it lies in the bellies of the jackals of the desert. + +"For you priests and priestesses of El and Baaltis, think of my words, +and raise the loud song of triumph to your gods when you yourselves +are their offering, and the red flame of the fire burns you up, all of +you save your sins, which are immortal. O citizens of an accursed +city, look on the hill-top yonder and tell me, what do you see in the +light of the dying day? A sheen of spears, is it not? They draw near +to your hearts, you whose day is done indeed, citizens of an accursed +city whereof the very name shall be forgotten, and the naked towers +shall become but a source of wonder to men unborn. + +"And now, O priest, having said my say, as you bid me, I make my +offering upon your altar." + +Then, while all stood fearful and amazed, Issachar the Levite sprang +forward, and seizing the ancient image of Baaltis, he spat upon it and +dashed the priceless consecrated thing down upon the altar, where it +broke into fragments, and was burned with the fire. + +"My offering is made," he said; "may He whom I serve accept it. Now +after the offering comes the sacrifice; son Aziel, fare you well." + +***** + +For a few moments a silence of horror and dismay fell upon the +assembly as they gazed at the shattered and burning fragments of their +holy image. Then moved by a common impulse, with curses and yells of +fury, the priests and priestesses sprang from their seats and hurled +themselves upon Issachar, who stood awaiting them with folded arms. +They smote him with their ivory rods, they rent and tore him with +their hands and teeth, worrying him as dogs worry a fox of the hills, +till at length the life was beaten and trampled out of him and he lay +dead. + +Thus terribly, but yet by such a death of martyrdom as he would have +chosen, perished Issachar the Levite. + +Unarmed though he was, Aziel had sprung to his aid, but Metem and +Sakon, knowing that he would but bring about his own destruction, +flung themselves upon him and held him back. Whilst he was still +struggling with them the end came, and Issachar grew still for ever. +Then, as the sun sank and the darkness fell, Aziel's strength left +him, and presently he slipped to the ground senseless. + +***** + +Thereafter it seemed to Aziel that he was plunged in an endless and +dreadful dream, and that through its turmoil and shifting visions, he +could see continually the dreadful death of Issachar, and hear his +stern accents prophesying woe to him who renounces the God of his +forefathers to bow the knee to Baal. + +At length he awoke from that horror-haunted sleep to find himself +lying in a strange chamber. It was night, and lamps burned in the +chamber, and by their light he saw a man whose face he knew mixing a +draught in a glass phial. So weak was he that at first he could not +remember the man's name, then by slow degrees it came to him. + +"Metem," he said, "where am I?" + +The Phœnician looked up from his task, smiled, and answered:-- + +"Where you should be, Prince, in your own house, the palace of the +Shadid. But you must not speak, for you have been ill; drink this and +sleep." + +Aziel swallowed the draught and was instantly overcome by slumber. +When he awoke the sun was shining brightly through the window place, +and its rays fell upon the shrewd, kindly face of Metem, who, seated +on a stool, watched him, his chin resting in his hand. + +"Tell me all that has befallen, friend," said Aziel presently, +"since----" and he shuddered. + +"Since you were married after a new fashion and that bigoted but most +honourable fool, Issachar, went to his reward. Well, I will when you +have eaten," answered Metem as he gave him food. "First," he said, +after a while, "you have lain here for three days raving in a fever, +nursed by myself and visited by your wife the lady Baaltis, whenever +she could escape from her religious duties----" + +"Elissa! Has she been here?" asked Aziel. + +"Calm yourself, Prince, certainly she has, and, what is more, she will +be back soon. Secondly: Ithobal has been as good as his word, and +invests the city with a vast army, cutting off all supplies and +possibilities of escape. It is believed that he will try an assault +within the next week, which many think may be successful. Thirdly: to +avoid this risk it is rumoured that the priests and priestesses, at +the instance of the council, are discussing the wisdom of giving over +to the king the person of the daughter of Sakon. This, it is said, +could be done on the plea that her election as the lady Baaltis was +brought about with bribery, and is, therefore, void, as she was not +chosen by the pure and unassisted will of the goddess." + +"But," said Aziel, "she is my wife according to their religious law; +how then can she be given in marriage to another?" + +"Nay, Prince, if she is not the lady Baaltis your husbandship falls to +the ground with the rest, for you are not the Shadid, an office with +which perchance you can dispense. But all this priestly juggling means +little, the truth being that the city in its terror is ready to throw +her--or for the matter of that, Baaltis herself if they could lay +hands on her--as a sop to Ithobal, hoping thereby to appease his rage. +The lady Elissa knows her danger--but here she comes to speak for +herself." + +As he spoke the curtains at the end of the chamber were drawn, and +through them came Elissa, clad in her splendid robes of office and +wearing upon her brow the golden crescent of the moon. + +"How goes it with the prince, Metem?" she asked in her soft voice, +glancing anxiously towards the couch which was half-hidden in the +shadow of the wall. + +"Look for yourself, lady," answered the Phœnician bowing before her. + +"Elissa, Elissa!" cried Aziel, raising himself and opening his arms. + +She saw and heard, then, with a low cry, she ran swiftly to him and +was wrapped in his embrace. Thus they stayed a while, murmuring words +of love and greeting. + +"Is it your pleasure that I should leave you?" asked Metem presently. +"No? Then, Prince, I would have you remember that you are still very +weak and should not give way to violent emotions." + +"Listen, Aziel," said Elissa, untwining his arms from about her neck, +"there is no time for tenderness; moreover, you should show none to +one who, in name at least, is still the high-priestess of Baaltis, +though in truth she worships her no longer. It was noble of you indeed +to offer incense upon the altar of El that my life might be saved. But +when I prayed you not, I spoke from the heart, and bitterly, bitterly +do I grieve that for my sake you should have stained your hands with +such a sin. Moreover, it will avail nothing, for the doom of the +prophet Issachar lies upon us, and I cannot escape from death, neither +can you escape remorse, and as I think, that worst of all desires--the +desire for the dead." + +"Can we not still flee the city?" asked Aziel. + +"Metem will tell you that it is impossible; day and night I am watched +and guarded, yes, Mesa dogs me from door to door. Also Ithobal holds +Zimboe so firmly in his net that no sparrow could fly out of it and he +not know. And there is worse to tell: Beloved, they purpose to give me +up as a peace-offering to Ithobal. Yes, even my father is of the plot, +for in his despair he thinks it his duty to sacrifice his daughter to +save the town, if, indeed, that will suffice to save us." + +"But you are the Baaltis and inviolate." + +"In such a time the goddess herself would not be held inviolate in +Zimboe, much less her priestess, Aziel. I have discovered that this +very night they have laid their plans to seize me. Mesa and others +have been chosen for the deed, and afterwards they think to offer me +as a bribe to Ithobal, who will take no other price." + +Aziel groaned aloud: "It were better that we should die," he said. + +She nodded and answered: "It were better that /I/ should die. But hear +me, for I also have a plan, and there is still hope, though very +little. Perhaps, as you drew near to Zimboe by the coast road, you may +have noted three miles or more from the gates of the city, and almost +overhanging the path on which you travelled, a shoulder of the +mountain where the rock is cut away, showing the narrow entrance to a +cave closed with a gate of bronze?" + +"I saw it," answered Aziel, "and was told that there was the most +sacred burying-place of the city." + +"It is the tomb of the high-priestesses of Baaltis," went on Elissa, +"and this day at sunset I must visit it to lay an offering upon the +shrine of her who was the Baaltis before me, entering alone, and +closing the gate, for it is not lawful that any one should pass in +there with me. Now, the plan is to lay hands on me as I go back from +the tomb to the palace--but I shall not go back. Aziel, I shall stay +in the tomb--nay, do not fear--not dead. I have hidden food and water +there, enough for many days, and there with the departed I shall live +--till I am of their number." + +"But if so, how can it help you, Elissa, for they will break in the +gates of the place, and drag you away?" + +"Then, Aziel, they will drag away a corpse, and that they will +scarcely care to present to Ithobal. See, I have hidden poison in my +breast, and here at my girdle hangs a dagger; are not the two of them +enough to make an end of one frail life? Should they dare to touch me, +I shall tell them through the bars that most certainly I shall drink +the bane, or use the knife; and when they know it, they will leave me +unharmed, hoping to starve me out, or trusting to chance to snare me +living." + +"You are bold," murmured Aziel in admiration, "but self-murder is a +sin." + +"It is a sin that I will dare, beloved, as in past days I would have +dared it for less cause, rather than be given alive into the hands of +Ithobal; for to whoever else I may be false, to you through life and +death I will be true." + +Now Aziel groaned in his doubt and bitterness of heart; then turning +to Metem, he asked:-- + +"Have you anything to say, Metem?" + +"Yes, Prince, two things," answered the Phœnician. "First, that the +lady Elissa is rash, indeed, to speak so openly before me who might +carry her words to the council or the priests." + +"Nay, Metem, I am not rash, for I know that, although you love money, +you will not betray me." + +"You are right, lady, I shall not, for money would be of little +service to me in a city that is about to be taken by storm. Also I +hate Ithobal, who threatened my life--as you did also, by the way--and +will do my best to keep you from his clutches. Now for my second +point: it is that I can see little use in all this because Ithobal, +being defrauded of you, will attack, and then----" + +"And then he may be beaten, Metem, for the citizens will at any rate +fight for their lives, and the Prince Aziel here, who is a general +skilled in war, will fight also if he has recovered strength----" + +"Do not fear, Elissa; give me two days, and I will fight to the +death," said Aziel. + +"At the least," she went on, "this scheme gives us breathing time, and +who knows but that fortune will turn. Or if it does not, since it is +impossible for me to escape from the city, I have no better." + +"No more have I," said Metem, "for at length the oldest fox comes to +his last double. I could escape from this city, or the prince might +escape, or the lady Elissa even might possibly escape disguised, but I +am sure that all three of us could not escape, seeing that within the +walls we are watched and without them the armies of Ithobal await us. +Oh! prince Aziel, I should have done well to go, as I might have gone +when you and Issachar were taken after that mad meeting in the temple, +from which I never looked for anything but ill; but I grow foolish in +my old age, and thought that I should like to see the last of you. +Well, so far we are all alive, except Issachar, who, although bigoted, +was still the most worthy of us, but how long we shall remain alive I +cannot say. + +"Now our best chance is to defeat Ithobal if we can, and afterwards in +the confusion to fly from Zimboe and join our servants, to whom I have +sent word to await us in a secret place beyond the first range of +hills. If we cannot--why then we must go a little sooner than we +expected to find out who it is that really shapes the destinies of +men, and whether or no the sun and moon are the chariots of El and +Baaltis. But, Prince, you turn pale." + +"It is nothing," said Aziel, "bring me some water, the fever still +burns in me." + +Metem went to seek for water, while Elissa knelt by the couch and +pressed her lover's hand. + +"I dare stay no longer," she whispered, "and Aziel, I know not how or +when we shall meet again, but my heart is heavy, for, alas! I think +that doom draws near me. I have brought much sorrow upon you, Aziel, +and yet more upon myself, and I have given you nothing, except that +most common of all things, a woman's love." + +"That most perfect of all things," he answered, "which I am glad to +have lived to win." + +"Yes, but not at the price that you have paid for it. I know well what +it must have cost you to cast that incense on the flame, and I pray to +your God, who has become my God, to visit the sin of it on my head and +to leave yours unharmed. Aziel, Aziel! woman or spirit, while I have +life and memory, I am yours, and yours only; clean-handed I leave you, +and if we may meet again in this or in any other world, clean and +faithful I shall come to you again. Glad am I to have lived, because +in my life I have known you and you have sworn you love me. Glad shall +I be to live again if again I may know you and hear that oath--if not, +it is sleep I seek; for life without you to me would be a hell. You +grow weak, and I must go. Farewell, and living or dead, forget me not; +swear that you will not forget me." + +"I swear it," he answered faintly; "and Heaven grant that I may die +for you, not you for me." + +"That is no prayer of mine," she whispered; and, bending, kissed him +on the brow, for he was too weak to lift his lips to hers. + +Then she was gone. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ELISSA TAKES SANCTUARY + +Two more hours had passed, and in the evening light a procession of +priestesses might be seen advancing slowly towards the holy tomb along +a narrow road of rock cut in the mountain face. In front of this +procession, wearing a black veil over her broidered robes, walked +Elissa with downcast eyes and hair unbound in token of grief, while +behind her came Mesa and other priestesses bearing in bowls of +alabaster the offerings to the dead, food and wine, and lamps of oil, +and vases filled with perfumes. Behind these again marched the +mourners, women who sang a funeral dirge and from time to time broke +into a wail of simulated grief. Nor, indeed, was their woe as hollow +as might be thought, since from that mountain path they could see the +outposts of the army of Ithobal upon the plain, and note with a +shudder of fear the spear-heads of his countless thousands shining in +the gorges of the opposing heights. It was not for the dead Baaltis +that they mourned this day, but for the fate which overshadowed them +and their city of gold. + +"May the curse of all the gods fall on her," muttered one of the +priestesses as she toiled forward beneath her load of offerings; +"because she is beautiful and pettish, we must be put to the spear, or +become the wives of savages," and she pointed with her chin to Elissa, +who walked in front, lost in her own thoughts. + +"Have patience," answered Mesa at her side, "you know the plan-- +to-night that proud girl and false priestess shall sleep in the camp +of Ithobal." + +"Will he be satisfied with that," asked the woman, "and leave the city +in peace?" + +"They say so," answered Mesa with a laugh, "though it is strange that +a king should exchange spoil and glory for one round-eyed, thin-limbed +girl who loves his rival. Well, let us thank the gods that made men +foolish, and gave us women wit to profit by their folly. If he wants +her, let him take her, for few will be poorer by her loss." + +"You at least will be richer," said the other woman, "and by the crown +of Baaltis. Well, I do not grudge it you, and as for the daughter of +Sakon, she shall be Ithobal's if I take her to him limb by limb." + +"Nay, sister, that is not the bargain; remember she must be delivered +to him without hurt or blemish; otherwise we shall do sacrilege in +vain. Be silent, here is the cave." + +Reaching the platform in front of the tomb, the procession of mourners +ranged themselves about it in a semi-circle. They stood with their +backs to the edge of a cliff that rose sheer for sixty feet or more +from the plain beneath, across which, but at a little distance from +the foot of the precipice ran the road followed by the caravans of +merchants in their journeys to and from the coast. Then, a hymn having +been sung invoking the blessing of the gods on the dead priestess, +Elissa, as the Baaltis, unlocked the gates of bronze with a golden key +that hung at her girdle, and the bearers of the bowls of offerings +pushed them into the mouth of the tomb, whose threshold they were not +allowed to pass. Next, with bowed heads and hands crossed upon her +breast, Elissa entered the tomb, and locking the bronze gate behind +her, took up two of the bowls and vanished with them into its gloomy +depths. + +"Why did she lock the gates?" asked a priestess of Mesa. "It is not +customary." + +"Doubtless because it was her pleasure to do so," answered Mesa +sharply, though she also wondered why Elissa had locked the gate. + +When an hour was gone by and Elissa had not returned, her wonder +turned to fear and doubt. + +"Call to the lady Baaltis," she said, "for her prayers are long, and I +fear lest she should have come to harm." + +So they called, setting heir lips against the bars of the gate till +presently, Elissa, holding a lamp in her hand, came and stood before +them. + +"Why do you disturb me in the sanctuary?" she asked. + +"Lady, because they set the night watch on the walls," answered Mesa, +"and it is time to return to the temple." + +"Return then," said Elissa, "and leave me in peace. What, you cannot, +Mesa? Nay, and shall I tell you why? Because you had plotted to +deliver me this night to those who should lead me as a peace-offering +to Ithobal, and when you come to them empty-handed they will greet you +with harsh words. Nay, do not trouble to deny it, Mesa. I also have my +spies, and know all the plan; and, therefore, I have taken sanctuary +in this holy place." + +Now Mesa pressed her thin lips together and answered:-- + +"Those who dare to lay hands upon the person of the living Baaltis +will not shrink from seeking her in the company of her dead sisters." + +"I know it, Mesa; but the gates are barred, and here I have food and +drink in plenty." + +"Gates, however strong, can be broken," answered the priestess, "so, +lady, do not wait till you are dragged hence like some discovered +slave." + +"Ay," replied Elissa, with a little laugh, "but what if rather than be +thus dishonoured, I should choose to break another gate, that of my +own life? Look, traitress, here is poison and here is bronze, and I +swear to you that should any lay a hand upon me, by one or other of +them I will die before their eyes. Then, if you will, bear these bones +to Ithobal and take his thanks for them. Now, begone, and give this +message to my father and to all those who have plotted with him, that +since they cannot bribe Ithobal with my beauty, they will do well to +be men, and to fight him with their swords." + +Then she turned and left them, vanishing into the darkness of the +tomb. + +Great indeed was the dismay of the councillors of Zimboe and of the +priests who had plotted with them when, an hour later, Mesa came, not +to deliver Elissa into their hands, but to repeat to them her threats +and message. In vain did they appeal to Sakon, who only shook his head +and answered:-- + +"Of this I am sure, that what my daughter has threatened that she will +certainly do if you force her to the choice. But if you will not +believe me, go ask her and satisfy yourselves. I know well what she +will answer you, and I hold that this is a judgment upon us, who first +made her Baaltis against her will, then threatened her with death +because of the prince Aziel, and now would do sacrilege to her sacred +office and violence to herself by tearing her from her consecrated +throne, breaking her bond of marriage and delivering her to Ithobal." + +So the leaders of the councillors visited the holy tomb and reasoned +with Elissa through the bars. But they got no comfort from her, for +she spoke to them with the phial of poison in her bosom and the naked +dagger in her hand, telling them what she had told Mesa--that they had +best give up their plottings and fight Ithobal like men, seeing that +even if she surrendered herself to him, when he grew weary of her the +war must come at last. + +"For a hundred years," she added, "this storm has gathered, and now it +must burst. When it has rolled away it will be known who is master of +the land--the ancient city of Zimboe, or Ithobal king of the Tribes." + +So they went back as they had come, and next day at the dawn, with a +bold face but heavy hearts, received the messengers of king Ithobal, +and told them their tale. The messengers heard and laughed. + +"We are glad," they answered, "since we, who are not in love with the +daughter of Sakon, desire war and not peace, holding as we do that the +time has come when you upstart white men--you outlanders--who have +usurped our country to suck away its wealth should be set beneath our +heel. Nor do we think that the task will be difficult for surely we +have little to fear from a city of low money seekers whose councillors +cannot even conquer the will of a single maid." + +Then in their despair the elders offered other girls to Ithobal in +marriage, as many as he would, and with them a great bribe in money. +But the envoys took their leave, saying that nothing would avail since +they preferred spear-thrusts to gold, for which they had little use, +and Ithobal, their king, had fixed his fancy on one woman alone. + +So with a heavy and foreboding heart, the city of Zimboe prepared +itself to resist attack, for as they had guessed, when he learned all, +the rage of Ithobal was great. Nor would he listen to any terms that +they could offer save one which they had no power to grant--that +Elissa should be delivered unharmed into his hands. Councils of war +were held, and to these, so soon as he was sufficiently recovered from +his sickness, the prince Aziel was bidden, for he was known to be a +skilled captain; therefore, though he had been the cause of much of +their trouble, they sought his aid. Also, should the struggle be +prolonged, they hoped through him to win Israel, and perhaps Egypt, to +their cause. + +Aziel's counsel was that they should sally out against the army of +Ithobal by night, since he expected to attack and not to be attacked, +but to that advice they would not listen, for they trusted to their +walls. Indeed, in this Metem supported them, and when the prince +argued with him, he answered:-- + +"Your tactics would be good enough, Prince, if you had at your back +the lions of Judah, or the wild Arab horsemen of the desert. But here +you must deal with men of my own breed, and we Phœnicians are traders, +not fighting men. Like rats, we fight only when there is no other +chance for our lives; nor do we strike the first blow. It is true that +there are some good soldiers in the city, but they are foreign +mercenaries; and as for the rest, half-breeds and freed slaves, they +belong as much to Ithobal as to Sakon, and are not to be trusted. No, +no; let us stay behind our walls, for they at least were built when +men were honest and will not betray us." + +Now in Zimboe were three lines of defence; first, that of a single +wall built about the huts of the slaves upon the plain, then that of a +double wall of stone with a ditch between thrown round the Phœnician +city, and lastly, the great fortress-temple and the rocky heights +above. These, guarded as they were by many strongholds within whose +circle the cattle were herded, as it was thought, could only be taken +with the sword of hunger. + + + +At last the storm burst, for on the fifth morning after Elissa had +barred herself within the tomb, Ithobal attacked the native town. +Uttering their wild battle-cries, tens of thousands of his savage +warriors, armed with great spears and shields of ox-hide, and wearing +crests of plumes upon their heads, charged down upon the outer wall. +Twice they were driven back, but the work was in bad repair and too +long to defend, so that at the third rush they flowed over it like +lines of marching ants, driving its defenders before them to the inner +gates. In this battle some were killed, but the most of the slaves +threw down their arms and went over to Ithobal, who spared them, +together with their wives and children. + +Through all the night that followed, the generals of Zimboe made ready +for the onslaught which must come. Everywhere within the circuit of +the inner wall troops were stationed, while the double southern +gateway, where prince Aziel was the captain in command, was built up +with loose blocks of stone. + +A while before the dawn, just as the eastern sky grew grey, Aziel, +watching from his post above the gate of the wall, heard the fierce +war-song of the Tribes swell suddenly from fifty thousand throats and +the measured tramp of their innumerable feet. Then the day broke, and +he saw them advancing in three armies towards the three points chosen +for attack, the largest of the armies, headed by Ithobal the king, +directing its march upon the walled gate of which he was in command. + +It was a wondrous and a fearful sight, that of these hordes of plumed +warriors, their broad spears flashing in the sunrise, and their fierce +faces alight with hereditary hate and the lust of slaughter. Never had +Aziel seen such a spectacle, nor could he look upon it without +dreading the issue of the war, for if they were savages, these foes +were brave as the lions of their own plains, and had sworn by the head +of their king to drag down the sheltering walls of Zimboe with their +naked hands, or die to the last man. + +Turning his head with a sigh of doubt, Aziel found Metem standing at +his side. + +"Have you seen her?" he asked eagerly. + +"No, Prince. How could I see her at night when she sits in a tomb like +a fox in his burrow? But I have heard her." + +"What did she say? Quick man, tell me." + +"But little, Prince, for the tomb is watched and I dared not stay +there long. She sent you her greetings and would have you know that +her heart will be with you in the battle, and her prayers beseech the +throne of Heaven for your safety. Also she said that she is well, +though it is lonesome there in the grave among the bodies of the dead +priestesses of Baaltis whose spirits, as she vows, haunt her dreams, +reviling her because she desecrates their sepulchre and has renounced +their god." + +"Lonesome, indeed," said Aziel with a shudder; "but tell me, Metem, +had she no other word?" + +"Yes, Prince, but not of good omen, for now as always she is sure that +her doom is at hand, and that you two will meet no more. Still she +bade me tell you that all your life long her spirit shall companion +you though it be unseen, to receive you at the last on the threshold +of the underworld." + +Aziel turned his head away, and said presently:-- + +"If that be so, may it receive me soon." + +"Have no fear, Prince," replied Metem with a grim laugh, "look +yonder," and he pointed to the advancing hosts. + +"These walls are strong and we shall beat them back," said Aziel. + +"Nay, Prince, for strong walls do not avail without strong hearts to +guard them, and those of the womanish citizens of Zimboe and their +hired soldiers are white with fear. I tell you that the prophecies of +Issachar the Levite, made yonder in the temple on the day of the +sacrifice, and again in the hour of his death, have taken hold of the +people, and by eating out their valour, fulfil themselves. + +"Men hint at them, the women whisper them in closets, and the very +children cry them in the streets. + +"More--one man last night pointed to the skies and shrieked that in +them he saw that fiery sword of doom of which the prophet spoke +hanging point downwards above the city, whereon all present vowed they +saw it too, though, as I think, it was but a cross of stars. Another +tells how that he met the very spirit of Issachar stalking through the +market-place, and that peering into the eyes of the wraith, as in a +mirror, he saw a great flame wrapping the temple walls, and by the +light of it his own dead body. This man was the priest who first +struck down the holy Levite yonder in the place of judgment. + +"Again, when the lady Mesa did sacrifice last night on behalf of the +Baaltis who has fled, the child they offered, an infant of six months, +stirred on the altar after it was dead and cried with a loud voice +that before three suns had set, its blood should be required at their +hands. That is the story, and if I do not believe it, this at least is +true, that the priestesses fled fast from the secret chamber of death, +for I met them as they ran shrieking in their terror and tearing at +their robes. But what need is there to dwell on omens, true or false, +when cowards man the walls, and the spears of Ithobal shine yonder +like all the stars of heaven? Prince, I tell you that this ancient +city is doomed, and in it, as I fear, we must end our wanderings upon +earth." + +"So be it, if it must be," answered Aziel, "at the least I will die +fighting." + +"And I also will die fighting, Prince, not because I love it, but +because it is better than being butchered in cold blood by a savage +with a spear. Oh! why did you ever chance to stumble upon the lady +Elissa making her prayer to Baaltis, and what evil spirit was it which +filled your brains with this sudden madness of love towards each +other? That was the beginning of the trouble, which, but for those +eyes of hers, would have held off long enough to see us safe at Tyre, +though doubtless soon or late it must have come. But see, yonder +marches Ithobal at the head of his guard. Give me a bow, the flight is +long, but perchance I can reach his black heart with an arrow." + +"Save your strength," answered Aziel, "the range is too great, and +presently you will have enough of shooting," and he turned to talk to +the officers of the guard. + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CAGE OF DEATH + +An hour later the attack commenced at chosen points of the double +wall, one of them being the southern gate. In front of the advancing +columns of savages were driven vast numbers of slaves, many of whom +had been captured, or had surrendered in the outer town. These men +were laden with faggots to fill the ditch, rude ladders wherewith to +scale the walls, and heavy trunks of trees to be used in breaching +them. For the most part, they were unarmed, and protected only by +their burdens, which they held before them as shields, and by the +arrows of the warriors of Ithobal. But these did little harm to the +defenders, who were hidden behind the walls, whereas the shafts of the +garrison, rained on them from above, killed or wounded the slaves by +scores, who, poor creatures, when they turned to fly, were driven +onward by the spear-points of the savages, to be slain in heaps like +game in a pitfall. Still, some of them lived, and running under the +shelter of the wall, began to breach it with the rude battering rams, +and to raise the scaling ladders till death found them, or they were +worn out with excitement, fear and labour. + +Then the real attack began. With fierce yells, the threefold column +rushed at the wall, and began to work the rams and scale the ladders, +while the defenders above showered spears and arrows upon them, or +crushed them with heavy stones, or poured upon their heads boiling +pitch and water, heated in great cauldrons which stood at hand. + +Time after time they were driven back with heavy loss; and, time upon +time, fresh hordes of them advanced to the onslaught. Thrice, at the +southern gate, were the ladders raised, and thrice the stormers +appeared above the level of the wall, to be hurled back, crushed and +bleeding, to the earth beneath. + +Thus the long day wore on and still the defenders held their own. + +"We shall win," shouted Aziel to Metem, as a fresh ladder was cast +down with its weight of men to the death-strewn plain. + +"Yes, here we shall win because we fight," answered the Phœnician, +"but elsewhere it may be otherwise." Indeed for a while the attack +upon the south gate slackened. + +Another hour passed and presently to the left of them rose a wild yell +of triumph, and with it a shout of "Fly to the second wall. The foe is +in the fosse!" + +Metem looked and there, down the great ditch, 300 paces to their left, +a flood of savages poured towards them. "Come," he said, "the outer +wall is lost." But as he spoke once more the ladders rose against the +gates and flanking towers and once more Aziel sprang to cast them +down. When the deed was done, he looked behind him to find that he was +cut off and surrounded. Metem and most of his men indeed had gained +the inner wall in safety, while he with twelve only of his bravest +soldiers, Jews of his own following, who had stayed to help him to +throw back the ladders, were left upon the gateway tower. Nor was +escape any longer possible, for both the plain without and the fosse +within were filled with the men of Ithobal who advanced also by +hundreds down the broad coping of the captured wall. + +"Now there is but one thing that we can do," said Aziel; "fight +bravely till we are slain." + +As he spoke a javelin cast from the wall beneath struck him upon the +breastplate, and though the bronze turned the iron point, it brought +him to his knees. When he found his feet again, he heard a voice +calling him by name, and looking down, saw Ithobal clad in golden +harness and surrounded by his captains. + +"You cannot escape, prince Aziel," cried the king; "yield now to my +mercy." + +Aziel heard, and setting an arrow to his bow, loosed it at Ithobal +beneath. He was a strong and skilful archer, and the heavy shaft +pierced the golden helmet of the king, cutting his scalp down to the +bone. + +"That is my answer," cried Aziel, as Ithobal rolled upon the ground +beneath the shock of the blow. But very soon the king was up and +crying his commands from behind the shield-hedge of his captains. + +"Let the prince Aziel, and the Jews with him, be taken alive and +brought to me," he shouted. "I will give a great reward in cattle to +those who capture them unharmed; but if any do them hurt, they +themselves shall be put to death." + +The captains bowed and issued their orders, and presently Aziel and +his companions saw lines of unarmed men creeping up ladders set at +every side of the lofty tower. Again and again they cast off the +ladders, till at length, being so few, they could stir them no more +because of the weight upon them, but must hack at the heads of the +stormers as they appeared above the parapet, killing them one by one. + +In this fashion they slew many, but their arms grew weary at last, and +ever under the eye of their king, the brave savages crept upward, +heedless of death, till, with a shout, they poured over the +battlements and rushed at the little band of Jews. + +Now rather than be taken, Aziel sought to throw himself from the +tower, but his companions held him, and thus at last it came about +that he was seized and bound. + +As they dragged him to the stairway he looked across the fosse and saw +the mercenaries flying from the inner wall, although it was still +unbreached, and saw the citizens of Zimboe streaming by thousands to +the narrow gateway of the temple fortress. + +Then Aziel groaned in his heart and struggled no more, for he knew +that the fate of the ancient town was sealed, and that the prophecy of +Issachar would be fulfilled. + +***** + +A while later Aziel and those with him, their hands bound behind their +backs, were led by hide ropes tied about their necks through the army +of the Tribes that jeered and spat upon them as they passed, to a tent +of sewn hides on the plain, above which floated the banner of Ithobal. +Into this tent the prince was thrust alone, and there forced upon his +knees by the soldiers who held him. Before him upon a couch covered +with a lion skin lay the great shape of Ithobal, while physicians +washed his wounded scalp. + +"Greeting, son of Israel and Pharaoh," he said in a mocking voice; +"truly you are wise thus to do homage to the king of the world." + +"A poor jest," answered Aziel, glancing at those who held him down; +"true homage is of the heart, king Ithobal." + +"I know it, Jew, and this also you shall give me when you are humbler. +Who taught you the use of the bow? You shoot well," and he pointed to +his blood-stained helm, which was still transfixed by the arrow. + +"Nay," answered Aziel, "I shot but ill, for my arm was weary. When +next I draw a string against your breast, king Ithobal, I promise you +a straighter shaft." + +"Well said," answered the king with a laugh, "but know, dog of a Jew, +that now it is my turn to draw the string--how, I will show you +afterwards. Have they told you that the city has fallen, and that my +captains hold the gates, while the cowards of Zimboe are penned like +sheep within the temple and on the cliff-edged height above? They have +fled hither for safety, but I tell you that they would be more safe on +yonder plain, for I have the key of their stronghold, a certain +passage leading from the palace of the Baaltis to the temple; you know +if it, I think. Yes, and if I had not, very soon hunger and thirst +would work for me. + +"Well, Jew, I have won, and with less trouble than I thought, and now +I hold the great city in hostage, to save or to destroy as it shall +please me, though that arrow of yours went near to robbing me of my +crown of victory." + +"So be it," answered Aziel, indifferently; "I have played my part, now +things must go as Fate may will." + +"Yes, Jew, you fought well till they deserted you, and the doom of +cowards is little to a brave man. But what of the lady Elissa? Nay, I +know all; she has taken refuge in the tomb of Baaltis, has she not, +with poison in her bosom and bronze at her girdle to be used against +her own life, should they lay hands on her or give her to me? And all +this she does for the love of you, prince Aziel; for the love of you +she refuses to become my queen, ruling over that city which I have +conquered, and all my unnumbered tribes. + +"Do you guess now why I caused you to be taken living? I will tell +you; that you may be the bait to draw her to me. To kill you would be +easy; but how would that serve, seeing that then she herself would +choose to die? But, perchance, to save your life she will live also-- +yes, and give herself to me. At least, I will try it; should the plan +fail--then you can pay the price of her pride with your blood, prince +Aziel." + +"That I would do gladly," answered Aziel, "but oh! what a cross-bred +hound you are who thus can seek to torture the heart of a helpless +woman! Have you then no manhood that you can stoop to such a coward's +plot?" + +"Fool! it is because of my manhood that I do stoop to it," said +Ithobal angrily. "Doubtless you think that a mad fancy and naught else +drives me to the deed, but it is not so, although in truth my heart-- +like yours--chooses this woman to be my wife and none other. That +fondness I might conquer, but look you, of all things living this lady +alone has dared to cross my will, so that to-day even the sentries on +their rounds and the savage women in the kraals tell each other of how +Ithobal, the great king of an hundred tribes, has been baffled and +mocked at by a girl who despises him because his blood is not all +white. Thus I am become a laughing-stock, and therefore I will win +her, cost me what it may." + +"And I, king Ithobal, tell you that you will not win her--no, not if +you torture me to death before her eyes." + +"That we shall see," said the king with a sneer. Then he called to his +guard and added, "Let this man and his companions be taken to the +place prepared for them." + +Now Aziel was dragged from the tent and thrust into a wooden cage, +such as were used for carrying slaves and women from place to place +upon the backs of camels. His soldiers, who had been taken with him, +were thrust also into cages, and, with himself laden upon camels that +were waiting, two cages to each camel. Then a cloth was thrown over +them, and, rising to their feet, the camels began to march. + +When they had covered a league or more of ground Aziel learned from +the motion of the camel upon which he was secured, and the sound of +the repeated blows of its drivers, that they were ascending some steep +place. At length they reached the top of it, and were unloaded from +the beasts like merchandise, but he could see nothing, for by now the +night had fallen. Then, still in the cages, they were carried to a +tent, where food and water were given them through the bars, after +which, so weary was Aziel with war, misery and the remains of recent +illness, that he fell asleep. + +At daybreak he awoke, or rather was awakened, by the sound of a +familiar voice, and, looking through his bars, perceived Metem +standing before them, guarded but unbound, with indignation written on +his face, and tears in his quick eyes. + +"Alas!" he cried, "that I should have lived to see the seed of Israel +and Pharaoh thus fastened like a wild beast in a den, while barbarians +make a mock of him. Oh! Prince, it were better that you should die +rather than endure such shame." + +"Misfortunes are the master of man, not man of his misfortunes, +Metem," said Aziel quietly, "and in them is no true disgrace. Even if +I had the means to kill myself, it would be a sin; moreover, it might +bring another to her death. Therefore, I await my doom, whatever it +may be, with such patience as I can, trusting that my sufferings and +ignominy may expiate my crimes in the sight of Him whom I renounced. +But how come you here, Metem?" + +"I came under the safe-conduct of Ithobal who gave me leave to visit +you, doubtless for some ends of his own. Have you heard, Prince, that +he holds the gates of the city, though as yet no harm has been done to +it, and that its inhabitants are crowded within the temple, and upon +the heights above; also that in his despair Sakon has fallen on his +sword and slain himself?" + +"Is it so?" answered Aziel. "Well, Issachar foretold as much. On their +own heads be the doom of these devil-worshippers and cowards. Have you +any tidings of the lady Elissa?" + +"Yes, Prince. She still sits yonder in the tomb, resolute in her +purpose, and giving no answer to those who come to reason with her." + +As he spoke the guard let fall the front of the tent so that the +sunlight flowed into it, revealing Aziel and his twelve companions, +each fast in his narrow and shameful prison. "See," said Metem, "do +you know the place?" + +The prince struggled to his knees, and saw that they were set upon the +top of a hill, built up of granite boulders, which rose eighty feet or +more from the surface of the plain. Opposite to them at a distance of +under a hundred paces was a precipice in the face of which could be +seen a cave closed with barred gates of bronze, while between the +rocky hill and the precipice ran a road. + +"I know it, Metem; there runs the path by which we travelled from the +coast, and there is the tomb of Baaltis. Why have we been brought +here?" + +"The lady Elissa sits behind the bars of yonder tomb whence her view +of all that happens upon this mount must be very good indeed," +answered Metem with meaning. "Now, can you guess why you were brought +here, prince Aziel." + +"Is it that she may witness our sufferings under torment?" he asked. + +Metem nodded. + +"How will they deal with us, Metem?" + +"Wait and see," he answered sadly. + +As he spoke Ithobal himself appeared followed by certain evil-looking +savages. Having greeted Metem courteously he turned to the Hebrew +soldiers in the cages and asked them which of their number was most +prepared to die. + +"I, Ithobal, who am their leader," said Aziel. + +"No, Prince," replied Ithobal with a cruel smile, "your time is not +yet. Look, there is a man who has been wounded; to put him out of his +pain will be a kindness. Slaves, bear that Jew to the edge of the +rock, and--as the prince will wish to study a new mode of death--bring +his cage also." + +The order was obeyed, Aziel being set down upon the very verge of the +cliff. Close to him a spur of granite jutted out twenty feet or so +from the edge. At the end of the spur a groove was cut and over this +groove, suspended by a thin chain from a pole, hung a wedge of pure +crystal carefully shaped and polished. While Aziel wondered what evil +purpose this stone might serve, the slaves had fastened a fine rope to +the cage containing the wounded Hebrew soldier and secured its end. +Then they set the rope in the groove of the granite spur, and pushed +the cage over the edge of the cliff, so that it dangled in mid-air. + +"Now I will explain," said Ithobal. "This is a method of punishment +that I have borrowed from those followers of Baal who worship the sun, +by means of which Baal claims his own sacrifice, and none are guilty +of the victim's blood. You see yonder crystal--well, at any appointed +hour, for it can be hung as you will, the rays of the sun shining +through it cause the fibres of the grass rope to smoke and smoulder +till at length they part and--Baal takes his sacrifice. Should a cloud +hide the sun at the appointed hour, then, Baal having spared him, the +victim is set free. But, as you will note, at this season of the year +there are no clouds. + +"What, Prince, have you nothing to say?" he went on, for Aziel had +listened in silence to the tale of this devilish device. "Well, learn +that it depends upon the lady Elissa yonder whether or not this fate +shall be yours. Send now and pray her to save you. Think what it will +be to hang as at this moment your servant hangs over that yawning gulf +of space, waiting through the long hours till at last you see the +little wreaths of smoke begin to curl from the tinder of the cord. +Why! before the end found them I have known men go mad, and, like +wolves, tear with their teeth at the wooden bars. + +"You will not. Then, Metem, do you plead for your friend. Bid the +Baaltis look forth at one hour before noon and see the sight of yonder +wretch's death, remembering that to-morrow this fate shall be her +lover's unless she foregoes her purpose of self-murder and gives +herself to me. Nay, no words! an escort shall lead you through the +lower city to the gateway of the tomb and there listen to your speech. +See that it does not fail you, merchant, unless you also seek to hang +in yonder cage. Tell the lady Elissa that to-morrow at sunrise I will +come in person for her answer. If she yields, then the prince and his +companions shall be set free and with you, Metem, to guide them, be +mounted on swift camels to carry them unharmed to their retinue beyond +the mountains. But if she will not yield, then--Baal shall take his +sacrifice. Begone." + +So, having no choice, Metem bowed and went, leaving the caged Aziel +upon the edge of the cliff, and the Hebrew soldier hanging from the +spur of rock. + +Now Aziel roused himself from the horror in which his soul was sunk, +and strove to comfort his doomed comrade, praying with him to Heaven. + +Slowly as they prayed, the hours drew on till at length, upon the +opposite cliff, he saw men whom he knew to be Metem and his escort, +approach the mouth of the tomb, and faintly heard him call through the +bars of the gateway. Turning himself in his cage, Aziel glanced at the +rope, and watched the spot of light born from the burning glass of the +crystal creep to its side. + +Now the fatal moment was at hand, and Aziel saw a little wreath of +smoke rise in the still air and bade his wretched servant close his +eyes. Then came the end. Suddenly the taut rope, eaten through by the +sun's fire, flew back and the cage with the soldier in it vanished +from his sight, while, from far below, rose the sound of a heavy fall, +and from the tomb of Baaltis rang the echo of a woman's shriek. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +"THERE IS HOPE" + +It was dawn. Ithobal the king stood without the gates of the tomb of +Baaltis, the grey light glimmering faintly on his harness, and knocked +upon the brazen bars with the handle of his sword. + +"Who troubles me now?" said a voice within. + +"Lady, it is I, Ithobal, who, as I promised by Metem the Phœnician, am +come to learn your will as to the fate of my prisoner, the Prince +Aziel. Already he hangs above the gulf, and within one short hour, if +you so decree it, he will fall and be dashed to pieces. Or, if you so +decree it, he will be set free to return to his own land." + +"At what price will he be set free, king Ithobal?" + +"Lady, you know the price; it is yourself. Oh! I beseech you, be wise! +spare his life and your own. Listen: spare his life, and I will spare +this city which lies in the hollow of my hand, and you shall rule it +with me." + +"You cannot bribe me thus, king Ithobal. My father whom I loved is +dead, and shall I give myself to you for the sake of a city and a +Faith that would have betrayed me into your hands?" + +"Nay, but for the sake of the man to whom you are dear, you shall do +even this, Elissa. Think: if you refuse, his blood will be upon your +head, and what will you have gained?" + +"Death, which I seek, for I weary of the struggle of my days." + +"Then end it in my arms, lady. Soon this fancy will escape your mind, +and you will remain one of the mightiest queens of men." + +Elissa returned no answer, and for a while there was silence. + +"Lady," said Ithobal at length, "the sun rises and my servants yonder +await a signal." + +Then she spoke like one who hesitates. + +"Are you not afraid, king Ithobal, to trust your life to a woman won +in such a fashion?" + +"Nay," answered Ithobal, "for though you say that their fate does not +concern you, the lives of all those penned-up thousands are hostages +for my own. Should you by chance find a means to stab me unawares, +then to-night fire and sword would rage through the city of Zimboe. +Nor do I fear the future, since I know well that you who think you +hate me now, very soon will learn to love me." + +"You promise, king Ithobal, that if I yield myself you will set the +prince Aziel free; but how can I believe you who twice have tried to +murder him?" + +"Doubt me if you will, Elissa, at least, you cannot doubt your own +eyes. Look, his road to the sea runs beneath this rock. Come from the +tomb and take your stand upon it and you shall see him pass; yes, and +should you wish, speak with him in farewell that you may be sure that +it is he and alive. Further, I swear to you by my head and honour, +that no finger shall be laid upon you till he is gone by, and that no +pursuit of him shall be attempted. Now choose." + +Again there was silence for a while. Then Elissa spoke in a broken +voice. + +"King Ithobal, I have chosen. Trusting to your royal word I will stand +upon the rock and when I have seen the prince Aziel go by in safety, +then, since you desire it, you shall put your arms about me and bear +me whither you will. You have conquered me, king Ithobal! Henceforward +these lips of mine are yours and no other man's. Give the signal, I +pray you, and I will cast aside the dagger and the poison and come out +living from this tomb." + +Aziel hung in his cage over the abyss of air, awaiting death, and glad +to die, because now he was sure that Elissa had refused to purchase +his life at the expense of her own surrender. There he hung, dizzy and +sick at heart, making his prayer to heaven and waiting the end, while +the eagles that would prey upon his shattered flesh swept past him. + +Presently, from the opposing cliff, came the sound of a horn blown +thrice. Then, while Aziel wondered what this might mean, the cage in +which he lay was drawn in gently over the edge of the precipice, and +carried down the steeps of the granite hill as it had been carried up +them. + +At the foot of the hill its covering was torn aside, and he saw before +him a caravan of camels, and seated on each camel a comrade of his +own. But one camel had no rider, and Metem led it by a rope. + +The servants of Ithobal took him from the cage and set him upon this +camel, though they did not loosen the bonds about the wrists. + +"This is the command of the king," said the captain to Metem "that the +arms of the prince Aziel shall remain bound until you have travelled +for six hours. Begone in safety, fearing nothing." + +***** + +"What happens now, Metem," asked Aziel, as the camels strode forward, +"and why am I set free who was expecting death? Is this some new +artifice of yours, or has the lady Elissa----" and he ceased. + +"Upon the word of an honest merchant I cannot tell you, Prince. +Yesterday, as I was forced, I gave the message of king Ithobal to the +lady Elissa yonder in the tomb. She would answer me only one thing, +which she whispered in my ear through the bars of the holy tomb; that +if we could escape we should do so, moreover that you must have no +fear for her since she also had found a means of escape from Ithobal, +and would certainly join us upon the road." + +As Metem spoke, the camels passed round the little hill on to the path +that ran beneath the tomb of Baaltis. There, standing upon the rock +some fifty feet above them, was Elissa, and with her, but at a +distance, Ithobal the king. + +"Halt, prince Aziel," she called in a clear voice, "and hearken to my +farewell. I have bought your life, and the lives of your companions, +and you are free, for the road is clear and nothing can overtake the +twelve swiftest camels in Zimboe. Go, therefore, and be happy, +forgetting no word that has passed my lips. For all my words are true, +even to a certain promise which I made you lately by the mouth of +Metem, and which I now fulfil--that I would join you on your road lest +you should deem me faithless to the troth which I have so often sworn +to you. + +"King Ithobal, this shape is yours; come now and take your prize. +Prince Aziel, my soul is yours, in life it shall companion you, and in +death await you. Prince Aziel, I come to you." Then, before he could +answer a single word, with one swift and sudden spring she hurled +herself from the cliff edge to fall crushed upon the road beneath. + +Aziel saw. In his agony he strained so fiercely at the bonds which +held him that they burst like rushes. He leapt from the camel and +knelt beside Elisa. She was not yet dead, for her eyes were open and +her lips stirred. + +"I have kept faith, keep it also, Aziel! the story is not yet done," +she gasped. Then her life flickered out, and her spirit passed. + +Aziel rose from beside the corpse and looked upward. There upon the +edge of the rock above him, leaning forward, his eyes blind with +horror, stood Ithobal the king. Aziel saw him, and a fury entered into +his heart because this man, whose jealous rage and evil doing had bred +such woe and caused the death of his beloved still lived upon the +earth. By the prince was Metem, who, for once, had no words, and from +his hand he snatched a bow, set an arrow on the string and loosed. + +The shaft rushed upwards, it smote Ithobal between the joints of his +harness so that the point of it sunk through this neck. + +"This gift, king Ithobal, from Aziel the Israelite," he cried, as the +arrow sped. + +For a moment the great man stood still, then he opened his arms wide +and of a sudden plunged downward, falling with a crash on the roadway, +where he lay dead at the side of dead Elissa. + +***** + +"The play is played, and the fate fulfilled," cried Metem. "See, the +servants of the king speed yonder with their evil tidings; let us away +lest we bide here with these two for ever." + +"That is my desire," said Aziel. + +"A desire which may not be fulfilled," answered Metem. "Come, Prince, +since we cannot go without you. Surely you do not wish to sacrifice +the lives of all of us as an offering to the great spirit of the lady +who is dead. It is one that she would not seek." + +Then Aziel knelt down and kissed the brow of the dead Elissa, and went +his way, saying no word. + +***** + +That night, when the darkness fell, the sky behind these travellers +grew red with fire. + +"Behold the end of the golden city!" said Metem. "Zimboe is food for +flames and its children for the sword. Issachar was a prophet indeed, +who foretold that it should be so." + +Aziel bowed his head, remembering that Issachar had foretold also that +for Elissa and for him there was hope beyond the grave. As he thought +it, a wind beat upon his brow and through it a soft voice seemed to +murmur to his heart:-- + +"Be of good courage: Beloved, /there is hope/." + +***** + +So, turning from the death behind him, this far away forgotten lover +set his face to the sea of Life and passed it, and long ago, at his +appointed hour, gained its further shore, to be welcomed there by her +who watched for him. + +And thus, because of the fateful and predestined loves of Aziel the +prince, and Elissa the priestess and daughter of Sakon, three +thousands years and more ago, the ancient city of Zimboe fell at the +hand of king Ithobal and his Tribes, so that to-day there remain of it +nothing but a desolate grey tower of stone, and beneath, the crumbling +bones of men. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Elissa, by H. Rider Haggard + |