elissa-第11部分

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face　immovable　as　that　of　an　Egyptian　Sphinx；　but　magnificently

apparelled　in　gleaming　robes　and　jewelled　ornamentswhich　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　da？s。



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　Ph？nicians；　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　Ph？nician　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　da？s　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　discoverfor　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　Ph？nicians　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