Part 15 (1/2)

”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 friends.h.i.+p, not for profit. The risk is mine alone; the gain--or loss--is yours.”

An hour later the Phoenician stood in the palace of the G.o.ds, 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 fas.h.i.+oned in gold. Presently it was announced that he was allowed to approach, and the officers of the temple led him through guarded pa.s.sages, 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 G.o.ddess. 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 pa.s.sed 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 workmans.h.i.+p of Tyre, thinking that it might please you to purchase them for the service of the G.o.ddess.”

”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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 G.o.ds have willed it thus.”

”What G.o.ds?” she asked fiercely; ”not those they bid me wors.h.i.+p.” 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?”