Part 19 (1/2)
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 s.h.i.+fting visions, he could see continually the dreadful death of Issachar, and hear his stern accents prophesying woe to him who renounces the G.o.d 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 gla.s.s 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 Phoenician 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 s.h.i.+ning 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 fas.h.i.+on 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 a.s.sault 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 una.s.sisted will of the G.o.ddess.”
”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 husbands.h.i.+p 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 Phoenician 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 wors.h.i.+ps her no longer. It was n.o.ble 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 G.o.ddess 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.