Part 37 (1/2)
Ishtar shuddered. To her, for all his comeliness, he was loathsome as a leper, terrible as a beast of prey.
”It is but justice I require,” said she, wringing her hands. ”Bare justice for an a.s.syrian-born carried into captivity.”
”He shall be brought back by the sons of Ashur with the strong hand,”
replied Kalmim stoutly. ”Who can stand against a.s.syria in her might? But I know not yet whither they have taken him, nor how you have discovered the prison-house where he is lodged.”
”I came into the market at sunrise,” answered Ishtar, ”to sell the clasp of my father's girdle, that I might eat a morsel of bread. Ashtaroth must have had pity on me; for she directed my steps to those very traders who bought Sarchedon from the sons of Anak. One, who seemed chief among them, spoke me fair, and treated me well. Perhaps he has a daughter of his own. From him I learned, that when they divided the spoil, his brother had taken the a.s.syrian warrior for his share, and was journeying with him to Armenia, where he would sell him for a goodly slave to stand before the king. I pray you, Kalmim, is it very far to Armenia?”
”It is many days' journey,” replied Kalmim hopefully. ”But those who have horses and camels need not the wings of a bird. I have heard it said of the Great King, that his sceptre stretched over the whole land of s.h.i.+nar, his spear to the uttermost ends of the earth, and his arrows reached the heavens. I know not; but I think the sons of Ashur can obtain what they want, even from beyond the mountains of Armenia, if they go to ask for it with bow and spear. These traders, though, are soft and smooth-spoken, false as prosperous lovers, every man of them!
How know you their tale is true?”
”By this token,” answered Ishtar, showing Sarchedon's amulet in her hand.
Kalmim recognised it at once. Many a time since she missed it from the Great Queen's neck had she speculated on its absence, and wondered what fresh combinations of intrigue and duplicity were denoted by this imprudent generosity of her mistress. Though Semiramis, she knew, entertained a peculiar reverence for the trinket, as possessing some supernatural charm, yet when she bade her tirewoman go back to search for it in the temple of Baal, there was a restless anxiety in her demeanour not to be explained by mere concern for a lost jewel. And now her eyes were opened. She marvelled how she could have been so dull and blind. She resolved to hold the clue tight, and never let it go till she had turned its possession to her own advantage. Though she tried to look innocent and unconscious, it was impossible to keep down the sparkle in her eye, the crimson on her cheek, while she asked as carelessly as she could,
”Is it a sign between you, and did he send it to vouch for the truth of the messenger?”
”Not so,” answered Ishtar. ”They took it from his neck by stealth, and the good trader gave it into my hand, because I desired it from him as a gift. When I look on it, I seem to see the n.o.ble face of my beloved. O Kalmim, we must deliver him, and bring him back.”
”We must deliver him, and bring him back,” repeated Kalmim, pondering deeply. In a few seconds she ran through the main points and bearings of the case.
So long as Sarchedon remained a captive in Armenia, it was obvious that he could be of little service to her designs, but if she could by any means recall him to Babylon, a path seemed open that should lead to her own aggrandis.e.m.e.nt and paramount influence in the palace. She was sufficiently persuaded that the seclusion of Semiramis would last but for a short time; that her masculine intellect would soon weary of inactivity; and that her energies would again rule the nation through the son, as heretofore through the sire. She was shrewd enough to have observed that Ninyas did nothing without the counsel of a.s.sarac; and she had not forgotten a.s.sarac's implicit and slavish devotion to the queen.
She was also satisfied that her royal lady had contracted one of those infatuated pa.s.sions for Sarchedon to which she was occasionally subject, and which her tire-woman's experience reminded her would be gratified at any cost of danger or shame. If, then, she could go to the queen when the days of mourning had expired, and say to her, ”I have got your treasure safe in Babylon, under lock and key; I brought him back from Armenia by my own exertions, and you need but lift up your finger to behold him here at your feet,” would she not become one of the greatest personages in a.s.syria, herself the fount of honour, wealth, influence, and promotion? Sethos, she decided, should obtain the leaders.h.i.+p of the royal guard, and her other lovers be rewarded, more or less, in proportion to their attractions. Meantime Sarchedon must be brought back.
”You love him dearly then,” said she, ”and would shrink from no sacrifice to insure his safety?”
There was more than devotion in Ishtar's simple answer,
”I would give my life for the life of him.”
”There is but one power under that of Ashtaroth to help you at your need,” pursued Kalmim. ”If the king will send an emba.s.sy to Armenia, as to Egypt, for the recovery of Sarchedon, the youth may yet return, fast as camels can travel. But you must make your pet.i.tion at once, and in person. You are young and comely, though a little too pale. Such faces as yours seldom plead with Ninyas in vain.”
Ishtar clasped her hands and trembled.
”Is there no other way?” said she. ”There is none in all the land of s.h.i.+nar before whom I would not rather bow down my face than the prince.”
”The prince, girl! what mean you?” exclaimed the other. ”Are you mad?
There is none can help you in such a matter but the king.”
”Only--only,” stammered Ishtar, ”I fled on purpose to avoid him.”
”Fled!” repeated Kalmim scornfully; ”whence and why? There is no time to lose. Tell me in a word: has Ninyas, too, taken a fancy to that white face of yours?”
That white face turned crimson, while about brow and lip gathered such haughty defiance, that for a moment the girl looked like her father when he set the battle in array.
”He would have forced me to love him,” said she; ”but I had rather be lying dead without the city wall!”
”Is it so indeed?” exclaimed Kalmim, a little vexed, it may be, to hear of another woman's conquest, yet highly pleased with the promise of success it seemed to offer. ”Then Ashtaroth doth indeed favour us, and the prey is taken ere we spread the net. If he wooed you unsuccessfully, believe me, he is not out of your power yet. You need but ask your price, and he will pay it. That price must be the recovery of Sarchedon.”