The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
CHAPTER vi.
ruE HALL OF AUDIENCE.

THE HALL VI AOblhNOb-
,...,,,o her chamber on the breakup Of the
-."s.sIon, Elissa threw herself upon her couch
"a hurst into a passion OF tears. Well might
-. uscp. for she had been false to her oath as q
..n,.,ess. uttcring as n message from the god
20 that which she had learned from the lips
:, man. More, she could not rid herself OF tho
s.n.mbrnncc OF the scorn and loathing with
-hIch the Prince Aziel had looked upon her. or
=, The insult OF his words when he called her
.cr, NJ the groves and a murderess OF children"
50 far as she was concerned. they were utter
~ untrue indeed. for none could throw q slur
snon her. and as for these rare human sacri-
as she loathed the very namo of thom, nor
-ould she have been present had che guessed
chat any such offering was intended. Like
r,oqt OF the ancient religions, that OF the Pho
. rians had two sides to 1t, o spiritual and q
material ,ide. The spiritual side was q worship
NJ the ia, off unknown divinity, symbohzed BY
the sun and planets and visible only In their
..iostic movements and in the forces Of ma
ture. To this she chung, knowing no truer god,
and from those forces-she s.rove to wiring their
..cret, for her heart was deep. Lonely invoca-
lions to tho goddess beneath the light Of tho
allan, moon appealed to her, for from them
.hs seemed to draw strength and comfort, but
thf OutWhTu CtTBnuuhlCb VI hoA Aohphso VI hhSAO
,ocret and darker of them, were already an
.bomination In her eyes. And now what II tho
law prophet spoke truly What II this creed of
Nora were a lie. root and branch, and there did
live in the heavens above a God, who'heard and
answered the prayers of man. and who did not
,..k OF them the blood Of the children he had
,vep, A great doubt took hold of her and
shook her being. and with .the doubt came hope.
INV WINS it-if her faith were true-that whom
,he took the namo OF the goddess in vain. moth
Inc had befallen heri She desired ~to.loarn moro
NJ this matter, but who was to teach hort Tho
Ier,te turned from her with loathing, as FROM
,thinR.unclean, and there remained. therefore.
mt the Prince Azici. who had put her from
him with those bittor words OF scorn. All, why
did they pain her so. piercing her heart as with
n speari Was 1t NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. loved
him, and so sooni Yes, that was tho truth'of IL.
she had learned IL even as he cursed her; .all
her fierce southern blood was alight with q
new fire, the like Of which she had never known
be,ore. And not her blood only-it was her
pplrit-her spirit that yearned to his. Had It
no, lcaped within her at the first sight of him
rs to ono most dear, ono long lost and found
,raInI She loved him and no loved her, and oh,
her lot was hard.
. As she lay ~brooding thus In her pain, tho door
o, her chamber opened, and Saxon, her father,
entered.
What Is It that has CHANGED yonderi' he
asked, for no had not been present in tho sane.
tuary, "aud, daughter. why lido you weepf"
81 weep, father. because your guest, tho
Prince Ariel. has called me q girl Of. groves
end a murderess of children It she replied.
Then, by my head. Prince that he is. he
shall answer for 1t to me-" said tho Governor.
uvping at his swordshilt.
"Nay, father. sire o to him I must have seemed
10 deserve his words. Listen" and she told
him all that had passed., hiding nothing.
"Now, 1t seems that trouble is heaped upon
trouble" said tho Pheuician when she had fin.
ished. and they were mad who suffered the
Prince and that fierce Issachar to be present at
tho sacrifice. Daughter, I tell you this: Though
lam q worshipper Of El and Baaltis, as my
fathers were before me. / kno that the Jeho-
yah Of the jews 10 q great God, and that his
prophets:do not p~rophesy falsely. for I have
seen 1t in my youth. yonder in tho coasts Of
sidon. What did Issachar sayi That before
the moon was young again tho temple should
run red with blood' Well. so 1t may happen.
Observation-Disclosures war against us,
and for your sake. my daughter"
How for my sake. fatherl'' she asked heavi-
y, as one who knew what the answer would be.
You know well, girl. The man SIS besotted
with you; moreover, he is mad with jealousy
Of this newcomer, the Prince Aziel. He has de-
handed public audience of me this afternoon,
and l have 1t privately that then he will again
ask you in marriage. and il lie is refused will
declare war upon the city, with which he has
On ancient quarrel. Yes, yes. King Ithobal is
that sword of God which the Jcw said he saw
banging over us. and should 1t fall 1t will be be-
cause Of you, Elisa"
The Jew did not say that, father; The said 1t
would DC because of the sins Of the people and
What does 1t matter what he saidi' broke
IN saxon, How shall ! answer 1thobalf"
It VA ne does wisely to be jealous of the Prince
What! OF the stranger who this very day
tevled you in words of such shame, and so
bo9nf asked her father. astonished.
Ellssa did not speak in answer; she only
'0o q straight before her and nodded her head.
Al ptuiant dismay. Truly it is a wise saying
SShicl tells that women love those best who
Ssslthem, be II with the tongue or with the fist.
N e out what ] would gladly see you welded to
u grandson OF solomon and of Pharaoh rather
e ~ 10 ms barbarian. but the lcgions of Solo
f, \ aha o. Pharaoh are far away, whereas this
our gate"
There is no need to speak of that, father"
r. Suu' turning HSlQe. slnce. even were i Will
~, me Prince would have naught to do with
NE VINO am "A priestess Of Baaltis."
inc matter OF religion might be overcome"
tuEsesled saxon, but, no, for many reasons 1t
Impossible; Well. this being SO. daughter, /
may answer lthobal that you will wed him."
.avare, she H. said; ~ wed that black hearted
S NY, nHi OF this be sure. that I will so to my grave
OV"a3Hr S ! pass as wife 10 the board Of lthobal."
my daughter" pleaded SAXON. think be-
lore you say II. AS his wife at least you who
IRE NOT Of royal blood will be q Queen and the
fpother OF Kings. But IL Won refuse. then either
NUT force yon. which Is hateful to me, or
49, VIII BIO such a war ar tho city has not
hnOwh Tor generations. for Ithobal and his tribes
o. %"e mahy, grievances against me. BY the gift
mmtoursc!f You can for n while. at any rate.
tMLs ~ peace bet wecn us. but II II Is withheld.
ei,n mood VIII run In rivers. and perhaps this
%n, with all that live in 1t. will be destroyed,
az the least its trade will be ruined and its
"eIitn stolen from it,
II is decrced that all these things are TO
~ '.ey must he" answered ELISA calmly, sec.
w. that this war has threatened us for many
No. ana thnt n woman must think Of herself
NJ and or the fate of cities afterward. or
y own Tree will will never take Ithobal TO
Ausmnsnd. Father, I have said"
srdp me tate OF cities, yes; but how of my fate
Nv NV o, those We lovel Are we all to DO ruined.
W psrnapS slain, 10 satisfy your whim, girlf'
ma uld not say SO, father. ] said of my own
eha e WIZ would not wed Ithobal. II you
A. nU y 10 give me to him, YOU nave the right to
A., o4t know then that y~ou.give mo to my
tSsss'; Perhaps 1t Is best that 1t should be
SAXON Lpnn- Ii. " =,