The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-04

Nay, answered their spokesman,
FOR with YOU we took them together
in the chamber of the Prince Aziel. Set
out the law of this matter, Oh, Shadid,
and let justice be done according to the
strict letter of the law-justice without
fear or favor
-Hearkenr' said the Shadid Last
night this woman, the daughter of Sa-
kon, being the Lady Baaltis lately cleo
ted, met men secretly in the courts Of
the temple, and accompanied them. or
one of them. to the chamber of Aziel. a
Prince of Israel, the guest of Saxon,
Whether OF not she was about to fly
with him from the city. which he should
have left last night, we cannot tell, and
1t is needless to inquire. at least, she
was with him. This. however, is sure,
that they did not sin in ignorance OF our
law, since with my own mouth warn
ed them both that if the Lady Baaltis
consorts with any man nor her husband
duly named by her according TO her
right. she must die, and her accOmpliee
with her. Therefore. Aziel, the Israelite,
we give you to death, booming you
presently TO be hurled from the edge
of yonder precipice."
II am in your power said the prince,
proudly, 'and you can murder me II
you will, because forsooth ! have Of
Tended against some law Of Baal, but l
tell you, priest, that there are kings in
Jerusalem and Egypt who Will demand
my blood at your hands. have moth
ing more to say except TO beseech you
to spare the life of the Lady ELISA,
since the fault of that meeting was not
hers. but mine"
Prince" answered the Shadid, grave
ly. 1--WE know your rank and We know
also that your blood will be required at
our hands, bur we who serve our gods
cannot betray their law for the fear of
any kings. Yet, for so says this same
law, il is not needful that you should
die, since for you there is a way of es-
cape that leads to safety and great
honor, and she who was the cause Of
your sin is the mistress of its gate.
ELISA, holder of the spirit of Baaltis
upon earth. if it be your pleasure TO
name this man husband before us all,
then, as the spouse of Baaltis, he goes
free, for he whom the Baaltis chooses
cannot refuse her gift of love, but for
so long as she shall live must rule with
her as Shadid of Ell. But if you name
him not. then. as have said, he must
die. and now. Speak"
1T seems that my choice is small"
said ELISA, with a faint smile. Pray
ing you to pardon me for the deed, to
save your life, Prince Aziel, name you
my husband"
Now, Aziel was about to answer her
when the Shadid broke in hurriedly.
so be it," he said. Lady. we hear
your choice. and we accept il as we
must, but not yet, Prince AZiel, can
you take your wife and with her my
place and power. Your life is safe, in
deed, for since the Baaltis, being I'M
wed, names you as her mate, you have
done no sin. Yet she has sinned, and
a F,r. CT fta 10 ~
she has chosen as husband one who
worships a strange god, and of all
crimes that is the greatest. There
fore, either you must take incense and
before us all make offering to Ell and
upon yonder altar, thus re-
your faith and entering into
ours, or she must die, and you, your
rank having passed from you, will be
expelled from the city"
Now Aziel understood the trap that
had been laid for him, and saw in ii
the handiwork. of Saxon and Metem.
ELISA having fiagrantly violated the
law, and he being the cause
of the crime, even the authority of the
governor of the city could not prevent
his daughter and his guest from being
put upon their trial. Therefore he had
arranged this farce, for so it would
seem to him, whereby both of them
might escape the legal consequences of
their crime, trusting, doubtless, to ac-
cident and the future to unravel this
web of forced marriage, and TO free
Aziel from an ecclesiastical rank which
he had not sought 1t was only neces-
sary that ELISA should formally choose
him as her hubsand, and that AZiel
should go through the rite of throwing
a few grains of incense upon an altar.
and, the law satisfied, they would be
both free and safe. What he and those
who worked with him had forgotten
was that this offering of incense to
Baal would be the most deadly of
crimes in the eyes of any Jew, one, in
deed, which, were he alone concerned,
he would die rather than commit.
When the prince heard the decree and
the full terror of the choice came home
to his mind, his blood turned cold and
for while his senses were bewildered.
There was no escape for him: either
he must abiure his faith at the price
of his own soul, or, because of it, the
woman whom he loved now. before his
eyes, must suffer most horrible and
sudden death. 1t was hideous to think
of, and yet how could he do this sin
in the face of heaven and OF these min
listers of Satan? The moment was at
hand; priest held out 10 him bowl
of incense, a golden bowl, he noticed
idly, with handles of green stone fash
Toned in the likeness of Baaltis, whose
servant he was asked to declare him
self. He, Aziel Of the royal house of
Israel, a servant to the Baal and Baal-
tbs, nay. high priest of their worship,
1t was mOnstrous, it might not be. But
ELISA Well, she must die; her life
could not be bought at such price.
Il cannot do it," he gasped, with dry
Inns tbTJlSfinp aside the howl
Now all looked astonished. for his
refusal had not been foreseen, and once
more the woman Mesa appeared before
the altar and said in her cold voice;
THE Jew whom the Lady Baaltis has
chosen as husband viii not do homage
to her gods. Therefore, as mother of
the priestesses, l demand that ELISA,
daughter of Saxon. be put to death and
the throne of Baaltis be purged of one
who has defiled il, lest the vengeance
of the goddess should fall upon this
city"
The Shadid motioned her to be silent
and addressed Aziel.
I'VE pray you to think awhile" he
said, before you give one to death
whose sin is that, being the high
priestess of our worship, she has named
an unbeliever to fill the throne of FL
and be her husband. Out Of pity for
her we give you time to think.
Now, Saxon. taking advantage of the
pause, rushed forward, and throwing
his arms about Aziel's knees, implored
him. in heart-broken accents. to save
his only child from so horrible a fate,
saying that did he refuse because of
his religious scruples he would be a
dog and a coward and the scorn of all
honest men forever. since it was for
love of him that she had broken the
priestly LAW. to violate which was
death, and, although she had been
warned of her danger, yet in his
and folly he had brought
her to this pass. But Isaachar thrust
him aside and broke in with fiery
words.