CHAPTER IV.
This reserved, thoroughly self-reliant creature would never havebetrayed to any human being what moved her soul and filled it some timeswith inspiring hope, sometimes with a consuming desire for vengeance;but Ledscha did not shrink from confiding it to the demons who were tohelp her to regain her composure.
So, obeying a swift impulse, she threw herself on her knees by the oldwoman's side. Then, supporting her head with her hands, she gazed at thestill glimmering fire, and, as if one memory after another received newlife from it, she began the difficult confession:
"I returned from my sister's brick-kiln a fortnight ago," she commenced,while the sorceress leaned her deaf ear nearer to her lips.
"During my absence something--I know not what it was--had saddened thecheerful spirits of my young sister Taus. At the recent festival ofAstarte she regained them, and obtained some beautiful bright flowersto make wreaths for herself and me. So we joined the procession of theTennis maidens and, as the fairest, they placed us directly behind thedaughters of Hiram.
"When we were about to go home after the sacrifice, two young Greeksapproached us and greeted Hiram's daughters and my sister also.
"One was a quiet young man, with narrow shoulders and light, curlinghair; the other towered above him in stature. His powerful figure wasmagnificently formed, and he carried his head with its splendid blackbeard proudly.
"Since the gods snatched Abus from me, though so many men had wooed me,I had cared for no one; but the fair-haired Greek with the sparklinglight in his blue eyes and the faint flush on his cheeks pleased me, andhis name, 'Myrtilus,' fell upon my ear like music. I was glad when hejoined me and asked, as simply as though he were merely inquiring theway, why he had never seen me, the loveliest among the beauties in thetemple, in Tennis.
"I scarcely noticed the other. Besides, he seemed to have eyes onlyfor Taus and the daughters of Hiram. He played all sorts of pranks withthem, and they laughed so heartily that, fearing the strangers, of whomthere was no lack, might class them with the Hieroduli who followedthe sailors and young men in the temple grottoes, I motioned to Taus torestrain herself.
"Hermon--this was the name of the tall, bearded man--noticed it andturned toward me. In doing so his eyes met mine, and it seemed as thoughsweet wine flowed through my veins, for I perceived that my appearanceparalyzed his reckless tongue. Yet he did not accost me; but Myrtilus,the fair one, entreated me not to lessen for the beautiful children thepleasure to which we are all born.
"I thought this remark foolish--how much sorrow and how little pleasureI had experienced from childhood!--so I only shrugged my shouldersdisdainfully.
"Then the black-bearded man asked if, young and beautiful as I was, Ihad forgotten to believe in mirth and joy. My reply was intended to tellhim that, though this was not the case, I did not belong to those whospent their lives in loud laughing and extravagant jests.
"The answer was aimed at the black-bearded man's reckless conduct; butthe fair-haired one parried the attack in his stead, and retorted that Iseemed to misunderstand his friend. Pleasure belonged to a festival, aslight belonged to the sun; but usually Hermon laboured earnestly, andonly a short time before he had saved the little daughter of Gula, thesailor's wife, from a burning house.
"The other did not let Myrtilus finish, but exclaimed that this wouldonly confirm my opinion of him, for this very leap into the flames hadafforded him the utmost joy.
"The words fell from his bearded lips as if the affair was very simple,a mere matter of course, yet I knew that the bold deed had nearly costhim his life--I said to myself that no one but our Abus would have doneit, and then I may have looked at him more kindly, for he cried out thatI, too, understood how to smile, and would never cease doing so if Iknew how it became me.
"As he spoke he turned away from the girls to my side, while Myrtilusjoined them. Hermon's handsome face had become grave and thoughtful, andwhen our eyes met I could have wished that they would never part again.But on account of the others I soon looked down at the ground and wewalked on in this way, side by side, for some distance; but as hedid not address a word to me, only sometimes gazed into my face as ifseeking or examining, I grew vexed and asked him why he, who had justentertained the others gaily enough, had suddenly become so silent.
"He shook his head and answered--every word impressed itself firmly uponmy memory: 'Because speech fails even the eloquent when confronted witha miracle.'
"What, except me and my beauty, could be meant by that? But he probablyperceived how strangely his words confused me, for he suddenly seizedmy hand, pressing it so firmly that it hurt me, and while I tried towithdraw it he whispered, 'How the immortals must love you, that theylend you so large a share of their own divine beauty!'"
"Greek honey," interposed the sorceress, "but strong enough to turn sucha poor young head. And what more happened? The demons desire to hearall--all--down to the least detail--all!"
"The least detail?" repeated Ledscha reluctantly, gazing into vacancyas if seeking aid. Then, pressing her hand on her brow, she indignantlyexclaimed: "Ah, if I only knew myself how it conquered me so quickly! IfI could understand and put it into intelligible words, I should needno stranger's counsel to regain my peace of mind. But as it is! I wasdriven by my anxiety from temple to temple, and now to you and yourdemons. I went from hour to hour as though in a burning fever. If Ileft the house firmly resolved to bethink myself and, as I had bidden mysister, avoid danger and the gossip of the people, my feet still led meonly where he desired to meet me. Oh, and how well he understood how toflatter, to describe my beauty! Surely it was impossible not to believein it and trust its power!"
Here she hesitated, and while gazing silently into vacancy a sunnylight flitted over her grave face, and, drawing a long breath, she beganagain: "I could curse those days of weakness and ecstasy which now--atleast I hope so--are over. Yet they were wonderfully beautiful, andnever can I forget them!"
Here she again bowed her head silently, but the old dame noddedencouragingly, saying eagerly; "Well, well! I understand all that, andI shall learn what more is coming, for whatever appears in the mirrorof the wine is infallible--but it must become still more distinct. Letme--first conjure up the seventy-seven great and the seven hundred andseventy-seven little demons. They will do their duty, if you open yourheart to us without reserve."
This demand sounded urgent enough, and Ledscha pressed her head againstthe old woman's shoulder as if seeking assistance, exclaiming: "I cannot--no, I can not! As if the spirits who obey you did not know alreadywhat had happened and will happen in the future! Let them search thedepths of my soul. There they will see, with their own eyes, what Ishould never, never succeed in describing. I could not tell evenyou, grandmother, for who among the Biamites ever found such lofty,heart-bewitching words as Hermon? And what looks, what language he hadat command, when he desired to put an end to my jealous complaints!Could I still be angry with him, when he confessed that there were otherbeauties here whom he admired, and then gazed deep into my eyes and saidthat when I appeared they all vanished like the stars at sunrise? Thenevery reproach was forgotten, and resentment was transformed into doublyardent longing. This, however, by no means escaped his keen glance,which detects everything, and so he urged me with touching, ardententreaties to go with him to his studio, though but for one poor, briefhour."
"And you granted his wish?" Tabus anxiously interrupted.
"Yes," she answered frankly, "but it was the evening of the day beforeyesterday--that was the only time. Secrecy--nothing, Grand mother, wasmore hateful to me from childhood."
"But he," the old woman again interrupted, "he--I know it--he praised itto you as the noblest virtue."
A silent nod from Ledscha confirmed this conjecture, and she addedhesitatingly: "'Only far from the haunts of men,' he said, 'when thelight had vanished, did we hear the nightingale trill in thedark thickets. Those are his own words, and though it angers you,Grandmother, they are true."
; "Until the secrecy is over, and the sun shines upon misery," thesorceress answered in her faltering speech, with menacing severity.
"And beneath the tempter's roof you enjoyed the lauded secret love untilthe cock roused you?"
"No," replied Ledscha firmly. "Did I ever tell you a lie, that you lookat me so incredulously?"
"Incredulously?" replied the old woman in protest. "I only trembled atthe danger into which you plunged."
"There could be no greater peril," the girl admitted. "I foresaw itclearly enough, and yet--this is the most terrible part of it--yet myfeet moved as if obeying a will of their own, instead of mine, and whenI crossed his threshold, resistance was silenced, for I was receivedlike a princess. The lofty, spacious apartment was brilliantlyilluminated, and the door was garlanded with flowers.
"It was magnificent! Then, in a manner as respectful as if welcoming anillustrious guest, he invited me to take my place opposite to him, thathe might form a goddess after my model. This was the highest flattery ofall, and I willingly assumed the position he directed, but he lookedat me from every side, with sparkling eyes, and asked me to let down myhair and remove the veil from the back of my head. Then--need I assureyou of it?--my blood boiled with righteous indignation; but instead ofbeing ashamed of the outrage, he raised his hand to my head and pulledthe veil. Resentment and wrath suddenly flamed in my soul, and before hecould detain me I had left the room. In spite of his representations andentreaties, I did not enter it again."
"Yet," asked the sorceress in perplexity, "you once more obeyed hissummons?"
"Yesterday also I could not help it," Ledscha answered softly.
"Fool!" cried Tabus indignantly, but the girl exclaimed, in a tone ofsincere shame: "You do well to call me that. Perhaps I deserve stillharsher names, for, in spite of the sternness with which I forbade himever to remind me of the studio by even a single word, I soon listenedto him willingly when he besought me, if I really loved him, not torefuse what would make him happy. If I allowed him to model my figure,his renown and greatness would be secured. And how clearly he made meunderstand this! I could not help believing it, and at last promisedthat, in spite of my father and the women of Tennis, I would grant all,all, and accompany him again to the work room if he would have patienceuntil the night of the next day but one, when the moon would be at thefull."
"And he?" asked Tabus anxiously.
"He called the brief hours which I required him to wait an eternity,"replied the girl, "and they seemed no less long to me--but neitherentreaties nor urgency availed; what you predicted for me from thecords last year strengthened my courage. I should wantonly throw away--Iconstantly reminded myself--whatever great good fortune Fate destinedfor me if I yielded to my longing and took prematurely what was alreadyso close at hand; for--do you remember?--at that time it was promisedthat on a night when the moon was at the full a new period of theutmost happiness would begin for me. And now--unless everything deceivesme--now it awaits me. Whether it will come with the full moon ofto-morrow night, or the next, or the following one, your spiritsalone can know; but yesterday was surely too soon to expect the newhappiness."
"And he?" asked the old dame.
"He certainly did not make it easy for me," was the reply, "but asI remained firm, he was obliged to yield. I granted only his earnestdesire to see me again this evening. I fancy I can still hear himexclaim, with loving impetuosity, that he hated every day and everynight which kept him from me. And now? Now? For another's sake he letsme wait for him in vain, and if his slave does not lie, this is only thebeginning of his infamous, treacherous game."
She had uttered the last words in a hoarse cry, but Tabus answeredsoothingly: "Hush, child, hush! The first thing is to see clearly, ifI am to interpret correctly what is shown me here. The demons are tobe fully informed they have required it. But you? Did you come to hearwhether the spirits still intend to keep the promise they made then?"
Ledscha eagerly assented to this question, and the old woman continuedurgently: "Then tell me first what suddenly incenses you so violentlyagainst the man whom you have so highly praised?"
The girl related what had formerly been rumoured in Tennis, and whichshe had just heard from the slave.
He had lured other women--even her innocent young sister--to his studio.Now he wanted to induce Ledscha to go there, not from love, but merelyto model her limbs so far as he considered them useful for his work.He was in haste to do so because he intended to return to the capitalimmediately. Whether he meant to leave her in the lurch after using herfor his selfish purposes, she also desired to learn from the sorceress.But she would ask him that question herself to-morrow. Woe betide him ifthe spirits recognised in him the deceiver she now believed him.
Hitherto Tabus had listened quietly, but when she closed her passionatethreats with the exclamation that he also deserved punishment foralienating Gula, the sailor's wife, from her absent husband, theenchantress also lost her composure and cried out angrily: "If thatis true, if the Greek really committed that crime--then certainly. Theforeigners destroy, with their laughing levity, much that is good amongus. We must endure it; but whoever broke the Biamite's marriage bond,from the earliest times, forfeited his life, and so, the gods bethanked, it has remained. This very last year the fisherman Phabiskilled with a hammer the Alexandrian clerk who had stolen into hishouse, and drowned his faithless wife. But your lover--though you shouldweep for sorrow till your eyes are red--"
"I would denounce the traitor, if he made himself worthy of death,"Ledscha passionately interrupted, with flashing eyes. "What portionof the slave's charge is true will appear at once--and if it provescorrect, to morrow's full moon shall indeed bring me the greatest bliss;for though, when I was younger and happier, I contradicted Abus when hedeclared that one thing surpassed even the raptures of love--satisfiedvengeance--now I would agree with him."
A loud cry of "Right! right!" from the old crone's lips expressed thegray-haired Biamite's pleasure in this worthy daughter of her race.
Then she again gazed at the wine in the vessel, and this time she did sosilently, as if spellbound by the mirror on its bottom.
At last, raising her aged head, she said in a tone of the most sincerecompassion: "Poor child! Yes, you would be cruelly and shamefullydeceived. Tear your love for this man from your heart, like poisonoushemlock. But the full moon which is to bring you great happiness isscarcely the next, perhaps not even the one which follows it, but surelyand certainly a later one will rise, by whose light the utmost blissawaits you. True, I see it come from another man than the Greek."
The girl had listened with panting breath. She believed as firmly in theinfallibility of the knowledge which the witch received from the demonswho obeyed her as she did in her own existence.
All her happiness, all that had filled her joyous soul with freshlyawakened hopes, now lay shattered at her feet, and sobbing aloud shethrew herself down beside the old woman and buried her beautiful face inher lap.
Completely overwhelmed by the great misfortune which had come upon her,without thinking of the vengeance which had just made her hold her headso proudly erect, or the rare delight which a later full moon was tobring, she remained motionless, while the old woman, who loved her andwho remembered an hour in the distant past when she herself had beendissolved in tears at the prediction of another prophetess, laid hertrembling hand upon her head.
Let the child weep her fill.
Time, perhaps vengeance also, cured many a heartache, and when they hadaccomplished this office upon the girl who had once been betrothed toher grandson, perhaps the full moon bringing happiness, whose appearancefirst the cords, then the wine mirror in the bottom of the vessel hadpredicted, would come to Ledscha, and she believed she knew at whoseside the girl could regain what she had twice lost--satisfaction for theyoung heart that yearned for love.
"Only wait, wait," she cried at last, repeating the consoling wordsagain and again, till Ledscha raised her tear-stained face.
Impuls
e urged her to kiss the sufferer, but as she bent over the mournerthe copper dish slipped from her knees and fell rattling on the floor.
Ledscha started up in terror, and at the same moment the Alexandrian'spacks of hounds on the shore opposite to the Owl's Nest began to barkso loudly that the deaf old woman heard the baying as if it came from agreat distance; but the girl ran out into the open air and, returningat the end of a few minutes, called joyously to the sorceress from thethreshold, "They are coming!"
"They, they," faltered Tabus, hurriedly pushing her disordered gray hairunder the veil on the back of her head, while exclaiming, scarcely ableto use her voice in her joyous excitement: "I knew it. He keeps hisword. My Satabus is coming. The ducks, the bread, the fish, girl! Good,loyal heart."
Then a wide, long shadow fell across the dimly lighted room, and fromthe darkened threshold a strangely deep, gasping peal of laughter rangfrom a man's broad breast.
"Satabus! My boy!" the witch's shriek rose above the peculiar sound.
"Mother!" answered the gray-bearded lips of the pirate.
For one short moment he remained standing at the door with outstretchedarms. Then he took a step toward the beloved being from whom he had beenseparated more than two years, and suddenly throwing himself down beforeher, while his huge lower limbs covered part of the floor, he stretchedhis hands toward the little crooked old woman, who had not strengthto rise from her crouching posture, and seizing her with lovingimpetuosity, lifted her as if she were a child, and placing her on hisknees, drew her into a close embrace.
Tabus willingly submitted to this act of violence, and passing herthin left arm around her son's bull neck with her free hand, patted hisbearded cheeks, wrinkled brow, and bushy, almost white hair.
No intelligible words passed the lips of either the mother or the sonat this meeting; nothing but a confused medley of tender and uncouthnatural sounds, which no language knows.
Yet they understood each other, and Ledscha, who had moved silentlyaside, also comprehended that these low laughs, moans, cries, andstammers were the expressions of love of two deeply agitated hearts, andfor a moment an emotion of envy seized her.
The gods had early bereft her of her mother, while this savage fighteragainst the might of the waves, justice, law, and their pitiless,too powerful defenders, this man, already on the verge of age, stillpossessed his, and sunned his rude heart in her love.
It was some time before the old pirate had satisfied his yearning foraffection and placed his light burden down beside the fire.
Tabus now regained the power to utter distinct words, and, difficultas it was for her half paralyzed tongue to speak, she poured a flood oftender pet names and affectionate thanks upon the head of her rude son,the last one left, who had grown gray in bloody warfare; but with theeyes of her soul she again saw in him the little boy whom, with warmmaternal love, she had once pressed to her breast and cradled in herarms.
When, in his rough fashion, he warmly returned her professions oftenderness, her eyes grew wet with tears, and at the question what hecould still find in her, a withered, good-for-nothing little creaturewho just dragged along from one day to another, an object of pityto herself, he again burst into his mighty laugh, and his deep voiceshouted: "Do you want to know that? But where would be the lime thatholds us on the ships if you were no longer here? The best capturewouldn't be worth a drachm if we could not say, 'Hurrah! how pleased theold mother will be when she hears it!' And when things go badly, whenmen have been wounded or perished in the sea, we should despair ofour lives if we did not know that whatever troubles our hearts theold mother feels, too, and we shall always get from her the kind wordsneeded to press on again. And then, when the strait is sore and life isat stake, whence would come the courage to cast the die if we did notknow that you are with us day and night, and will send your spirits tohelp us if the need is great? Hundreds of times they rushed to our aidjust at the right time, and assisted us to hew off the hand of the foewhich was already choking us. But that is only something extra, which wecould do without, if necessary. That you are here, that a man stillhas his dear mother, whose heart wishes us everything good and our foesdeath and destruction, whose aged eyes will weep if anything harms us,that, mother dear, that is the main thing!"
He bent his clumsy figure over her as he spoke, and cautiously, as if hewere afraid of doing her some injury, kissed her head with tender care.
Then, rising, he turned to Ledscha, whom he always regarded as his deadson's betrothed bride, and greeted her with sincere kindness.
Her great beauty strengthened his plan of uniting her to his oldest son,and when the latter entered the house he cast a searching glance at him.
The result was favourable, for a smile of satisfaction flitted over hisscarred features.
The young pirate's stately figure was not inferior in height to theold one's, but his shoulders were narrower, his features less broad andfull, and his hair and beard had the glossy raven hue of the blackbird'splumage.
The young man paused on the threshold in embarrassment, and gazed atLedscha with pleased surprise. When he saw her last his grandmother hadnot been stricken by paralysis, and the girl was the promised wife ofhis older brother, to whom custom forbade him to raise his eyes.
He had thought of her numberless times as the most desirable of women.Now nothing prevented his wooing her, and finding her far more beautifulthan memory had showed her, strengthened his intention of winning her.
This purpose had matured in the utmost secrecy. He had concealed it evenfrom his father and his brother Labaja, who was still keeping watch onthe ships, for he had a reserved disposition, and though obliged to obeyhis father, wherever it was possible he pursued his own way.
Though Satabus shared Hanno's wish, it vexed him that at this meeting,after so long a separation, his son should neglect his beloved andhonoured mother for the sake of a beautiful girl. So, turning his backon Ledscha, he seized the young giant's shoulder with a powerful grip todrag him toward the old woman; but Hanno perceived his error, and now,in brief but affectionate words, showed his grandmother that he, too,rejoiced at seeing her again.
The sorceress gazed at her grandson's stalwart figure with a pleasantsmile, and, after welcoming him, exclaimed to Ledscha: "It seems as ifAbus had risen from the grave."
The girl vouchsafed her dead lover's brother a brief glance, and, whilepouring oil upon the fish in the pan, answered carelessly: "He is alittle like him."
"Not only in person," remarked the old pirate, with fatherly pride, andpointing to the broad scar across the young man's forehead, visibleeven in the dim light, he added by way of explanation: "When we tookvengeance for Abus, he bore away that decoration of honour. The blownearly made him follow his brother, but the youth first sent the soulsof half a dozen enemies to greet him in the nether world."
Then Ledscha held out her hand to Hanno, and permitted him to detain ittill an ardent glance from his black eyes met hers, and she withdrewit blushing. As she did so she said to Tabus: "You can put them on thefire, and there stands whatever else you need. I must go home now."
In taking leave of the men she asked if she could hope to find them hereagain the next day. "The full moon will make it damnably light," repliedthe father, "but they will scarcely venture to assail the right ofasylum, and the ships anchored according to regulation at Tanis, with acargo of wood from Sinope. Besides, for two years people have believedthat we have abandoned these waters, and the guards think that if weshould return, the last time to choose would be these bright nights.Still, I should not like to decide anything positively about the morrowuntil news came from Labaja."
"You will find me, whatever happens," Hanno declared after his fatherhad ceased speaking. Old Tabus exchanged a swift glance with her son,and Satabus said: "He is his own master. If I am obliged to go--whichmay happen--then, my girl, you must be content with the youth. Besides,you are better suited to him than to the graybeard."
He shook hands with Ledscha as he spoke,
and Hanno accompanied her toher boat.
At first he was silent, but as she was stepping into the skiff herepeated his promise of meeting her here the following night.
"Very well," she answered quickly. "Perhaps I may have a commission togive you."
"I will fulfil it," he answered firmly.
"To-morrow, then," she called, "unless something unexpected prevents."
But when seated on the thwart she again turned to him, and asked: "Doesit need a long time to bring your ship, with brave men on board, to thisplace?"
"We can be here in four hours, and with favourable winds still sooner,"was the reply.
"Even if it displeases your father?"
"Even then, and though the gods, many as there are, should forbid--ifonly your gratitude will be gained."
"It will," she answered firmly, and the water plashed lightly under thestrokes of her oars.