CHAPTER XLVIII
THAIS GIVES A FEAST
Down in the secret passage the fugitives from the Temple of Molochcould hear no sound of the battle. Leonidas had snatched one of theperfumed censers from the hand of a quaking neophyte, and this shed aglimmer of light as he led the way.
Artemisia came to her senses to find herself clasped in her lover'sarms.
"Clearchus!" she murmured, "may the Gods grant that this be not adream."
"It is no dream, my beloved!" the young man answered. "I have foundthee at last."
"Dear heart, I have longed for thee so!" she said, with a little sighof content, as her arms stole around his neck.
Clearchus bent his head, and their lips met in the darkness. Thaisheard the murmur of their voices.
"Oh, I have lost my sandal--and I am cold!" she exclaimed, in a tone ofdistress. "Chares, I am afraid you will have to carry me."
"You are so heavy," the Theban said, taking her in his arms.
"There, be careful, sir, or I shall make you set me down again," shecried.
Leonidas uttered a sound that was something between a snort and a gruntand signified disdain, whereupon Chares laughed until the narrowpassage rang.
Before they reached the palace it was in full possession of theMacedonians. They entered the room where the young men had leftAzemilcus the night before, and found a portion of the squadronbelonging to Leonidas busily searching there for plunder. The menstood open-mouthed when their captain appeared from behind thehangings. They looked like schoolboys caught in a forbidden frolic.
"Where is the king?" the Spartan demanded sternly.
"He is fighting down there," one of the soldiers replied, pointing fromthe window.
Leonidas glanced down upon the city and saw the conflict raging in thestreets.
"Then what are you doing here?" he asked harshly. "Fall in!"
"I will go with you," Nathan said. "I must seek my people."
"You will find us here when you come back," Chares cried after them."We will fight no more to-day."
Leonidas overtook Alexander stamping out the last sparks of resistancein the northern part of the city. The young king, still glowing withthe ardor of battle, greeted him with a smile.
"Are Clearchus and Chares safe?" he asked.
"They await you in the royal palace with Artemisia and Thais," theSpartan replied.
"Good!" Alexander cried. "This will have to be celebrated. Let us seewhat has become of Azemilcus."
He led the way to the Temple of Melkarth, which was filled withfugitives and suppliants. The general feeling in the city that the Godwas on the side of the Macedonians had led many to seek his protectionwhen no other remained. Some of them were even striving to remove thechains with which the image had been bound to the pillars.
Azemilcus and the chancellor came forward, surrounded by the priests ofthe temple. The two kings, one withered and shrunken and old, hisbrain cankered by the cynical knowledge of experience, and the other,in the fulness of his vigorous youth and generous enthusiasms, lookedinto each other's eyes. Alexander's face was grave and stern, but themocking smile still hovered about the lips of the older man.
"What have you to say?" Alexander said at last.
"I have been a king," Azemilcus replied, "but I am a king no longer.What is your will?"
"You may live," Alexander replied coldly, "but you have never been aking. Where is your son?"
"He is dead," the old king answered, and his eyes wavered.
"I would rather be in his place than in thine," Alexander said shortly."Follow me."
Azemilcus shrugged his shoulders and gathered his robe more closelyaround him. To all who had sought refuge in the temple Alexandergranted safety, and then, having issued the necessary orders regardingthe city, he turned back to the palace.
The streets were encumbered with the dead. The bodies lay in heapsbehind the broken barricades or scattered between them, where thefugitives had been stricken as they fled before the fury of theMacedonian charge. A wounded Tyrian raised himself on his elbow whilethe two kings passed, cursed Azemilcus, and died.
In the council room of the palace Alexander demanded from thechancellor an accounting of the public treasure of Tyre, an enormoussum in gold and silver, and gave it into the custody of his owntreasurer. There, too, he received the reports of his captains, andwith marvellous quickness despatched the business that they broughtbefore him. The greater part of the army he ordered back to the campon the mainland.
When nothing more remained to be done, he turned to Leonidas.
"Where are thy friends?" he asked. "They seem to have forgotten me."
"I will fetch them," the Spartan replied.
He ran to the apartment where he had left the lovers, and burst in, tofind them nestled among the cushions, telling each other of all theyhad endured.
"Come," he cried. "The king has asked for you."
"Tell him that we will come presently," Chares said, but Thais promptlyboxed his ears and slipped out of the arm that encircled her waist.
"I don't suppose there is a woman in the palace to smooth my hair," sheexclaimed.
"Do you think Alexander will look at you?" Chares asked. "He has moreimportant things to think about, indeed."
Nevertheless, Artemisia and Thais made Leonidas wait five minutes whilethey aided each other to make the best appearance possible under thecircumstances, before they followed him to the great council chamber.Artemisia entered shyly, casting down her eyes before the bold glancesof so many men; but Thais walked beside Chares with head erect, her redlips parted in a smile, and a gleam of excitement dancing in her eyes.
With the license that Alexander permitted, the captains raised a shoutof welcome when Chares and Clearchus appeared. Before Artemisia couldcatch her breath, she was standing in front of Alexander, and Clearchuswas presenting her to him.
"She looks like a rosebud when the dew is on it," Clitus whispered toHephaestion.
"Don't be sentimental," the favorite answered. "When did you become apoet?"
"Not until this minute," Clitus replied.
Alexander himself was not free from embarrassment when he greetedArtemisia, for he knew nothing of women, not yet having met Roxana; buthe took her hand and praised the bravery of Clearchus, at which sheblushed and smiled.
Thais looked the young king frankly in the face. "We bid you welcometo Tyre," she said.
There was something in the unconquerable vitality of her gaze thatreminded him of his mother, although Olympias' eyes were dark and theeyes of this girl were yellow, if any color could be assigned to themthat seemed a blend of all.
"It was worth fighting for," he said, returning her look withunconcealed admiration. "But sometimes I wish I were not Alexander,"he added, turning to Chares with a smile.
"And I thank the Gods that thou art indeed Alexander," the Thebanreplied, drawing Thais closer to him.
The young king seemed to fall into a momentary revery, but it passedquickly.
"You four shall be my guests to-night," he exclaimed. "Azemilcus willprovide the feast."
"Do not trust him," Chares said, in a low voice. "He tried to poisonus."
"If that be so, we will eat elsewhere," Alexander answered, frowningand looking askance at the Tyrian.
"If you will permit me to manage it," Thais said, "Phradates shallfurnish the feast."
"Who is he?" Alexander asked.
"He was our captor here," Thais replied, "and he is a man of some goodqualities, though he has others also."
"He is the messenger whom you sent from Thebes to carry word to KingAzemilcus of your coming," Clearchus explained.
"I remember," Alexander said. "I would like to see him again and askhim whether he delivered the message. So be it, then."
Bidding the Companions follow, Alexander suffered Thais to lead him tothe house of Phradates. It was still closed and silent, but Chares andClearchus beat upon the door with their sword-hil
ts and demandedadmittance in the name of Alexander. Mena, recognizing the kingthrough the wicket, thought it best to open, since he knew thatresistance would be in vain. The door swung back, and he prostratedhimself at Alexander's feet.
"Welcome, O son of Philip," he said. "The house of my master and allthat was his belong to the Conqueror of the Earth."
"Where is he that he does not himself receive me?" Alexander demanded.
"Alas, he is dead!" the Egyptian answered. "He received a fatal woundwhile fighting on the walls, and they brought him home. He died in myarms."
Mena affected to wipe tears from his eyes as he told of his master'send.
"It is a lie!" the old nurse screamed, from among the slaves clusteredin the back of the hall. They tried to stifle her voice, but Alexandercommanded her to come forward.
"What happened?" he asked briefly.
The old woman sank upon her knees and raised her hands in supplication.
"I was his nurse," she said, in her cracked and broken voice. "Theybrought him wounded to this door, and Mena--this man here--would notpermit him to enter. He was not always kind to me, but I loved him;for how often when he was little have I held him in my arms! So Istole away and brought him in by another door, thinking to save him,for he was so weak from his wound. And then Mena stabbed him, and hedied. Vengeance, O king; thou art strong!"
"Thou shalt have it," Alexander said sternly. "Is this true, dog?"
Mena tried to deny, but he could not speak. His face turned ashen.
"I promised this man that he should be crucified," Thais said softly.
"Then let it be done now," Alexander said.
He motioned to his guard, who seized the Egyptian and held him fast."Were others concerned in this?" he demanded of the nurse.
"No others, my lord," the woman replied.
"Then let them have no fear," he said. "They shall be unharmed. Igive them and this house to Thais."
"Mercy! Mercy!" cried Mena, finding his voice at last. "It is all alie!"
"Take him away," Alexander said. "I see you know how to punish," headded, turning to Thais.
"I thank the king, both for that and for his gift to me," she replieddemurely. "I was sold at Thebes."
By her order the slaves conducted Alexander to the bath and waited uponthe Companions who began to arrive. She caused the body of Phradatesto be carried to his own chamber, where it was left in the care of theold nurse. With the aid of Artemisia, she superintended thepreparations for the feast, giving especial care to the selection ofthe wines and to the decoration of the hall in which the tables werespread.
Masses of oak leaves from the gardens of Melkarth's temple hid thecolumns, and from among them shone hundreds of lamps and torches,shedding their light upon the platters of gold and trenchers of silver,interspersed with flagons of colored glass of the finest workmanship,that weighed down the tables. The couches were covered with silks ofmany hues and piled with yielding cushions.
Pyramids of flowers from the roofs of the houses were disposed upon thetables, and for each guest a wreath was prepared. The warm,perfume-laden air throbbed with the music of flutes breathed upon byinvisible musicians.
Thais had caused soldiers to be sent to the Temple of Astoreth, wherethe priestesses, with many lamentations, supplied them with pheasantsfrom the sacred flock, and these, with abundance of fish from theharbors, pastries, and sweetmeats, disguised the poverty of the larder.Alexander was accustomed afterward to drive his cooks and stewards todespair by commanding them to provide a banquet like the one that Thaishad given; for, try as hard as they might, he never could be brought togive his approval, but persisted in declaring that the feast of Thaisremained unequalled.
The secret was that there never after came a time when the young kingwas so well satisfied with himself and his fortune, when his friendswere so inspired, and when the future held so much promise. The battleof Issus had been won, and the strongest fortress in the world had beentaken. The shores of the sea, from the Hellespont to the Nile, hadbeen conquered and held. Alexander knew then that no power on earthcould stand against him. He foresaw the overthrow of Darius and thespread of his own dominion to the confines of the world. Greatthoughts and limitless projects were stirring in his mind. He felthimself half a God, and he wondered at his own power. There was yet nobitterness of anxiety to contaminate the pleasure of anticipation,which always in ambitious hearts so much exceeds that of realization.
The feelings that animated the young leader were shared in greater orless degree by his followers. Even Hephaestion forgot to sulk becausehis place on the right of the king had been given to Artemisia. Thaissat on his left, and beyond her reclined the lazy bulk of Chares. Eachman looked his neighbor frankly in the face, sure of his sympathy, andall felt toward Alexander an affection and generous admiration in whichthere was no selfish thought.
What wonder that, in after years, when suspicion and insidious pridehad poisoned the mind of the young king, and when the free-heartedsoldiers there gathered together had fallen away from each other, eachhoping evil to his comrade that he himself might profit thereby,--whatwonder that Alexander remembered the feast of Thais as the happiest ofhis life? But of the sorrows that were to come none then knew or evenguessed, unless it was old Aristander, to whom all paid honor becausehis prophecy of the fall of Tyre, that the king himself had deemedimpossible, had been fulfilled. And even Aristander was cheerful thatnight beyond his custom, forgetting the future in the present.
So the young men rejoiced in their strength, in their hopes, and in thehonest affection that warmed their hearts toward each other. The hallwas filled with laughter, and their jesting left no scars. The wineexpanded and stimulated their minds instead of their passions, and whenCallisthenes, at Alexander's request, recited the immortal descriptionof the fall of Troy, the majestic periods of the epic drew tears ofemotion to their eyes, and every man of them became a hero.
"If I were to bid thee crave a gift at my hands, what would it be?"Alexander asked of Artemisia.
She blushed, and her glance sought Clearchus.
"It would be one of thy soldiers, O king," she replied softly.
"That is much to ask of a general," Alexander said, affectinghesitation. "I would rather you had demanded his weight in gold; butwhich one?"
"Here he is," said Artemisia, blushing still more deeply and laying herhand in that of the Athenian.
"I suppose I must give him to thee," the young king said. "Let thechief priest of Melkarth be summoned."
"I will fetch him myself," Clearchus cried, leaping from his couch, andhe hurriedly left the hall amid the approving laughter of the company.
The priest was found, the marriage contract drawn and signed, and whileAlexander joined their hands, the words were spoken that made Clearchusand Artemisia one. The captains rose to their feet, each with abrimming goblet, and they drank the health of the bride with a cheersuch as they had not given since they charged the squadrons of Darius.With heart-felt freedom they showered good wishes upon their comrade,and loud were their protests when Alexander broke up the feast toreturn to the royal palace.
Leonidas remained, with a few men of his troop, to guard the house, andhe and Chares sat for hours with a flagon of wine between them, talkingof all that had passed since the day when they rode at dawn into Athensin search of Clearchus.
In the lofty chamber where Artemisia and Thais had spent so many wearydays waiting for the coming of deliverance, Artemisia stood withClearchus at the window that looked toward the Macedonian camp. Thecloud-wrack had vanished, and the sky was thickly sown with great starsthat seemed to look down upon them with friendly gaze. The young man'sarm clasped his bride warm and close, and her dear head rested againsthis breast. He kissed the soft coils of her hair; but she lifted herlips to his, and he saw that her blue eyes were swimming with tears ofhappiness.
Leonidas, who had gone about his duties long before his friends werestirring next morning, returne
d at midday and placed in Artemisia'shands a mysterious package.
"This is Moloch's gift," he said.
When Artemisia opened it, out poured a magnificent double necklace ofrubies, so large and pure that she could not help kissing him, at whichthe Spartan blushed like a boy.
"I found them under the idol," he said. "For once, the chancellor toldthe truth."