herodias-第1章

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Herodias



by　Gustave　Flaubert








CHAPTER　I



In　the　eastern　side　of　the　Dead　Sea　rose　the　citadel　of　Machaerus。　It

was　built　upon　a　conical　peak　of　basalt；　and　was　surrounded　by　four

deep　valleys；　one　on　each　side；　another　in　front；　and　the　fourth　in

the　rear。　At　the　base　of　the　citadel；　crowding　against　one　another；　a

group　of　houses　stood　within　the　circle　of　a　wall；　whose　outlines

undulated　with　the　unevenness　of　the　soil。　A　zigzag　road；　cutting

through　the　rocks；　joined　the　city　to　the　fortress；　the　walls　of　which

were　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　cubits　high；　having　numerous　angles

and　ornamental　towers　that　stood　out　like　jewels　in　this　crown　of

stone　overhanging　an　abyss。



Within　the　high　walls　stood　a　palace；　adorned　with　many　richly　carved

arches；　and　surrounded　by　a　terrace　that　on　one　side　of　the　building

spread　out　below　a　wide　balcony　made　of　sycamore　wood；　upon　which　tall

poles　had　been　erected　to　support　an　awning。



One　morning；　just　before　sunrise；　the　tetrarch；　Herod…Antipas；　came

out　alone　upon　the　balcony。　He　leaned　against　one　of　the　columns　and

looked　about　him。



The　crests　of　the　hill…tops　in　the　valley　below　the　palace　were　just

discernible　in　the　light　of　the　false　dawn；　although　their　bases；

extending　to　the　abyss；　were　still　plunged　in　darkness。　A　light　mist

floated　in　the　air；　presently　it　lifted；　and　the　shores　of　the　Dead

Sea　became　visible。　The　sun；　rising　behind　Machaerus；　spread　a　rosy

flush　over　the　sky；　lighting　up　the　stony　shores；　the　hills；　and　the

desert；　and　illuming　the　distant　mountains　of　Judea；　rugged　and　grey

in　the　early　dawn。　En…gedi；　the　central　point　of　the　group；　threw　a

deep　black　shadow；　Hebron；　in　the　background；　was　round…topped　like　a

dome；　Eschol　had　her　pomegranates；　Sorek　her　vineyards；　Carmel　her

fields　of　sesame；　and　the　tower　of　Antonia；　with　its　enormous　cube；

dominated　Jerusalem。　The　tetrarch　turned　his　gaze　from　it　to

contemplate　the　palms　of　Jericho　on　his　right；　and　his　thoughts　dwelt

upon　other　cities　of　his　beloved　Galilee；Capernaum；　Endor；　Nazareth；

Tiberiaswhither　it　might　be　he　would　never　return。



The　Jordan　wound　its　way　through　the　arid　plains　that　met　his　gaze；

white　and　glittering　under　the　clear　sky；　it　dazzled　the　eye　like　snow

in　the　rays　of　the　sun。



The　Dead　Sea　now　looked　like　a　sheet　of　lapis…lazuli；　and　at　its

southern　extremity；　on　the　coast　of　Yemen；　Antipas　recognised　clearly

what　at　first　he　had　been　able　only　dimly　to　perceive。　Several　tents

could　now　be　plainly　seen；　men　carrying　spears　were　moving　about　among

a　group　of　horses；　and　dying　camp…fires　shone　faintly　in　the　beams　of

the　rising　sun。



This　was　a　troop　belonging　to　the　sheikh　of　the　Arabs；　the　daughter　of

whom　the　tetrarch　had　repudiated　in　order　to　wed　Herodias；　already

married　to　one　of　his　brothers；　who　lived　in　Italy　but　who　had　no

pretensions　to　power。



Antipas　was　waiting　for　assistance　and　reinforcements　from　the　Romans；

but　as　Vitellius；　the　Governor　of　Syria；　had　not　yet　arrived；　he　was

consumed　with　impatience　and　anxiety。　Perhaps　Agrippa　had　ruined　his

cause　with　the　Emperor；　he　thought。　Philip；　his　third　brother；

sovereign　of　Batania；　was　arming　himself　clandestinely。　The　Jews　were

becoming　intolerant　of　the　tetrarch's　idolatries；　he　knew　that　many

were　weary　of　his　rule；　and　he　hesitated　now　between　adopting　one　of

two　projects：　to　conciliate　the　Arabs　and　win　back　their　allegiance；

or　to　conclude　an　alliance　with　the　Parthians。　Under　the　pretext　of

celebrating　his　birthday；　he　had　planned　to　bring　together；　at　a　grand

banquet；　the　chiefs　of　his　troops；　the　stewards　of　his　domains；　and

the　most　important　men　from　the　region　about　Galilee。



Antipas　threw　a　keen　glance　along　all　the　roads　leading　to　Machaerus。

They　were　deserted。　Eagles　were　sweeping　through　the　air　high　above

his　head；　the　soldiers　of　the　guard；　placed　at　intervals　along　the

ramparts；　slept　or　dozed；　leaning　against　the　walls；　all　was　silent

within　the　castle。



Suddenly　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　distant　voice；　seeming　to　come　from

the　very　depths　of　the　earth。　His　cheek　paled。　After　an　instant's

hesitation；　he　leaned　far　over　the　balcony　railing；　listening

intently；　but　the　voice　had　died　away。　Presently　it　rose　again　upon

the　quiet　air；　Antipas　clapped　his　hands　together　loudly；　crying：

〃Mannaeus！　Mannaeus！〃



Instantly　a　man　appeared；　naked　to　the　waist；　after　the　fashion　of　a

masseur　at　the　bath。　Although　emaciated；　and　somewhat　advanced　in

years；　he　was　a　giant　in　stature；　and　on　his　hip　he　wore　a　cutlass　in

a　bronze　scabbard。　His　bushy　hair；　gathered　up　and　held　in　place　by　a

kind　of　comb；　exaggerated　the　apparent　size　of　his　massive　head。　His

eyes　were　heavy　with　sleep；　but　his　white　teeth　shone；　his　step　was

light　on　the　flagstones；　and　his　body　had　the　suppleness　of　an　ape；

although　his　countenance　was　as　impassive　as　that　of　a　mummy。



〃Where　is　he？〃　demanded　the　tetrarch　of　this　strange　being。



Mannaeus　made　a　movement　over　his　shoulder　with　his　thumb；　saying：



〃Over　therestill　there！〃



〃I　thought　I　heard　him　cry　out。〃



And　Antipas；　after　drawing　a　deep　breath；　asked　for　news　of　Iaokanann；

afterwards　known　as　St。　John　the　Baptist。　Had　he　been　allowed　to　see

the　two　men　who　had　asked　permission　to　visit　his　dungeon　a　few　days

before；　and　since　that　time；　had　any　one　discovered　for　what　purpose

the　men　desired　to　see　him？



〃They　exchanged　some　strange　words　with　him；〃　Mannaeus　replied；　〃with

the　mysterious　air　of　robbers　conspiring　at　the　cross…roads。　Then　they

departed　towards　Upper　Galilee；　saying　that　they　were　the　bearers　of

great　tidings。〃



Antipas　bent　his　head　for　a　moment；　then　raising　it　quickly；　said　in　a

tone　full　of　alarm：



〃Guard　him！　watch　him　well！　Do　not　allow　any　one　else　to　see　him。　Keep

the　gates　shut　and　the　entrance　to　the　dungeon　closed　fast。　It　must

not　even　be　suspected　that　he　still　lives！〃



Mannaeus　had　already　attended　to　all　these　details；　because　Iaokanann

was　a　Jew；　and；　like　all　the　Samaritans；　Mannaeus　hated　the　Jews。



Their　temple　on　the　Mount　of　Gerizim；　which　Moses　had　designed　to　be

the　centre　of　Israel；　had　been　destroyed　since　the　reign　of　King

Hyrcanus；　and　the　temple　at　Jerusalem　made　the　Samaritans　furious；

they　regarded　its　presence　as　an　outrage　against　themselves；　and　a

permanent　injustice。　Mannaeus；　indeed；　had　forcibly　entered　it；　for

the　purpose　of　defiling　its　altar　with　the　bones　of　corpses。　Several

of　his　companions；　less　agile　than　he；　had　been　caught　and　beheaded。



From　the　tetrarch's　balcony；　the　temple　was　visible　through　an　opening

between　two　hills。　The　sun；　now　fully　risen；　shed　a　dazzling　splendour

on　its　walls　of　snowy　marble　and　the　plates　of　purest　gold　that　formed

its　roof。　The　structure　shone　like　a　luminous　mountain；　and　its

radiant　purity　indicated　something　almost　superhuman；　eclipsing　even

its　suggestion　of　opulence　and　pride。



Mannaeus　stretched　out　his　powerful　arm　towards　Zion；　and；　with

clenched　fist　and　his　great　body　drawn　to　its　full　height；　he　launched

a　bitter　anathema　at　the　city；　with　perfect　faith　that　eventually　his

curse　must　be　effective。



Antipas　listened；　without　appearing　to　be　shocked　at　the　strength　of

the　invectives。



When　the　Samaritan　had　become　somewhat　calmer；　he　returned　to　the

subject　of　the　prisoner。



〃Sometimes　he　grows　excited；〃　said　he；　〃then　he　longs　to　escape　or

talks　about　a　speedy　deliverance。　At　other　times　he　is　as　quiet　as　a

sick　animal；　although　I　often　find　him　pacing　to　and　fro　in　his　gloomy

dungeon；　murmuring；　'In　order　that　His　glory　may　increase；　mine　must

diminish。'〃



Antipas　and　Mannaeus　looked　at　each　other　a　moment　in　silence。　But　the

tetrarch　was　weary　of　pondering　on　this　troublesome　matter。



The　mountain　peaks　surrounding　the　palace；　looking　like　great

petrified　waves；　the　black　depths　among　the　cliffs；　the　imme