herodias-第10章

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the　sole　idea　of　bringing　her　to　Machaerus　and　presenting　her　to　the

tetrarch；　so　that　he　should　fall　in　love　with　her　fresh　young　beauty

and　feminine　wiles。　The　plan　had　proved　successful；　it　seemed；　he　was

evidently　fascinated；　and　Herodias　felt　that　at　last　she　was　sure　of

retaining　her　power　over　him！



And　now　the　graceful　dancer　appeared　transported　with　the　very

delirium　of　love　and　passion。　She　danced　like　the　priestesses　of

India；　like　the　Nubians　of　the　cataracts；　or　like　the　Bacchantes　of

Lydia。　She　whirled　about　like　a　flower　blown　by　the　tempest。　The

jewels　in　her　ears　sparkled；　her　swift　movements　made　the　colours　of

her　draperies　appear　to　run　into　one　another。　Her　arms；　her　feet；　her

clothing　even；　seemed　to　emit　streams　of　magnetism；　that　set　the

spectators'　blood　on　fire。



Suddenly　the　thrilling　chords　of　a　harp　rang　through　the　hall；　and　the

throng　burst　into　loud　acclamations。　All　eyes　were　fixed　on　Salome；

who　paused　in　her　rhythmic　dance；　placed　her　feet　wide　apart；　and

without　bending　the　knees；　suddenly　swayed　her　lithe　body　downward；　so

that　her　chin　touched　the　floor；　and　her　whole　audience；the　nomads；

accustomed　to　a　life　of　privation　and　abstinence；　the　Roman　soldiers；

expert　in　debaucheries；　the　avaricious　publicans；　and　even　the

crabbed；　elderly　priestsgazed　upon　her　with　dilated　nostrils。



Next　she　began　to　whirl　frantically　around　the　table　where　Antipas　the

tetrarch　was　seated。　He　leaned　towards　the　flying　figure；　and　in　a

voice　half　choked　with　the　voluptuous　sighs　of　a　mad　desire；　he

sighed：　〃Come　to　me！　Come！〃　But　she　whirled　on；　while　the　music　of

dulcimers　swelled　louder　and　the　excited　spectators　roared　their

applause。



The　tetrarch　called　again；　louder　than　before：　〃Come　to　me！　Come！　Thou

shalt　have　Capernaum；　the　plains　of　Tiberias！　my　citadels！　yea；　the

half　of　my　kingdom！〃



Again　the　dancer　paused；　then；　like　a　flash；　she　threw　herself　upon

the　palms　of　her　hands；　while　her　feet　rose　straight　up　into　the　air。

In　this　bizarre　pose　she　moved　about　upon　the　floor　like　a　gigantic

beetle；　then　stood　motionless。



The　nape　of　her　neck　formed　a　right　angle　with　her　vertebrae。　The　full

silken　skirts　of　pale　hues　that　enveloped　her　limbs　when　she　stood

erect；　now　fell　to　her　shoulders　and　surrounded　her　face　like　a

rainbow。　Her　lips　were　tinted　a　deep　crimson；　her　arched　eyebrows　were

black　as　jet；　her　glowing　eyes　had　an　almost　terrible　radiance；　and

the　tiny　drops　of　perspiration　on　her　forehead　looked　like　dew　upon

white　marble。



She　made　no　sound；　and　the　burning　gaze　of　that　multitude　of　men　was

concentrated　upon　her。



A　sound　like　the　snapping　of　fingers　came　from　the　gallery　over　the

pavilion。　Instantly；　with　one　of　her　movements　of　bird…like　swiftness；

Salome　stood　erect。　The　next　moment　she　rapidly　passed　up　a　flight　of

steps　leading　to　the　gallery；　and　coming　to　the　front　of　it　she　leaned

over；　smiled　upon　the　tetrarch；　and；　with　an　air　of　almost　childlike

naivete；　pronounced　these　words：



〃I　ask　my　lord　to　give　me；　placed　upon　a　charger；　the　head　of〃　She

hesitated；　as　if　not　certain　of　the　name；　then　said：　〃The　head　of

Iaokanann！〃



The　tetrarch　sank　back　in　his　chair　as　if　stunned。



He　had　bound　himself　by　his　promise　to　her；　and　the　people　awaited　his

next　movement。　But　the　death　that　night　of　some　conspicuous　man　that

had　been　predicted　to　him　by　Phanuel；what　if；　by　bringing　it　upon

another；　he　could　avert　it　from　himself；　thought　Antipas。　If　Iaokanann

was　in　very　truth　the　Elias　so　much　talked　of；　he　would　have　power　to

protect　himself；　and　if　he　were　only　an　ordinary　man；　his　murder　was

of　no　importance。



Mannaeus　stood　beside　his　chair；　and　read　his　master's　thoughts。

Vitellius　beckoned　him　to　his　side　and　gave　him　an　order　for　the

execution；　to　be　transmitted　to　the　soldiers　placed　on　guard　over　the

dungeon。　This　execution　would　be　a　relief；　he　thought。　In　a　few

moments　all　would　be　over！



But　for　once　Mannaeus　did　not　perform　a　commission　satisfactorily。　He

left　the　hall　but　soon　returned；　in　a　state　of　great　perturbation。



During　forty　years　he　had　exercised　the　functions　of　the　public

executioner。　It　was　he　that　had　drowned　Aristobulus；　strangled

Alexander；　burned　Mattathias　alive；　beheaded　Zozimus；　Pappus；

Josephus；　and　Antipater；　but　he　dared　not　kill　Iaokanann！　His　teeth

chattered　and　his　whole　body　trembled。



He　declared　that　he　had　seen；　standing　before　the　dungeon；　the　Angel

of　the　Samaritans；　covered　with　eyes　and　brandishing　a　great　sword；

glowing　and　quivering　like　a　flame。　He　appealed　to　two　of　the　guards；

who　had　entered　the　hall　with　him；　to　corroborate　his　words。　But　they

said　they　had　seen　nothing　except　a　Jewish　captain　who　had　attacked

them；　and　whom　they　had　killed。



The　fury　of　Herodias　poured　forth　in　a　torrent　of　invective　against

the　populace。　She　clenched　the　railing　of　the　balcony　so　fiercely　as

to　break　her　nails；　the　two　stone　lions　at　her　back　seemed　to　bite　her

shoulders　and　join　their　voices　to　hers。



Antipas　followed　her　example；　and　priests；　soldiers；　and　Pharisees

cried　aloud　together　for　vengeance；　echoed　by　the　rest　of　the

gathering；　who　were　indignant　that　a　mere　slave　should　dare　to　delay

their　pleasures。



Again　Mannaeus　left　the　hall；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands。



The　guests　found　the　second　delay　longer　than　the　first。　It　seemed

tedious　to　every　one。



Presently　a　sound　of　footsteps　was　heard　in　the　corridor　without；　then

silence　fell　again。　The　suspense　was　becoming　intolerable。



Suddenly　the　door　was　flung　open　and　Mannaeus　entered；　holding　at

arm's　length；　grasping　it　by　the　hair；　the　head　of　Iaokanann。　His

appearance　was　greeted　with　a　burst　of　applause；　which　filled　him　with

pride　and　revived　his　courage。



He　placed　the　head　upon　a　charger　and　offered　it　to　Salome；　who　had

descended　the　steps　to　receive　it。　She　remounted　to　the　balcony；　with

a　light　step；　and　in　another　moment　the　charger　was　carried　about　from

one　table　to　another　by　the　elderly　female　slave　whom　the　tetrarch　had

observed　in　the　morning　on　the　balcony　of　a　neighbouring　house；　and

later　in　the　chamber　of　Herodias。



When　she　approached　him　with　her　ghastly　burden；　he　turned　away　his

head　to　avoid　looking　at　it。　Vitellius　threw　upon　it　an　indifferent

glance。



Mannaeus　descended　from　the　pavilion；　took　the　charger　from　the　woman；

and　exhibited　the　head　to　the　Roman　captains；　then　to　all　the　guests

on　that　side　of　the　hall。



They　looked　at　it　curiously。



The　sharp　blade　of　the　sword　had　cut　into　the　jaw　with　a　swift

downward　stroke。　The　corners　of　the　mouth　were　drawn；　as　if　by　a

convulsion。　Clots　of　blood　besprinkled　the　beard。　The　closed　eyelids

had　a　shell…like　transparency；　and　the　candelabra　on　every　side

lighted　up　the　gruesome　object　with　terrible　distinctness。



Mannaeus　arrived　at　the　table　where　the　priests　were　seated。　One　of

them　turned　the　charger　about　curiously；　to　look　at　the　head　from　all

sides。　Then　Mannaeus；　having　entirely　regained　his　courage；　placed　the

charger　before　Aulus；　who　had　just　awakened　from　a　short　doze；　and

finally　he　brought　it　again　to　Antipas　and　set　it　down　upon　the　table

beside　him。　Tears　were　running　down　the　cheeks　of　the　tetrarch。



The　lights　began　to　flicker　and　die　out。　The　guests　departed；　and　at

last　no　one　remained　in　the　great　hall　save　Antipas；　who　sat　leaning

his　head　upon　his　hands；　gazing　at　the　head　of　Iaokanann；　and　Phanuel；

who　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　largest　nave　and　prayed　aloud；　with

uplifted　arms。





At　sunrise　the　two　men　who　had　been　sent　on　a　mission　by　Iaokanann

some　time　before；　returned　to　the　castle；　bringing　the　answer　so　long

awaited　and　hoped　for。



They　whispered　the　message　to　Phanuel；　who　received　it　with　rapture。



Then　he　showed　them　the　lugubrious　object；　still　resting　on　the

charger　amid　the　ruins　of　the　feast。　One　of　the　men