herodias-第2章

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petrified　waves；　the　black　depths　among　the　cliffs；　the　immensity　of

the　blue　sky；　the　rising　sun；　and　the　gloomy　valley　of　the　abyss；

filled　the　soul　of　Antipas　with　a　vague　unrest；　he　felt　an

overwhelming　sense　of　oppression　at　the　sight　of　the　desert；　whose

uneven　piles　of　sand　suggested　crumbling　ampitheatres　or　ruined

palaces。　The　hot　wind　brought　an　odour　of　sulphur；　as　if　it　had　rolled

up　from　cities　accursed　and　buried　deeper　than　the　river…bed　of　the

slow…running　Jordan。



These　aspects　of　nature；　which　seemed　to　his　troubled　fancy　signs　of

the　wrath　of　the　gods；　terrified　him；　and　he　leaned　heavily　against

the　balcony　railing；　his　eyes　fixed；　his　head　resting　upon　his　hands。



Presently　he　felt　a　light　touch　upon　his　shoulder。　He　turned；　and　saw

Herodias　standing　beside　him。　A　purple　robe　enveloped　her；　falling　to

her　sandaled　feet。　Having　left　her　chamber　hurriedly；　she　wore　no

jewels　nor　other　ornaments。　A　thick　tress　of　rippling　black　hair　hung

over　her　shoulder　and　hid　itself　in　her　bosom；　her　nostrils；　a　little

too　large　for　beauty；　quivered　with　triumph；　and　her　face　was　alight

with　joy。　She　gently　shook　the　tetrarch's　shoulder；　and　exclaimed

exultantly：



〃Caesar　is　our　friend！　Agrippa　has　been　imprisoned！〃



〃Who　told　thee　that？〃



〃I　know　it！〃　she　replied；　adding：　〃It　was　because　he　coveted　the　crown

of　Caligula。〃



While　living　upon　the　charity　of　Antipas　and　Herodias；　Agrippa　had

intrigued　to　become　king；　a　title　for　which　the　tetrarch　was　as　eager

as　he。　But　if　this　news　were　true；　no　more　was　to　be　feared　from

Agrippa's　scheming。



〃The　dungeons　of　Tiberias　are　hard　to　open；　and　sometimes　life　itself

is　uncertain　within　their　depths；〃　said　Herodias；　with　grim

significance。



Antipas　understood　her；　and；　although　she　was　Agrippa's　sister；　her

atrocious　insinuation　seemed　entirely　justifiable　to　the　tetrarch。

Murder　and　outrage　were　to　be　expected　in　the　management　of　political

intrigues；　they　were　a　part　of　the　fatal　inheritance　of　royal　houses；

and　in　the　family　of　Herodias　nothing　was　more　common。



Then　she　rapidly　unfolded　to　the　tetrarch　the　secrets　of　her　recent

undertakings；　telling　him　how　many　men　had　been　bribed；　what　letters

had　been　intercepted；　and　the　number　of　spies　stationed　at　the　city

gates。　She　did　not　hesitate　even　to　tell　him　of　her　success　in　an

attempt　to　befool　and　seduce　Eutyches　the　denunciator。



〃And　why　should　I　not？〃　she　said；　〃it　cost　me　nothing。　For　thee；　my

lord；　have　I　not　done　more　than　that？　Did　I　not　even　abandon　my

child？〃



After　her　divorce　from　Philip；　she　had　indeed　left　her　daughter　in

Rome；　hoping　that；　as　the　wife　of　the　tetrarch；　she　might　bear　other

children。　Until　that　moment　she　had　never　spoken　to　Antipas　of　her

daughter。　He　asked　himself　the　reason　for　this　sudden　display　of

tenderness。



During　their　brief　conversation　several　attendants　had　come　out　upon

the　balcony；　one　slave　brought　a　quantity　of　large；　soft　cushions；　and

arranged　them　in　a　kind　of　temporary　couch　upon　the　floor　behind　his

mistress。　Herodias　sank　upon　them；　and　turning　her　face　away　from

Antipas；　seemed　to　be　weeping　silently。　After　a　few　moments　she　dried

her　eyes；　declared　that　she　would　dream　no　more；　and　that　she　was；　in

reality；　perfectly　happy。　She　reminded　Antipas　of　their　former　long

delightful　interviews　in　the　atrium；　their　meetings　at　the　baths；

their　walks　along　the　Sacred　Way；　and　the　sweet　evening　rendezvous　at

the　villa；　among　the　flowery　groves；　listening　to　the　murmur　of

splashing　fountains；　within　sight　of　the　Roman　Campagna。　Her　glances

were　as　tender　as　in　former　days；　she　drew　near　to　him；　leaned　against

his　breast　and　caressed　him　fondly。



But　he　repelled　her　soft　advances。　The　love　she　sought　to　rekindle　had

died　long　ago。　He　thought　instead　of　all　his　misfortunes；　and　of　the

twelve　long　years　during　which　the　war　had　continued。　Protracted

anxiety　had　visibly　aged　the　tetrarch。　His　shoulders　were　bent　beneath

his　violet…bordered　toga；　his　whitening　locks　were　long　and　mingled

with　his　beard；　and　the　sunlight　revealed　many　lines　upon　his　brow；　as

well　as　upon　that　of　Herodias。　After　the　tetrarch's　repulse　of　his

wife's　tender　overtures；　the　pair　gazed　morosely　at　each　other。



The　mountain　paths　began　to　show　signs　of　life。　Shepherds　were　driving

their　flocks　to　pasture；　children　urged　heavy…laden　donkeys　along　the

roads；　while　grooms　belonging　to　the　palace　led　the　horses　to　the

river　to　drink。　The　wayfarers　descending　from　the　heights　on　the

farther　side　of　Machaerus　disappeared　behind　the　castle；　others

ascended　from　the　valleys；　and　after　arriving　at　the　palace　deposited

their　burdens　in　the　courtyard。　Many　of　these　were　purveyors　to　the

tetrarch；　others　were　the　servants　of　his　expected　guests；　arriving　in

advance　of　their　masters。



Suddenly；　at　the　foot　of　the　terrace　on　the　left；　an　Essene　appeared；

he　wore　a　white　robe；　his　feet　were　bare；　and　his　demeanour　indicated

that　he　was　a　follower　of　the　Stoics。　Mannaeus　instantly　rushed

towards　the　stranger；　drawing　the　cutlass　that　he　wore　upon　his　hip。



〃Kill　him！〃　cried　Herodias。



〃Do　not　touch　him！〃　the　tetrarch　commanded。



The　two　men　stood　motionless　for　an　instant；　then　they　descended　the

terrace；　both　taking　a　different　direction；　although　they　kept　their

eyes　fixed　upon　each　other。



〃I　know　that　man；〃　said　Herodias；　after　they　had　disappeared。　〃His

name　is　Phanuel；　and　he　will　try　to　seek　out　Iaokanann；　since　thou

wert　so　foolish　as　to　allow　him　to　live。〃



Antipas　said　that　the　man　might　some　day　be　useful　to　them。　His

attacks　upon　Jerusalem　would　gain　them　the　allegiance　of　the　rest　of

the　Jews。



〃No；〃　said　Herodias；　〃the　Jews　will　accept　any　master；　and　are

incapable　of　feeling　any　true　patriotism。〃　She　added　that；　as　for　the

man　who　was　trying　to　influence　the　people　with　hopes　cherished　since

the　days　of　Nehemiah；　the　best　policy　was　to　suppress　him。



The　tetrarch　replied　that　there　was　no　haste　about　the　matter；　and

expressed　his　doubt　that　any　real　danger　was　to　be　feared　from

Iaokanann　even　affecting　to　laugh　at　the　idea。



〃Do　not　deceive　thyself！〃　exclaimed　Herodias。　And　she　retold　the　story

of　her　humiliation　one　day　when　she　was　travelling　towards　Gilead；　in

order　to　purchase　some　of　the　balm　for　which　that　region　was　famous。



〃A　multitude　was　standing　on　the　banks　of　the　stream；　my　lord；　many　of

the　people　were　putting　on　their　raiment。　Standing　on　a　hillock；　a

strange　man　was　speaking　to　the　gathering。　A　camel's…skin　was　wrapped

about　his　loins；　and　his　head　was　like　that　of　a　lion。　As　soon　as　he

saw　me；　he　launched　in　my　direction　all　the　maledictions　of　the

prophets。　His　eyes　flamed；　his　voice　shook；　he　raised　his　arms　as　if

he　would　draw　down　lightning　upon　my　head。　I　could　not　fly　from　him；

the　wheels　of　my　chariot　sank　in　the　sand　up　to　the　middle；　and　I

could　only　crawl　along；　hiding　my　head　with　my　mantle；　and　frozen　with

terror　at　the　curses　that　poured　upon　me　like　a　storm　from　heaven！〃



Continuing　her　harangue；　she　declared　that　the　knowledge　that　this　man

still　existed　poisoned　her　very　life。　When　he　had　been　seized　and

bound　with　cords；　the　soldiers　were　prepared　to　stab　him　if　he

resisted；　but　he　had　been　quite　gentle　and　obedient。　After　he　had　been

thrown　into　prison　some　one　had　put　venomous　serpents　into　his

dungeon；　but　strange　to　say；　after　a　time　they　had　died；　leaving　him

uninjured。　The　inanity　of　such　tricks　exasperated　Herodias。　Besides；

she　inquired；　why　did　this　man　make　war　upon　her？　What　interest　moved

him　to　such　actions？　His　injurious　words　to　her；　uttered　before　a

throng　of　listeners；　had　been　repeated　and　widely　circulated；　she

heard　them　whispered　everywhere。　Against　a　legion　of　soldiers　she

would　have　been　brave；　but　this　mysterious　influence；　more　pernicious

and　powerful　than　the　sword；　but　impossible　to　grasp；　was　maddening！

Herodia