herodias-第7章

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At　last　he　retired　to　the　apartments　assigned　to　him；　accompanied　by

the　priests。　Without　touching　directly　upon　the　question　of　the

coveted　offices　of　public　sacrificers；　each　one　laid　his　own

grievances　before　the　proconsul。　They　fairly　beset　him　with　complaints

and　requests；　but　he　soon　dismissed　them　from　his　presence。



As　Jonathas　left　the　proconsul's　apartments　he　perceived　Antipas

standing　under　an　arch；　talking　to　an　Essene；　who　wore　a　long　white

robe　and　flowing　locks。　Jonathas　regretted　that　he　had　raised　his

voice　in　defence　of　the　tetrarch。



One　thought　now　consoled　Herod…Antipas。　He　was　no　longer　personally

responsible　for　the　fate　of　Iaokanann。　The　Romans　had　assumed　that

charge。　What　a　relief！　He　had　noticed　Phanuel　pacing　slowly　through

the　court；　and　calling　him　to　his　side；　he　pointed　put　the　guards

established　by　Vitellius；　saying：



〃They　are　stronger　than　I！　I　cannot　now　set　the　prisoner　free！　It　is

not　my　fault　if　he　remains　in　his　dungeon。〃



The　courtyard　was　empty。　The　slaves　were　sleeping。　The　day　was　drawing

to　a　close；　and　the　sunset　spread　a　deep　rosy　glow　over　the　horizon；

against　which　the　smallest　objects　stood　out　like　silhouettes。　Antipas

was　able　to　distinguish　the　excavations　of　the　salt…mines　at　the

farther　end　of　the　Dead　Sea；　but　the　tents　of　the　Arabs　were　no　longer

visible。　As　the　moon　rose；　the　effect　of　the　day's　excitement　passed

away；　and　a　feeling　of　peace　entered　his　heart。



Phanuel；　also　wearied　by　the　recent　agitating　scenes；　remained　beside

the　tetrarch。　He　sat　in　silence　for　some　time；　his　chin　resting　on　his

breast。　At　last　he　spoke　in　confidence　to　Antipas；　and　revealed　what

he　had　wished　to　say。



From　the　beginning　of　the　month；　he　said；　he　had　been　studying　the

heavens　every　morning　before　daybreak；　when　the　constellation　of

Perseus　was　at　the　zenith；　Agalah　was　scarcely　visible；　Algol　was　even

less　bright；　Mira…Cetus　had　disappeared　entirely；　from　all　of　which　he

augured　the　death　of　some　man　of　great　importance；　to　occur　that　very

night　in　Machaerus。



Who　was　the　man？　Vitellius　was　too　closely　guarded　to　be　reached。　No

one　would　kill　Iaokanann。



〃It　is　I！〃　thought　the　tetrarch。



It　might　be　that　the　Arabs　would　return　and　make　a　successful　attack

upon　him。　Perhaps　the　proconsul　would　discover　his　relations　with　the

Parthians。　Several　men　whom　Antipas　had　recognised　as　hired　assassins

from　Jerusalem；　had　escorted　the　priests　in　the　train　of　the

proconsul；　they　all　carried　daggers　concealed　beneath　their　robes。　The

tetrarch　had　no　doubt　whatever　of　the　exactness　of　Phanuel's　skill　in

astrology。



Suddenly　he　bethought　him　of　Herodias。　He　would　consult　her。　He　hated

her；　certainly；　but　she　might　give　him　courage；　and　besides；　in　spite

of　his　dislike；　not　all　the　bonds　were　yet　broken　of　that　sorcery

which　once　she　had　woven　about　him。



When　he　entered　her　chamber；　he　was　met　by　the　pungent　odour　of

cinnamon　burning　in　a　porphyry　vase　and　the　perfume　of　powders；

unguents；　cloud…like　gauzes　and　embroideries　light　as　feathers；　filled

the　air　with　fragrance。



He　did　not　speak　of　Phanuel's　prophecy；　nor　of　his　own　fear　of　the

Jews　and　the　Arabs。　Herodias　had　already　accused　him　of　cowardice。　He

spoke　only　of　the　Romans；　and　complained　that　Vitellius　had　not

confided　to　him　any　of　his　military　projects。　He　said　he　supposed　the

proconsul　was　the　friend　of　Caligula；　who　often　visited　Agrippa；　and

expressed　a　surmise　that　he　himself　might　be　exiled；　or　that　perhaps

his　throat　would　be　cut。



Herodias；　who　now　treated　him　with　a　kind　of　disdainful　indulgence；

tried　to　reassure　him。　At　last　she　took　from　a　small　casket　a　curious

medallion；　ornamented　with　a　profile　of　Tiberius。　The　sight　of　it；　she

said；　as　she　gave　it　to　Antipas；　would　make　the　lictors　turn　pale　and

silence　all　accusing　voices。



Antipas；　filled　with　gratitude；　asked　her　how　the　medallion　had　come

into　her　possession。



〃It　was　given　to　me；〃　was　her　only　answer。



At　that　moment　Antipas　beheld　a　bare　arm　slipping　through　a　portiere

hanging　in　front　of　him。　It　was　the　arm　of　a　youthful　woman；　as

graceful　in　outline　as　if　carved　from　ivory　by　Polyclitus。　With　a

movement　a　little　awkward　and　at　the　same　time　charming；　it　felt　about

the　wall　an　instant；　as　if　seeking　something；　then　took　down　a　tunic

hanging　upon　a　hook　near　the　doorway；　and　disappeared。



An　elderly　female　attendant　passed　quietly　through　the　room；　lifted

the　portiere；　and　went　out。　A　sudden　recollection　pierced　the　memory

of　the　tetrarch。



〃Is　that　woman　one　of　thy　slaves？〃　he　asked。



〃What　matters　that　to　thee？〃　was　the　disdainful　reply。







CHAPTER　III



The　great　banqueting…hall　was　filled　with　guests。　This　apartment　had

three　naves；　like　a　basilica；　which　were　separated　by　columns　of

sandalwood；　whose　capitals　were　of　sculptured　bonze。　On　each　side　of

the　apartment　was　a　gallery　for　spectators；　and　a　third；　with　a　facade

of　gold　filigree；　was　at　one　end；　opposite　an　immense　arch　at　the

other。



The　candelabra　burning　on　the　tables；　which　were　spread　the　whole

length　of　the　banqueting…hall；　glowed　like　clusters　of　flaming　flowers

among　the　painted　cups；　the　plates　of　shining　copper；　the　cubes　of

snow　and　heaps　of　luscious　grapes。　Through　the　large　windows　the

guests　could　see　lighted　torches　on　the　terraces　of　the　neighbouring

houses；　for　this　night　Antipas　was　giving　a　feast　to　his　friends；　his

own　people；　and　to　anyone　that　presented　himself　at　the　castle。



The　slaves；　alert　as　dogs；　glided　about　noiselessly　in　felt　sandals；

carrying　dishes　to　and　fro。



The　table　of　the　proconsul　was　placed　beneath　the　gilded　balcony　upon

a　platform　of　sycamore　wood。　Rich　tapestries　from　Babylon　were　hung

about　the　pavilion；　giving　a　certain　effect　of　seclusion。



Upon　three　ivory　couches；　one　facing　the　great　hall；　and　the　other　two

placed　one　on　either　side　of　the　pavilion；　reclined　Vitellius；　his　son

Aulus；　and　Antipas；　the　proconsul　being　near　the　door；　at　the　left；

Aulus　on　the　right；　the　tetrarch　occupying　the　middle　couch。



Antipas　wore　a　heavy　black　mantle；　the　texture　of　which　was　almost

hidden　by　coloured　embroideries　and　glittering　decorations；　his　beard

was　spread　out　like　a　fan；　blue　powder　had　been　scattered　over　his

hair；　and　on　his　head　rested　a　diadem　covered　with　precious　stones。

Vitellius　still　wore　the　purple　band；　the　emblem　of　his　rank；　crossed

diagonally　over　a　linen　toga。



Aulus　had　tied　behind　his　back　the　sleeves　of　his　violet　robe；

embroidered　with　silver。　His　clustering　curls　were　laid　in　carefully

arranged　rows；　a　necklace　of　sapphires　gleamed　against　his　throat；

plump　and　white　as　that　of　a　woman。　Crouched　upon　a　rug　near　him；　with

legs　crossed　was　a　pretty　white　boy；　upon　whose　face　shone　a　perpetual

smile。　Aulus　had　found　him　somewhere　among　the　kitchens　and　had　taken

a　violent　fancy　to　him。　He　had　made　the　child　one　of　his　suite；　but　as

he　never　could　remember　his　protege's　Chaldean　name；　called　him　simply

〃the　Asiatic。〃　From　time　to　time　the　little　fellow　sprang　up　and

played　about　the　dining…table；　and　his　antics　appeared　to　amuse　the

guests。



At　one　side　of　the　tetrarch's　pavilion　were　the　tables　at　which　were

seated　his　priests　and　officers；　also　a　number　of　persons　from

Jerusalem；　and　the　more　important　men　from　the　Grecian　cities。　At　the

table　on　the　left　of　the　proconsul　sat　Marcellus　with　the　publicans；

several　friends　of　the　tetrarch；　and　various　representatives　from

Cana；　Ptolemais；　and　Jericho。　Seated　at　other　tables　were　mountaineers

from　Liban　and　many　of　the　old　soldiers　of　Herod's　army；　a　dozen

Thracians；　a　Greek　and　two　Germans；　besides　huntsmen　and　herdsmen；　the

Sultan　of　Palmyra；　and　sailors　from　Eziongaber。　Before　each　guest　was

placed　a　roll　of　soft　bread；　upon　which　to　wipe　the　fingers。　As　soon

as　they　were　seated；　hands　were　stretched　out　with　the　eagerness　of　a