herodias-第9章

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to　that　place。　Others　held　fast　to　the　principles　of　their　native

religion。　A　German；　who　was　nearly　blind；　sang　a　hymn　celebrating　that

promontory　in　Scandinavia　where　the　gods　were　wont　to　appear　with

halos　around　their　heads。　The　people　from　Sichem　declined　to　eat

turtles；　out　of　deference　to　the　dove　Azima。



Several　groups　stood　talking　near　the　middle　of　the　banqueting…hall；

and　the　vapour　of　their　breath；　mingled　with　the　smoke　from　the

candles；　formed　a　light　mist。　Presently　Phanuel　slipped　quietly　into

the　room；　keeping　close　to　the　wall。　He　had　been　out　in　the　open

courtyard；　to　make　another　survey　of　the　heavens。　He　stopped　when　he

reached　the　pavilion　of　the　tetrarch；　fearing　he　would　be　splashed

with　drops　of　oil　if　he　approached　the　other　tables；　which；　to　an

Essene；　would　be　a　great　defilement。



Suddenly　violent　blows　resounded　upon　the　castle　gates。　The　news　of

the　imprisonment　of　Iaokanann　had　spread　rapidly；　and　now　it　appeared

that　the　whole　surrounding　population　was　flocking　to　the　castle。　Men

with　torches　were　hastening　along　the　roads　in　all　directions；　a　black

mass　of　people　swarmed　in　the　ravine；　and　from　all　throats　came　the

cry：　〃Iaokanann！　Iaokanann！〃



〃That　man　will　ruin　everything；〃　said　Jonathas。



〃We　shall　have　no　more　money　if　this　continues；〃　said　the　Pharisees。



Accusations；　recriminations；　and　pleadings　were　heard　on　all　sides。



〃Protect　us！〃



〃Compel　them　to　cease！〃



〃Thou　didst　abandon　thy　religion！〃



〃Impious　as　all　the　Herods！〃



〃Less　impious　than　thou！〃　Antipas　retorted。　〃Was　it　not　my　father　that

erected　thy　Temple？〃



Then　the　Pharisees；　children　of　the　proscribed　tribes；　partisans　of

Mattathias；　accused　the　tetrarch　of　all　the　crimes　committed　by　his

family。



The　Pharisees　had　pointed　skulls；　bristling　beards；　feeble　hands；　snub

noses；　great　round　eyes；　and　their　countenances　bore　a　resemblance　to

that　of　a　bull…dog。　A　dozen　of　these　people；　scribes　and　attendants

upon　the　priests；　who　picked　up　their　living　from　the　refuse　of

holocausts；　rushed　to　the　foot　of　the　pavilion　and　threatened　Antipas

with　their　knives。　He　attempted　to　speak　to　them；　being　only　slightly

protected　by　some　of　the　Sadducees。　Suddenly　he　perceived　Mannaeus　at

a　distance　and　made　him　a　sign　to　approach。　The　expression　on　the　face

of　Vitellius　indicated　that　he　regarded　all　this　turmoil　as　no　concern

of　his。



The　Pharisees；　leaning　against　the　pavilion；　were　now　beside

themselves　with　demoniac　fury。　They　broke　plates　and　dashed　them　upon

the　floor。　The　attendants　had　served　them　with　a　ragout　composed　of

the　flesh　of　the　wild　ass；　an　unclean　animal；　and　their　anger　knew　no

bounds。　Aulus　rallied　them　jeeringly　apropos　of　the　ass's　head；　which

he　declared　they　honoured。　He　flung　other　sarcasms　at　them；　regarding

their　antipathy　to　the　flesh　of　swine；　intimating　that　no　doubt　their

hatred　arose　from　the　fact　that　that　beast　had　killed　their　beloved

Bacchus；　and　saying　it　was　to　be　feared　they　were　too　fond　of　wine；

since　a　golden　vine　had　been　discovered　in　the　Temple。



The　priests　did　not　understand　his　sneers；　and　Phineas；　of　Galilean

origin；　refused　to　translate　them。　Aulus　suddenly　became　angry；　the

more　so　because　the　little　Asiatic；　frightened　at　the　tumult；　had

disappeared。　The　feast　no　longer　pleased　the　noble　glutton；　the　dishes

were　vulgar；　and　not　sufficiently　disguised　with　delicate　flavourings。

After　a　time　his　displeasure　abated；　as　he　caught　sight　of　a　dish　of

Syrian　lambs'　tails；　dressed　with　spices；　a　favourite　dainty。



To　Vitellius　the　character　of　the　Jews　seemed　frightful。　Their　God　was

like　Moloch；　several　altars　to　whom　he　had　passed　upon　his　route；　and

he　recalled　the　stories　he　had　heard　of　the　mysterious　Jew　who

fattened　small　children　and　offered　them　as　a　sacrifice。　His　Latin

nature　was　filled　with　disgust　at　their　intolerance；　their

iconoclastic　rage；　their　brutal；　stumbling　bearing。　The　proconsul

wished　to　depart；　but　Aulus　refused　to　accompany　him。



The　exaltation　of　the　people　increased。　They　abandoned　themselves　to

dreams　of　independence。　They　recalled　the　glory　of　Israel；　and　a

Syrian　spoke　of　all　the　great　conquerors　they　had　vanquished；

Antigone；　Crassus；　Varus。



〃Miserable　creatures！〃　cried　the　enraged　proconsul；　who　had　overheard

the　Syrian's　words。



In　the　midst　of　the　uproar　Antipas　remembered　the　medallion　of　the

emperor　that　Herodias　had　given　to　him；　he　drew　it　forth　and　looked　at

it　a　moment；　trembling；　then　held　it　up　with　its　face　turned　towards

the　throng。



At　the　same　moment；　the　panels　of　the　gold…railed　balcony　were　folded

back；　and；　accompanied　by　slaves　bearing　wax　tapers；　Herodias

appeared；　her　coiffure　crowned　with　an　Assyrian　mitre；　which　was　held

in　place　by　a　band　passing　under　the　chin。　Her　dark　hair　fell　in

ringlets　over　a　scarlet　peplum　with　slashed　sleeves。　On　either　side　of

the　door　through　which　one　stepped　into　the　gallery；　stood　a　huge

stone　monster；　like　those　of　Atrides；　and　as　Herodias　appeared　between

them；　she　looked　like　Cybele　supported　by　her　lions。　In　her　hands　she

carried　a　patera；　a　shallow　vessel　of　silver　used　by　the　Romans　in

pouring　libations；　and；　advancing　to　the　front　of　the　balcony　and

pausing　just　above　the　tetrarch's　chair；　she　cried：



〃Long　live　Caesar！〃



This　homage　was　repeated　by　Vitellius；　Antipas；　and　the　priests。



But　now；　beginning　at　the　farthest　end　of　the　banqueting…hall；　a

murmur　of　surprise　and　admiration　swept　through　the　multitude。　A

beautiful　young　girl　had　just　entered　the　apartment；　and　stood

motionless　for　an　instant；　while　all　eyes　were　turned　upon　her。



Through　a　drapery　of　filmy　blue　gauze　that　veiled　her　head　and　throat；

her　arched　eyebrows；　tiny　ears；　and　ivory…white　skin　could　be

distinguished。　A　scarf　of　shot…silk　fell　from　her　shoulders；　and　was

caught　up　at　the　waist　by　a　girdle　of　fretted　silver。　Her　full

trousers；　of　black　silk；　were　embroidered　in　a　pattern　of　silver

mandragoras；　and　as　she　moved　forward　with　indolent　grace；　her　little

feet　were　seen　to　be　shod　with　slippers　made　of　the　feathers　of

humming…birds。



When　she　arrived　in　front　of　the　pavilion　she　removed　her　veil。

Behold！　she　seemed　to　be　Herodias　herself；　as　she　had　appeared　in　the

days　of　her　blooming　youth。



Immediately　the　damsel　began　to　dance　before　the　tetrarch。　Her　slender

feet　took　dainty　steps　to　the　rhythm　of　a　flute　and　a　pair　of　Indian

bells。　Her　round　white　arms　seemed　ever　beckoning　and　striving　to

entice　to　her　side　some　youth　who　was　fleeing　from　her　allurements。

She　appeared　to　pursue　him；　with　movements　light　as　a　butterfly；　her

whole　mien　was　like　that　of　an　inquisitive　Psyche；　or　a　floating

spirit　that　might　at　any　moment　dissolve　and　disappear。



Presently　the　plaintive　notes　of　the　gingras；　a　small　flute　of

Phoenician　origin；　replaced　the　tinkling　bells。　The　attitudes　of　the

dancing　nymph　now　denoted　overpowering　lassitude。　Her　bosom　heaved

with　sighs；　and　her　whole　being　expressed　profound　languor；　although

it　was　not　clear　whether　she　sighed　for　an　absent　swain　or　was

expiring　of　love　in　his　embrace。　With　half…closed　eyes　and　quivering

form；　she　caused　mysterious　undulations　to　flow　downward　over　her

whole　body；　like　rippling　waves；　while　her　face　remained　impassive　and

her　twinkling　feet　still　moved　in　their　intricate　steps。



Vitellius　compared　her　to　Mnester；　the　famous　pantomimist。　Aulus　was

overcome　with　faintness。　The　tetrarch　watched　her；　lost　in　a

voluptuous　reverie；　and　thought　no　more　of　the　real　Herodias。　In　fancy

he　saw　her　again　as　she　appeared　when　she　had　dwelt　among　the

Sadducees。　Then　the　vision　faded。



But　this　beautiful　thing　before　him　was　no　vision。　The　dancer　was

Salome；　the　daughter　of　Herodias；　who　for　many　months　her　mother　had

caused　to　be　instructed　in　dancing；　and　other　arts　of　pleasing；　with

the　sole　idea　of　bringing　her　to　Machaerus　and　p