herodias-第7章

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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　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　ba