BEAUTIFUL AS APHRODITE.
At the Damascus gate of the city of Jerusalem halted a weary-seeming
ass, upon whose back was a dusty and travel-worn rider.
"Wonderful indeed is the grandeur of this city," he had said, as his
jaded beast toiled up the road from the bridge over the Kidron. "I
would willingly have paused longer upon the Mount of Olives, but the
lash of the procurator is close behind all who ride upon his errands.
Somewhere in this city of the temple is my Sapphira even now, but how
shall she be made to know that I am here? Not now, but I will climb
over all barriers, even these great walls and forts, until I find her."
At the gate was a Roman guard, and to the sentinel on post rode Lysias,
saying:
"O guard! From the procurator to the captain of the gate! In haste! I
am Lysias, a messenger, with a token in writing. I may not dismount
until he cometh."
The soldier saluted ceremoniously the name and authority of the
procurator, but he stirred not from his place. He did but shout loudly,
and an officer came forth, to whom the Greek repeated his utterances.
"Sit thou in thy saddle," said the officer. "I may not touch that which
is in thy keeping. But the centurion cometh shortly--the captain to
whom thou art commanded to make thy delivery."
No word spoke Lysias to the important man when he came, but the
subofficer made the announcement and the parcel from Pontius the
Spearman was placed in the right hands.
"O messenger," he said, "dismount. Thy beast is worn out. So art thou.
He will be kept for thee in the stables of the procurator. Thou, too,
wilt have refreshment. Rest thee and be ready when thy return message
shall be prepared."
Here ended for the present the dangerous responsibilities of Lysias,
but in no manner had he yet escaped from the grip which had been put
upon him. The lodgings to which he was speedily conducted were as a
jail of secure detention and from them he might not think of going
forth, lest evil should befall him. He might but eat and sleep while
his next duties were in course of preparation. Nevertheless rest was
sweet, and his dreams were free to wander where they would, seeking a
fair face and welcoming eyes which might not now be far away.
Early upon the morrow he was summoned to come forth, and he was led to
the Damascus gate without having had speech with any save with soldiers
who were as his jailers. Here a saddled horse of Arabia awaited him and
also a high official, whom he knew not, and the captain of the gate,
whom he had already seen.
"Hear thou with care, O messenger," said the latter, sternly, handing
to him sealed parchments. "This first to the procurator, from me. These
from the high priest and from the captain of the temple. I give thee,
also, a spoken message, which may not be written, for thee to deliver
and then to forget; for thou art of the household of the procurator,
and he trusteth thee. Were another to hear these words, lost were his
head and thine. Slain is the secret messenger of Herod, and he went
not to Cæsar. Caius of Thessalonica is in Galilee watching Julius, the
subtle, who plotteth, also, with Herod and with Herod Antipas. Caius
may die there, or ere he returneth, but he is trustworthy. Well were it
that the procurator should now leave his inspection of the garrisons
and of Samaria until a better day and that he should now return to
Jerusalem. Go!"
Words in reply or questioning might not be spoken. Lysias sprang upon
the Arabian horse, the letters being hidden in his bosom. Away he rode
down into the valley of the Kidron, thinking within himself: "Great is
the peril to him who carrieth the secrets of rulers. Sure is my death
if I do not this errand well, and yet the very doing of it may bring a
sword upon me. And now I am indeed of the household of Pontius, wherein
is hidden my Sapphira. Surely Venus and Juno are with me, and Mercurius
himself hath given me this fleet stallion to ride. He goeth like the
wind."
The remainder of that day went by, and the night also came and went.
Not any did the messenger have speech with but seemed ready to speed
him and glad to see him go from them, as if in having met him might
bide a future peril. It was only in the forenoon of the next day,
however, that his Arabian steed was halted in the middle of the
northward highway, and before him in a gilded chariot sat Pontius, the
procurator, reading slowly and thoughtfully the letters delivered to
him by the Greek.
"Thou hast done well," he said. "Thou art a speedy messenger. Was there
aught else?"
"Here are ears near thee, most noble Pontius," replied Lysias. "I pray
thee bid me be prudent."
Down from the chariot sprang the procurator with a fierce flush upon
his face.
"Dismount thee! Come!" he said. "Back, all! I would have speech with
this man."
Not far behind the chariot, but not as if they belonged to the same
company, rode two men upon asses, of whom one said to the other:
"A messenger, O Ben Ezra. There may be tidings of importance. What
sayest thou?"
"Silence! O Abbas," replied the other, "thus far our god hath
befriended us upon our way. Trifle not with the business of the great
lest the sword seek thee. Thou art overcurious. Let it suffice that we
are permitted to travel under guard of the procurator's horsemen."
At the roadside now stood he and the Greek and none dared approach
them, for the spear of Pontius was in his hand and his brow was dark.
"Speak with care!" he said to Lysias. "Forget not!"
"Thus said the captain of the gate," replied Lysias, "and a centurion
who stood by him and who gave me this cornelian for a token, telling me
not his name----"
"Cornelius of Cæsarea!" muttered Pontius, but the Greek spoke on,
uttering exactly the words which had been given him.
"It is well," he said. "I have word of Caius that he is wise and that
his Saxon swordsmen are his bodyguard. More than one secret messenger
hath been slain, saith Ben Ezra, the bringer of tidings from Galilee.
Trust him, but not the Jew Abbas who is with him, for he is of Julius.
I come to Jerusalem quickly. I will give thee a fresh horse in the
morning and thou wilt again return, but thou wilt wait for me in mine
own house. Go, now, and speak to these Jews, questioning them. What
they say thou wilt tell me. It is well that thou wilt be in the school
of Gamaliel and also in the service of the procurator, but let no man
know of more than of the school."
The strong man is often in desire of a willing servitor, and it pleased
Pontius that the eyes of the Greek brightened with delight. His lips
parted also, but the word "Sapphira" that was upon them was not uttered
aloud.
The ruler turned and walked away to his chariot and Lysias remounted
his weary horse.
"I must be cunning with these Jews," he thought; "and in one of them is
my deadly peril."
The train passed on and they were riding at his side.
"Who art thou?" he asked of Ben Ezra.
There was no sign of recognition in the face of his former comrade upon
the good ship _The Sword_.
"I am a Jew of Spain," he responded, "and my name is Ben Ezra. I go to
fulfill a vow in the temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem. Who art thou?"
"I am a Greek of Alexandria, named Lysias," was replied as cunningly.
"I am of the household of the procurator, but I am also a student in
the school of the great Gamaliel. Thou doest well to perform thy vows.
I am now bidden to be with thee. And who is this man?"
"I am Abbas of Jerusalem," he said for himself, bowing low to one who
seemed to be trusted by Pontius the Spearman. "I am a merchant and I
have had dealings with the procurator."
"O Abbas," said Lysias, "many have heard of thee. Thou art a lender of
money and thou art hard in thy dealings. Why dost thou pretend that
thou knowest me not? Hast thou not seen me many times in the markets? I
think that thou art never seen in the schools. Tell me, how was it with
that trouble of thine that thou didst have before the magistrate? Didst
thou escape with no more harm than a fine?"
"Nay! Nay!" exclaimed Abbas. "Speak not too much of that matter. The
judge compelled that unjust person to pay me my dues and he was cast
into prison. I exact no more than my right."
"Thou art, then, a rare money-lender," said Lysias; but the cunning of
the Greek had succeeded and Abbas was ready thenceforth to say to any
inquirer that he knew this man well.
"O youth," he said, "I will talk with thee further concerning certain
matters when we may have opportunity. Be not thou too much influenced
by what thou hearest. Is there any news?"
"Tell us what things have occurred," added Ben Ezra, "for we have been
in Galilee. I journeyed thither as interpreter for the Saxon gladiators
of Caius, the centurion, of Thessalonica. In his service am I to this
day."
"A good man and highly honored," said Lysias. "He is a friend of the
procurator."
So they rode on conversing, but in Greek. Nor was it difficult as they
went for Ben Ezra, even aided by Abbas unwittingly, to inform Lysias
completely concerning the doings of the Saxons.
"The procurator," he said, "calleth the gladiators of Caius his own.
Thou wilt soon meet them and I will make thee acquainted with them."
"I will gladly have speech with such strange ones," said Lysias, "but
the scholars of Gamaliel may not meddle much with the circus."
Ere long as they rode he and Ben Ezra were able to be out of hearing of
Abbas and the others, but the speech of the Jew was brief.
"O Greek," he said, "if thou art imprudent in this matter, for thee is
not the scourge, but the sword."
"And for thee crucifixion," said Lysias. "Fear not for me. Thou art as
I am, and we are one with the jarl and his company."
The place of the procurator's abiding was at hand. It was an ancient
palace, which was also a fort, and they who occupied it were of high
degree. Of them the two Jews and Lysias might see or know but little,
but they had quarters assigned them. In the morning orders came to
Lysias only, and he was quickly in the saddle with a message for
Cornelius, the centurion. If he found him not at Jerusalem, he was to
ride on after him, even to Cæsarea.
"O to be in the procurator's house!" thought Lysias, "for she will be
there and I shall see her."
Even as he rode away from the palace gate, however, bright eyes were
upon him from a window above and a young girl said in a low, musical
voice:
"O Lysias! Lysias! Do I not know that he is in search of me? Woe to
him and woe to me if he should find me! What is this which is come? Am
I not happy as I am? Surely I do love him. He is very beautiful. He
loveth me. But what have I, the favorite of the wife of Pontius, to do
with him? What have I to do with a love that I lost so long ago and
that is gone? It were but a sharp peril now. If I meet him, I can but
tell him that I am no longer his. He is but a swift messenger of the
procurator; a fellow to ride horses and to be scourged if he rideth not
speedily. I am one to dwell in palaces, wearing gay apparel and jewels
and having the favors of the great."
Full of pride was her fair face as she spoke, and in it was a scorn
for any who were lowly. To her the apparel of her servitude was more
worth than was the love of a youth who had been robbed of his patrimony
and whose rank was lost. She sat at the window watching him as he rode
away, and she sighed deeply.
"Yes," she said, "I love him, and it is pleasant to love. He is a good
horseman. So are all my Roman lovers. What is he compared with a Roman?
Even the Jews, if they are rich and of power, are better than a poor
Greek boy, fit only for errands."
She arose and walked away, but a mirror was near and she gazed long at
her reflection, admiring it greatly.
"I am as beautiful as Aphrodite, they tell me," she said. "I will
sacrifice to her this day, and to Juno. There are no gods upon whom
Lysias may call for great gifts. He can bring them no rich offerings,
while I can have oxen slain before the altar. Aye, and I have had
men sent to prison and to the arena if they offended me. I sent that
foolish Jew girl to the lions at Jerusalem. I taught her better than to
interfere with me."
Her red lips tightened cruelly, and her eyes were terrible and her
movements were lithe as those of a young panther as she walked on along
a corridor. But Lysias galloping northward was alone upon the highway,
and he shouted aloud:
"Sapphira! Sapphira! My beautiful one! My beloved! I am drawing nearer
to thee! Thou art dearer than life and I believe thou art true to thy
lover. I will find thee yet, and I will look into thine eyes and I will
touch thy hand and I will tell thee all that is in my heart."
Strong is love and wonderful are its follies and its treacheries, for
even then his Sapphira sank upon a couch in her own room sighing and
murmuring in a low voice:
"Lysias! Lysias! My beloved! If I have any other lovers I will name
them Lysias in my mind, for I do love thee, and love is pleasant."
The procurator made no great haste that morning, although he prepared
for journeying. He had many affairs and his messengers came and went,
and it might be seen that he was a thoughtful governor, attending to
all who came, only that he sent out some edicts which were full of
blood and vengeance.
Not long was it before he stood in a private place with Ben Ezra
questioning.
"O Jew," he said, "now thou hast told me how Julius plotted to destroy
the Saxon guards of Caius, thou hast told me enough. But for this tall
jarl of thine and his pirates I should never again meet my friend. He
may give them to me and I will not waste them in the arena. I know of
a place to which I may send a good sword and where I may not send a
legionary."
Low bowed the Jew and the unspoken word in his heart was bitter.
"Do I not know thee?" he thought. "Thou treacherous one! Thou wilt send
a Saxon to do a deed, and when it is done for thee thou wilt slay him
and clear thyself. This is the cunning of the Romans. I will beware of
thee and thy errands, but I care little for my own neck. O that the
Messiah, the Prince of Judah, were even now smiting thee and thine from
the earth! He cometh soon, I think."
So, bowing as became his station, but guarding well his face and
letting his eyelids fall over any glitter that might betray him, Ben
Ezra went out of the palace and was joined by Abbas.
"O my friend," said Abbas, "why linger we?"
"We may not linger," said Ben Ezra. "We depart, but thou wilt travel
alone. I have commands from the procurator. See to it that thou art
quickly in Jerusalem."
"Whither goest thou?" asked Abbas.
"Art thou mad?" said Ben Ezra. "Or dost thou know but little of
Pontius? Keep thy questions to thyself and tarry thou not, for I think
thou hast a spot on thy name. Beware lest it turn into red on thy
garments."
Very pale was Abbas, but his face was that of a fox with a wolf for his
father.
"O Ben Ezra," he said, "thy counsel is good. But be thou careful of
thine own head. I can tell much concerning thee."
"In the day that thou chatterest unwisely," said Ben Ezra, "thou wilt
spread thy arms upon a piece of wood and thou wilt hear the sound of
hammers. Then thou wilt be set up at a wayside for men to mock thee.
The Romans hesitate but little concerning such as thou art."
Ghastly was now the face of Abbas.
"O my friend!" he exclaimed, "I meant no evil! I will be true to thee!"
"Thou wilt remember this thy warning!" said Ben Ezra, sternly. "Thou
wilt not sin against thine own life. If thou shalt at any time err, it
is no fault of mine. Thy blood is upon thine own head."
They parted one from another, and then came to pass a strange thing,
for a servitor led Ben Ezra to the armory of the palace. Here he
remained but briefly, and when he came out he was armed from head to
foot in the panoply allotted to the Jewish servants of the temple under
its Roman captain. So arrayed he might ride as if he were a Roman
under the sure protection of the procurator. A horse was ready for him
and he mounted, riding to the palace gate. At this place was now the
procurator in his chariot.
"Go thou speedily as thou hast said," commanded the procurator. "Be not
overhasty, but prudent. If it prove as thou tellest me, well with thee."
"On my head be it," said Ben Ezra, and he rode away northward.
"I have purchased him with a price," he said to himself, "but I will
deal truly with the jarl. If some of his treasure and some of mine must
be paid as tribute to this Roman governor, all that remaineth--and
it will be enough for us--will be kept for our own uses. Now for the
cavern in Carmel, and the journey will be neither long nor unsafe for a
man traveling with the seal of Pontius."
As for the procurator in his chariot, he, too, had a thought upon his
mind, and it made his face brighten.
"The gold is well," he thought, "but the jewels! There is naught else
for which Cæsar hath so great a lust. I care little for such things. Of
what value are bright stones except that they will sometimes buy more
than will gold or silver? Let the Jew bring his gems and with them I
will defeat Herod and Julius."
Far on along the southward highway rode Abbas, having a pack beast
with him and two fellow-travelers. The Jerusalem road through Judea
was accounted safe unless one rode alone or unarmed. Still was his
face turned backward now and then as that of one who feareth lest he
may be followed, for the words of Ben Ezra had been severe, and Abbas
knew that he who uttered them had been much in conversation with the
procurator.
"He is deep as a well!" he thought. "Can he know anything of my
dealings with Herod? Even now I must go to the ford of the Jordan and
to Machærus before I go to Jerusalem. Alas! The Black Castle! How many
have entered it who never were seen again! Well is it set so near to
the Sea of Death! I am a Jew! I hurt not my own people! But it is
righteous to profit by the dissensions of the heathen. If Herod and his
brother Antipas and this Pontius the Spearman were to slay one another,
what harm to the children of Abraham? Ben Ezra doeth not well to keep
faith with a Roman or an Edomite. They have defiled even the temple of
the Most High."