Pearl-Maiden: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem Page 3

  CHAPTER III

  THE GRAIN STORE

  Having passed the outer terraces of the amphitheatre in safety, Nehushtaturned down a side street, and paused in the shadow of the wall to thinkwhat she should do. So far they were safe; but even if her strengthwould stand the strain, it seemed impossible that she should carry hermistress through the crowded city and avoid recapture. For some monthsthey had both of them been prisoners, and as it was the custom of theinhabitants of Caesarea, when they had nothing else to do, to come to thegates of their jail, and, through the bars, to study those within, oreven, by permission of the guards, to walk among them, their appearancewas known to many. Doubtless, so soon as the excitement caused by theillness of the king had subsided, soldiers would be sent to hunt downthe fugitives who had escaped from the amphitheatre. More especiallywould they search for her, Nehushta, and her mistress, since it would beknown that one of them had stabbed the warden of the gate, a crime forwhich they must expect to die by torture. Also--where could they go whohad no friends, since all Christians had been expelled the city?

  No, there was but one chance for them--to conceal themselves.

  Nehushta looked round her for a hiding-place, and in this matter, as inothers on that day, fortune favoured them. This street in the old days,when Caesarea was called Strato's Tower, had been built upon an innerwall of the city, now long dismantled. At a distance of a few yardsfrom where Nehushta had stopped stood an ancient gateway, unused saveat times by beggars who slept under it, which led nowhere, for the outerarch of it was bricked up. Into this gateway Nehushta bore her mistressunobserved, to find to her relief that it was quite untenanted, thougha still smouldering fire and a broken amphora containing clean watershowed her that folk had slept there who could find no better lodging.So far so good; but here it would be scarcely safe to hide, as thetenants or others might come back. Nehushta looked around. In the thickwall was a little archway, beneath which commenced a stair. SettingRachel on the ground, she ran up it, lightly as a cat. At the top ofthirty steps, many of them broken, she found an old and massive door.With a sigh of disappointment, the Libyan turned to descend again; then,by an afterthought, pushed at the door. To her surprise it stirred.Again she pushed, and it swung open. Within was a large chamber, lightedby loopholes pierced in the thickness of the wall, for the use ofarchers. Now, however, it served no military purpose, but was used as astorehouse by a merchant of grain, for there in a corner lay a heap ofmany measures of barley, and strewn about the floor were sacks of skinand other articles.

  Nehushta examined the room. No hiding-place could be better--unless themerchant chanced to come to visit his store. Well, that must be risked.Down she sped, and with much toil and difficulty carried her stillswooning mistress up the steps and into the chamber, where she laid heron a heap of sacks.

  Again, by an afterthought, she ventured to descend, this time to fetchthe broken jar of water. Then she closed the door, setting it fast witha piece of wood, and began to chafe Rachel's hands and to sprinkle herface from the jar. Presently the dark eyes opened and her mistress satup.

  "Is it over, and is this Paradise?" she murmured.

  "I should not call the place by that name, lady," answered Nehushta,drily, "though perhaps, in contrast with the hell that we have left,some might think it so. Drink!" and she held the water to her lips.

  Rachel obeyed her eagerly. "Oh! it is good," she said. "But how came wehere out of that rushing crowd?"

  Before she answered, muttering "After the mistress, the maid," Nehushtaswallowed a deep draught of water in her turn, which, indeed, she neededsorely. Then she told her all.

  "Oh! Nou," said Rachel, "how strong and brave you are! But for you Ishould be dead."

  "But for God, you mean, mistress, for I hold that He sent thatknife-point home."

  "Did you kill the man?" asked Rachel.

  "I think that he died by a dagger-thrust as Anna foretold," she answeredevasively; "and that reminds me that I had better clean the knife, sinceblood on the blade is evidence against its owner." Then drawing thedagger from its hiding-place she rubbed it with dust, which she tookfrom a loop-hole, and polished it bright with a piece of hide.

  Scarcely was this task accomplished to Nehushta's satisfaction when herquick ears caught a sound.

  "For your life, be silent," she whispered, and laid her face sidewaysto a crack in the cement floor and listened. Well might she listen, forbelow were three soldiers searching for her and her mistress.

  "The old fellow swore that he saw a Libyan woman carrying a lady downthis street," said one of them, the petty officer in charge, to hiscompanion, "and there was but a single brown-skin in the lot; so if theyaren't here I don't know where they can be."

  "Well," grumbled one of the soldiers, "this place is as empty as a drum,so we may as well be going. There'll be fun presently which I don't wantto miss."

  "It was the black woman who knifed our friend Rufus, wasn't it--in thetheatre there?" asked the third soldier.

  "They say so; but as he was trodden as flat as a roof-board, and theyhad to take him up in pieces, it is difficult to know the truth of thatmatter. Anyhow his mates are anxious to get the lady, and I should besorry to die as she will, when they do, or her mistress either. Theyhave leave to finish them in their own fashion."

  "Hadn't we best be going?" said the first soldier, who evidently wasanxious to keep some appointment.

  "Hullo!" exclaimed the second, a sharp-eyed fellow, "there's a stair; wehad better just look up it."

  "Not much use," answered the officer. "That old thief Amram, thecorn-merchant, has a store there, and he isn't one of the sort to leaveit unlocked. Still, just go and see."

  Then came the sound of footsteps on the stair, and presently a man couldbe heard fumbling at the further side of the door. Rachel shut her eyesand prayed; Nehushta, drawing the knife from her bosom, crept towardsthe doorway like a tigress, and placed her left hand on the stick thatheld it shut. Well it was that she did so, since presently the soldiergave a savage push that might easily have caused the wood to slip on thecemented floor. Now, satisfied that it was really locked, he turned andwent down the steps.

  With a gasp of relief Nehushta once more set her ear to the crack.

  "It's fast enough," reported the man, "but perhaps it might be as wellto get the key from Amram and have a look."

  "Friend," said the officer, "I think that you must be in love with thisblack lady; or is it her mistress whom you admire? I shall recommendyou for the post of Christian-catcher to the cohort. Now we'll try thathouse at the corner, and if they are not there, I am off to the palaceto see how his godship is getting on with that stomach-ache and whetherit has moved him to order payment of our arrears. If he hasn't, I tellyou flatly that I mean to help myself to something, and so do the restof the lads, who are mad at the stopping of the games."

  "It would be much better to get that key from Amram and have a lookupstairs," put in number two soldier reflectively.

  "Then go to Amram, or to Pluto, and ask for the key of Hades for aughtI care!" replied his superior with irritation. "He lives about a leagueoff at the other end of the town."

  "I do not wish for the walk," said the conscientious soldier; "but as weare searching for these escaped Christians, by your leave, I do think itwould have been much better to have got that key from Amram and peepedinto the chamber upstairs."

  Thereon the temper of the officer, already ruffled by the events ofthe morning and the long watch of the preceding night, gave way, and hedeparted, consigning the Christians, escaped or recaptured, Amram andthe key, his subordinate, and even the royal Agrippa who did not payhis debts, to every infernal god of every religion with which he wasacquainted.

  Nehushta lifted her head from the floor.

  "Thanks be to God! They are gone," she said.

  "But, Nou, will they not come back? Oh! I fear lest they should comeback."

  "I think not. That sharp-nosed rat has made the other angry, and Ibelieve that he wi
ll find him some harder task than the seeking of a keyfrom Amram. Still, there is danger that this Amram may appear himself tovisit his store, for in these days of festival he is sure to be sellinggrain to the bakers."

  Scarcely were the words out of her mouth when a key rattled, the doorwas pushed sharply, and the piece of wood slipped and fell. Then thehinges creaked, and Amram--none other--entered, and, closing the doorbehind him, locked it, leaving the key in the lock.

  Amram was a shrewd-faced, middle-aged Phoenician and, like mostPhoenicians of that day, a successful trader, this corn-storerepresenting only one branch of his business. For the rest he was cladin a quiet-coloured robe and cap, and to all appearance unarmed.

  Having locked the door, he walked to a little table, beneath which stooda box containing his tablets whereon were entered the amounts of cornbought and delivered, to come face to face with Nehushta. Instantly sheslid between him and the door.

  "Who in the name of Moloch are you?" he asked, stepping back astonished,to perceive as he did so, Rachel seated on the heap of sacks; "and you,"he added. "Are you spirits, thieves, ladies in search of a lodging,or--perchance those two Christians whom the soldiers are looking for inyonder house?"

  "We are the two Christians," said Rachel desperately. "We fled from theamphitheatre, and have taken refuge here, where they nearly found us."

  "This," said Amram solemnly, "comes of not locking one's office. Do notmisunderstand me; it was no fault of mine. A certain apprentice is toblame, to whom I shall have a word to say. In fact, I think that I willsay it at once," and he stepped towards the door.

  "Indeed you will not," interrupted Nehushta.

  "And pray, my Libyan friend, how will you prevent me?"

  "My putting a knife into your gizzard, as I did through that of therenegade Rufus an hour or two ago! Ah! I see you have heard the story."

  Amram considered, then replied:

  "And what if I also have a knife?"

  "In that case," said Nehushta, "draw it, and we will see which is thebetter, man or woman. Merchant, your weapon is your pen. You have not achance with me, an Arab of Libya, and you know it."

  "Yes," answered Amram, "I think I do; you desert folk are so recklessand athletic. Also, to be frank, as you may have guessed, I am unarmed.Now, what do you propose?"

  "I propose that you get us safely out of Caesarea, or, if you prefer it,that we shall all die here in this grain-store, for, by whatever god youworship, Phoenician, before a hand is laid upon my mistress or me, thisknife goes through your heart. I owe no love to your people, who boughtme, a king's daughter, as a slave, and I shall be quite happy to closemy account with one of them. Do you understand?"

  "Perfectly, perfectly. Why show such temper? The affair is one ofbusiness; let us discuss it in a business spirit. You wish to escapefrom Caesarea; I wish you to escape from my grain-store. Let me go outand arrange the matter."

  "On a plank; not otherwise unless we accompany you," answered Nehushta."Man, why do you waste words with us. Listen. This lady is the onlychild of Benoni, the great merchant of Tyre. Doubtless you know him?"

  "To my cost," replied Amram, with a bow. "Three times has he overreachedme in various bargains."

  "Very well; then you know also that he is rich and will pay himliberally who rescues his daughter from great peril."

  "He might do so, but I am not sure."

  "I am sure," answered Nehushta, "and for this service my mistress herewill give you a bill for any reasonable sum drawn upon her father."

  "Yes, but the question is--will he honour it? Benoni is a prejudicedman, a very prejudiced man, a Jew of the Jew, who--does not likeChristians."

  "I think that he will honour it, I believe that he will honour it; butthat risk is yours. See here, merchant, a doubtful draft is better thana slit throat."

  "Quite so. The argument is excellent. But you desire to escape. If youkeep me here, how can I arrange the matter?"

  "That is for you to consider. You do not leave this place except in ourcompany, and then at the first sign of danger I drive this knife homebetween your shoulders. Meanwhile my mistress is ready to sign anymoderate draft upon her father."

  "It is not necessary. Under the circumstances I think that I will trustto the generosity of my fellow trader Benoni. Meanwhile I assure youthat nothing will give me greater happiness than to fall in with yourviews. Believe me, I have no prejudice against Christians, since thoseof them whom I have met were always honest and paid their debts in full.I do not wish to see you or your mistress eaten by lions or tortured.I shall be very glad to think that you are following the maxims of yourpeculiar faith to an extreme old age, anywhere, outside the limits of mygrain-store. The question is, how can I help you do this? At present Isee no way."

  "The question is--how will you manage to keep your life in you over thenext twelve hours?" answered Nehushta grimly. "Therefore I advise youto find a way"; and to emphasise her words she turned, and, having madesure that the door was locked, slipped its key into the bosom of herdress.

  Amram stared at her in undisguised admiration. "I would that I wereunmarried," he said, "which is not the case," and he sighed; "forthen, upon my word, I should be inclined to make a certain proposal toyou----"

  "Nehushta--that is my name----"

  "Nehushta--exactly. Well, it is out of the question."

  "Quite."

  "Therefore I have a suggestion to make. To-night a ship of mine sailsfor Tyre. Will you honour me by accepting a passage on her?"

  "Certainly," answered Nehushta, "provided that you accompany us."

  "It was not my intention to go to Tyre this voyage."

  "Then your intention can be changed. Look you, we are desperate, and ourlives are at stake. Your life is also at stake, and I swear to you, bythe Holy One we worship, that before any harm comes to my mistress youshall die. Then what will your wealth and your schemes avail you in thegrave? It is a little thing we ask of you--to help two innocent peopleto escape from this accursed city. Will you grant it? Or shall I putthis dagger through your throat? Answer, and at once, or I strike andbury you in your own corn."

  Even in that light Amram turned visibly paler. "I accept your terms,"he said. "At nightfall I will conduct you to the ship, which sails twohours after sunset with the evening wind. I will accompany you to Tyreand deliver the lady over to her father, trusting to his liberality formy reward. Meanwhile, this place is hot. That ladder leads to the roof,which is parapeted, so that those sitting or even standing there, cannotbe seen. Shall we ascend?"

  "If you go first; and remember, should you attempt to call out, my knifeis always ready."

  "Of that I am quite aware--you have said so several times. I have passedmy words, and I do not go back upon my bargains. The stars are with you,and, come what may, I obey them."

  Accordingly they ascended to the roof, Amram going first, Nehushtafollowing him, and Rachel bringing up the rear. On it, projecting inwardfrom the parapet, was a sloping shelter once made use of by the look-outsentry in bad or hot weather. The change from the stifling store belowwith its stench of ill-cured hides, to this lofty, shaded spot, wherethe air moved freely, was so pleasant to Rachel, outworn as she was withall she had gone through, that presently she fell asleep, not to wakeagain till evening. Nehushta, however, who did not go to sleep, andAmram, employed themselves in watching the events that passed in thecity below. From this height they could see the great square surroundingthe palace, and the strange scenes being enacted therein. It was crowdedby thousands of people, for the most part seated on the ground, clad ingarments of sack-cloth and throwing dust upon the heads of themselves,their wives and children. From all this multitude a voice ofsupplication rose to heaven, which, even at that distance, reached theears of Nehushta and her companion in a murmur of sound, constant andconfused.

  "They pray that the king may live," said Amram.

  "And I pray that he may die," answered Nehushta.

  The merchant shrugged his shoulders. "I care nothing
either way,provided that the peace is not disturbed to the injury of trade. On thewhole, however, he is a good king who causes money to be spent, which iswhat kings are for--in Judaea--where they are but feathers puffed up bythe breath of Caesar, to fall if he cease to blow. But look!"

  As he spoke, a figure appeared upon the steps of the palace who madesome communication to the crowd, whereon a great wail went up to thevery skies.

  "You have your wish," said Amram; "Herod is dead or dying, and now,I suppose, as his son is but a child, that we shall be ruled by someaccursed thief of a Roman procurator with a pocket like a sack without abottom. Surely that old bishop of yours who preached in the amphitheatrethis morning, must have had a hint of what was coming, from his familiarspirit; or perhaps he saw the owl and guessed its errand. Moreover, Ithink that troubles are brewing for others besides Herod, since the oldman said as much.

  "What became of him and the rest?" asked Nehushta.

  "Oh! a few were trampled to death, and others the Jews stirred up themob to stone, saying that they had bewitched the king, which they, whowere disappointed of the games, did gladly. Some, however, are said tohave escaped, and, like yourselves, lie in hiding."

  Nehushta glanced at her mistress, now fast asleep, her pale face restingon her arm.

  "The world is hard--for Christians," she said.

  "Friend, it is hard for all, as, were I to tell you my own story, evenyou would admit," and he sighed. "At least you Christians believe insomething beyond," he went on; "for you death is but a bridge leading toa glorious city, and I trust that you may be right. Is not your mistressdelicate?"

  Nehushta nodded.

  "She was never very strong, and sorrow has done its work with her. Theykilled her husband at Berytus yonder, and--her trouble is very near."

  "Yes, yes, I heard that story, also that his blood is on the handsof her own father, Benoni. Ah! who is so cruel as a bigot Jew? Notwe Phoenicians even, of whom they say such evil. Once I had adaughter"--here his hard face softened--"but let be, let be! Look you,the risk is great, but what I can do I will do to save her, and youalso, friend, since, Libyan or no, you are a faithful woman. Nay, do notdoubt me. I have given my word, and if I break it willingly, then may Iperish and be devoured of dogs. My ship is small and undecked. In thatshe shall not sail, but a big galley weighs for Alexandria to-night,calling at Apollonia and Joppa, and in it I will take you passages,saying that the lady is a relative of mine and that you are her slave.This is my advice to you--that you go straight to Egypt, where there aremany Christians who will protect you for a while. Thence your mistresscan write to her father, and if he will receiver her, return. If not, atleast she will be safe, since no writ of Herod runs in Alexandria, andthere they do not love the Jews."

  "Your counsel seems good," said Nehushta, "if she will consent to it."

  "She must consent who, indeed, is in no case to make other plans. Nowlet me go. Before nightfall I will return again with food and clothing,and lead you to the ship."

  Nehushta hesitated.

  "I say to you, do not fear. Will you not trust me?"

  "Yes," answered Nehushta, "because I must. Nay, the words are not kind,but we are sadly placed, and it is strange to find a true friend in onewhom I have threatened with a knife."

  "I understand," said Amram gravely. "Let the issue prove me. Now descendthat you may lock the door behind me. When I return I will stand inthe open space yonder with a slave, making pretence to re-bind a burstbundle of merchandise. Then come down and admit me without fear."

  When the Phoenician had gone Nehushta sat by her sleeping mistress, andwaited with an anxious heart. Had she done wisely? Would Amram betraythem and send soldiers to conduct them, not to the ship, but to somedreadful death? Well, if so, at least she would have time to kill hermistress and herself, and thus escape the cruelties of men. Meanwhileshe could only pray; and pray she did in her fierce, half-savagefashion, never for herself, but for her mistress whom she loved, and forthe child that, she remembered thankfully, Anna had foretold would beborn and live out its life. Then she remembered also that this same holywoman had said that its mother's hours would be few, and at the thoughtNehushta wept.