As he quitted that place of burial, which he had little expected to leave alive, Lycidas felt like one under an enchanter's spell. Joy at almost unhoped-for escape from a violent death was not the emotion uppermost in his mind, and it became the less so with every step which the Athenian took from the olive-grove. Strange as the feeling appeared even to himself, the young poet could almost have wished the whole scene acted over again, notwithstanding the painfully prominent part which he had had to play in it. Lycidas would not have been unwilling1 to have heard again the fierce cries and execrations, and to have seen once more the flashing weapons around him, for the sake of also hearing the soft appeal, "Have mercy, spare him!" and to have had another glimpse of Zarah's form and face, as, with a halo of moonlight and loveliness around her, she dropped her tribute of living flowers into the grave of the dead.
"These Hebrew women are not as the women of earth, but beings that belong to a higher sphere," thought Lycidas, as he pursued his way towards the city. "That aged2 matron has all the majesty3 of a Juno, and the maiden4 is fair as--nay, to which of the deities5 of Olympus could I compare one so tender and so pure! Venus! the idea were profanation--chaste Dian with her merciless arrows--Pallas, terrible to her enemies? no! Strange that it should seem an insult to the women to compare her to the goddess!"
Lycidas gazed upwards6 at the exquisite7 blue of that Eastern sky, and around him at the fair landscape of hills and valleys calmly sleeping in moonlight. A thrilling sense of beauty pervaded8 his soul.
"Oh, holy and beneficent Nature," he murmured, "hast thou no voice to explain to men through thy visible glories the mysteries of the invisible! Dost thou not even now whisper to my soul, 'purity and goodness are the attributes of Divinity, for they are stamped upon the works of creation; and so must purity and goodness be the badge of the Divinity's true worshippers on earth!' There is a spirit stirring within the breast that echoes this voice of Nature, that repeats, 'purity and goodness, not power and might, give the highest dignity to mortal or immortal9!' But if it be so, if my hand have touched the mighty10 veil which shrouds11 the truth from man's profane12 gaze, if I have a glimpse of the sacred mystery beyond, how far from that truth, in what a mist of error must all the nations of earth be wandering now!" Lycidas unconsciously slackened his steps, and raised his hand to his brow. "Perhaps not all," he reflected; "from what I hear it appears that this Hebrew nation, this handful of conquered people groaning13 in bondage14, hold themselves to be the sole guardians15 of a faith which is lofty, soul-ennobling, and pure. They deem themselves to be as a beacon16 on a hill set on high, throughout ages past, to show a dark world that there is still light, and a light which shall yet overspread the earth as the waters cover the sea; those were the words of Hadassah. And she spake also of One who should come, One looked for by the Jews, who shall bring judgment17 unto the Gentiles. Do the Hebrews hope for the advent18 of a Deity19 upon earth, or only that of a prophet? I would that I could see Hadassah again; and I will see her--I will never give up the search for one who can guide unto knowledge; come what may, I will look upon her and on that beauteous maiden again!"
Absorbed as he was by such thoughts, there is little wonder that the young Athenian missed his way, and that he unconsciously wandered in a direction different from that which he had intended to take. The moonlight also failed him, clouds had arisen, and only now and then a fitful gleam fell on his path. Lycidas became at last uncertain even as to the direction in which Jerusalem lay. The young Athenian was weary, less from physical fatigue20 than from the effects of strong excitement upon a sensitive frame. Sometimes he fancied now that he heard a stealthy step behind him, and stopped to listen, then felt assured that his senses must have deceived him, and went on his way, groping through the darkness. What a strange episode in his existence that night appeared to the Greek--scarcely a mere21 episode, for it seemed to him that it absorbed into itself all the true poetry of his life as regarded the past, and gave him new aspirations22 and hopes as regarded the future. To Lycidas the remembrance of his poetical23 triumph in the Olympic arena24, the plaudits which had then filled his soul with ecstatic delight, was little more than to a man is the recollection of the toys which amused his childhood. The Greek had been brought face to face with life's grand realities, and what had strongly excited his ambition once, appeared to him now as shadows that pass away.
"And yet," mused25 the young poet, "I would fain once more win the leafy crown, that I might lay it at Zarah's feet. But what would such a trophy26 of earthly distinction be to her? not worth one of the flowers, hallowed by her touch, which she cast into the martyrs27' grave! Ha! again! I fancied that I heard a rustle28 of garments behind me! How powerful is the imagination, that mirage29 of the mind, that makes us fancy the existence of things that are not!"
Lycidas had now reached a part of the road which bordered an abrupt30 descent to the left, the hill along whose side the path wound appearing to have been scarped in this place, probably to leave wider space for some vine-clad terrace below. Lights were gleaming in the far distance, marking the position of the city in which the guests of Antiochus, preceded by torch-bearers, were wending their way back to their several homes. Sounds of wild mirth, from those reeling back from the revels31, were faintly borne on the night breeze from the distant streets.
Lycidas, however, when he reached the point whence the lights were visible, was not left a moment either to gaze or to listen.
"Dog of a Gentile--I have you!" hissed32 a voice from behind; and Lycidas was instantly engaged in a life or death hand-to-hand struggle with Abishai the Jew, who, as soon as he could steal away from his companions at the grave, had followed and dogged the steps of the Greek. It was almost a hopeless struggle for the young Athenian; his enemy surpassed him in strength of muscle and weight of body, wore a dagger33, and was determined34 to use it, though some wild sense of honour had prevented Abishai from stabbing the unconscious youth without warning, when he stole upon him from behind. But the love of life is strong, and desperation gives almost supernatural power. Lycidas felt the keen blade strike him once and again, he felt his blood gushing35 warm from the wounds, he caught the arm uplifted to smite36, with despair's fierce energy he endeavoured to wrench37 the murderous weapon away. The two men went wrestling, struggling, straining each sinew to the utmost, drawing nearer, inch by inch, to the brink38 of the steep descent. Abishai dropped his dagger in the struggle, and could not stoop to attempt to recover it in the darkness, but he grasped with his sinewy39 hand the gasping40 youth by the locks, and, with a gigantic effort, hurled41 him over the edge.
With dilating42 eyeballs and a look of fierce triumph Abishai leant over the brink, trying to distinguish through the deepening gloom the lifeless form of his victim.
"I have silenced the Gentile once and for ever!" cried the fierce Hebrew through his clenched43 teeth. "I said not 'Content' when the question was put, but I say it now!" He drew back from the edge, wiped the moisture from his heated brow, and left a red stain upon it.
"Ere I go to rest," said the stern Jew, "I will let Hadassah know that my arm has achieved that safety for her and our brave companions which her wild folly44 would have sacrificed. I marvel45 that Judas, son of Mattathias, a bold man, and deemed a wise one, should have let himself be swayed from his purpose by the idle words of a woman. But I trow," added Abishai with a grim smile, "that a glance from Zarah went further with him than all the pleadings of Hadassah. It is said amongst us, their kinsmen46, that these twain shall be made one; but this is no time for marrying and giving in marriage, when the unclean swine is sacrificed on God's altar, and the shadow of the idol47 darkens the Temple, and the sons of Abraham are given but the alternative to defile48 themselves or to die. The day of vengeance49 is at hand! may all the enemies of Judah perish as that poor wretch50 has perished this night!"
Abishai sought for his dagger, and found it; he then left the scene of his act of ruthless cruelty, with a conscience less troubled by so dark a deed than it would have been had he rubbed corn between his hands on the Sabbath, or neglected one of the washings prescribed by the traditions of the elders.
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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deities
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| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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shrouds
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| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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mirage
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| n.海市蜃楼，幻景 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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revels
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| n.作乐( revel的名词复数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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smite
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| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
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wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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dilating
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| v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的现在分词 ) | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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48
defile
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| v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道 | |
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49
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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50
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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