[Elissa by H. Rider Haggard]@TWC D-Link book
Elissa

CHAPTER VI
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And not her blood only, it was her spirit--her spirit that yearned to his.

Had it not leapt within her at the first sight of him as to one most dear, one long-lost and found again?
She loved him, and he loathed her, and oh! her lot was hard.
As Elissa lay brooding thus in her pain, the door opened and Sakon, her father, hurried into the chamber.
"What is it that chanced yonder ?" he asked, for he had not been present in the sanctuary, "and, daughter, why do you weep ?" "I weep, father, because your guest, the prince Aziel, has called me 'a girl of the groves, and a murderess of children,'" she replied.
"Then, by my head, prince that he is, he shall answer for it to me," said Sakon, grasping at his sword-hilt.
"Nay, father, since to him I must have seemed to deserve the words.
Listen." And she told him all that had passed, hiding nothing.
"Now it seems that trouble is heaped upon trouble," said the Phoenician when she had finished, "and they were mad who suffered the prince and that fierce Issachar to be present at the sacrifice.

Daughter, I tell you this: though I am a worshipper of El and Baaltis, as my fathers were before me, I know that Jehovah of the Jews is a great and powerful Lord, and that His prophets do not prophesy falsely, for I have seen it in my youth, yonder in the coasts of Sidon.

What did Issachar say?
That before the moon was young again, this temple should run red with blood?
Well, so it may happen, for Ithobal threatens war against us, and for your sake, my daughter." "How for my sake, father ?" she asked heavily, as one who knew what the answer would be.
"You know well, girl.

Ever since you danced before him at the great welcoming feast I made in his honour a month ago the man is besotted of you; moreover, he is mad with jealousy of this new-comer, the prince Aziel.


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