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Herodias-Part4_Gustave Flaubert(1821-1880)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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Herodias glided away and disappeared within the palace. The Pharisees

were scandalised at what they had heard. Antipas, standing among them,



attempted to justify his past conduct and to excuse his present

situation.



"Without doubt," said Eleazar, "it was necessary for him to marry his

brother's wife; but Herodias was not a widow, and besides, she had a



child, which she abandoned; and that was an abomination."

"You are wrong," objected Jonathas the Sadducee; "the law condemns



such marriages but does not actuallyforbid them."

"What matters it? All the world shows me injustice," said Antipas,



bitterly; "and why? Did not Absalom lie with his father's wives, Judah

with his daughter-in-law, Ammon with his sister, and Lot with his



daughters?"

Aulus, who had been reposing within the palace, now reappeared in the



court. After he had heard how matters stood, he approved of the

attitude of the tetrarch. "A man should never allow himself to be



annoyed," said he, "by such foolish criticism." And he laughed at the

censure of the priests and the fury of Iaokanann, saying that his



words were of little importance.

Herodias, who also had reappeared, and now stood at the top of a



flight of steps, called loudly:

"You are wrong, my lord! He ordered the people to refuse to pay the



tax!"

"Is that true?" he demanded. The general response was affirmative,



Antipas adding his word to the declaration of the others.

Vitellius had a misgiving that the prisoner might be able to escape;



and as the conduct of Antipas appeared to him rather suspicious, he

established his own sentinels at the gates, at intervals along the



walls, and in the courtyard itself.

At last he retired to the apartments assigned to him, accompanied by



the priests. Without touching directly upon the question of the

coveted offices of public sacrificers, each one laid his own



grievances before the proconsul. They fairly beset him with complaints

and requests, but he soon dismissed them from his presence.



As Jonathas left the proconsul's apartments he perceived Antipas

standing under an arch, talking to an Essene, who wore a long white



robe and flowing locks. Jonathas regretted that he had raised his

voice in defence of the tetrarch.



One thought now consoled Herod-Antipas. He was no longer personally

responsible for the fate of Iaokanann. The Romans had assumed that



charge. What a relief! He had noticed Phanuel pacing slowly through

the court, and calling him to his side, he pointed put the guards



established by Vitellius, saying:

"They are stronger than I! I cannot now set the prisoner free! It is



not my fault if he remains in his dungeon."

The courtyard was empty. The slaves were sleeping. The day was drawing



to a close, and the sunset spread a deep rosy glow over the horizon,

against which the smallest objects stood out like silhouettes. Antipas



was able to distinguish the excavations of the salt-mines at the

farther end of the Dead Sea, but the tents of the Arabs were no longer



visible. As the moon rose, the effect of the day's excitement passed

away, and a feeling of peace entered his heart.



Phanuel, also wearied by the recent agitating scenes, remained beside

the tetrarch. He sat in silence for some time, his chin resting on his



breast. At last he spoke in confidence to Antipas, and revealed what

he had wished to say.



From the beginning of the month, he said, he had been studying the

heavens every morning before daybreak, when the constellation of



Perseus was at the zenith; Agalah was scarcely visible; Algol was even

less bright; Mira-Cetus had disappeared entirely; from all of which he



augured the death of some man of great importance, to occur that very

night in Machaerus.



Who was the man? Vitellius was too closely guarded to be reached. No

one would kill Iaokanann.



"It is I!" thought the tetrarch.

It might be that the Arabs would return and make a successful attack



upon him. Perhaps the proconsul would discover his relations with the

Parthians. Several men whom Antipas had recognised as hired assassins



from Jerusalem, had escorted the priests in the train of the

proconsul; they all carried daggers concealed beneath their robes. The



tetrarch had no doubt whatever of the exactness of Phanuel's skill in

astrology.



Suddenly he bethought him of Herodias. He would consult her. He hated




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