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common language of business, surviving its navigators, its kings, its
seductive princesses, its wine makers, its master glassmakers.
Will God disappear from words? the woman asked.
He will continue in them, Elijah replied. But each person will be
responsible before Him for whatever he writes.
She took from the sleeve of her garment a clay tablet with something
written on it.
What does that mean? Elijah asked.
It's the word love.
Elijah took the tablet in his hands, not daring to ask why she had given it
to him. On that piece of clay, a few scratches summed up why the stars
continued in the heavens and why men walked the earth.
He tried to return it to her, but she refused.
I wrote it for you. I know your responsibility, I know that one day you
will have to leave, and that you will become an enemy of my country
because you wish to do away with Jezebel. On that day, it may come to
pass that I shall be at your side, supporting you in your task. Or it may
come to pass that I fight against you, for Jezebel's blood is the blood of
my country; this word that you hold in your hands is filled with mystery.
No one can know what it awakens in a woman's heart, not even prophets
who speak with God.
I know the word that you have written, said Elijah, storing the tablet in
a fold of his cape. I have struggled day and night against it, for,
although I do not know what it awakens in a woman's heart, I know what
it can do to a man. I have the courage to face the king of Israel, the
princess of Sidon, the Council of Akbar, but that one word love inspires
deep terror in me. Before you drew it on the tablet, your eyes had
already seen it written in my heart.
They fell silent. Despite the Assyrian's death, the climate of tension in
the city, the call from the Lord that could occur at any moment none of
this was as powerful as the word she had written.
Elijah held out his hand, and she took it. They remained thus until the
sun hid itself behind the Fifth Mountain.
Thank you, she said as they returned. For a long time I had desired to
spend the hours of sunset with you.
When they arrived home, an emissary from the governor was waiting for
him. He asked Elijah to come with him immediately for a meeting.
YOU REPAID MY SUPPORT with cowardice, said the governor. What
should I do with your life?
I shall not live a second longer than the Lord desires, replied Elijah. It
is He who decides, not you.
The governor was surprised at Elijah's courage.
I can have you decapitated at once. Or have you dragged through the
streets of the city, saying that you brought a curse upon our people, he
said. And that would not be a decision of your One God.
Whatever my fate, that is what will happen. But I want you to know I
did not flee; the commander's soldiers kept me away. He wants war and
will do everything to achieve it.
The governor decided to waste no more time on that pointless discussion.
He had to explain his plan to the Israelite prophet.
It's not the commander who wishes war; like a good military man he is
aware that his army is smaller and inexperienced and that it will be
decimated by the enemy. As a man of honor, he knows he risks causing
shame to his descendants. But his heart has been turned into stone by
pride and vanity.
He thinks the enemy is afraid. He doesn't know that the Assyrian
warriors are well trained: when they enter the army, they plant a tree,
and every day they leap over the spot where the seed is buried. The
seed becomes a shoot, and they leap over it. The shoot becomes a plant,
and they go on jumping. They neither become annoyed nor find it a
waste of time. Little by little, the tree grows, and the warriors leap
higher. Patiently and with dedication, they're preparing to overcome
obstacles.
They're accustomed to recognizing a challenge when they see it.
They've been observing us for months.
Elijah interrupted the governor.
Then, in whose interest is war?
The high priest's. I saw that during the Assyrian prisoner's trial.
For what reason?
I don't know. But he was shrewd enough to convince the commander
and the people. Now the entire city is on his side, and I see only one
way out of the difficult situation in which we find ourselves.
He paused for a long moment, then looked directly into the Israelite's
eyes. You.
The governor began pacing the chamber, his rapid speech betraying his
nervousness.
The merchants also desire peace, but they can do nothing. In any case,
they are rich enough to install themselves in some other city or to wait
until the conquerors begin buying their products. The rest of the populace
have lost their senses and want us to attack an infinitely superior enemy.
The only thing that can change their minds is a miracle.
Elijah became tense.
A miracle?
You brought back a boy that death had already claimed. You've helped
the people find their way, and though you are a foreigner you are loved
by almost everyone.
That was the situation until this morning, Elijah said. But now it's
changed; in the atmosphere you've just described, anyone who
advocates peace will be considered a traitor.
I don't want you to advocate anything. I want you to perform a miracle
as great as the resurrection of that boy. Then you'll tell the people that
peace is the only solution, and they'll listen to you. The high priest will
lose completely whatever power he possesses.
There was a moment of silence. The governor continued.
I am willing to make a pact: if you do what I'm asking, the religion of
the One God will become obligatory in Akbar. You will please Him whom
you serve, and I shall be able to negotiate terms of peace.
ELIJAH CLIMBED THE STAIRS to his room in the upper story of the
widow's house. At that moment he had in his hands an opportunity that
no prophet had ever had before: to convert a Phoenician city. It would
be the most painful way to show Jezebel that there was a price to pay for
what she had done to his country.
He was excited by the governor's offer. He even thought of waking the
woman who was sleeping downstairs but changed his mind; she must be
dreaming about the beautiful afternoon they had spent together.
He called on his guardian angel. He appeared.
You heard the governor's proposal, Elijah said. This is a unique
chance.
Nothing is a unique chance, the angel replied. The Lord giveth men
many opportunities. And do not forget what was said: no further miracle
will be permitted thee until thou returnest to the bosom of thy country.
Elijah lowered his head. At that moment the angel of the Lord appeared
and hushed his guardian angel. And he said:
Behold the next of thy miracles:
Thou wilt gather the people together before the mountain. On one side,
thou shalt order built an altar to Baal, and that a bullock be placed on it.
On the other side, thou shalt raise an altar to the Lord thy God, and on it
also place a bullock.
And thou shalt say to the worshipers of Baal: invoke the name of your
god, and I shall invoke the name of the Lord. Let them be first, and let
them spend from morning until noon praying and calling on Baal to come
forth and receive what is offered him.
They will cry out aloud, and cut themselves with knives, asking that the
bullock be received by their god, but nothing will happen.
When they weary, thou shalt fill four barrels with water and pour it over
thy bullock. Thou shalt do this a second time. And thou shalt do this still a
third time. Then call upon the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, asking
Him to show His power to all.
At that moment, the Lord will send the fire from heaven and consume
thy sacrifice.
Elijah knelt and gave thanks.
However, continued the angel, this miracle can be wrought but once in
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