Delilah. Eleanor Jong De
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Название: Delilah
Автор: Eleanor Jong De
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
isbn: 9780007443192
isbn:
‘Did he now?’
Delilah smiled into the dark at Achish’s quick understanding of the gift’s significance. ‘It’s a very pretty one, from the south, rather expensive I’m afraid, and I suppose it’s broken. Or stolen,’ she added.
‘Your bowl is undamaged,’ said Samson from the shadows. ‘It’s tucked beneath the bench.’
‘What do you know—’ Delilah stopped herself. ‘I suppose we should be grateful you didn’t make us walk home,’ she said to him.
‘The donkey represents the Philistine tax on Israelite animals and the tax on vehicles,’ said Samson. ‘The wine represents the tax on farms and vineyards, food and drink. The jewellery represents the tax on imported goods such as gold and jewels, and the money is the tax on banking and lending. These are four of the main taxes made on the Israelite people. You’ll be pleased I didn’t choose to exploit the tax on families.’
Delilah fumed at the implicit threat. She did not wish to confirm his view of her as Philistine but neither did she want to reveal her own Israelite blood. That old sickness rose in her throat at the conflicting demands on her loyalty. Yet if he’d gone through with marrying Hemin in the first place, perhaps a solution to the troubles might have been a little nearer.
‘You’re not exactly doing your bit for peace,’ she murmured.
‘You don’t know what you are talking about.’
‘Then tell me,’ cried Delilah in frustration, ‘and stop being a pompous fool who treats me like a little girl—’
‘Delilah,’ warned Achish.
‘—And get down off your pedestal. You think you look regal, I suppose, but really you’re just as much a fool as Phicol. He’s got his fancy clothes and you with your silly hair—’
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