ben-hur-第105章

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〃To　see　Pilate！　For　what？〃

〃They　have　discovered　a　conspiracy。　Pilate's　new　aqueduct　is　to　be　paid　for　with　money　of　the　Temple。〃

〃What；　with　the　sacred　treasure？〃

They　repeated　the　question　to　each　other　with　flashing　eyes。

〃It　is　Corbanmoney　of　God。　Let　him　touch　a　shekel　of　it　if　he　dare！〃

〃Come；〃　cried　the　messenger。　〃The　procession　is　by　this　time　across　the　bridge。　The　whole　city　is　pouring　after。　We　may　be　needed。　Make　haste！〃

As　if　the　thought　and　the　act　were　one；　there　was　quick　putting　away　of　useless　garments；　and　the　party　stood　forth　bareheaded；　and　in　the　short　sleeveless　under…tunics　they　were　used　to　wearing　as　reapers　in　the　field　and　boatmen　on　the　lakethe　garb　in　which　they　climbed　the　hills　following　the　herds；　and　plucked　the　ripened　vintage；　careless　of　the　sun。　Lingering　only　to　tighten　their　girdles；　they　said；　〃We　are　ready。〃

Then　Ben…Hur　spoke　to　them。

〃Men　of　Galilee；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　a　son　of　Judah。　Will　you　take　me　in　your　company？〃

〃We　may　have　to　fight；〃　they　replied。

〃Oh；　then；　I　will　not　be　first　to　run　away！〃

They　took　the　retort　in　good　humor；　and　the　messenger　said；　〃You　seem　stout　enough。　Come　along。〃

Ben…Hur　put　off　his　outer　garments。

〃You　think　there　may　be　fighting？〃　he　asked；　quietly；　as　he　tightened　his　girdle。

〃Yes。〃

〃With　whom？〃

〃The　guard。〃

〃Legionaries？〃

〃Whom　else　can　a　Roman　trust？〃

〃What　have　you　to　fight　with？〃

They　looked　at　him　silently。

〃Well；〃　he　continued；　〃we　will　have　to　do　the　best　we　can；　but　had　we　not　better　choose　a　leader？　The　legionaries　always　have　one；　and　so　are　able　to　act　with　one　mind。〃

The　Galileans　stared　more　curiously；　as　if　the　idea　were　new　to　them。

〃Let　us　at　least　agree　to　stay　together；〃　he　said。　〃Now　I　am　ready；　if　you　are。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　go。〃

The　khan；　it　should　not　be　forgotten；　was　in　Bezetha；　the　new　town；　and　to　get　to　the　Praetorium；　as　the　Romans　resonantly　styled　the　palace　of　Herod　on　Mount　Zion；　the　party　had　to　cross　the　lowlands　north　and　west　of　the　Temple。　By　streetsif　they　may　be　so　calledtrending　north　and　south；　with　intersections　hardly　up　to　the　dignity　of　alleys；　they　passed　rapidly　round　the　Akra　district　to　the　Tower　of　Mariamne；　from　which　the　way　was　short　to　the　grand　gate　of　the　walled　heights。　In　going；　they　overtook；　or　were　overtaken　by；　people　like　themselves　stirred　to　wrath　by　news　of　the　proposed　desecration。　When；　at　length；　they　reached　the　gate　of　the　Praetorium；　the　procession　of　elders　and　rabbis　had　passed　in　with　a　great　following；　leaving　a　greater　crowd　clamoring　outside。

A　centurion　kept　the　entrance　with　a　guard　drawn　up　full　armed　under　the　beautiful　marble　battlements。　The　sun　struck　the　soldiers　fervidly　on　helm　and　shield；　but　they　kept　their　ranks　indifferent　alike　to　its　dazzle　and　to　the　mouthings　of　the　rabble。　Through　the　open　bronze　gates　a　current　of　citizens　poured　in；　while　a　much　lesser　one　poured　out。

〃What　is　going　on？〃　one　of　the　Galileans　asked　an　outcomer。

〃Nothing；〃　was　the　reply。　〃The　rabbis　are　before　the　door　of　the　palace　asking　to　see　Pilate。　He　has　refused　to　come　out。　They　have　sent　one　to　tell　him　they　will　not　go　away　till　he　has　heard　them。　They　are　waiting。〃

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　in　his　quiet　way；　seeing　what　his　companions　probably　did　not；　that　there　was　not　only　a　disagreement　between　the　suitors　and　the　governor；　but　an　issue　joined；　and　a　serious　question　as　to　who　should　have　his　will。

Inside　the　gate　there　was　a　row　of　trees　in　leaf；　with　seats　under　them。　The　people；　whether　going　or　coming；　carefully　avoided　the　shade　cast　gratefully　upon　the　white；　clean…swept　pavement；　for；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　a　rabbinical　ordinance；　alleged　to　have　been　derived　from　the　law；　permitted　no　green　thing　to　be　grown　within　the　walls　of　Jerusalem。　Even　the　wise　king；　it　was　said；　wanting　a　garden　for　his　Egyptian　bride；　was　constrained　to　found　it　down　in　the　meeting…place　of　the　valleys　above　En…rogel。

Through　the　tree…tops　shone　the　outer　fronts　of　the　palace。　Turning　to　the　right；　the　party　proceeded　a　short　distance　to　a　spacious　square；　on　the　west　side　of　which　stood　the　residence　of　the　governor。　An　excited　multitude　filled　the　square。　Every　face　was　directed　towards　a　portico　built　over　a　broad　doorway　which　was　closed。　Under　the　portico　there　was　another　array　of　legionaries。

The　throng　was　so　close　the　friends　could　not　well　have　advanced　if　such　had　been　their　desire；　they　remained　therefore　in　the　rear；　observers　of　what　was　going　on。　About　the　portico　they　could　see　the　high　turbans　of　the　rabbis；　whose　impatience　communicated　at　times　to　the　mass　behind　them；　a　cry　was　frequent　to　the　effect　〃Pilate；　if　thou　be　a　governor；　come　forth；　come　forth！〃

Once　a　man　coming　out　pushed　through　the　crowd；　his　face　red　with　anger。

〃Israel　is　of　no　account　here；〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　voice。　〃On　this　holy　ground　we　are　no　better　than　dogs　of　Rome。〃

〃Will　he　not　come　out；　think　you？〃

〃Come？　Has　he　not　thrice　refused？〃

〃What　will　the　rabbis　do？〃

〃As　at　Caesareacamp　here　till　he　gives　them　ear。〃

〃He　will　not　dare　touch　the　treasure；　will　he？〃　asked　one　of　the　Galileans。

〃Who　can　say？　Did　not　a　Roman　profane　the　Holy　of　Holies？　Is　there　anything　sacred　from　Romans？〃

An　hour　passed；　and　though　Pilate　deigned　them　no　answer；　the　rabbis　and　crowd　remained。　Noon　came；　bringing　a　shower　from　the　west；　but　no　change　in　the　situation；　except　that　the　multitude　was　larger　and　much　noisier；　and　the　feeling　more　decidedly　angry。　The　shouting　was　almost　continuous；　Come　forth；　come　forth！　The　cry　was　sometimes　with　disrespectful　variations。　Meanwhile　Ben…Hur　held　his　Galilean　friends　together。　He　judged　the　pride　of　the　Roman　would　eventually　get　the　better　of　his　discretion；　and　that　the　end　could　not　be　far　off。　Pilate　was　but　waiting　for　the　people　to　furnish　him　an　excuse　for　resort　to　violence。

And　at　last　the　end　came。　In　the　midst　of　the　assemblage　there　was　heard　the　sound　of　blows；　succeeded　instantly　by　yells　of　pain　and　rage；　and　a　most　furious　commotion。　The　venerable　men　in　front　of　the　portico　faced　about　aghast。　The　common　people　in　the　rear　at　first　pushed　forward；　in　the　centre；　the　effort　was　to　get　out；　and　for　a　short　time　the　pressure　of　opposing　forces　was　terrible。　A　thousand　voices　made　inquiry；　raised　all　at　once；　as　no　one　had　time　to　answer；　the　surprise　speedily　became　a　panic。

Ben…Hur　kept　his　senses。

〃You　cannot　see？〃　he　said　to　one　of　the　Galileans。

〃No。〃

〃I　will　raise　you　up。〃

He　caught　the　man　about　the　middle；　and　lifted　him　bodily。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　see　now；〃　said　the　man。　〃There　are　some　armed　with　clubs；　and　they　are　beating　the　people。　They　are　dressed　like　Jews。〃

〃Who　are　they？〃

〃Romans；　as　the　Lord　liveth！　Romans　in　disguise。　Their　clubs　fly　like　flails！　There；　I　saw　a　rabbi　struck　downan　old　man！　They　spare　nobody！〃

Ben…Hur　let　the　man　down。

〃Men　of　Galilee；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　trick　of　Pilate's。　Now；　will　you　do　what　I　say；　we　will　get　even　with　the　club…men。〃

The　Galilean　spirit　arose。

〃Yes；　yes！〃　they　answered。

〃Let　us　go　back　to　the　trees　by　the　gate；　and　we　may　find　the　planting　of　Herod；　though　unlawful；　has　some　good　in　it　after　all。　Come！〃

They　ran　back　all　of　them　fast　as　they　could；　and；　by　throwing　their　united　weight　upon　the　limbs；　tore　them　from　the　trunks。　In　a　brief　time　they；　too；　were　armed。　Returning；　at　the　corner　of　the　square　they　met　the　crowd　rushing　madly　for　the　gate。　Behind；　the　clamor　continueda　medley　of　shrieks；　groans；　and　execrations。

〃To　the　wall！〃　Ben…Hur　shouted。　〃To　the　wall！and　let　the　herd　go　by！〃

So；　clinging　to　the　masonry　at　their　right　hand；　they　escaped　the　might　of　the　rush；　and　little　by　little　made　headway　until；　at　last；　the　square　was　reached。

〃Keep　together　now；　and　follow　me！〃

By　this　time　Ben…Hur's　leadership　was　perfect；　and　as　he　pushed　into　the　seething　mob　his　party　closed　after　him　in　a　body。　And　when　the　Romans；　clubbing　the　people　and　making　merry　as　they　struck　them　down；　came　hand　to　hand　with　the　Galileans；　lithe　of　limb；　eager　for　the　fray；　and　equally　armed；　they　were　in　turn　surprised。　Then　the　shouting　was　close　an