ben-hur-第120章

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〃No。　He　believes　you　dead。〃

〃There　was　a　prophet　once　who　cured　a　leper；〃　the　mother　said　thoughtfully　to　Tirzah；　〃but　he　had　his　power　from　God。〃　Then　addressing　Amrah；　she　asked；　〃How　does　my　son　know　this　man　so　possessed？〃

〃He　was　travelling　with　him；　and　heard　the　lepers　call；　and　saw　them　go　away　well。　First　there　was　one　man；　then　there　were　ten；　and　they　were　all　made　whole。〃

The　elder　listener　was　silent　again。　The　skeleton　hand　shook。　We　may　believe　she　was　struggling　to　give　the　story　the　sanction　of　faith；　which　is　always　an　absolutist　in　demand；　and　that　it　was　with　her　as　with　the　men　of　the　day；　eye…witnesses　of　what　was　done　by　the　Christ；　as　well　as　the　myriads　who　have　succeeded　them。　She　did　not　question　the　performance；　for　her　own　son　was　the　witness　testifying　through　the　servant；　but　she　strove　to　comprehend　the　power　by　which　work　so　astonishing　could　be　done　by　a　man。　Well　enough　to　make　inquiry　as　to　the　fact；　to　comprehend　the　power；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　first　necessary　to　comprehend　God；　and　he　who　waits　for　that　will　die　waiting。　With　her；　however；　the　hesitation　was　brief。　To　Tirzah　she　said；

〃This　must　be　the　Messiah！〃

She　spoke　not　coldly；　like　one　reasoning　a　doubt　away；　but　as　a　woman　of　Israel　familiar　with　the　promises　of　God　to　her　racea　woman　of　understanding；　ready　to　be　glad　over　the　least　sign　of　the　realization　of　the　promises。

〃There　was　a　time　when　Jerusalem　and　all　Judea　were　filled　with　a　story　that　he　was　born。　I　remember　it。　By　this　time　he　should　be　a　man。　It　must　beit　is　he。　Yes；〃　she　said　to　Amrah；　〃we　will　go　with　you。　Bring　the　water　which　you　will　find　in　the　tomb　in　a　jar；　and　set　the　food　for　us。　We　will　eat　and　be　gone。〃

The　breakfast；　partaken　under　excitement；　was　soon　despatched；　and　the　three　women　set　out　on　their　extraordinary　journey。　As　Tirzah　had　caught　the　confident　spirit　of　the　others；　there　was　but　one　fear　that　troubled　the　party。　Bethany；　Amrah　said；　was　the　town　the　man　was　coming　from；　now　from　that　to　Jerusalem　there　were　three　roads；　or　rather　pathsone　over　the　first　summit　of　Olivet；　a　second　at　its　base；　a　third　between　the　second　summit　and　the　Mount　of　Offence。　The　three　were　not　far　apart；　far　enough；　however；　to　make　it　possible　for　the　unfortunates　to　miss　the　Nazarene　if　they　failed　the　one　he　chose　to　come　by。

A　little　questioning　satisfied　the　mother　that　Amrah　knew　nothing　of　the　country　beyond　the　Cedron；　and　even　less　of　the　intentions　of　the　man　they　were　going　to　see；　if　they　could。　She　discerned；　also；　that　both　Amrah　and　Tirzahthe　one　from　confirmed　habits　of　servitude；　the　other　from　natural　dependencylooked　to　her　for　guidance；　and　she　accepted　the　charge。

〃We　will　go　first　to　Bethphage；〃　she　said　to　them。　〃There；　if　the　Lord　favor　us；　we　may　learn　what　else　to　do。〃

They　descended　the　hill　to　Tophet　and　the　King's　Garden；　and　paused　in　the　deep　trail　furrowed　through　them　by　centuries　of　wayfaring。

〃I　am　afraid　of　the　road；〃　the　matron　said。　〃Better　that　we　keep　to　the　country　among　the　rocks　and　trees。　This　is　feast…day；　and　on　the　hill…sides　yonder　I　see　signs　of　a　great　multitude　in　attendance。　By　going　across　the　Mount　of　Offence　here　we　may　avoid　them。〃

Tirzah　had　been　walking　with　great　difficulty；　upon　hearing　this　her　heart　began　to　fail　her。

〃The　mount　is　steep；　mother；　I　cannot　climb　it。〃

〃Remember；　we　are　going　to　find　health　and　life。　See；　my　child；　how　the　day　brightens　around　us！　And　yonder　are　women　coming　this　way　to　the　well。　They　will　stone　us　if　we　stay　here。　Come；　be　strong　this　once。〃

Thus　the　mother；　not　less　tortured　herself；　sought　to　inspire　the　daughter；　and　Amrah　came　to　her　aid。　To　this　time　the　latter　had　not　touched　the　persons　of　the　afflicted；　nor　they　her；　now；　in　disregard　of　consequences　as　well　as　of　command；　the　faithful　creature　went　to　Tirzah；　and　put　her　arm　over　her　shoulder；　and　whispered；　〃Lean　on　me。　I　am　strong；　though　I　am　old；　and　it　is　but　a　little　way　off。　Therenow　we　can　go。〃

The　face　of　the　hill　they　essayed　to　cross　was　somewhat　broken　with　pits；　and　ruins　of　old　structures；　but　when　at　last　they　stood　upon　the　top　to　rest；　and　looked　at　the　spectacle　presented　them　over　in　the　northwestat　the　Temple　and　its　courtly　terraces；　at　Zion；　at　the　enduring　towers　white　beetling　into　the　sky　beyondthe　mother　was　strengthened　with　a　love　of　life　for　life's　sake。

〃Look；　Tirzah；〃　she　said〃look　at　the　plates　of　gold　on　the　Gate　Beautiful。　How　they　give　back　the　flames　of　the　sun；　brightness　for　brightness！　Do　you　remember　we　used　to　go　up　there？　Will　it　not　be　pleasant　to　do　so　again？　And　thinkhome　is　but　a　little　way　off。　I　can　almost　see　it　over　the　roof　of　the　Holy　of　Holies；　and　Judah　will　be　there　to　receive　us！〃

From　the　side　of　the　middle　summit　garnished　green　with　myrtle　and　olive　trees；　they　saw；　upon　looking　that　way　next；　thin　columns　of　smoke　rising　lightly　and　straight　up　into　the　pulseless　morning；　each　a　warning　of　restless　pilgrims　astir；　and　of　the　flight　of　the　pitiless　hours；　and　the　need　of　haste。

Though　the　good　servant　toiled　faithfully　to　lighten　the　labor　in　descending　the　hill…side；　not　sparing　herself　in　the　least；　the　girl　moaned　at　every　step；　sometimes　in　extremity　of　anguish　she　cried　out。　Upon　reaching　the　roadthat　is；　the　road　between　the　Mount　of　Offence　and　the　middle　or　second　summit　of　Olivetshe　fell　down　exhausted。

〃Go　on　with　Amrah；　mother；　and　leave　me　here；〃　she　said；　faintly。

〃No；　no；　Tirzah。　What　would　the　gain　be　to　me　if　I　were　healed　and　you　not？　When　Judah　asks　for　you；　as　he　will；　what　would　I　have　to　say　to　him　were　I　to　leave　you？〃

〃Tell　him　I　loved　him。〃

The　elder　leper　arose　from　bending　over　the　fainting　sufferer；　and　gazed　about　her　with　that　sensation　of　hope　perishing　which　is　more　nearly　like　annihilation　of　the　soul　than　anything　else。　The　supremest　joy　of　the　thought　of　cure　was　inseparable　from　Tirzah；　who　was　not　too　old　to　forget；　in　the　happiness　of　healthful　life　to　come；　the　years　of　misery　by　which　she　had　been　so　reduced　in　body　and　broken　in　spirit。　Even　as　the　brave　woman　was　about　leaving　the　venture　they　were　engaged　in　to　the　determination　of　God；　she　saw　a　man　on　foot　coming　rapidly　up　the　road　from　the　east。

〃Courage；　Tirzah！　Be　of　cheer；〃　she　said。　〃Yonder　I　know　is　one　to　tell　us　of　the　Nazarene。〃

Amrah　helped　the　girl　to　a　sitting　posture；　and　supported　her　while　the　man　advanced。

〃In　your　goodness；　mother；　you　forget　what　we　are。　The　stranger　will　go　around　us；　his　best　gift　to　us　will　be　a　curse；　if　not　a　stone。〃

〃We　will　see。〃

There　was　no　other　answer　to　be　given；　since　the　mother　was　too　well　and　sadly　acquainted　with　the　treatment　outcasts　of　the　class　to　which　she　belonged　were　accustomed　to　at　the　hands　of　her　countrymen。

As　has　been　said；　the　road　at　the　edge　of　which　the　group　was　posted　was　little　more　than　a　worn　path　or　trail；　winding　crookedly　through　tumuli　of　limestone。　If　the　stranger　kept　it；　he　must　meet　them　face　to　face；　and　he　did　so；　until　near　enough　to　hear　the　cry　she　was　bound　to　give。　Then；　uncovering　her　head；　a　further　demand　of　the　law；　she　shouted　shrilly；

〃Unclean；　unclean！〃

To　her　surprise；　the　man　came　steadily　on。

〃What　would　you　have？〃　he　asked；　stopping　opposite　them　not　four　yards　off。

〃Thou　seest　us。　Have　a　care；〃　the　mother　said；　with　dignity。

〃Woman；　I　am　the　courier　of　him　who　speaketh　but　once　to　such　as　thou　and　they　are　healed。　I　am　not　afraid。〃

〃The　Nazarene？〃

〃The　Messiah；〃　he　said。

〃Is　it　true　that　he　cometh　to　the　city　to…day？〃

〃He　is　now　at　Bethphage。〃

〃On　what　road；　master？〃

〃This　one。〃

She　clasped　her　hands；　and　looked　up　thankfully。

〃For　whom　takest　thou　him？〃　the　man　asked；　with　pity。

〃The　Son　of　God；〃　she　replied。

〃Stay　thou　here　then；　or；　as　there　is　a　multitude　with　him；　take　thy　stand　by　the　rock　yonder；　the　white　one　under　the　tree；　and　as　he　goeth　by　fail　not　to　call　to　him；　call；　and　fear　not。　If　thy　faith　but　equal　thy　knowledge；　he　will　hear　thee　though　all　the　heavens　thunder。　I　go　to　tell　Israel；　assembled　in　and　about　the　city；　that　he　is　at　hand；　and　to　make　ready　to　receive　him。　Peace　to　thee　and　thine；　woman。〃

The　stra