ben-hur-第125章

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e　porch　and　in　the　courts；　and　on　the　cloisters　and　on　the　steps　of　the　three　sides　of　the　Temple　there　were　other　peopleI　will　say　a　million　of　people；　all　waiting　breathlessly　to　hear　his　proclamation。　The　pillars　were　not　more　still　than　we。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　I　fancied　I　heard　the　axles　of　the　mighty　Roman　machine　begin　to　crack。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　O　prince；　by　the　soul　of　Solomon；　your　King　of　the　World　drew　his　gown　about　him　and　walked　away；　and　out　by　the　farthest　gate；　nor　opened　his　mouth　to　say　a　word；　andthe　Roman　machine　is　running　yet！〃

In　simple　homage　to　a　hope　that　instant　losta　hope　which；　as　it　began　to　fall　and　while　it　was　falling；　he　unconsciously　followed　with　a　parting　look　down　to　its　disappearanceBen…Hur　lowered　his　eyes。

At　no　previous　time；　whether　when　Balthasar　was　plying　him　with　arguments；　or　when　miracles　were　being　done　before　his　face；　had　the　disputed　nature　of　the　Nazarene　been　so　plainly　set　before　him。　The　best　way；　after　all；　to　reach　an　understanding　of　the　divine　is　by　study　of　the　human。　In　the　things　superior　to　men　we　may　always　look　to　find　God。　So　with　the　picture　given　by　the　Egyptian　of　the　scene　when　the　Nazarene　turned　from　the　Gate　Beautiful；　its　central　theme　was　an　act　utterly　beyond　performance　by　a　man　under　control　of　merely　human　inspirations。　A　parable　to　a　parable…loving　people；　it　taught　what　the　Christ　had　so　often　assertedthat　his　mission　was　not　political。　There　was　not　much　more　time　for　thought　of　all　this　than　that　allowed　for　a　common　respiration；　yet　the　idea　took　fast　hold　of　Ben…Hur；　and　in　the　same　instant　he　followed　his　hope　of　vengeance　out　of　sight；　and　the　man　with　the　woman's　face　and　hair；　and　in　tears；　came　near　to　himnear　enough　to　leave　something　of　his　spirit　behind。

〃Daughter　of　Balthasar；〃　he　said；　with　dignity；　〃if　this　be　the　game　of　which　you　spoke　to　me；　take　the　chapletI　accord　it　yours。　Only　let　us　make　an　end　of　words。　That　you　have　a　purpose　I　am　sure。　To　it；　I　pray；　and　I　will　answer　you；　then　let　us　go　our　several　ways；　and　forget　we　ever　met。　Say　on；　I　will　listen；　but　not　to　more　of　that　which　you　have　given　me。〃

She　regarded　him　intently　a　moment；　as　if　determining　what　to　dopossibly　she　might　have　been　measuring　his　willthen　she　said；　coldly；　〃You　have　my　leavego。〃

〃Peace　to　you；〃　he　responded；　and　walked　away。

As　he　was　about　passing　out　of　the　door；　she　called　to　him。

〃A　word。〃

He　stopped　where　he　was；　and　looked　back。

〃Consider　all　I　know　about　you。〃

〃O　most　fair　Egyptian；〃　he　said；　returning；　〃what　all　do　you　know　about　me？〃

She　looked　at　him　absently。

〃You　are　more　of　a　Roman；　son　of　Hur；　then　any　of　your　Hebrew　brethren。〃

〃Am　I　so　unlike　my　countrymen？〃　he　asked；　indifferently。

〃The　demi…gods　are　all　Roman　now；〃　she　rejoined。

〃And　therefore　you　will　tell　me　what　more　you　know　about　me？〃

〃The　likeness　is　not　lost　upon　me。　It　might　induce　me　to　save　you。〃

〃Save　me！〃

The　pink…stained　fingers　toyed　daintily　with　the　lustrous　pendant　at　the　throat；　and　her　voice　was　exceeding　low　and　soft；　only　a　tapping　on　the　floor　with　her　silken　sandal　admonished　him　to　have　a　care。

〃There　was　a　Jew；　an　escaped　galley…slave；　who　killed　a　man　in　the　Palace　of　Idernee；〃　she　began；　slowly。

Ben…Hur　was　startled。

〃The　same　Jew　slew　a　Roman　soldier　before　the　Market…place　here　in　Jerusalem；　the　same　Jew　has　three　trained　legions　from　Galilee　to　seize　the　Roman　governor　to…night；　the　same　Jew　has　alliances　perfected　for　war　upon　Rome；　and　Ilderim　the　Sheik　is　one　of　his　partners。〃

Drawing　nearer　him；　she　almost　whispered；

〃You　have　lived　in　Rome。　Suppose　these　things　repeated　in　ears　we　know　of。　Ah！　you　change　color。〃

He　drew　back　from　her　with　somewhat　of　the　look　which　may　be　imagined　upon　the　face　of　a　man　who；　thinking　to　play　with　a　kitten；　has　run　upon　a　tiger；　and　she　proceeded：

〃You　are　acquainted　in　the　antechamber；　and　know　the　Lord　Sejanus。　Suppose　it　were　told　him　with　the　proofs　in　handor　without　the　proofsthat　the　same　Jew　is　the　richest　man　in　the　Eastnay；　in　all　the　empire。　The　fishes　of　the　Tiber　would　have　fattening　other　than　that　they　dig　out　of　its　ooze；　would　they　not？　And　while　they　were　feedingha！　son　of　Hur！what　splendor　there　would　be　on　exhibition　in　the　Circus！　Amusing　the　Roman　people　is　a　fine　art；　getting　the　money　to　keep　them　amused　is　another　art　even　finer；　and　was　there　ever　an　artist　the　equal　of　the　Lord　Sejanus？〃

Ben…Hur　was　not　too　much　stirred　by　the　evident　baseness　of　the　woman　for　recollection。　Not　unfrequently　when　all　the　other　faculties　are　numb　and　failing　memory　does　its　offices　with　the　greatest　fidelity。　The　scene　at　the　spring　on　the　way　to　the　Jordan　reproduced　itself；　and　he　remembered　thinking　then　that　Esther　had　betrayed　him；　and　thinking　so　now；　he　said　calmly　as　he　could；

〃To　give　you　pleasure；　daughter　of　Egypt；　I　acknowledge　your　cunning；　and　that　I　am　at　your　mercy。　It　may　also　please　you　to　hear　me　acknowledge　I　have　no　hope　of　your　favor。　I　could　kill　you；　but　you　are　a　woman。　The　Desert　is　open　to　receive　me；　and　though　Rome　is　a　good　hunter　of　men；　there　she　would　follow　long　and　far　before　she　caught　me；　for　in　its　heart　there　are　wildernesses　of　spears　as　well　as　wildernesses　of　sand；　and　it　is　not　unlovely　to　the　unconquered　Parthian。　In　the　toils　as　I　amdupe　that　I　have　beenyet　there　is　one　thing　my　due：　who　told　you　all　you　know　about　me？　In　flight　or　captivity；　dying　even；　there　will　be　consolation　in　leaving　the　traitor　the　curse　of　a　man　who　has　lived　knowing　nothing　but　wretchedness。　Who　told　you　all　you　know　about　me？〃

It　might　have　been　a　touch　of　art；　or　might　have　been　sincerethat　as　it　maythe　expression　of　the　Egyptian's　face　became　sympathetic。

〃There　are　in　my　country；　O　son　of　Hur；〃　she　said；　presently；　〃workmen　who　make　pictures　by　gathering　vari…colored　shells　here　and　there　on　the　sea…shore　after　storms；　and　cutting　them　up；　and　patching　the　pieces　as　inlaying　on　marble　slabs。　Can　you　not　see　the　hint　there　is　in　the　practice　to　such　as　go　searching　for　secrets？　Enough　that　from　this　person　I　gathered　a　handful　of　little　circumstances；　and　from　that　other　yet　another　handful；　and　that　afterwhile　I　put　them　together；　and　was　happy　as　a　woman　can　be　who　has　at　disposal　the　fortune　and　life　of　a　man　whom〃she　stopped；　and　beat　the　floor　with　her　foot；　and　looked　away　as　if　to　hide　a　sudden　emotion　from　him；　with　an　air　of　even　painful　resolution　she　presently　finished　the　sentence〃whom　she　is　at　loss　what　to　do　with。〃

〃No；　it　is　not　enough；〃　Ben…Hur　said；　unmoved　by　the　play〃it　is　not　enough。　To…morrow　you　will　determine　what　to　do　with　me。　I　may　die。〃

〃True；〃　she　rejoined　quickly　and　with　emphasis；　〃I　had　something　from　Sheik　Ilderim　as　he　lay　with　my　father　in　a　grove　out　in　the　Desert。　The　night　was　still；　very　still；　and　the　walls　of　the　tent；　sooth　to　say；　were　poor　ward　against　ears　outside　listening　tobirds　and　beetles　flying　through　the　air。〃

She　smiled　at　the　conceit；　but　proceeded：

〃Some　other　thingsbits　of　shell　for　the　pictureI　had　from〃

〃Whom？〃

〃The　son　of　Hur　himself。〃

〃Was　there　no　other　who　contributed？〃

〃No；　not　one。〃

Hur　drew　a　breath　of　relief；　and　said；　lightly；　〃Thanks。　It　were　not　well　to　keep　the　Lord　Sejanus　waiting　for　you。　The　Desert　is　not　so　sensitive。　Again；　O　Egypt；　peace！〃

To　this　time　he　had　been　standing　uncovered；　now　he　took　the　handkerchief　from　his　arm　where　it　had　been　hanging；　and　adjusting　it　upon　his　head；　turned　to　depart。　But　she　arrested　him；　in　her　eagerness；　she　even　reached　a　hand　to　him。

〃Stay；〃　she　said。

He　looked　back　at　her；　but　without　taking　the　hand；　though　it　was　very　noticeable　for　its　sparkling　of　jewels；　and　he　knew　by　her　manner　that　the　reserved　point　of　the　scene　which　was　so　surprising　to　him　was　now　to　come。

〃Stay；　and　do　not　distrust　me；　O　son　of　Hur；　if　I　declare　I　know　why　the　noble　Arrius　took　you　for　his　heir。　And；　by　Isis！　by　all　the　gods　of　Egypt！　I　swear　I　tremble　to　think　of　you；　so　brave　and　generous；　under　the　hand　of　the　remorseless　minister。　You　have　left　a　portion　of　your　youth　in　the　atria　of　the　great　capital；　consider；　as　I　do；　what　the　Desert　will　be　to　you　in　contrast　of　life。　Oh；　I　gi