ben-hur-第130章

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ices　in　conversation；　and　now　and　then　a　calling　voice；　were　all　the　sounds　heard　above　the　rustle　of　the　mighty　movement。　Yet　was　there　upon　every　countenance　the　look　with　which　men　make　haste　to　see　some　dreadful　sight；　some　sudden　wreck；　or　ruin；　or　calamity　of　war。　And　by　such　signs　Ben…Hur　judged　that　these　were　the　strangers　in　the　city　come　up　to　the　Passover；　who　had　had　no　part　in　the　trial　of　the　Nazarene；　and　might　be　his　friends。

At　length；　from　the　direction　of　the　great　towers；　Ben…Hur　heard；　at　first　faint　in　the　distance；　a　shouting　of　many　men。

〃Hark！　they　are　coming　now；〃　said　one　of　his　friends。

The　people　in　the　street　halted　to　hear；　but　as　the　cry　rang　on　over　their　heads；　they　looked　at　each　other；　and　in　shuddering　silence　moved　along。

The　shouting　drew　nearer　each　moment；　and　the　air　was　already　full　of　it　and　trembling；　when　Ben…Hur　saw　the　servants　of　Simonides　coming　with　their　master　in　his　chair；　and　Esther　walking　by　his　side；　a　covered　litter　was　next　behind　them。

〃Peace　to　you；　O　Simonidesand　to　you；　Esther；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　meeting　them。　〃If　you　are　for　Golgotha；　stay　until　the　procession　passes；　I　will　then　go　with　you。　There　is　room　to　turn　in　by　the　house　here。〃

The　merchant's　large　head　rested　heavily　upon　his　breast；　rousing　himself；　he　answered；　〃Speak　to　Balthasar；　his　pleasure　will　be　mine。　He　is　in　the　litter。〃

Ben…Hur　hastened　to　draw　aside　the　curtain。　The　Egyptian　was　lying　within；　his　wan　face　so　pinched　as　to　appear　like　a　dead　man's。　The　proposal　was　submitted　to　him。

〃Can　we　see　him？〃　he　inquired；　faintly。

〃The　Nazarene？　yes；　he　must　pass　within　a　few　feet　of　us。〃

〃Dear　Lord！〃　the　old　man　cried；　fervently。　〃Once　more；　once　more！　Oh；　it　is　a　dreadful　day　for　the　world！〃

Shortly　the　whole　party　were　in　waiting　under　shelter　of　the　house。　They　said　but　little；　afraid；　probably；　to　trust　their　thoughts　to　each　other；　everything　was　uncertain；　and　nothing　so　much　so　as　opinions。　Balthasar　drew　himself　feebly　from　the　litter；　and　stood　supported　by　a　servant；　Esther　and　Ben…Hur　kept　Simonides　company。

Meantime　the　flood　poured　along；　if　anything；　more　densely　than　before；　and　the　shouting　came　nearer；　shrill　up　in　the　air；　hoarse　along　the　earth；　and　cruel。　At　last　the　procession　was　up。

〃See！〃　said　Ben…Hur；　bitterly；　〃that　which　cometh　now　is　Jerusalem。〃

The　advance　was　in　possession　of　an　army　of　boys；　hooting　and　screaming；　〃The　King　of　the　Jews！　Room；　room　for　the　King　of　the　Jews！〃

Simonides　watched　them　as　they　whirled　and　danced　along；　like　a　cloud　of　summer　insects；　and　said；　gravely；　〃When　these　come　to　their　inheritance；　son　of　Hur；　alas　for　the　city　of　Solomon！〃

A　band　of　legionaries　fully　armed　followed　next；　marching　in　sturdy　indifference；　the　glory　of　burnished　brass　about　them　the　while。

Then　came　the　NAZARENE！

He　was　nearly　dead。　Every　few　steps　he　staggered　as　if　he　would　fall。　A　stained　gown　badly　torn　hung　from　his　shoulders　over　a　seamless　undertunic。　His　bare　feet　left　red　splotches　upon　the　stones。　An　inscription　on　a　board　was　tied　to　his　neck。　A　crown　of　thorns　had　been　crushed　hard　down　upon　his　head；　making　cruel　wounds　from　which　streams　of　blood；　now　dry　and　blackened；　had　run　over　his　face　and　neck。　The　long　hair；　tangled　in　the　thorns；　was　clotted　thick。　The　skin；　where　it　could　be　seen；　was　ghastly　white。　His　hands　were　tied　before　him。　Back　somewhere　in　the　city　he　had　fallen　exhausted　under　the　transverse　beam　of　his　cross；　which；　as　a　condemned　person；　custom　required　him　to　bear　to　the　place　of　execution；　now　a　countryman　carried　the　burden　in　his　stead。　Four　soldiers　went　with　him　as　a　guard　against　the　mob；　who　sometimes；　nevertheless；　broke　through；　and　struck　him　with　sticks；　and　spit　upon　him。　Yet　no　sound　escaped　him；　neither　remonstrance　nor　groan；　nor　did　he　look　up　until　he　was　nearly　in　front　of　the　house　sheltering　Ben…Hur　and　his　friends；　all　of　whom　were　moved　with　quick　compassion。　Esther　clung　to　her　father；　and　he；　strong　of　will　as　he　was；　trembled。　Balthasar　fell　down　speechless。　Even　Ben…Hur　cried　out；　〃O　my　God！　my　God！〃　Then；　as　if　he　divined　their　feelings　or　heard　the　exclamation；　the　Nazarene　turned　his　wan　face　towards　the　party；　and　looked　at　them　each　one；　so　they　carried　the　look　in　memory　through　life。　They　could　see　he　was　thinking　of　them；　not　himself；　and　the　dying　eyes　gave　them　the　blessing　he　was　not　permitted　to　speak。

〃Where　are　thy　legions；　son　of　Hur？〃　asked　Simonides；　aroused。

〃Hannas　can　tell　thee　better　than　I。〃

〃What；　faithless？〃

〃All　but　these　two。〃

〃Then　all　is　lost；　and　this　good　man　must　die！〃

The　face　of　the　merchant　knit　convulsively　as　he　spoke；　and　his　head　sank　upon　his　breast。　He　had　borne　his　part　in　Ben…Hur's　labors　well；　and　he　had　been　inspired　by　the　same　hopes；　now　blown　out　never　to　be　rekindled。

Two　other　men　succeeded　the　Nazarene　bearing　cross…beams。

〃Who　are　these？〃　Ben…Hur　asked　of　the　Galileans。

〃Thieves　appointed　to　die　with　the　Nazarene；〃　they　replied。

Next　in　the　procession　stalked　a　mitred　figure　clad　all　in　the　golden　vestments　of　the　high…priest。　Policemen　from　the　Temple　curtained　him　round　about；　and　after　him；　in　order；　strode　the　sanhedrim；　and　a　long　array　of　priests；　the　latter　in　their　plain　white　garments；　overwrapped　by　abnets　of　many　folds　and　gorgeous　colors。

〃The　son…in…law　of　Hannas；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Caiaphas！　I　have　seen　him；〃　Simonides　replied；　adding；　after　a　pause　during　which　he　thoughtfully　watched　the　haughty　pontiff；　〃And　now　am　I　convinced。　With　such　assurance　as　proceeds　from　clear　enlightenment　of　the　spiritwith　absolute　assurancenow　know　I　that　he　who　first　goes　yonder　with　the　inscription　about　his　neck　is　what　the　inscription　proclaims　himKING　OF　THE　JEWS。　A　common　man；　an　impostor；　a　felon；　was　never　thus　waited　upon。　For　look！　Here　are　the　nationsJerusalem；　Israel。　Here　is　the　ephod；　here　the　blue　robe　with　its　fringe；　and　purple　pomegranates；　and　golden　bells；　not　seen　in　the　street　since　the　day　Jaddua　went　out　to　meet　the　Macedonianproofs　all　that　this　Nazarene　is　King。　Would　I　could　rise　and　go　after　him！〃

Ben…Hur　listened　surprised；　and　directly；　as　if　himself　awakening　to　his　unusual　display　of　feeling；　Simonides　said；　impatiently；

〃Speak　to　Balthasar；　I　pray　you；　and　let　us　begone。　The　vomit　of　Jerusalem　is　coming。〃

Then　Esther　spoke。

〃I　see　some　women　there；　and　they　are　weeping。　Who　are　they？〃

Following　the　pointing　of　her　hand；　the　party　beheld　four　women　in　tears；　one　of　them　leaned　upon　the　arm　of　a　man　of　aspect　not　unlike　the　Nazarene's。　Presently　Ben…Hur　answered；

〃The　man　is　the　disciple　whom　the　Nazarene　loves　the　best　of　all；　she　who　leans　upon　his　arm　is　Mary；　the　Master's　mother；　the　others　are　friendly　women　of　Galilee。〃

Esther　pursued　the　mourners　with　glistening　eyes　until　the　multitude　received　them　out　of　sight。

It　may　be　the　reader　will　fancy　the　foregoing　snatches　of　conversation　were　had　in　quiet；　but　it　was　not　so。　The　talking　was；　for　the　most　part；　like　that　indulged　by　people　at　the　seaside　under　the　sound　of　the　surf；　for　to　nothing　else　can　the　clamor　of　this　division　of　the　mob　be　so　well　likened。

The　demonstration　was　the　forerunner　of　those　in　which；　scarce　thirty　years　later；　under　rule　of　the　factions；　the　Holy　City　was　torn　to　pieces；　it　was　quite　as　great　in　numbers；　as　fanatical　and　bloodthirsty；　boiled　and　raved；　and　had　in　it　exactly　the　same　elementsservants；　camel…drivers；　marketmen；　gate…keepers；　gardeners；　dealers　in　fruits　and　wines；　proselytes；　and　foreigners　not　proselytes；　watchmen　and　menials　from　the　Temple；　thieves；　robbers；　and　the　myriad　not　assignable　to　any　class；　but　who；　on　such　occasions　as　this；　appeared　no　one　could　say　whence；　hungry　and　smelling　of　caves　and　old　tombsbareheaded　wretches　with　naked　arms　and　legs；　hair　and　beard　in　uncombed　mats；　and　each　with　one　garment　the　color　of　clay；　beasts　with　abysmal　mouths；　in　outcry　effective　as　lions　calling　each　other　across　desert　spaces。　Some　of　them　had　swords；　a　greater　number　flourished　spears　and　javelins；　though　the　weapons　of　the　many　were　staves　and　knotted　clubs；　and　slings；　for　which　latter　selected　stones　w