ben-hur-第16章

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en　faintly　glorified　by　the　dying　sun。

While　they　plied　their　hands；　rubbing　and　wringing　the　clothes　in　the　bowls；　two　other　women　came　to　them；　each　with　an　empty　jar　upon　her　shoulder。

〃Peace　to　you；〃　one　of　the　new…comers　said。

The　laborers　paused；　sat　up；　wrung　the　water　from　their　hands；　and　returned　the　salutation。

〃It　is　nearly　nighttime　to　quit。〃

〃There　is　no　end　to　work；〃　was　the　reply。

〃But　there　is　a　time　to　rest；　and〃

〃To　hear　what　may　be　passing；〃　interposed　another。

〃What　news　have　you？〃

〃Then　you　have　not　heard？〃

〃No。〃

〃They　say　the　Christ　is　born；〃　said　the　newsmonger；　plunging　into　her　story。

It　was　curious　to　see　the　faces　of　the　laborers　brighten　with　interest；　on　the　other　side　down　came　the　jars；　which；　in　a　moment；　were　turned　into　seats　for　their　owners。

〃The　Christ！〃　the　listeners　cried。

〃So　they　say。〃

〃Who？〃

〃Everybody；　it　is　common　talk。〃

〃Does　anybody　believe　it？〃

〃This　afternoon　three　men　came　across　Brook　Cedron　on　the　road　from　Shechem；〃　the　speaker　replied；　circumstantially；　intending　to　smother　doubt。　〃Each　one　of　them　rode　a　camel　spotless　white；　and　larger　than　any　ever　before　seen　in　Jerusalem。〃

The　eyes　and　mouths　of　the　auditors　opened　wide。

〃To　prove　how　great　and　rich　the　men　were；〃　the　narrator　continued；　〃they　sat　under　awnings　of　silk；　the　buckles　of　their　saddles　were　of　gold；　as　was　the　fringe　of　their　bridles；　the　bells　were　of　silver；　and　made　real　music。　Nobody　knew　them；　they　looked　as　if　they　had　come　from　the　ends　of　the　world。　Only　one　of　them　spoke；　and　of　everybody　on　the　road；　even　the　women　and　children；　he　asked　this　question'Where　is　he　that　is　born　King　of　the　Jews？'　No　one　gave　them　answerno　one　understood　what　they　meant；　so　they　passed　on；　leaving　behind　them　this　saying：　'For　we　have　seen　his　star　in　the　east；　and　are　come　to　worship　him。'　They　put　the　question　to　the　Roman　at　the　gate；　and　he；　no　wiser　than　the　simple　people　on　the　road；　sent　them　up　to　Herod。〃

〃Where　are　they　now？〃

〃At　the　khan。　Hundreds　have　been　to　look　at　them　already；　and　hundreds　more　are　going。〃

〃Who　are　they？〃

〃Nobody　knows。　They　are　said　to　be　Persianswise　men　who　talk　with　the　starsprophets；　it　may　be；　like　Elijah　and　Jeremiah。〃

〃What　do　they　mean　by　King　of　the　Jews？〃

〃The　Christ；　and　that　he　is　just　born。〃

One　of　the　women　laughed；　and　resumed　her　work；　saying；　'Well；　when　I　see　him　I　will　believe。〃

Another　followed　her　example：　〃And　Iwell；　when　I　see　him　raise　the　dead；　I　will　believe。〃

A　third　said；　quietly；　〃He　has　been　a　long　time　promised。　It　will　be　enough　for　me　to　see　him　heal　one　leper。〃

And　the　party　sat　talking　until　the　night　came；　and；　with　the　help　of　the　frosty　air；　drove　them　home。

*　*　*　*　*　*

Later　in　the　evening；　about　the　beginning　of　the　first　watch；　there　was　an　assemblage　in　the　palace　on　Mount　Zion；　of　probably　fifty　persons；　who　never　came　together　except　by　order　of　Herod；　and　then　only　when　he　had　demanded　to　know　some　one　or　more　of　the　deeper　mysteries　of　the　Jewish　law　and　history。　It　was；　in　short；　a　meeting　of　the　teachers　of　the　colleges；　of　the　chief　priests；　and　of　the　doctors　most　noted　in　the　city　for　learningthe　leaders　of　opinion；　expounders　of　the　different　creeds；　princes　of　the　Sadducees；　Pharisaic　debaters；　calm；　soft…spoken；　stoical　philosophers　of　the　Essene　socialists。

The　chamber　in　which　the　session　was　held　belonged　to　one　of　the　interior　court…yards　of　the　palace；　and　was　quite　large　and　Romanesque。　The　floor　was　tessellated　with　marble　blocks；　the　walls；　unbroken　by　a　window；　were　frescoed　in　panels　of　saffron　yellow；　a　divan　occupied　the　centre　of　the　apartment；　covered　with　cushions　of　bright…yellow　cloth；　and　fashioned　in　form　of　the　letter　U；　the　opening　towards　the　doorway；　in　the　arch　of　the　divan；　or；　as　it　were；　in　the　bend　of　the　letter；　there　was　an　immense　bronze　tripod；　curiously　inlaid　with　gold　and　silver；　over　which　a　chandelier　dropped　from　the　ceiling；　having　seven　arms；　each　holding　a　lighted　lamp。　The　divan　and　the　lamp　were　purely　Jewish。

The　company　sat　upon　the　divan　after　the　style　of　Orientals；　in　costume　singularly　uniform；　except　as　to　color。　They　were　mostly　men　advanced　in　years；　immense　beards　covered　their　faces；　to　their　large　noses　were　added　the　effects　of　large　black　eyes；　deeply　shaded　by　bold　brows；　their　demeanor　was　grave；　dignified；　even　patriarchal。　In　brief；　their　session　was　that　of　the　Sanhedrim。

He　who　sat　before　the　tripod；　however；　in　the　place　which　may　be　called　the　head　of　the　divan；　having　all　the　rest　of　his　associates　on　his　right　and　left；　and；　at　the　same　time；　before　him；　evidently　president　of　the　meeting；　would　have　instantly　absorbed　the　attention　of　a　spectator。　He　had　been　cast　in　large　mould；　but　was　now　shrunken　and　stooped　to　ghastliness；　his　white　robe　dropped　from　his　shoulders　in　folds　that　gave　no　hint　of　muscle　or　anything　but　an　angular　skeleton。　His　hands；　half　concealed　by　sleeves　of　silk；　white　and　crimson　striped；　were　clasped　upon　his　knees。　When　he　spoke；　sometimes　the　first　finger　of　the　right　hand　extended　tremulously；　he　seemed　incapable　of　other　gesture。　But　his　head　was　a　splendid　dome。　A　few　hairs；　whiter　than　fine…drawn　silver；　fringed　the　base；　over　a　broad；　full…sphered　skull　the　skin　was　drawn　close；　and　shone　in　the　light　with　positive　brilliance；　the　temples　were　deep　hollows；　from　which　the　forehead　beetled　like　a　wrinkled　crag；　the　eyes　were　wan　and　dim；　the　nose　was　pinched；　and　all　the　lower　face　was　muffed　in　a　beard　flowing　and　venerable　as　Aaron's。　Such　was　Hillel　the　Babylonian！　The　line　of　prophets；　long　extinct　in　Israel；　was　now　succeeded　by　a　line　of　scholars；　of　whom　he　was　first　in　learninga　prophet　in　all　but　the　divine　inspiration！　At　the　age　of　one　hundred　and　six；　he　was　still　Rector　of　the　Great　College。

On　the　table　before　him　lay　outspread　a　roll　or　volume　of　parchment　inscribed　with　Hebrew　characters；　behind　him；　in　waiting；　stood　a　page　richly　habited。

There　had　been　discussion；　but　at　this　moment　of　introduction　the　company　had　reached　a　conclusion；　each　one　was　in　an　attitude　of　rest；　and　the　venerable　Hillel；　without　moving；　called　the　page。

〃Hist！〃

The　youth　advanced　respectfully。

〃Go　tell　the　king　we　are　ready　to　give　him　answer。〃

The　boy　hurried　away。

After　a　time　two　officers　entered　and　stopped；　one　on　each　side　the　door；　after　them　slowly　followed　a　most　striking　personage　an　old　man　clad　in　a　purple　robe　bordered　with　scarlet；　and　girt　to　his　waist　by　a　band　of　gold　linked　so　fine　that　it　was　pliable　as　leather；　the　latchets　of　his　shoes　sparkled　with　precious　stones；　a　narrow　crown　wrought　in　filigree　shone　outside　a　tarbooshe　of　softest　crimson　plush；　which；　encasing　his　head；　fell　down　the　neck　and　shoulders；　leaving　the　throat　and　neck　exposed。　Instead　of　a　seal；　a　dagger　dangled　from　his　belt。　He　walked　with　a　halting　step；　leaning　heavily　upon　a　staff。　Not　until　he　reached　the　opening　of　the　divan；　did　he　pause　or　look　up　from　the　floor；　then；　as　for　the　first　time　conscious　of　the　company；　and　roused　by　their　presence；　he　raised　himself；　and　looked　haughtily　round；　like　one　startled　and　searching　for　an　enemyso　dark；　suspicious；　and　threatening　was　the　glance。　Such　was　Herod　the　Greata　body　broken　by　diseases；　a　conscience　seared　with　crimes；　a　mind　magnificently　capable；　a　soul　fit　for　brotherhood　with　the　Caesars；　now　seven…and…sixty　years　old；　but　guarding　his　throne　with　a　jealousy　never　so　vigilant；　a　power　never　so　despotic；　and　a　cruelty　never　so　inexorable。

There　was　a　general　movement　on　the　part　of　the　assemblagea　bending　forward　in　salaam　by　the　more　aged；　a　rising…up　by　the　more　courtierly；　followed　by　low　genuflections；　hands　upon　the　beard　or　breast。

His　observations　taken；　Herod　moved　on　until　at　the　tripod　opposite　the　venerable　Hillel；　who　met　his　cold　glance　with　an　inclination　of　the　head；　and　a　slight　lifting　of　the　hands。

〃The　answer！〃　said　the　king；　with　imperious　simplicity；　addressing　Hillel；　and　planting　his　staff　before　him　with　both　hands。　〃The　answer！〃

The　eyes　of　the　patriarch　glowed　mildly；　and；　raising　his　head；　and　looking　the　inquisitor　full　in　the　fac