ben-hur-第28章

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arm　of　childish　innocency　of　expression。　Home…life　and　its　trustful　love　permitted　the　negligent　attire　in　which　she　appeared。　A　chemise　buttoned　upon　the　right　shoulder；　and　passing　loosely　over　the　breast　and　back　and　under　the　left　arm；　but　half　concealed　her　person　above　the　waist；　while　it　left　the　arms　entirely　nude。　A　girdle　caught　the　folds　of　the　garment；　marking　the　commencement　of　the　skirt。　The　coiffure　was　very　simple　and　becominga　silken　cap；　Tyrian…dyed；　and　over　that　a　striped　scarf　of　the　same　material；　beautifully　embroidered；　and　wound　about　in　thin　folds　so　as　to　show　the　shape　of　the　head　without　enlarging　it；　the　whole　finished　by　a　tassel　dropping　from　the　crown　point　of　the　cap。　She　had　rings；　ear　and　finger；　anklets　and　bracelets；　all　of　gold；　and　around　her　neck　there　was　a　collar　of　gold；　curiously　garnished　with　a　network　of　delicate　chains；　to　which　were　pendants　of　pearl。　The　edges　of　her　eyelids　were　painted；　and　the　tips　of　her　fingers　stained。　Her　hair　fell　in　two　long　plaits　down　her　back。　A　curled　lock　rested　upon　each　cheek　in　front　of　the　ear。　Altogether　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　deny　her　grace；　refinement；　and　beauty。

〃Very　pretty；　my　Tirzah；　very　pretty！〃　he　said；　with　animation。

〃The　song？〃　she　asked。

〃Yesand　the　singer；　too。　It　has　the　conceit　of　a　Greek。　Where　did　you　get　it？〃

〃You　remember　the　Greek　who　sang　in　the　theatre　last　month？　They　said　he　used　to　be　a　singer　at　the　court　for　Herod　and　his　sister　Salome。　He　came　out　just　after　an　exhibition　of　wrestlers；　when　the　house　was　full　of　noise。　At　his　first　note　everything　became　so　quiet　that　I　heard　every　word。　I　got　the　song　from　him。〃

〃But　he　sang　in　Greek。〃

〃And　I　in　Hebrew。〃

〃Ah；　yes。　I　am　proud　of　my　little　sister。　Have　you　another　as　good？〃

〃Very　many。　But　let　them　go　now。　Amrah　sent　me　to　tell　you　she　will　bring　you　your　breakfast；　and　that　you　need　not　come　down。　She　should　be　here　by　this　time。　She　thinks　you　sickthat　a　dreadful　accident　happened　you　yesterday。　What　was　it？　Tell　me；　and　I　will　help　Amrah　doctor　you。　She　knows　the　cures　of　the　Egyptians；　who　were　always　a　stupid　set；　but　I　have　a　great　many　recipes　of　the　Arabs　who〃

〃Are　even　more　stupid　than　the　Egyptians；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。

〃Do　you　think　so？　Very　well；　then；〃　she　replied；　almost　without　pause；　and　putting　her　hands　to　her　left　ear。　〃We　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　of　them。　I　have　here　what　is　much　surer　and　betterthe　amulet　which　was　given　to　some　of　our　peopleI　cannot　tell　when；　it　was　so　far　backby　a　Persian　magician。　See；　the　inscription　is　almost　worn　out。〃

She　offered　him　the　earring；　which　he　took；　looked　at；　and　handed　back；　laughing。

〃If　I　were　dying；　Tirzah；　I　could　not　use　the　charm。　It　is　a　relic　of　idolatry；　forbidden　every　believing　son　and　daughter　of　Abraham。　Take　it；　but　do　not　wear　it　any　more。〃

〃Forbidden！　Not　so；〃　she　said。　〃Our　father's　mother　wore　it　I　do　not　know　how　many　Sabbaths　in　her　life。　It　has　cured　I　do　not　know　how　many　peoplemore　than　three　anyhow。　It　is　approved　look；　here　is　the　mark　of　the　rabbis。〃

〃I　have　no　faith　in　amulets。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　his　in　astonishment。

〃What　would　Amrah　say？〃

〃Amrah's　father　and　mother　tended　sakiyeh　for　a　garden　on　the　Nile。〃

〃But　Gamaliel！〃

〃He　says　they　are　godless　inventions　of　unbelievers　and　Shechemites。〃

Tirzah　looked　at　the　ring　doubtfully。

〃What　shall　I　do　with　it？〃

〃Wear　it；　my　little　sister。　It　becomes　youit　helps　make　you　beautiful；　though　I　think　you　that　without　help。〃

Satisfied；　she　returned　the　amulet　to　her　ear　just　as　Amrah　entered　the　summer　chamber；　bearing　a　platter；　with　wash…bowl；　water；　and　napkins。

Not　being　a　Pharisee；　the　ablution　was　short　and　simple　with　Judah。　The　servant　then　went　out；　leaving　Tirzah　to　dress　his　hair。　When　a　lock　was　disposed　to　her　satisfaction；　she　would　unloose　the　small　metallic　mirror　which；　as　was　the　fashion　among　her　fair　countrywomen；　she　wore　at　her　girdle；　and　gave　it　to　him；　that　he　might　see　the　triumph；　and　how　handsome　it　made　him。　Meanwhile　they　kept　up　their　conversation。

〃What　do　you　think；　Tirzah？I　am　going　away。〃

She　dropped　her　hands　with　amazement。

〃Going　away！　When？　Where？　For　what？〃

He　laughed。

〃Three　questions；　all　in　a　breath！　What　a　body　you　are！〃　Next　instant　he　became　serious。　〃You　know　the　law　requires　me　to　follow　some　occupation。　Our　good　father　set　me　an　example。　Even　you　would　despise　me　if　I　spent　in　idleness　the　results　of　his　industry　and　knowledge。　I　am　going　to　Rome。〃

〃Oh；　I　will　go　with　you。〃

〃You　must　stay　with　mother。　If　both　of　us　leave　her　she　will　die。〃

The　brightness　faded　from　her　face。

〃Ah；　yes；　yes！　Butmust　you　go？　Here　in　Jerusalem　you　can　learn　all　that　is　needed　to　be　a　merchantif　that　is　what　you　are　thinking　of。〃

〃But　that　is　not　what　I　am　thinking　of。　The　law　does　not　require　the　son　to　be　what　the　father　was。〃

〃What　else　can　you　be？〃

〃A　soldier；〃　he　replied；　with　a　certain　pride　of　voice。

Tears　came　into　her　eyes。

〃You　will　be　killed。〃

〃If　God's　will；　be　it　so。　But；　Tirzah；　the　soldiers　are　not　all　killed。〃

She　threw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　as　if　to　hold　him　back。

〃We　are　so　happy！　Stay　at　home；　my　brother。〃

〃Home　cannot　always　be　what　it　is。　You　yourself　will　be　going　away　before　long。〃

〃Never！〃

He　smiled　at　her　earnestness。

〃A　prince　of　Judah；　or　some　other　of　one　of　the　tribes；　will　come　soon　and　claim　my　Tirzah；　and　ride　away　with　her；　to　be　the　light　of　another　house。　What　will　then　become　of　me？〃

She　answered　with　sobs。

〃War　is　a　trade；〃　he　continued；　more　soberly。　〃To　learn　it　thoroughly；　one　must　go　to　school；　and　there　is　no　school　like　a　Roman　camp。〃

〃You　would　not　fight　for　Rome？〃　she　asked；　holding　her　breath。

〃And　youeven　you　hate　her。　The　whole　world　hates　her。　In　that；　O　Tirzah；　find　the　reason　of　the　answer　I　give　you　Yes；　I　will　fight　for　her；　if；　in　return；　she　will　teach　me　how　one　day　to　fight　against　her。〃

〃When　will　you　go？〃

Amrah's　steps　were　then　heard　returning。

〃Hist！〃　he　said。　〃Do　not　let　her　know　of　what　I　am　thinking。〃

The　faithful　slave　came　in　with　breakfast；　and　placed　the　waiter　holding　it　upon　a　stool　before　them；　then；　with　white　napkins　upon　her　arm；　she　remained　to　serve　them。　They　dipped　their　fingers　in　a　bowl　of　water；　and　were　rinsing　them；　when　a　noise　arrested　their　attention。　They　listened；　and　distinguished　martial　music　in　the　street　on　the　north　side　of　the　house。

〃Soldiers　from　the　Praetorium！　I　must　see　them；〃　he　cried；　springing　from　the　divan；　and　running　out。

In　a　moment　more　he　was　leaning　over　the　parapet　of　tiles　which　guarded　the　roof　at　the　extreme　northeast　corner；　so　absorbed　that　he　did　not　notice　Tirzah　by　his　side；　resting　one　hand　upon　his　shoulder。

Their　positionthe　roof　being　the　highest　one　in　the　locality　commanded　the　house…tops　eastward　as　far　as　the　huge　irregular　Tower　of　Antonia；　which　has　been　already　mentioned　as　a　citadel　for　the　garrison　and　military　headquarters　for　the　governor。　The　street；　not　more　than　ten　feet　wide；　was　spanned　here　and　there　by　bridges；　open　and　covered；　which；　like　the　roofs　along　the　way；　were　beginning　to　be　occupied　by　men；　women；　and　children；　called　out　by　the　music。　The　word　is　used；　though　it　is　hardly　fitting；　what　the　people　heard　when　they　came　forth　was　rather　an　uproar　of　trumpets　and　the　shriller　litui　so　delightful　to　the　soldiers。

The　array　after　a　while　came　into　view　of　the　two　upon　the　house　of　the　Hurs。　First；　a　vanguard　of　the　light…armedmostly　slingers　and　bowmenmarching　with　wide　intervals　between　their　ranks　and　files；　next　a　body　of　heavy…armed　infantry；　bearing　large　shields；　and　hastoe　longoe；　or　spears　identical　with　those　used　in　the　duels　before　Ilium；　then　the　musicians；　and　then　an　officer　riding　alone；　but　followed　closely　by　a　guard　of　cavalry；　after　them　again；　a　column　of　infantry　also　heavy…armed；　which；　moving　in　close　order；　crowded　the　streets　from　wall　to　wall；　and　appeared　to　be　without　end。

The　brawny　limbs　of　the　men；　the　cadenced　motion　from　right　to　left　of　the　shields；　the　sparkle　of　scales；　buckles；　and　breastplates　and　helms；　all　perfectly　burnished；　th