ben-hur-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　lifted　his　face　from　the　Egyptian's　breast；　they　were　glistening　with　tears。

〃God　only　is　great！〃　he　exclaimed；　when　the　embrace　was　finished。

〃And　blessed　are　they　that　serve　him！〃　the　Egyptian　answered；　wondering　at　the　paraphrase　of　his　own　exclamation。　〃But　let　us　wait；〃　he　added；　〃let　us　wait；　for　see；　the　other　comes　yonder！〃

They　looked　to　the　north；　where；　already　plain　to　view；　a　third　camel；　of　the　whiteness　of　the　others；　came　careening　like　a　ship。　They　waited；　standing　togetherwaited　until　the　new…comer　arrived；　dismounted；　and　advanced　towards　them。

〃Peace　to　you；　O　my　brother！〃　he　said；　while　embracing　the　Hindoo。

And　the　Hindoo　answered；　〃God's　will　be　done！〃

The　last　comer　was　all　unlike　his　friends：　his　frame　was　slighter；　his　complexion　white；　a　mass　of　waving　light　hair　was　a　perfect　crown　for　his　small　but　beautiful　head；　the　warmth　of　his　dark…blue　eyes　certified　a　delicate　mind；　and　a　cordial；　brave　nature。　He　was　bareheaded　and　unarmed。　Under　the　folds　of　the　Tyrian　blanket　which　he　wore　with　unconscious　grace　appeared　a　tunic；　short…sleeved　and　low…necked；　gathered　to　the　waist　by　a　band；　and　reaching　nearly　to　the　knee；　leaving　the　neck；　arms；　and　legs　bare。　Sandals　guarded　his　feet。　Fifty　years；　probably　more；　had　spent　themselves　upon　him；　with　no　other　effect；　apparently；　than　to　tinge　his　demeanor　with　gravity　and　temper　his　words　with　forethought。　The　physical　organization　and　the　brightness　of　soul　were　untouched。　No　need　to　tell　the　student　from　what　kindred　he　was　sprung；　if　he　came　not　himself　from　the　groves　of　Athene'；　his　ancestry　did。

When　his　arms　fell　from　the　Egyptian；　the　latter　said；　with　a　tremulous　voice；　〃The　Spirit　brought　me　first；　wherefore　I　know　myself　chosen　to　be　the　servant　of　my　brethren。　The　tent　is　set；　and　the　bread　is　ready　for　the　breaking。　Let　me　perform　my　office。〃

Taking　each　by　the　hand；　he　led　them　within；　and　removed　their　sandals　and　washed　their　feet；　and　he　poured　water　upon　their　hands；　and　dried　them　with　napkins。

Then；　when　he　had　laved　his　own　hands；　he　said；　〃Let　us　take　care　of　ourselves；　brethren；　as　our　service　requires；　and　eat；　that　we　may　be　strong　for　what　remains　of　the　day's　duty。　While　we　eat；　we　will　each　learn　who　the　others　are；　and　whence　they　come；　and　how　they　are　called。〃

He　took　them　to　the　repast；　and　seated　them　so　that　they　faced　each　other。　Simultaneously　their　heads　bent　forward；　their　hands　crossed　upon　their　breasts；　and；　speaking　together；　they　said　aloud　this　simple　grace：

〃Father　of　allGod！what　we　have　here　is　of　thee；　take　our　thanks　and　bless　us；　that　we　may　continue　to　do　thy　will。〃

With　the　last　word　they　raised　their　eyes；　and　looked　at　each　other　in　wonder。　Each　had　spoken　in　a　language　never　before　heard　by　the　others；　yet　each　understood　perfectly　what　was　said。　Their　souls　thrilled　with　divine　emotion；　for　by　the　miracle　they　recognized　the　Divine　Presence。




CHAPTER　III



To　speak　in　the　style　of　the　period；　the　meeting　just　described　took　place　in　the　year　of　Rome　747。　The　month　was　December；　and　winter　reigned　over　all　the　regions　east　of　the　Mediterranean。　Such　as　ride　upon　the　desert　in　this　season　go　not　far　until　smitten　with　a　keen　appetite。　The　company　under　the　little　tent　were　not　exceptions　to　the　rule。　They　were　hungry；　and　ate　heartily；　and；　after　the　wine；　they　talked。

〃To　a　wayfarer　in　a　strange　land　nothing　is　so　sweet　as　to　hear　his　name　on　the　tongue　of　a　friend；〃　said　the　Egyptian；　who　assumed　to　be　president　of　the　repast。　〃Before　us　lie　many　days　of　companionship。　It　is　time　we　knew　each　other。　So；　if　it　be　agreeable；　he　who　came　last　shall　be　first　to　speak。〃

Then；　slowly　at　first；　like　one　watchful　of　himself；　the　Greek　began：

〃What　I　have　to　tell；　my　brethren；　is　so　strange　that　I　hardly　know　where　to　begin　or　what　I　may　with　propriety　speak。　I　do　not　yet　understand　myself。　The　most　I　am　sure　of　is　that　I　am　doing　a　Master's　will；　and　that　the　service　is　a　constant　ecstasy。　When　I　think　of　the　purpose　I　am　sent　to　fulfil；　there　is　in　me　a　joy　so　inexpressible　that　I　know　the　will　is　God's。〃

The　good　man　paused；　unable　to　proceed；　while　the　others；　in　sympathy　with　his　feelings；　dropped　their　gaze。

〃Far　to　the　west　of　this；〃　he　began　again；　〃there　is　a　land　which　may　never　be　forgotten；　if　only　because　the　world　is　too　much　its　debtor；　and　because　the　indebtedness　is　for　things　that　bring　to　men　their　purest　pleasures。　I　will　say　nothing　of　the　arts；　nothing　of　philosophy；　of　eloquence；　of　poetry；　of　war：　O　my　brethren；　hers　is　the　glory　which　must　shine　forever　in　perfected　letters；　by　which　He　we　go　to　find　and　proclaim　will　be　made　known　to　all　the　earth。　The　land　I　speak　of　is　Greece。　I　am　Gaspar；　son　of　Cleanthes　the　Athenian。

〃My　people；〃　he　continued；　〃were　given　wholly　to　study；　and　from　them　I　derived　the　same　passion。　It　happens　that　two　of　our　philosophers；　the　very　greatest　of　the　many；　teach；　one　the　doctrine　of　a　Soul　in　every　man；　and　its　Immortality；　the　other　the　doctrine　of　One　God；　infinitely　just。　From　the　multitude　of　subjects　about　which　the　schools　were　disputing；　I　separated　them；　as　alone　worth　the　labor　of　solution；　for　I　thought　there　was　a　relation　between　God　and　the　soul　as　yet　unknown。　On　this　theme　the　mind　can　reason　to　a　point；　a　dead；　impassable　wall；　arrived　there；　all　that　remains　is　to　stand　and　cry　aloud　for　help。　So　I　did；　but　no　voice　came　to　me　over　the　wall。　In　despair；　I　tore　myself　from　the　cities　and　the　schools。〃

At　these　words　a　grave　smile　of　approval　lighted　the　gaunt　face　of　the　Hindoo。

〃In　the　northern　part　of　my　countryin　Thessaly；〃　the　Greek　proceeded　to　say；　〃there　is　a　mountain　famous　as　the　home　of　the　gods；　where　Theus；　whom　my　countrymen　believe　supreme；　has　his　abode；　Olympus　is　its　name。　Thither　I　betook　myself。　I　found　a　cave　in　a　hill　where　the　mountain；　coming　from　the　west；　bends　to　the　southeast；　there　I　dwelt；　giving　myself　up　to　meditationno；　I　gave　myself　up　to　waiting　for　what　every　breath　was　a　prayerfor　revelation。　Believing　in　God；　invisible　yet　supreme；　I　also　believed　it　possible　so　to　yearn　for　him　with　all　my　soul　that　he　would　take　compassion　and　give　me　answer。〃

〃And　he　didhe　did！〃　exclaimed　the　Hindoo；　lifting　his　hands　from　the　silken　cloth　upon　his　lap。

〃Hear　me；　brethren；〃　said　the　Greek；　calming　himself　with　an　effort。　〃The　door　of　my　hermitage　looks　over　an　arm　of　the　sea；　over　the　Thermaic　Gulf。　One　day　I　saw　a　man　flung　overboard　from　a　ship　sailing　by。　He　swam　ashore。　I　received　and　took　care　of　him。　He　was　a　Jew；　learned　in　the　history　and　laws　of　his　people；　and　from　him　I　came　to　know　that　the　God　of　my　prayers　did　indeed　exist；　and　had　been　for　ages　their　lawmaker；　ruler；　and　king。　What　was　that　but　the　Revelation　I　dreamed　of？　My　faith　had　not　been　fruitless；　God　answered　me！〃

〃As　he　does　all　who　cry　to　him　with　such　faith；〃　said　the　Hindoo。

〃But；　alas！〃　the　Egyptian　added；　〃how　few　are　there　wise　enough　to　know　when　he　answers　them！〃

〃That　was　not　all；〃　the　Greek　continued。　〃The　man　so　sent　to　me　told　me　more。　He　said　the　prophets　who；　in　the　ages　which　followed　the　first　revelation；　walked　and　talked　with　God；　declared　he　would　come　again。　He　gave　me　the　names　of　the　prophets；　and　from　the　sacred　books　quoted　their　very　language。　He　told　me；　further；　that　the　second　coming　was　at　handwas　looked　for　momentarily　in　Jerusalem。〃

The　Greek　paused；　and　the　brightness　of　his　countenance　faded。

〃It　is　true；〃　he　said；　after　a　little〃it　is　true　the　man　told　me　that　as　God　and　the　revelation　of　which　he　spoke　had　been　for　the　Jews　alone；　so　it　would　be　again。　He　that　was　to　come　should　be　King　of　the　Jews。　'Had　he　nothing　for　the　rest　of　the　world？'　I　asked。　'No；'　was　the　answer；　given　in　a　proud　voice'No；　we　are　his　chosen　people。'　The　answer　did　not　crush　my　hope。　Why　should　such　a　God　limit　his　love　and　benefaction　to　one　land；　and；　as　it　were；　to　one　family？　I　set　my　heart　upon　knowing。　At　last　I　broke　through　the　man's　pride；　and　found　that　his　fathers　had　been　merely　chosen　servants　to　keep　the　Truth　alive；　that　the　world　might　at　last　know　it　and　be　saved。　When　the　Jew　was　gone；　and　I　was　alone　again；　I　chastened　my　sou