ben-hur-第35章

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〃Did　he　give　a　reason？〃

〃He　had　observed　that　the　men　who　are　confined　to　one　side　become　misshapen。　He　also　said　that　some　day　of　storm　or　battle　there　might　be　sudden　need　to　change　him；　and　he　might　then　be　unserviceable。〃

〃Perpol！　The　idea　is　new。　What　else　hast　thou　observed　of　him？〃

〃He　is　cleanly　above　his　companions。〃

〃In　that　he　is　Roman；〃　said　Arrius；　approvingly。　〃Have　you　nothing　of　his　history？〃

〃Not　a　word。〃

The　tribune　reflected　awhile；　and　turned　to　go　to　his　own　seat。

〃If　I　should　be　on　deck　when　his　time　is　up；〃　he　paused　to　say；　〃send　him　to　me。　Let　him　come　alone。〃

About　two　hours　later　Arrius　stood　under　the　aplustre　of　the　galley；　in　the　mood　of　one　who；　seeing　himself　carried　swiftly　towards　an　event　of　mighty　import；　has　nothing　to　do　but　waitthe　mood　in　which　philosophy　vests　an　even…minded　man　with　the　utmost　calm；　and　is　ever　so　serviceable。　The　pilot　sat　with　a　hand　upon　the　rope　by　which　the　rudder　paddles；　one　on　each　side　of　the　vessel；　were　managed。　In　the　shade　of　the　sail　some　sailors　lay　asleep；　and　up　on　the　yard　there　was　a　lookout。　Lifting　his　eyes　from　the　solarium　set　under　the　aplustre　for　reference　in　keeping　the　course；　Arrius　beheld　the　rower　approaching。

〃The　chief　called　thee　the　noble　Arrius；　and　said　it　was　thy　will　that　I　should　seek　thee　here。　I　have　come。〃

Arrius　surveyed　the　figure；　tall；　sinewy；　glistening　in　the　sun；　and　tinted　by　the　rich　red　blood　withinsurveyed　it　admiringly；　and　with　a　thought　of　the　arena；　yet　the　manner　was　not　without　effect　upon　him：　there　was　in　the　voice　a　suggestion　of　life　at　least　partly　spent　under　refining　influences；　the　eyes　were　clear　and　open；　and　more　curious　than　defiant。　To　the　shrewd；　demanding；　masterful　glance　bent　upon　it；　the　face　gave　back　nothing　to　mar　its　youthful　comelinessnothing　of　accusation　or　sullenness　or　menace；　only　the　signs　which　a　great　sorrow　long　borne　imprints；　as　time　mellows　the　surface　of　pictures。　In　tacit　acknowledgment　of　the　effect；　the　Roman　spoke　as　an　older　man　to　a　younger；　not　as　a　master　to　a　slave。

〃The　hortator　tells　me　thou　art　his　best　rower。〃

〃The　hortator　is　very　kind；〃　the　rower　answered。

〃Hast　thou　seen　much　service？〃

〃About　three　years。〃

〃At　the　oars？〃

〃I　cannot　recall　a　day　of　rest　from　them。〃

〃The　labor　is　hard；　few　men　bear　it　a　year　without　breaking；　and　thouthou　art　but　a　boy。〃

〃The　noble　Arrius　forgets　that　the　spirit　hath　much　to　do　with　endurance。　By　its　help　the　weak　sometimes　thrive；　when　the　strong　perish。〃

〃From　thy　speech；　thou　art　a　Jew。〃

〃My　ancestors　further　back　than　the　first　Roman　were　Hebrews。〃

〃The　stubborn　pride　of　thy　race　is　not　lost　in　thee；〃　said　Arrius；　observing　a　flush　upon　the　rower's　face。

〃Pride　is　never　so　loud　as　when　in　chains。〃

〃What　cause　hast　thou　for　pride？〃

〃That　I　am　a　Jew。〃

Arrius　smiled。

〃I　have　not　been　to　Jerusalem；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　heard　of　its　princes。　I　knew　one　of　them。　He　was　a　merchant；　and　sailed　the　seas。　He　was　fit　to　have　been　a　king。　Of　what　degree　art　thou？〃

〃I　must　answer　thee　from　the　bench　of　a　galley。　I　am　of　the　degree　of　slaves。　My　father　was　a　prince　of　Jerusalem；　and；　as　a　merchant；　he　sailed　the　seas。　He　was　known　and　honored　in　the　guest…chamber　of　the　great　Augustus。〃

〃His　name？〃

〃Ithamar；　of　the　house　of　Hur。〃

The　tribune　raised　his　hand　in　astonishment。

〃A　son　of　Hurthou？〃

After　a　silence；　he　asked；

〃What　brought　thee　here？〃

Judah　lowered　his　head；　and　his　breast　labored　hard。　When　his　feelings　were　sufficiently　mastered；　he　looked　the　tribune　in　the　face；　and　answered；

〃I　was　accused　of　attempting　to　assassinate　Valerius　Gratus；　the　procurator。〃

〃Thou！〃　cried　Arrius；　yet　more　amazed；　and　retreating　a　step。　〃Thou　that　assassin！　All　Rome　rang　with　the　story。　It　came　to　my　ship　in　the　river　by　Lodinum。〃

The　two　regarded　each　other　silently。

〃I　thought　the　family　of　Hur　blotted　from　the　earth；〃　said　Arrius；　speaking　first。

A　flood　of　tender　recollections　carried　the　young　man's　pride　away；　tears　shone　upon　his　cheeks。

〃Mothermother！　And　my　little　Tirzah！　Where　are　they？　O　tribune；　noble　tribune；　if　thou　knowest　anything　of　them〃he　clasped　his　hands　in　appeal〃tell　me　all　thou　knowest。　Tell　me　if　they　are　livingif　living；　where　are　they？　and　in　what　condition？　Oh；　I　pray　thee；　tell　me！〃

He　drew　nearer　Arrius；　so　near　that　his　hands　touched　the　cloak　where　it　dropped　from　the　latter's　folded　arms。

〃The　horrible　day　is　three　years　gone；〃　he　continued〃three　years；　O　tribune；　and　every　hour　a　whole　lifetime　of　miserya　lifetime　in　a　bottomless　pit　with　death；　and　no　relief　but　in　laborand　in　all　that　time　not　a　word　from　any　one；　not　a　whisper。　Oh；　if；　in　being　forgotten；　we　could　only　forget！　If　only　I　could　hide　from　that　scenemy　sister　torn　from　me；　my　mother's　last　look！　I　have　felt　the　plague's　breath；　and　the　shock　of　ships　in　battle；　I　have　heard　the　tempest　lashing　the　sea；　and　laughed；　though　others　prayed：　death　would　have　been　a　riddance。　Bend　the　oaryes；　in　the　strain　of　mighty　effort　trying　to　escape　the　haunting　of　what　that　day　occurred。　Think　what　little　will　help　me。　Tell　me　they　are　dead；　if　no　more；　for　happy　they　cannot　be　while　I　am　lost。　I　have　heard　them　call　me　in　the　night；　I　have　seen　them　on　the　water　walking。　Oh；　never　anything　so　true　as　my　mother's　love！　And　Tirzahher　breath　was　as　the　breath　of　white　lilies。　She　was　the　youngest　branch　of　the　palmso　fresh；　so　tender；　so　graceful；　so　beautiful！　She　made　my　day　all　morning。　She　came　and　went　in　music。　And　mine　was　the　hand　that　laid　them　low！　I〃

〃Dost　thou　admit　thy　guilt？〃　asked　Arrius；　sternly。

The　change　that　came　upon　Ben…Hur　was　wonderful　to　see；　it　was　so　instant　and　extreme。　The　voice　sharpened；　the　hands　arose　tight…clenched；　every　fibre　thrilled；　his　eyes　inflamed。

〃Thou　hast　heard　of　the　God　of　my　fathers；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　infinite　Jehovah。　By　his　truth　and　almightiness；　and　by　the　love　with　which　he　hath　followed　Israel　from　the　beginning；　I　swear　I　am　innocent！〃

The　tribune　was　much　moved。

〃O　noble　Roman！〃　continued　Ben…Hur；　〃give　me　a　little　faith；　and；　into　my　darkness；　deeper　darkening　every　day；　send　a　light！〃

Arrius　turned　away；　and　walked　the　deck。

〃Didst　thou　not　have　a　trial？〃　he　asked；　stopping　suddenly。

〃No！〃

The　Roman　raised　his　head；　surprised。

〃No　trialno　witnesses！　Who　passed　judgment　upon　thee？〃

Romans；　it　should　be　remembered；　were　at　no　time　such　lovers　of　the　law　and　its　forms　as　in　the　ages　of　their　decay。

〃They　bound　me　with　cords；　and　dragged　me　to　a　vault　in　the　Tower。　I　saw　no　one。　No　one　spoke　to　me。　Next　day　soldiers　took　me　to　the　seaside。　I　have　been　a　galley…slave　ever　since。〃

〃What　couldst　thou　have　proven？〃

〃I　was　a　boy；　too　young　to　be　a　conspirator。　Gratus　was　a　stranger　to　me。　If　I　had　meant　to　kill　him；　that　was　not　the　time　or　the　place。　He　was　riding　in　the　midst　of　a　legion；　and　it　was　broad　day。　I　could　not　have　escaped。　I　was　of　a　class　most　friendly　to　Rome。　My　father　had　been　distinguished　for　his　services　to　the　emperor。　We　had　a　great　estate　to　lose。　Ruin　was　certain　to　myself；　my　mother；　my　sister。　I　had　no　cause　for　malice；　while　every　considerationproperty；　family；　life；　conscience；　the　Lawto　a　son　of　Israel　as　the　breath　of　his　nostrilswould　have　stayed　my　hand；　though　the　foul　intent　had　been　ever　so　strong。　I　was　not　mad。　Death　was　preferable　to　shame；　and；　believe　me；　I　pray；　it　is　so　yet。〃

〃Who　was　with　thee　when　the　blow　was　struck？〃

〃I　was　on　the　house…topmy　father's　house。　Tirzah　was　with　me　at　my　sidethe　soul　of　gentleness。　Together　we　leaned　over　the　parapet　to　see　the　legion　pass。　A　tile　gave　way　under　my　hand；　and　fell　upon　Gratus。　I　thought　I　had　killed　him。　Ah；　what　horror　I　felt！〃

〃Where　was　thy　mother？〃

〃In　her　chamber　below。〃

〃What　became　of　her？〃

Ben…Hur　clenched　his　hands；　and　drew　a　breath　like　a　gasp。

〃I　do　not　know。　I　saw　them　drag　her　awaythat　is　all　I　know。　Out　of　the　house　they　drove　every　living　thing；　even　the　dumb　cattle；　and　they　sealed　the　gates。　The　purpose　was　that　she　should　not　return。　I；　too；　ask　for　her。　Oh　for　one　word！　She；　at　least；　was　innocent。　I　can　forgivebut　I　pray　th