ben-hur-第40章

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CHAPTER　VI



The　throes　of　recovery　from　drowning　are　more　painful　than　the　drowning。　These　Arrius　passed　through；　and；　at　length；　to　Ben…Hur's　delight；　reached　the　point　of　speech。

Gradually；　from　incoherent　questions　as　to　where　he　was；　and　by　whom　and　how　he　had　been　saved；　he　reverted　to　the　battle。　The　doubt　of　the　victory　stimulated　his　faculties　to　full　return；　a　result　aided　not　a　little　by　a　long　restsuch　as　could　be　had　on　their　frail　support。　After　a　while　he　became　talkative。

〃Our　rescue；　I　see；　depends　upon　the　result　of　the　fight。　I　see　also　what　thou　hast　done　for　me。　To　speak　fairly；　thou　hast　saved　my　life　at　the　risk　of　thy　own。　I　make　the　acknowledgment　broadly；　and；　whatever　cometh；　thou　hast　my　thanks。　More　than　that；　if　fortune　doth　but　serve　me　kindly；　and　we　get　well　out　of　this　peril；　I　will　do　thee　such　favor　as　becometh　a　Roman　who　hath　power　and　opportunity　to　prove　his　gratitude。　Yet；　yet　it　is　to　be　seen　if；　with　thy　good　intent；　thou　hast　really　done　me　a　kindness；　or；　rather；　speaking　to　thy　good…will〃he　hesitated〃I　would　exact　of　thee　a　promise　to　do　me；　in　a　certain　event；　the　greatest　favor　one　man　can　do　anotherand　of　that　let　me　have　thy　pledge　now。〃

〃If　the　thing　be　not　forbidden；　I　will　do　it；〃　Ben…Hur　replied。

Arrius　rested　again。

〃Art　thou；　indeed；　a　son　of　Hur；　the　Jew？〃　he　next　asked。

〃It　is　as　I　have　said。〃

〃I　knew　thy　father〃

Judah　drew　himself　nearer；　for　the　tribune's　voice　was　weakhe　drew　nearer；　and　listened　eagerlyat　last　he　thought　to　hear　of　home。

〃I　knew　him；　and　loved　him；〃　Arrius　continued。

There　was　another　pause；　during　which　something　diverted　the　speaker's　thought。

〃It　cannot　be；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　thou；　a　son　of　his；　hast　not　heard　of　Cato　and　Brutus。　They　were　very　great　men；　and　never　as　great　as　in　death。　In　their　dying；　they　left　this　lawA　Roman　may　not　survive　his　good…fortune。　Art　thou　listening？〃

〃I　hear。〃

〃It　is　a　custom　of　gentlemen　in　Rome　to　wear　a　ring。　There　is　one　on　my　hand。　Take　it　now。〃

He　held　the　hand　to　Judah；　who　did　as　he　asked。

〃Now　put　it　on　thine　own　hand。〃

Ben…Hur　did　so。

〃The　trinket　hath　its　uses；〃　said　Arrius　next。　〃I　have　property　and　money。　I　am　accounted　rich　even　in　Rome。　I　have　no　family。　Show　the　ring　to　my　freedman；　who　hath　control　in　my　absence；　you　will　find　him　in　a　villa　near　Misenum。　Tell　him　how　it　came　to　thee；　and　ask　anything；　or　all　he　may　have；　he　will　not　refuse　the　demand。　If　I　live；　I　will　do　better　by　thee。　I　will　make　thee　free；　and　restore　thee　to　thy　home　and　people；　or　thou　mayst　give　thyself　to　the　pursuit　that　pleaseth　thee　most。　Dost　thou　hear？〃

〃I　could　not　choose　but　hear。〃

〃Then　pledge　me。　By　the　gods〃

〃Nay；　good　tribune；　I　am　a　Jew。〃

〃By　thy　God；　then；　or　in　the　form　most　sacred　to　those　of　thy　faithpledge　me　to　do　what　I　tell　thee　now；　and　as　I　tell　thee；　I　am　waiting；　let　me　have　thy　promise。〃

〃Noble　Arrius；　I　am　warned　by　thy　manner　to　expect　something　of　gravest　concern。　Tell　me　thy　wish　first。〃

〃Wilt　thou　promise　then？〃

〃That　were　to　give　the　pledge；　and　Blessed　be　the　God　of　my　fathers！　yonder　cometh　a　ship！〃

〃In　what　direction？〃

〃From　the　north。〃

〃Canst　thou　tell　her　nationality　by　outward　signs？〃

〃No。　My　service　hath　been　at　the　oars。〃

〃Hath　she　a　flag？〃

〃I　cannot　see　one。〃

Arrius　remained　quiet　some　time；　apparently　in　deep　reflection。

〃Does　the　ship　hold　this　way　yet？〃　he　at　length　asked。

〃Still　this　way。〃

〃Look　for　the　flag　now。〃

〃She　hath　none。〃

〃Nor　any　other　sign？〃

〃She　hath　a　sail　set；　and　is　of　three　banks；　and　cometh　swiftly　that　is　all　I　can　say　of　her。〃

〃A　Roman　in　triumph　would　have　out　many　flags。　She　must　be　an　enemy。　Hear　now；〃　said　Arrius；　becoming　grave　again；　〃hear；　while　yet　I　may　speak。　If　the　galley　be　a　pirate；　thy　life　is　safe；　they　may　not　give　thee　freedom；　they　may　put　thee　to　the　oar　again；　but　they　will　not　kill　thee。　On　the　other　hand；　I〃

The　tribune　faltered。

〃Perpol！〃　he　continued；　resolutely。　〃I　am　too　old　to　submit　to　dishonor。　In　Rome；　let　them　tell　how　Quintus　Arrius；　as　became　a　Roman　tribune；　went　down　with　his　ship　in　the　midst　of　the　foe。　This　is　what　I　would　have　thee　do。　If　the　galley　prove　a　pirate；　push　me　from　the　plank　and　drown　me。　Dost　thou　hear？　Swear　thou　wilt　do　it。〃

〃I　will　not　swear；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　firmly；　〃neither　will　I　do　the　deed。　The　Law；　which　is　to　me　most　binding；　O　tribune；　would　make　me　answerable　for　thy　life。　Take　back　the　ring〃he　took　the　seal　from　his　finger〃take　it　back；　and　all　thy　promises　of　favor　in　the　event　of　delivery　from　this　peril。　The　judgment　which　sent　me　to　the　oar　for　life　made　me　a　slave；　yet　I　am　not　a　slave；　no　more　am　I　thy　freedman。　I　am　a　son　of　Israel；　and　this　moment；　at　least；　my　own　master。　Take　back　the　ring。〃

Arrius　remained　passive。

〃Thou　wilt　not？〃　Judah　continued。　〃Not　in　anger；　then；　nor　in　any　despite；　but　to　free　myself　from　a　hateful　obligation；　I　will　give　thy　gift　to　the　sea。　See；　O　tribune！〃

He　tossed　the　ring　away。　Arrius　heard　the　splash　where　it　struck　and　sank；　though　he　did　not　look。

〃Thou　hast　done　a　foolish　thing；〃　he　said；　〃foolish　for　one　placed　as　thou　art。　I　am　not　dependent　upon　thee　for　death。　Life　is　a　thread　I　can　break　without　thy　help；　and；　if　I　do；　what　will　become　of　thee？　Men　determined　on　death　prefer　it　at　the　hands　of　others；　for　the　reason　that　the　soul　which　Plato　giveth　us　is　rebellious　at　the　thought　of　self…destruction；　that　is　all。　If　the　ship　be　a　pirate；　I　will　escape　from　the　world。　My　mind　is　fixed。　I　am　a　Roman。　Success　and　honor　are　all　in　all。　Yet　I　would　have　served　thee；　thou　wouldst　not。　The　ring　was　the　only　witness　of　my　will　available　in　this　situation。　We　are　both　lost。　I　will　die　regretting　the　victory　and　glory　wrested　from　me；　thou　wilt　live　to　die　a　little　later；　mourning　the　pious　duties　undone　because　of　this　folly。　I　pity　thee。〃

Ben…Hur　saw　the　consequences　of　his　act　more　distinctly　than　before；　yet　he　did　not　falter。

〃In　the　three　years　of　my　servitude；　O　tribune；　thou　wert　the　first　to　look　upon　me　kindly。　No；　no！　There　was　another。〃　The　voice　dropped；　the　eyes　became　humid；　and　he　saw　plainly　as　if　it　were　then　before　him　the　face　of　the　boy　who　helped　him　to　a　drink　by　the　old　well　at　Nazareth。　〃At　least；〃　he　proceeded；　〃thou　wert　the　first　to　ask　me　who　I　was；　and　if；　when　I　reached　out　and　caught　thee；　blind　and　sinking　the　last　time；　I；　too；　had　thought　of　the　many　ways　in　which　thou　couldst　be　useful　to　me　in　my　wretchedness；　still　the　act　was　not　all　selfish；　this　I　pray　you　to　believe。　Moreover；　seeing　as　God　giveth　me　to　know；　the　ends　I　dream　of　are　to　be　wrought　by　fair　means　alone。　As　a　thing　of　conscience；　I　would　rather　die　with　thee　than　be　thy　slayer。　My　mind　is　firmly　set　as　thine；　though　thou　wert　to　offer　me　all　Rome；　O　tribune；　and　it　belonged　to　thee　to　make　the　gift　good；　I　would　not　kill　thee。　Thy　Cato　and　Brutus　were　as　little　children　compared　to　the　Hebrew　whose　law　a　Jew　must　obey。〃

〃But　my　request。　Hast〃

〃Thy　command　would　be　of　more　weight；　and　that　would　not　move　me。　I　have　said。〃

Both　became　silent；　waiting。

Ben…Hur　looked　often　at　the　coming　ship。　Arrius　rested　with　closed　eyes；　indifferent。

〃Art　thou　sure　she　is　an　enemy？〃　Ben…Hur　asked。

〃I　think　so；〃　was　the　reply。

〃She　stops；　and　puts　a　boat　over　the　side。〃

〃Dost　thou　see　her　flag？〃

〃Is　there　no　other　sign　by　which　she　may　be　known　if　Roman？〃

〃If　Roman；　she　hath　a　helmet　over　the　mast's　top。〃

〃Then　be　of　cheer。　I　see　the　helmet。〃

Still　Arrius　was　not　assured。

〃The　men　in　the　small　boat　are　taking　in　the　people　afloat。　Pirates　are　not　humane。〃

〃They　may　need　rowers；〃　Arrius　replied；　recurring；　possibly；　to　times　when　he　had　made　rescues　for　the　purpose。

Ben…Hur　was　very　watchful　of　the　actions　of　the　strangers。

〃The　ship　moves　off；〃　he　said。

〃Whither？〃

〃Over　on　our　right　there　is　a　galley　which　I　take　to　be　deserted。　The　new…comer　heads　towards　it。　Now　she　is　alongside。　Now　she　is　sending　men　aboard。〃

Then　Arrius　opened　his　eyes　and　threw　off　his　calm。

〃Thank　thou　thy　God；〃　he　said　to　Ben…Hur；　after　a　look　at　the　galleys；　〃thank　thou　thy　God；　as　I　do　my　man