ben-hur-第50章

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From　the　bridge　Ben…Hur　went　forward　into　the　nearest　valley。

He　came　to　a　flock　of　sheep。　The　shepherd　was　a　girl；　and　she　beckoned　him；　〃Come！〃

Farther　on；　the　path　was　divided　by　an　altara　pedestal　of　black　gneiss；　capped　with　a　slab　of　white　marble　deftly　foliated；　and　on　that　a　brazier　of　bronze　holding　a　fire。　Close　by　it；　a　woman；　seeing　him；　waved　a　wand　of　willow；　and　as　he　passed　called　him；　〃Stay！〃　And　the　temptation　in　her　smile　was　that　of　passionate　youth。

On　yet　further；　he　met　one　of　the　processions；　at　its　head　a　troop　of　little　girls；　nude　except　as　they　were　covered　with　garlands；　piped　their　shrill　voices　into　a　song；　then　a　troop　of　boys；　also　nude；　their　bodies　deeply　sun…browned；　came　dancing　to　the　song　of　the　girls；　behind　them　the　procession；　all　women；　bearing　baskets　of　spices　and　sweets　to　the　altarswomen　clad　in　simple　robes；　careless　of　exposure。　As　he　went　by　they　held　their　hands　to　him；　and　said；　〃Stay；　and　go　with　us。〃　One；　a　Greek；　sang　a　verse　from　Anacreon：

〃For　to…day　I　take　or　give；　For　to…day　I　drink　and　live；　For　to…day　I　beg　or　borrow；　Who　knows　about　the　silent　morrow？〃

But　he　pursued　his　way　indifferent；　and　came　next　to　a　grove　luxuriant；　in　the　heart　of　the　vale　at　the　point　where　it　would　be　most　attractive　to　the　observing　eye。　As　it　came　close　to　the　path　he　was　travelling；　there　was　a　seduction　in　its　shade；　and　through　the　foliage　he　caught　the　shining　of　what　appeared　a　pretentious　statue；　so　he　turned　aside；　and　entered　the　cool　retreat。

The　grass　was　fresh　and　clean。　The　trees　did　not　crowd　each　other；　and　they　were　of　every　kind　native　to　the　East；　blended　well　with　strangers　adopted　from　far　quarters；　here　grouped　in　exclusive　companionship　palm…trees　plumed　like　queens；　there　sycamores；　overtopping　laurels　of　darker　foliage；　and　evergreen　oaks　rising　verdantly；　with　cedars　vast　enough　to　be　kings　on　Lebanon；　and　mulberries；　and　terebinths　so　beautiful　it　is　not　hyperbole　to　speak　of　them　as　blown　from　the　orchards　of　Paradise。

The　statue　proved　to　be　a　Daphne　of　wondrous　beauty。　Hardly；　however；　had　he　time　to　more　than　glance　at　her　face：　at　the　base　of　the　pedestal　a　girl　and　a　youth　were　lying　upon　a　tiger's　skin　asleep　in　each　other's　arms；　close　by　them　the　implements　of　their　servicehis　axe　and　sickle；　her　basketflung　carelessly　upon　a　heap　of　fading　roses。

The　exposure　startled　him。　Back　in　the　hush　of　the　perfumed　thicket　he　discovered；　as　he　thought；　that　the　charm　of　the　great　Grove　was　peace　without　fear；　and　almost　yielded　to　it；　now；　in　this　sleep　in　the　day's　broad　glarethis　sleep　at　the　feet　of　Daphnehe　read　a　further　chapter　to　which　only　the　vaguest　allusion　is　sufferable。　The　law　of　the　place　was　Love；　but　Love　without　Law。

And　this　was　the　sweet　peace　of　Daphne！

This　the　life's　end　of　her　ministers！

For　this　kings　and　princes　gave　of　their　revenues！

For　this　a　crafty　priesthood　subordinated　natureher　birds　and　brooks　and　lilies；　the　river；　the　labor　of　many　hands；　the　sanctity　of　altars；　the　fertile　power　of　the　sun！

It　would　be　pleasant　now　to　record　that　as　Ben…Hur　pursued　his　walk　assailed　by　such　reflections；　he　yielded　somewhat　to　sorrow　for　the　votaries　of　the　great　outdoor　temple；　especially　for　those　who；　by　personal　service；　kept　it　in　a　state　so　surpassingly　lovely。　How　they　came　to　the　condition　was　not　any　longer　a　mystery；　the　motive；　the　influence；　the　inducement；　were　before　him。　Some　there　were；　no　doubt；　caught　by　the　promise　held　out　to　their　troubled　spirits　of　endless　peace　in　a　consecrated　abode；　to　the　beauty　of　which；　if　they　had　not　money；　they　could　contribute　their　labor；　this　class　implied　intellect　peculiarly　subject　to　hope　and　fear；　but　the　great　body　of　the　faithful　could　not　be　classed　with　such。　Apollo's　nets　were　wide；　and　their　meshes　small；　and　hardly　may　one　tell　what　all　his　fishermen　landed：　this　less　for　that　they　cannot　be　described　than　because　they　ought　not　to　be。　Enough　that　the　mass　were　of　the　sybarites　of　the　world；　and　of　the　herds　in　number　vaster　and　in　degree　lowerdevotees　of　the　unmixed　sensualism　to　which　the　East　was　almost　wholly　given。　Not　to　any　of　the　exaltationsnot　to　the　singing…god；　or　his　unhappy　mistress；　not　to　any　philosophy　requiring　for　its　enjoyment　the　calm　of　retirement；　nor　to　any　service　for　the　comfort　there　is　in　religion；　nor　to　love　in　its　holier　sensewere　they　abiding　their　vows。　Good　reader；　why　shall　not　the　truth　be　told　here？　Why　not　learn　that；　at　this　age；　there　were　in　all　earth　but　two　peoples　capable　of　exaltations　of　the　kind　referred　tothose　who　lived　by　the　law　of　Moses；　and　those　who　lived　by　the　law　of　Brahma。　They　alone　could　have　cried　you；　Better　a　law　without　love　than　a　love　without　law。

Besides　that；　sympathy　is　in　great　degree　a　result　of　the　mood　we　are　in　at　the　moment：　anger　forbids　the　emotion。　On　the　other　hand；　it　is　easiest　taken　on　when　we　are　in　a　state　of　most　absolute　self…satisfaction。　Ben…Hur　walked　with　a　quicker　step；　holding　his　head　higher；　and；　while　not　less　sensitive　to　the　delightfulness　of　all　about　him；　he　made　his　survey　with　calmer　spirit；　though　sometimes　with　curling　lip；　that　is　to　say；　he　could　not　so　soon　forget　how　nearly　he　himself　had　been　imposed　upon。




CHAPTER　VII



In　front　of　Ben…Hur　there　was　a　forest　of　cypress…trees；　each　a　column　tall　and　straight　as　a　mast。　Venturing　into　the　shady　precinct；　he　heard　a　trumpet　gayly　blown；　and　an　instant　after　saw　lying　upon　the　grass　close　by　the　countryman　whom　he　had　run　upon　in　the　road　going　to　the　temples。　The　man　arose；　and　came　to　him。

〃I　give　you　peace　again；〃　he　said；　pleasantly。

〃Thank　you；〃　Ben…Hur　replied；　then　asked；　〃Go　you　my　way？〃

〃I　am　for　the　stadium；　if　that　is　your　way。〃

〃The　stadium！〃

〃Yes。　The　trumpet　you　heard　but　now　was　a　call　for　the　competitors。〃

〃Good　friend；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　frankly；　〃I　admit　my　ignorance　of　the　Grove；　and　if　you　will　let　me　be　your　follower；　I　will　be　glad。〃

〃That　will　delight　me。　Hark！　I　hear　the　wheels　of　the　chariots。　They　are　taking　the　track。〃

Ben…Hur　listened　a　moment；　then　completed　the　introduction　by　laying　his　hand　upon　the　man's　arm；　and　saying；　〃I　am　the　son　of　Arrius；　the　duumvir；　and　thou？〃

〃I　am　Malluch；　a　merchant　of　Antioch。〃

〃Well；　good　Malluch；　the　trumpet；　and　the　gride　of　wheels；　and　the　prospect　of　diversion　excite　me。　I　have　some　skill　in　the　exercises。　In　the　palaestrae　of　Rome　I　am　not　unknown。　Let　us　to　the　course。〃

Malluch　lingered　to　say；　quickly；　〃The　duumvir　was　a　Roman；　yet　I　see　his　son　in　the　garments　of　a　Jew。〃

〃The　noble　Arrius　was　my　father　by　adoption；〃　Ben…Hur　answered。

〃Ah！　I　see；　and　beg　pardon。〃

Passing　through　the　belt　of　forest；　they　came　to　a　field　with　a　track　laid　out　upon　it；　in　shape　and　extent　exactly　like　those　of　the　stadia。　The　course；　or　track　proper；　was　of　soft　earth；　rolled　and　sprinkled；　and　on　both　sides　defined　by　ropes；　stretched　loosely　upon　upright　javelins。　For　the　accommodation　of　spectators；　and　such　as　had　interests　reaching　forward　of　the　mere　practise；　there　were　several　stands　shaded　by　substantial　awnings；　and　provided　with　seats　in　rising　rows。　In　one　of　the　stands　the　two　new…comers　found　places。

Ben…Hur　counted　the　chariots　as　they　went　bynine　in　all。

〃I　commend　the　fellows；〃　he　said；　with　good…will。　〃Here　in　the　East；　I　thought　they　aspired　to　nothing　better　than　the　two；　but　they　are　ambitious；　and　play　with　royal　fours。　Let　us　study　their　performance。〃

Eight　of　the　fours　passed　the　stand；　some　walking；　others　on　the　trot；　and　all　unexceptionably　handled；　then　the　ninth　one　came　on　the　gallop。　Ben…Hur　burst　into　exclamation。

〃I　have　been　in　the　stables　of　the　emperor；　Malluch；　but；　by　our　father　Abraham　of　blessed　memory！　I　never　saw　the　like　of　these。〃

The　last　four　was　then　sweeping　past。　All　at　once　they　fell　into　confusion。　Some　one　on　the　stand　uttered　a　sharp　cry。　Ben…Hur　turned；　and　saw　an　old　man　half…risen　from　an　upper　seat；　his　hands　clenched　and　raised；　his　eyes　fiercely　bright；　his　long　white　beard　fairly　quivering。　Some　of　the　spectators　nearest　him　began　to　laugh。

〃They　should　respect　his　beard　at　least。　Who　is　he？〃　asked　Ben…Hur。

〃A　mi