ben-hur-第54章

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xity；　Ben…Hur　himself　came　to　his　help。　He　laid　his　hand　on　Malluch's　arm　and　drew　him　out　of　the　crowd；　which　was　already　going　back　to　its　interest　in　the　gray　old　priest　and　the　mystic　fountain。

〃Good　Malluch；〃　he　said；　stopping；　〃may　a　man　forget　his　mother？〃

The　question　was　abrupt　and　without　direction；　and　therefore　of　the　kind　which　leaves　the　person　addressed　in　a　state　of　confusion。　Malluch　looked　into　Ben…Hur's　face　for　a　hint　of　meaning；　but　saw；　instead；　two　bright…red　spots；　one　on　each　cheek；　and　in　his　eyes　traces　of　what　might　have　been　repressed　tears；　then　he　answered；　mechanically；　〃No！〃　adding；　with　fervor；　〃never；〃　and　a　moment　after；　when　he　began　to　recover　himself；　〃If　he　is　an　Israelite；　never！〃　And　when　at　length　he　was　completely　recovered〃My　first　lesson　in　the　synagogue　was　the　Shema；　my　next　was　the　saying　of　the　son　of　Sirach；　'Honor　thy　father　with　thy　whole　soul；　and　forget　not　the　sorrows　of　thy　mother。'〃

The　red　spots　on　Ben…Hur's　face　deepened。

〃The　words　bring　my　childhood　back　again；　and；　Malluch；　they　prove　you　a　genuine　Jew。　I　believe　I　can　trust　you。〃

Ben…Hur　let　go　the　arm　he　was　holding；　and　caught　the　folds　of　the　gown　covering　his　own　breast；　and　pressed　them　close；　as　if　to　smother　a　pain；　or　a　feeling　there　as　sharp　as　a　pain。

〃My　father；〃　he　said；　〃bore　a　good　name；　and　was　not　without　honor　in　Jerusalem；　where　he　dwelt。　My　mother；　at　his　death；　was　in　the　prime　of　womanhood；　and　it　is　not　enough　to　say　of　her　she　was　good　and　beautiful：　in　her　tongue　was　the　law　of　kindness；　and　her　works　were　the　praise　of　all　in　the　gates；　and　she　smiled　at　days　to　come。　I　had　a　little　sister；　and　she　and　I　were　the　family；　and　we　were　so　happy　that　I；　at　least；　have　never　seen　harm　in　the　saying　of　the　old　rabbi；　'God　could　not　be　everywhere；　and；　therefore；　he　made　mothers。'　One　day　an　accident　happened　to　a　Roman　in　authority　as　he　was　riding　past　our　house　at　the　head　of　a　cohort；　the　legionaries　burst　the　gate　and　rushed　in　and　seized　us。　I　have　not　seen　my　mother　or　sister　since。　I　cannot　say　they　are　dead　or　living。　I　do　not　know　what　became　of　them。　But；　Malluch；　the　man　in　the　chariot　yonder　was　present　at　the　separation；　he　gave　us　over　to　the　captors；　he　heard　my　mother's　prayer　for　her　children；　and　he　laughed　when　they　dragged　her　away。　Hardly　may　one　say　which　graves　deepest　in　memory；　love　or　hate。　To…day　I　knew　him　afarand；　Malluch〃

He　caught　the　listener's　arm　again。

〃And；　Malluch；　he　knows　and　takes　with　him　now　the　secret　I　would　give　my　life　for：　he　could　tell　if　she　lives；　and　where　she　is；　and　her　condition；　if　sheno；　THEYmuch　sorrow　has　made　the　two　as　oneif　they　are　dead；　he　could　tell　where　they　died；　and　of　what；　and　where　their　bones　await　my　finding。〃

〃And　will　he　not？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　am　a　Jew；　and　he　is　a　Roman。〃

〃But　Romans　have　tongues；　and　Jews；　though　ever　so　despised；　have　methods　to　beguile　them。〃

〃For　such　as　he？　No；　and；　besides；　the　secret　is　one　of　state。　All　my　father's　property　was　confiscated　and　divided。〃

Malluch　nodded　his　head　slowly；　much　as　to　admit　the　argument；　then　he　asked　anew；　〃Did　he　not　recognize　you？〃

〃He　could　not。　I　was　sent　to　death　in　life；　and　have　been　long　since　accounted　of　the　dead。〃

〃I　wonder　you　did　not　strike　him；〃　said　Malluch；　yielding　to　a　touch　of　passion。

〃That　would　have　been　to　put　him　past　serving　me　forever。　I　would　have　had　to　kill　him；　and　Death；　you　know；　keeps　secrets　better　even　than　a　guilty　Roman。〃

The　man　who；　with　so　much　to　avenge；　could　so　calmly　put　such　an　opportunity　aside　must　be　confident　of　his　future　or　have　ready　some　better　design；　and　Malluch's　interest　changed　with　the　thought；　it　ceased　to　be　that　of　an　emissary　in　duty　bound　to　another。　Ben…Hur　was　actually　asserting　a　claim　upon　him　for　his　own　sake。　In　other　words；　Malluch　was　preparing　to　serve　him　with　good　heart　and　from　downright　admiration。

After　brief　pause；　Ben…Hur　resumed　speaking。

〃I　would　not　take　his　life；　good　Malluch；　against　that　extreme　the　possession　of　the　secret　is　for　the　present；　at　least；　his　safeguard；　yet　I　may　punish　him；　and　so　you　give　me　help；　I　will　try。〃

〃He　is　a　Roman；〃　said　Malluch；　without　hesitation；　〃and　I　am　of　the　tribe　of　Judah。　I　will　help　you。　If　you　choose；　put　me　under　oathunder　the　most　solemn　oath。〃

〃Give　me　your　hand；　that　will　suffice。〃

As　their　hands　fell　apart；　Ben…Hur　said；　with　lightened　feeling；　〃That　I　would　charge　you　with　is　not　difficult；　good　friend；　neither　is　it　dreadful　to　conscience。　Let　us　move　on。〃

They　took　the　road　which　led　to　the　right　across　the　meadow　spoken　of　in　the　description　of　the　coming　to　the　fountain。　Ben…Hur　was　first　to　break　the　silence。

〃Do　you　know　Sheik　Ilderim　the　Generous？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　is　his　Orchard　of　Palms？　or；　rather；　Malluch；　how　far　is　it　beyond　the　village　of　Daphne？〃

Malluch　was　touched　by　a　doubt；　he　recalled　the　prettiness　of　the　favor　shown　him　by　the　woman　at　the　fountain；　and　wondered　if　he　who　had　the　sorrows　of　a　mother　in　mind　was　about　to　forget　them　for　a　lure　of　love；　yet　he　replied；　〃The　Orchard　of　Palms　lies　beyond　the　village　two　hours　by　horse；　and　one　by　swift　camel。〃

〃Thank　you；　and　to　your　knowledge　once　more。　Have　the　games　of　which　you　told　me　been　widely　published？　and　when　will　they　take　place？〃

The　questions　were　suggestive；　and　if　they　did　not　restore　Malluch　his　confidence；　they　at　least　stimulated　his　curiosity。

〃Oh　yes；　they　will　be　of　ample　splendor。　The　prefect　is　rich；　and　could　afford　to　lose　his　place；　yet；　as　is　the　way　with　successful　men；　his　love　of　riches　is　nowise　diminished；　and　to　gain　a　friend　at　court；　if　nothing　more；　he　must　make　ado　for　the　Consul　Maxentius；　who　is　coming　hither　to　make　final　preparations　for　a　campaign　against　the　Parthians。　The　money　there　is　in　the　preparations　the　citizens　of　Antioch　know　from　experience；　so　they　have　had　permission　to　join　the　prefect　in　the　honors　intended　for　the　great　man。　A　month　ago　heralds　went　to　the　four　quarters　to　proclaim　the　opening　of　the　Circus　for　the　celebration。　The　name　of　the　prefect　would　be　of　itself　good　guarantee　of　variety　and　magnificence；　particularly　throughout　the　East；　but　when　to　his　promises　Antioch　joins　hers；　all　the　islands　and　the　cities　by　the　sea　stand　assured　of　the　extraordinary；　and　will　be　here　in　person　or　by　their　most　famous　professionals。　The　fees　offered　are　royal。〃

〃And　the　CircusI　have　heard　it　is　second　only　to　the　Maximus。〃

〃At　Rome；　you　mean。　Well；　ours　seats　two　hundred　thousand　people；　yours　seats　seventy…five　thousand　more；　yours　is　of　marble；　so　is　ours；　in　arrangement　they　are　exactly　the　same。〃

〃Are　the　rules　the　same？〃

Malluch　smiled。

〃If　Antioch　dared　be　original；　son　of　Arrius；　Rome　would　not　be　the　mistress　she　is。　The　laws　of　the　Circus　Maximus　govern　except　in　one　particular：　there　but　four　chariots　may　start　at　once；　here　all　start　without　reference　to　number。〃

〃That　is　the　practise　of　the　Greeks；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃Yes；　Antioch　is　more　Greek　than　Roman。〃

〃So　then；　Malluch；　I　may　choose　my　own　chariot？〃

〃Your　own　chariot　and　horses。　There　is　no　restriction　upon　either。〃

While　replying；　Malluch　observed　the　thoughtful　look　on　Ben…Hur's　face　give　place　to　one　of　satisfaction。

〃One　thing　more　now；　O　Malluch。　When　will　the　celebration　be？〃

〃Ah！　your　pardon；〃　the　other　answered。　〃To…morrowand　the　next　day；〃　he　said；　counting　aloud；　〃then；　to　speak　in　the　Roman　style；　if　the　sea…gods　be　propitious；　the　consul　arrives。　Yes；　the　sixth　day　from　this　we　have　the　games。〃

〃The　time　is　short；　Malluch；　but　it　is　enough。〃　The　last　words　were　spoken　decisively。　〃By　the　prophets　of　our　old　Israel！　I　will　take　to　the　reins　again。　Stay！　a　condition；　is　there　assurance　that　Messala　will　be　a　competitor？〃

Malluch　saw　now　the　plan；　and　all　its　opportunities　for　the　humiliation　of　the　Roman；　and　he　had　not　been　true　descendant　of　Jacob　if；　with　all　his　interest　wakened；　he　had　not　rushed　to　a　consideration　of　the　chances。　His　voice　actually　trembled　as　he　said；　〃Have　you　the　practise？〃

〃Fear　not；　my　friend。　The　winners　in　the　Circus　Maximus　have　held　their　crowns　these　three　years　at　my　will。　Ask　t