ben-hur-第58章

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〃Thank　you；　thank　you；　Malluch；〃　he　said；　heartily；　at　the　conclusion；　〃you　have　done　wellno　one　could　have　done　better。　Now　what　say　you　of　the　young　man's　nationality？〃

〃He　is　an　Israelite；　good　master；　and　of　the　tribe　of　Judah。〃

〃You　are　positive？〃

〃Very　positive。〃

〃He　appears　to　have　told　you　but　little　of　his　life。〃

〃He　has　somewhere　reamed　to　be　prudent。　I　might　call　him　distrustful。　He　baffled　all　my　attempts　upon　his　confidence　until　we　started　from　the　Castalian　fount　going　to　the　village　of　Daphne。〃

〃A　place　of　abomination！　Why　went　he　there？〃

〃I　would　say　from　curiosity；　the　first　motive　of　the　many　who　go；　but；　very　strangely；　he　took　no　interest　in　the　things　he　saw。　Of　the　Temple；　he　merely　asked　if　it　were　Grecian。　Good　master；　the　young　man　has　a　trouble　of　mind　from　which　he　would　hide；　and　he　went　to　the　Grove；　I　think；　as　we　go　to　sepulchres　with　our　deadhe　went　to　bury　it。〃

〃That　were　well；　if　so；〃　Simonides　said；　in　a　low　voice；　then　louder；　〃Malluch；　the　curse　of　the　time　is　prodigality。　The　poor　make　themselves　poorer　as　apes　of　the　rich；　and　the　merely　rich　carry　themselves　like　princes。　Saw　you　signs　of　the　weakness　in　the　youth？　Did　he　display　moneyscoin　of　Rome　or　Israel？〃

〃None；　none；　good　master。〃

〃Surely；　Malluch；　where　there　are　so　many　inducements　to　follyso　much；　I　mean；　to　eat　and　drinksurely　he　made　you　generous　offer　of　some　sort。　His　age；　if　nothing　more；　would　warrant　that　much。〃

〃He　neither　ate　nor　drank　in　my　company。〃

〃In　what　he　said　or　did；　Malluch；　could　you　in　anywise　detect　his　master…idea？　You　know　they　peep　through　cracks　close　enough　to　stop　the　wind。〃

〃Give　me　to　understand　you；〃　said　Malluch；　in　doubt。

〃Well；　you　know　we　nor　speak　nor　act；　much　less　decide　grave　questions　concerning　ourselves；　except　as　we　be　driven　by　a　motive。　In　that　respect；　what　made　you　of　him？〃

〃As　to　that；　Master　Simonides；　I　can　answer　with　much　assurance。　He　is　devoted　to　finding　his　mother　and　sisterthat　first。　Then　he　has　a　grievance　against　Rome；　and　as　the　Messala　of　whom　I　told　you　had　something　to　do　with　the　wrong；　the　great　present　object　is　to　humiliate　him。　The　meeting　at　the　fountain　furnished　an　opportunity；　but　it　was　put　aside　as　not　sufficiently　public。〃

〃The　Messala　is　influential；〃　said　Simonides；　thoughtfully。

〃Yes；　but　the　next　meeting　will　be　in　the　Circus。〃

〃Welland　then？〃

〃The　son　of　Arrius　will　win。〃

〃How　know　you？〃

Malluch　smiled。

〃I　am　judging　by　what　he　says。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃No；　there　is　a　much　better　signhis　spirit。〃

〃Ay；　but；　Malluch；　his　idea　of　vengeancewhat　is　its　scope？　Does　he　limit　it　to　the　few　who　did　him　the　wrong；　or　does　he　take　in　the　many？　And　moreis　his　feeling　but　the　vagary　of　a　sensitive　boy；　or　has　it　the　seasoning　of　suffering　manhood　to　give　it　endurance？　You　know；　Malluch；　the　vengeful　thought　that　has　root　merely　in　the　mind　is　but　a　dream　of　idlest　sort　which　one　clear　day　will　dissipate；　while　revenge　the　passion　is　a　disease　of　the　heart　which　climbs　up；　up　to　the　brain；　and　feeds　itself　on　both　alike。〃

In　this　question；　Simonides　for　the　first　time　showed　signs　of　feeling；　he　spoke　with　rapid　utterance；　and　with　clenched　hands　and　the　eagerness　of　a　man　illustrating　the　disease　he　described。

〃Good　my　master；〃　Malluch　replied；　〃one　of　my　reasons　for　believing　the　young　man　a　Jew　is　the　intensity　of　his　hate。　It　was　plain　to　me　he　had　himself　under　watch；　as　was　natural；　seeing　how　long　he　has　lived　in　an　atmosphere　of　Roman　jealousy；　yet　I　saw　it　blazeonce　when　he　wanted　to　know　Ilderim's　feeling　towards　Rome；　and　again　when　I　told　him　the　story　of　the　sheik　and　the　wise　man；　and　spoke　of　the　question；　'Where　is　he　that　is　born　King　of　the　Jews？'〃

Simonides　leaned　forward　quickly。

〃Ah；　Malluch；　his　wordsgive　me　his　words；　let　me　judge　the　impression　the　mystery　made　upon　him。〃

〃He　wanted　to　know　the　exact　words。　Were　they　TO　BE　or　BORN　TO　BE？　It　appeared　he　was　struck　by　a　seeming　difference　in　the　effect　of　the　two　phrases。〃

Simonides　settled　back　into　his　pose　of　listening　judge。

〃Then；〃　said　Malluch；　〃I　told　him　Ilderim's　view　of　the　mysterythat　the　king　would　come　with　the　doom　of　Rome。　The　young　man's　blood　rose　over　his　cheeks　and　forehead；　and　he　said　earnestly；　'Who　but　a　Herod　can　be　king　while　Rome　endures？'〃

〃Meaning　what？〃

〃That　the　empire　must　be　destroyed　before　there　could　be　another　rule。〃

Simonides　gazed　for　a　time　at　the　ships　and　their　shadows　slowly　swinging　together　in　the　river；　when　he　looked　up；　it　was　to　end　the　interview。

〃Enough；　Malluch；〃　he　said。　〃Get　you　to　eat；　and　make　ready　to　return　to　the　Orchard　of　Palms；　you　must　help　the　young　man　in　his　coming　trial。　Come　to　me　in　the　morning。　I　will　send　a　letter　to　IIderim。〃　Then　in　an　undertone；　as　if　to　himself；　he　added；　〃I　may　attend　the　Circus　myself。〃

When　Malluch　after　the　customary　benediction　given　and　received　was　gone；　Simonides　took　a　deep　draught　of　milk；　and　seemed　refreshed　and　easy　of　mind。

〃Put　the　meal　down；　Esther；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　over。〃

She　obeyed。

〃Here　now。〃

She　resumed　her　place　upon　the　arm　of　the　chair　close　to　him。

〃God　is　good　to　me；　very　good；〃　he　said；　fervently。　〃His　habit　is　to　move　in　mystery；　yet　sometimes　he　permits　us　to　think　we　see　and　understand　him。　I　am　old；　dear；　and　must　go；　but　now；　in　this　eleventh　hour；　when　my　hope　was　beginning　to　die；　he　sends　me　this　one　with　a　promise；　and　I　am　lifted　up。　I　see　the　way　to　a　great　part　in　a　circumstance　itself　so　great　that　it　shall　be　as　a　new　birth　to　the　whole　world。　And　I　see　a　reason　for　the　gift　of　my　great　riches；　and　the　end　for　which　they　were　designed。　Verily；　my　child；　I　take　hold　on　life　anew。〃

Esther　nestled　closer　to　him；　as　if　to　bring　his　thoughts　from　their　far…flying。

〃The　king　has　been　born〃　he　continued；　imagining　he　was　still　speaking　to　her；　〃and　he　must　be　near　the　half　of　common　life。　Balthasar　says　he　was　a　child　on　his　mother's　lap　when　he　saw　him；　and　gave　him　presents　and　worship；　and　Ilderim　holds　it　was　twenty…seven　years　ago　last　December　when　Balthasar　and　his　companions　came　to　his　tent　asking　a　hiding…place　from　Herod。　Wherefore　the　coming　cannot　now　be　long　delayed。　To…nightto…morrow　it　may　be。　Holy　fathers　of　Israel；　what　happiness　in　the　thought！　I　seem　to　hear　the　crash　of　the　falling　of　old　walls　and　the　clamor　of　a　universal　changeay；　and　for　the　uttermost　joy　of　men；　the　earth　opens　to　take　Rome　in；　and　they　look　up　and　laugh　and　sing　that　she　is　not；　while　we　are；〃　then　he　laughed　at　himself。　〃Why；　Esther；　heard　you　ever　the　like？　Surely；　I　have　on　me　the　passion　of　a　singer；　the　heat　of　blood　and　the　thrill　of　Miriam　and　David。　In　my　thoughts；　which　should　be　those　of　a　plain　worker　in　figures　and　facts；　there　is　a　confusion　of　cymbals　clashing　and　harp…strings　loud　beaten；　and　the　voices　of　a　multitude　standing　around　a　new…risen　throne。　I　will　put　the　thinking　by　for　the　present；　only；　dear；　when　the　king　comes　he　will　need　money　and　men；　for　as　he　was　a　child　born　of　woman　he　will　be　but　a　man　after　all；　bound　to　human　ways　as　you　and　I　are。　And　for　the　money　he　will　have　need　of　getters　and　keepers；　and　for　the　men　leaders。　There；　there！　See　you　not　a　broad　road　for　my　walking；　and　the　running　of　the　youth　our　master？and　at　the　end　of　it　glory　and　revenge　for　us　both？andand〃he　paused；　struck　with　the　selfishness　of　a　scheme　in　which　she　had　no　part　or　good　result；　then　added；　kissing　her；　〃And　happiness　for　thy　mother's　child。〃

She　sat　still；　saying　nothing。　Then　he　remembered　the　difference　in　natures；　and　the　law　by　which　we　are　not　permitted　always　to　take　delight　in　the　same　cause　or　be　equally　afraid　of　the　same　thing。　He　remembered　she　was　but　a　girl。

〃Of　what　are　you　thinking；　Esther？〃　he　said；　in　his　common　home…like　way。　〃If　the　thought　have　the　form　of　a　wish；　give　it　me；　little　one；　while　the　power　remains　mine。　For　power；　you　know；　is　a　fretful　thing；　and　hath　its　wings　always　spread　for　flight。〃

She　answered　with　a　simplicity　almost　childish；

〃Send　for　him；　father。　Send　for　him　to…night；　and　do　not　let　him　go　into　the　Circus。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　prolonging　the　exclamation；　and　again　his　eyes　fell