ben-hur-第71章

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　men：　if　bold；　the　better　of　scolding；　if　timid；　the　better　of　praise　and　flattery。　Let　the　servants　bring　me　the　harness。〃

〃And　the　chariot？〃　asked　the　sheik。

〃I　will　let　the　chariot　alone　to…day。　In　its　place；　let　them　bring　me　a　fifth　horse；　if　thou　hast　it；　he　should　be　barebacked；　and　fleet　as　the　others。〃

Ilderim's　wonder　was　aroused；　and　he　summoned　a　servant　immediately。

〃Bid　them　bring　the　harness　for　the　four；〃　he　said〃the　harness　for　the　four；　and　the　bridle　for　Sirius。〃

Ilderim　then　arose。

〃Sirius　is　my　love；　and　I　am　his；　O　son　of　Arrius。　We　have　been　comrades　for　twenty　yearsin　tent；　in　battle；　in　all　stages　of　the　desert　we　have　been　comrades。　I　will　show　him　to　you。〃

Going　to　the　division　curtain；　he　held　it；　while　Ben…Hur　passed　under。　The　horses　came　to　him　in　a　body。　One　with　a　small　head；　luminous　eyes；　neck　like　the　segment　of　a　bended　bow；　and　mighty　chest；　curtained　thickly　by　a　profusion　of　mane　soft　and　wavy　as　a　damsel's　locks；　nickered　low　and　gladly　at　sight　of　him。

〃Good　horse；〃　said　the　sheik；　patting　the　dark…brown　cheek。　〃Good　horse；　good…morning。〃　Turning　then　to　Ben…Hur；　he　added；　〃This　is　Sirius；　father　of　the　four　here。　Mira；　the　mother；　awaits　our　return；　being　too　precious　to　be　hazarded　in　a　region　where　there　is　a　stronger　hand　than　mine。　And　much　I　doubt；〃　he　laughed　as　he　spoke〃much　I　doubt；　O　son　of　Arrius；　if　the　tribe　could　endure　her　absence。　She　is　their　glory；　they　worship　her；　did　she　gallop　over　them；　they　would　laugh。　Ten　thousand　horsemen；　sons　of　the　desert；　will　ask　to…day；　'Have　you　heard　of　Mira？'　And　to　the　answer；　'She　is　well；'　they　will　say；　'God　is　good！　blessed　be　God！'〃

〃MiraSiriusnames　of　stars；　are　they　not；　O　sheik？〃　asked　Ben…Hur；　going　to　each　of　the　four；　and　to　the　sire；　offering　his　hand。

〃And　why　not？〃　replied　Ilderim。　〃Wert　thou　ever　abroad　on　the　desert　at　night？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　thou　canst　not　know　how　much　we　Arabs　depend　upon　the　stars。　We　borrow　their　names　in　gratitude；　and　give　them　in　love。　My　fathers　all　had　their　Miras；　as　I　have　mine；　and　these　children　are　stars　no　less。　There；　see　thou；　is　Rigel；　and　there　Antares；　that　one　is　Atair；　and　he　whom　thou　goest　to　now　is　Aldebaran；　the　youngest　of　the　brood；　but　none　the　worse　of　thatno；　not　he！　Against　the　wind　he　will　carry　thee　till　it　roar　in　thy　ears　like　Akaba；　and　he　will　go　where　thou　sayest；　son　of　Arriusay；　by　the　glory　of　Solomon！　he　will　take　thee　to　the　lion's　jaws；　if　thou　darest　so　much。〃

The　harness　was　brought。　With　his　own　hands　Ben…Hur　equipped　the　horses；　with　his　own　hands　he　led　them　out　of　the　tent；　and　there　attached　the　reins。

〃Bring　me　Sirius；〃　he　said。

An　Arab　could　not　have　better　sprung　to　seat　on　the　courser's　back。

〃And　now　the　reins。〃

They　were　given　him；　and　carefully　separated。

〃Good　sheik；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　ready。　Let　a　guide　go　before　me　to　the　field；　and　send　some　of　thy　men　with　water。〃

There　was　no　trouble　at　starting。　The　horses　were　not　afraid。　Already　there　seemed　a　tacit　understanding　between　them　and　the　new　driver；　who　had　performed　his　part　calmly；　and　with　the　confidence　which　always　begets　confidence。　The　order　of　going　was　precisely　that　of　driving；　except　that　Ben…Hur　sat　upon　Sirius　instead　of　standing　in　the　chariot。　Ilderim's　spirit　arose。　He　combed　his　beard；　and　smiled　with　satisfaction　as　he　muttered；　〃He　is　not　a　Roman；　no；　by　the　splendor　of　God！〃　He　followed　on　foot；　the　entire　tenantry　of　the　dowarmen；　women；　and　childrenpouring　after　him；　participants　all　in　his　solicitude；　if　not　in　his　confidence。

The　field；　when　reached；　proved　ample　and　well　fitted　for　the　training；　which　Ben…Hur　began　immediately　by　driving　the　four　at　first　slowly；　and　in　perpendicular　lines；　and　then　in　wide　circles。　Advancing　a　step　in　the　course；　he　put　them　next　into　a　trot；　again　progressing；　he　pushed　into　a　gallop；　at　length　he　contracted　the　circles；　and　yet　later　drove　eccentrically　here　and　there；　right；　left；　forward；　and　without　a　break。　An　hour　was　thus　occupied。　Slowing　the　gait　to　a　walk；　he　drove　up　to　Ilderim。

〃The　work　is　done；　nothing　now　but　practice；〃　he　said。　〃I　give　you　joy；　Sheik　Ilderim；　that　you　have　such　servants　as　these。　See；〃　he　continued；　dismounting　and　going　to　the　horses；　〃see；　the　gloss　of　their　red　coats　is　without　spot；　they　breathe　lightly　as　when　I　began。　I　give　thee　great　joy；　and　it　will　go　hard　if〃he　turned　his　flashing　eyes　upon　the　old　man's　face〃if　we　have　not　the　victory　and　our〃

He　stopped；　colored；　bowed。　At　the　sheik's　side　he　observed；　for　the　first　time；　Balthasar；　leaning　upon　his　staff；　and　two　women　closely　veiled。　At　one　of　the　latter　he　looked　a　second　time；　saying　to　himself；　with　a　flutter　about　his　heart；　〃'Tis　she'tis　the　Egyptian！〃　Ilderim　picked　up　his　broken　sentence

〃The　victory；　and　our　revenge！〃　Then　he　said　aloud；　〃I　am　not　afraid；　I　am　glad。　Son　of　Arrius；　thou　art　the　man。　Be　the　end　like　the　beginning；　and　thou　shalt　see　of　what　stuff　is　the　lining　of　the　hand　of　an　Arab　who　is　able　to　give。〃

〃I　thank　thee；　good　sheik；〃　Ben…Hur　returned；　modestly。　〃Let　the　servants　bring　drink　for　the　horses。〃

With　his　own　hands　he　gave　the　water。

Remounting　Sirius；　he　renewed　the　training；　going　as　before　from　walk　to　trot；　from　trot　to　gallop；　finally；　he　pushed　the　steady　racers　into　the　run；　gradually　quickening　it　to　full　speed。　The　performance　then　became　exciting；　and　there　were　applause　for　the　dainty　handling　of　the　reins；　and　admiration　for　the　four；　which　were　the　same；　whether　they　flew　forward　or　wheeled　in　varying　curvature。　In　their　action　there　were　unity；　power；　grace；　pleasure；　all　without　effort　or　sign　of　labor。　The　admiration　was　unmixed　with　pity　or　reproach；　which　would　have　been　as　well　bestowed　upon　swallows　in　their　evening　flight。

In　the　midst　of　the　exercises；　and　the　attention　they　received　from　all　the　bystanders；　Malluch　came　upon　the　ground；　seeking　the　sheik。

〃I　have　a　message　for　you；　O　sheik；〃　he　said；　availing　himself　of　a　moment　he　supposed　favorable　for　the　speech〃a　message　from　Simonides；　the　merchant。〃

〃Simonides！〃　ejaculated　the　Arab。　〃Ah！　'tis　well。　May　Abaddon　take　all　his　enemies！〃

〃He　bade　me　give　thee　first　the　holy　peace　of　God；〃　Malluch　continued；　〃and　then　this　despatch；　with　prayer　that　thou　read　it　the　instant　of　receipt。〃

Ilderim；　standing　in　his　place；　broke　the　sealing　of　the　package　delivered　to　him；　and　from　a　wrapping　of　fine　linen　took　two　letters；　which　he　proceeded　to　read。


＇No。　1。＇　〃Simonides　to　Sheik　Ilderim。

〃O　friend！

〃Assure　thyself　first　of　a　place　in　my　inner　heart。

〃Then

〃There　is　in　thy　dowar　a　youth　of　fair　presence；　calling　himself　the　son　of　Arrius；　and　such　he　is　by　adoption。

〃He　is　very　dear　to　me。

〃He　hath　a　wonderful　history；　which　I　will　tell　thee；　come　thou　to…day　or　to…morrow；　that　I　may　tell　thee　the　history；　and　have　thy　counsel。

〃Meantime；　favor　all　his　requests；　so　they　be　not　against　honor。　Should　there　be　need　of　reparation；　I　am　bound　to　thee　for　it。

〃That　I　have　interest　in　this　youth；　keep　thou　private。

〃Remember　me　to　thy　other　guest。　He；　his　daughter；　thyself；　and　all　whom　thou　mayst　choose　to　be　of　thy　company；　must　depend　upon　me　at　the　Circus　the　day　of　the　games。　I　have　seats　already　engaged。

〃To　thee　and　all　thine；　peace。

〃What　should　I　be；　O　my　friend；　but　thy　friend？

〃SIMONIDES。〃


＇No。　2。＇　〃Simonides　to　Sheik　Ilderim。

〃O　friend！

〃Out　of　the　abundance　of　my　experience；　I　send　you　a　word。

〃There　is　a　sign　which　all　persons　not　Romans；　and　who　have　moneys　or　goods　subject　to　despoilment；　accept　as　warningthat　is；　the　arrival　at　a　seat　of　power　of　some　high　Roman　official　charged　with　authority。

〃To…day　comes　the　Consul　Maxentius。

〃Be　thou　warned！

〃Another　word　of　advice。

〃A　conspiracy；　to　be　of　effect　against　thee；　O　friend；　must　include　the　Herods　as　parties；　thou　hast　great　properties　in　their　dominions。

〃Wherefore　keep　thou　watch。

〃Send　this　morning　to　thy　trusty　keepers　of　the　roads　leading　south　from　Antioch；　and　bid　them　search　every　courier　going　and　coming；　if　they　find　private　despatches　relating　to　thee　or　thine　affairs；　THOU　SHOULDST　SEE　THEM。

〃You　should　hav