ben-hur-第75章

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ng　fruit；　and　all　manner　of　vines；　shall　nevertheless　float　about　as　the　winds　may　blow　it。　Make　the　island；　and　let　it　be　fully　furnished　by　the　time　the　moon　begins　to　wane。'

〃Then　to　the　queen　he　said；

〃'Be　of　cheer。　I　know　all；　and　have　sent　for　Barbec。'

〃Ne…ne…hofra　kissed　his　hands。

〃'You　shall　have　him　to　yourself；　and　he　you　to　himself；　nor　shall　any　disturb　your　loves　for　a　year。'

〃She　kissed　his　feet；　he　raised　her；　and　kissed　her　in　return；　and　the　rose　came　back　to　her　cheek；　the　scarlet　to　her　lips；　and　the　laughter　to　her　heart。〃

VI。

〃For　one　year　Ne…ne…hofra　and　Barbec　the　gardener　floated　as　the　winds　blew　on　the　island　of　Chemmis；　which　became　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world；　never　a　home　of　love　more　beautiful；　one　year；　seeing　no　one　and　existing　for　no　one　but　themselves。　Then　she　returned　in　state　to　the　palace　in　Memphis。

〃'Now　whom　lovest　thou　best？'　asked　the　king。

〃She　kissed　his　cheek　and　said；　'Take　me　back；　O　good　king；　for　I　am　cured。'

〃Oraetes　laughed；　none　the　worse；　that　moment；　of　his　hundred　and　fourteen　years。

〃'Then　it　is　true；　as　Menopha　said：　ha；　ha；　ha！　it　is　true；　the　cure　of　love　is　love。'

〃'Even　so；'　she　replied。

〃Suddenly　his　manner　changed；　and　his　look　became　terrible。

〃'I　did　not　find　it　so；'　he　said。

〃She　shrank　affrighted。

〃'Thou　guilty！'　he　continued。　'Thy　offense　to　Oraetes　the　man　he　forgives；　but　thy　offence　to　Oraetes　the　king　remains　to　be　punished。'

〃She　cast　herself　at　his　feet。

〃'Hush！'　he　cried。　'Thou　art　dead！'

〃He　clapped　his　hands；　and　a　terrible　procession　came　ina　procession　of　parachistes；　or　embalmers；　each　with　some　implement　or　material　of　his　loathsome　art。

〃The　King　pointed　to　Ne…ne…hofra。

〃'She　is　dead。　Do　thy　work　well。'〃

VII。

〃Ne…ne…hofra　the　beautiful；　after　seventy…two　days；　was　carried　to　the　crypt　chosen　for　her　the　year　before；　and　laid　with　her　queenly　predecessors；　yet　there　was　no　funeral　procession　in　her　honor　across　the　sacred　lake。〃


At　the　conclusion　of　the　story；　Ben…Hur　was　sitting　at　the　Egyptian's　feet；　and　her　hand　upon　the　tiller　was　covered　by　his　hand。

〃Menopha　was　wrong；〃　he　said。

〃How？〃

〃Love　lives　by　loving。〃

〃Then　there　is　no　cure　for　it？〃

〃Yes。　Oraetes　found　the　cure。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃Death。〃

〃You　are　a　good　listener；　O　son　of　Arrius。〃

And　so　with　conversation　and　stories；　they　whiled　the　hours　away。　As　they　stepped　ashore；　she　said；

〃To…morrow　we　go　to　the　city。〃

〃But　you　will　be　at　the　games？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh　yes。〃

〃I　will　send　you　my　colors。〃

With　that　they　separated。




CHAPTER　IV



Ilderim　returned　to　the　dowar　next　day　about　the　third　hour。　As　he　dismounted；　a　man　whom　he　recognized　as　of　his　own　tribe　came　to　him　and　said；　〃O　sheik；　I　was　bidden　give　thee　this　package；　with　request　that　thou　read　it　at　once。　If　there　be　answer；　I　was　to　wait　thy　pleasure。〃

Ilderim　gave　the　package　immediate　attention。　The　seal　was　already　broken。　The　address　ran；　TO　VALERIUS　GRATUS　AT　CAESAREA。

〃Abaddon　take　him！〃　growled　the　sheik；　at　discovering　a　letter　in　Latin。

Had　the　missive　been　in　Greek　or　Arabic；　he　could　have　read　it；　as　it　was；　the　utmost　he　could　make　out　was　the　signature　in　bold　Roman　lettersMESSALAwhereat　his　eyes　twinkled。

〃Where　is　the　young　Jew？〃　he　asked。

〃In　the　field　with　the　horses；〃　a　servant　replied。

The　sheik　replaced　the　papyrus　in　its　envelopes；　and；　tucking　the　package　under　his　girdle；　remounted　the　horse。　That　moment　a　stranger　made　his　appearance；　coming；　apparently；　from　the　city。

〃I　am　looking　for　Sheik　Ilderim；　surnamed　the　Generous；〃　the　stranger　said。

His　language　and　attire　bespoke　him　a　Roman。

What　he　could　not　read；　he　yet　could　speak；　so　the　old　Arab　answered；　with　dignity；　〃I　am　Sheik　Ilderim。〃

The　man's　eyes　fell；　he　raised　them　again；　and　said；　with　forced　composure；　〃I　heard　you　had　need　of　a　driver　for　the　games。〃

Ilderim's　lip　under　the　white　mustache　curled　contemptuously。

〃Go　thy　way；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　a　driver。〃

He　turned　to　ride　away；　but　the　man；　lingering；　spoke　again。

〃Sheik；　I　am　a　lover　of　horses；　and　they　say　you　have　the　most　beautiful　in　the　world。〃

The　old　man　was　touched；　he　drew　rein；　as　if　on　the　point　of　yielding　to　the　flattery；　but　finally　replied；　〃Not　to…day；　not　to…day；　some　other　time　I　will　show　them　to　you。　I　am　too　busy　just　now。〃

He　rode　to　the　field；　while　the　stranger　betook　himself　to　town　again　with　a　smiling　countenance。　He　had　accomplished　his　mission。

And　every　day　thereafter；　down　to　the　great　day　of　the　games；　a　mansometimes　two　or　three　mencame　to　the　sheik　at　the　Orchard；　pretending　to　seek　an　engagement　as　driver。

In　such　manner　Messala　kept　watch　over　Ben…Hur。




CHAPTER　V



The　sheik　waited；　well　satisfied；　until　Ben…Hur　drew　his　horses　off　the　field　for　the　forenoonwell　satisfied；　for　he　had　seen　them；　after　being　put　through　all　the　other　paces；　run　full　speed　in　such　manner　that　it　did　not　seem　there　were　one　the　slowest　and　another　the　fastestrun　in　other　words；　as　if　the　four　were　one。

〃This　afternoon；　O　sheik；　I　will　give　Sirius　back　to　you。〃　Ben…Hur　patted　the　neck　of　the　old　horse　as　he　spoke。　〃I　will　give　him　back；　and　take　to　the　chariot。〃

〃So　soon？〃　Ilderim　asked。

〃With　such　as　these；　good　sheik；　one　day　suffices。　They　are　not　afraid；　they　have　a　man's　intelligence；　and　they　love　the　exercise。　This　one；〃　he　shook　a　rein　over　the　back　of　the　youngest　of　the　four〃you　called　him　Aldebaran；　I　believeis　the　swiftest；　in　once　round　a　stadium　he　would　lead　the　others　thrice　his　length。〃

Ilderim　pulled　his　beard；　and　said；　with　twinkling　eyes；　〃Aldebaran　is　the　swiftest；　but　what　of　the　slowest？〃

〃This　is　he。〃　Ben…Hur　shook　the　rein　over　Antares。　〃This　is　he：　but　he　will　win；　for；　look　you；　sheik；　he　will　run　his　utmost　all　dayall　day；　and；　as　the　sun　goes　down；　he　will　reach　his　swiftest。〃

〃Right　again；〃　said　Ilderim。

〃I　have　but　one　fear；　O　sheik。〃

The　sheik　became　doubly　serious。

〃In　his　greed　of　triumph；　a　Roman　cannot　keep　honor　pure。　In　the　gamesall　of　them；　mark　youtheir　tricks　are　infinite；　in　chariot　racing　their　knavery　extends　to　everythingfrom　horse　to　driver；　from　driver　to　master。　Wherefore；　good　sheik；　look　well　to　all　thou　hast；　from　this　till　the　trial　is　over；　let　no　stranger　so　much　as　see　the　horses。　Would　you　be　perfectly　safe；　do　morekeep　watch　over　them　with　armed　hand　as　well　as　sleepless　eye；　then　I　will　have　no　fear　of　the　end。〃

At　the　door　of　the　tent　they　dismounted。

〃What　you　say　shall　be　attended　to。　By　the　splendor　of　God；　no　hand　shall　come　near　them　except　it　belong　to　one　of　the　faithful。　To…night　I　will　set　watches。　But；　son　of　Arrius〃Ilderim　drew　forth　the　package；　and　opened　it　slowly；　while　they　walked　to　the　divan　and　seated　themselves〃son　of　Arrius；　see　thou　here；　and　help　me　with　thy　Latin。〃

He　passed　the　despatch　to　Ben…Hur。

〃There；　readand　read　aloud；　rendering　what　thou　findest　into　the　tongue　of　thy　fathers。　Latin　is　an　abomination。〃

Ben…Hur　was　in　good　spirits；　and　began　the　reading　carelessly。　〃'MESSALA　TO　GRATUS！'〃　He　paused。　A　premonition　drove　the　blood　to　his　heart。　Ilderim　observed　his　agitation。

〃Well；　I　am　waiting。〃

Ben…Hur　prayed　pardon；　and　recommenced　the　paper；　which；　it　is　sufficient　to　say；　was　one　of　the　duplicates　of　the　letter　despatched　so　carefully　to　Gratus　by　Messala　the　morning　after　the　revel　in　the　palace。

The　paragraphs　in　the　beginning　were　remarkable　only　as　proof　that　the　writer　had　not　outgrown　his　habit　of　mockery；　when　they　were　passed；　and　the　reader　came　to　the　parts　intended　to　refresh　the　memory　of　Gratus；　his　voice　trembled；　and　twice　he　stopped　to　regain　his　self…control。　By　a　strong　effort　he　continued。　〃'I　recall　further；'〃　he　read；　〃'that　thou　didst　make　disposition　of　the　family　of　Hur'〃there　the　reader　again　paused　and　drew　a　long　breath〃'both　of　us　at　the　time　supposing　the　plan　hit　upon　to　be　the　most　effective　possible　for　the　purposes　in　view；　which　were　silence　and　delivery　over　to　inevitable　but　natural　death。'〃

Here　Ben…Hur　broke　down　utterly。　The　paper　fell　from　his　hands；　and　he　covered　his　face。

〃They　are　deaddead。　I　alon