ben-hur-第76章

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

〃They　are　deaddead。　I　alone　am　left。〃

The　sheik　had　been　a　silent；　but　not　unsympathetic；　witness　of　the　young　man's　suffering；　now　he　arose　and　said；　〃Son　of　Arrius；　it　is　for　me　to　beg　thy　pardon。　Read　the　paper　by　thyself。　When　thou　art　strong　enough　to　give　the　rest　of　it　to　me；　send　word；　and　I　will　return。〃

He　went　out　of　the　tent；　and　nothing　in　all　his　life　became　him　better。

Ben…Hur　flung　himself　on　the　divan　and　gave　way　to　his　feelings。　When　somewhat　recovered；　he　recollected　that　a　portion　of　the　letter　remained　unread；　and；　taking　it　up；　he　resumed　the　reading。　〃Thou　wilt　remember；〃　the　missive　ran；　〃what　thou　didst　with　the　mother　and　sister　of　the　malefactor；　yet；　if　now　I　yield　to　a　desire　to　learn　if　they　be　living　or　dead〃Ben…Hur　started；　and　read　again；　and　then　again；　and　at　last　broke　into　exclamation。　〃He　does　not　know　they　are　dead；　he　does　not　know　it！　Blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord！　there　is　yet　hope。〃　He　finished　the　sentence；　and　was　strengthened　by　it；　and　went　on　bravely　to　the　end　of　the　letter。

〃They　are　not　dead；〃　he　said；　after　reflection；　〃they　are　not　dead；　or　he　would　have　heard　of　it。〃

A　second　reading；　more　careful　than　the　first；　confirmed　him　in　the　opinion。　Then　he　sent　for　the　sheik。

〃In　coming　to　your　hospitable　tent；　O　sheik；〃　he　said；　calmly；　when　the　Arab　was　seated　and　they　were　alone；　〃it　was　not　in　my　mind　to　speak　of　myself　further　than　to　assure　you　I　had　sufficient　training　to　be　intrusted　with　your　horses。　I　declined　to　tell　you　my　history。　But　the　chances　which　have　sent　this　paper　to　my　hand　and　given　it　to　me　to　be　read　are　so　strange　that　I　feel　bidden　to　trust　you　with　everything。　And　I　am　the　more　inclined　to　do　so　by　knowledge　here　conveyed　that　we　are　both　of　us　threatened　by　the　same　enemy；　against　whom　it　is　needful　that　we　make　common　cause。　I　will　read　the　letter　and　give　you　explanation；　after　which　you　will　not　wonder　I　was　so　moved。　If　you　thought　me　weak　or　childish；　you　will　then　excuse　me。〃

The　sheik　held　his　peace；　listening　closely；　until　Ben…Hur　came　to　the　paragraph　in　which　he　was　particularly　mentioned：　〃'I　saw　the　Jew　yesterday　in　the　Grove　of　Daphne；'〃　so　ran　the　part；　〃'and　if　he　be　not　there　now；　he　is　certainly　in　the　neighborhood；　making　it　easy　for　me　to　keep　him　in　eye。　Indeed；　wert　thou　to　ask　me　where　he　is　now；　I　should　say；　with　the　most　positive　assurance；　he　is　to　be　found　at　the　old　Orchard　of　Palms。'〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Ilderim；　in　such　a　tone　one　might　hardly　say　he　was　more　surprised　than　angry；　at　the　same　time；　he　clutched　his　beard。

〃'At　the　old　Orchard　of　Palms；'〃　Ben…Hur　repeated；　〃'under　the　tent　of　the　traitor　Shiek　Ilderim。'〃

〃Traitor！I？〃　the　old　man　cried；　in　his　shrillest　tone；　while　lip　and　beard　curled　with　ire；　and　on　his　forehead　and　neck　the　veins　swelled　and　beat　as　they　would　burst。

〃Yet　a　moment；　sheik；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　with　a　deprecatory　gesture。　〃Such　is　Messala's　opinion　of　you。　Hear　his　threat。〃　And　he　read　on〃'under　the　tent　of　the　traitor　Sheik　Ilderim；　who　cannot　long　escape　our　strong　hand。　Be　not　surprised　if　Maxentius；　as　his　first　measure；　places　the　Arab　on　ship　for　forwarding　to　Rome。'〃

〃To　Rome！　MeIlderimsheik　of　ten　thousand　horsemen　with　spears　me　to　Rome！〃

He　leaped　rather　than　rose　to　his　feet；　his　arms　outstretched；　his　fingers　spread　and　curved　like　claws；　his　eyes　glittering　like　a　serpent's。

〃O　God！nay；　by　all　the　gods　except　of　Rome！when　shall　this　insolence　end？　A　freeman　am　I；　free　are　my　people。　Must　we　die　slaves？　Or；　worse；　must　I　live　a　dog；　crawling　to　a　master's　feet？　Must　I　lick　his　hand；　lest　he　lash　me？　What　is　mine　is　not　mine；　I　am　not　my　own；　for　breath　of　body　I　must　be　beholden　to　a　Roman。　Oh；　if　I　were　young　again！　Oh；　could　I　shake　off　twenty　yearsor　tenor　five！〃

He　ground　his　teeth　and　shook　his　hands　overhead；　then；　under　the　impulse　of　another　idea；　he　walked　away　and　back　again　to　Ben…Hur　swiftly；　and　caught　his　shoulder　with　a　strong　grasp。

〃If　I　were　as　thou；　son　of　Arriusas　young；　as　strong；　as　practised　in　arms；　if　I　had　a　motive　hissing　me　to　revengea　motive；　like　thine；　great　enough　to　make　hate　holy　Away　with　disguise　on　thy　part　and　on　mine！　Son　of　Hur；　son　of　Hur；　I　say〃

At　that　name　all　the　currents　of　Ben…Hur's　blood　stopped；　surprised；　bewildered；　he　gazed　into　the　Arab's　eyes；　now　close　to　his；　and　fiercely　bright。

〃Son　of　Hur；　I　say；　were　I　as　thou；　with　half　thy　wrongs；　bearing　about　with　me　memories　like　thine；　I　would　not；　I　could　not；　rest。〃　Never　pausing；　his　words　following　each　other　torrent…like；　the　old　man　swept　on。　〃To　all　my　grievances；　I　would　add　those　of　the　world；　and　devote　myself　to　vengeance。　From　land　to　land　I　would　go　firing　all　mankind。　No　war　for　freedom　but　should　find　me　engaged；　no　battle　against　Rome　in　which　I　would　not　bear　a　part。　I　would　turn　Parthian；　if　I　could　not　better。　If　men　failed　me；　still　I　would　not　give　over　the　effortha；　ha；　ha！　By　the　splendor　of　God！　I　would　herd　with　wolves；　and　make　friends　of　lions　and　tigers；　in　hope　of　marshalling　them　against　the　common　enemy。　I　would　use　every　weapon。　So　my　victims　were　Romans；　I　would　rejoice　in　slaughter。　Quarter　I　would　not　ask；　quarter　I　would　not　give。　To　the　flames　everything　Roman；　to　the　sword　every　Roman　born。　Of　nights　I　would　pray　the　gods；　the　good　and　the　bad　alike；　to　lend　me　their　special　terrorstempests；　drought；　heat；　cold；　and　all　the　nameless　poisons　they　let　loose　in　air；　all　the　thousand　things　of　which　men　die　on　sea　and　on　land。　Oh；　I　could　not　sleep。　II〃

The　sheik　stopped　for　want　of　breath；　panting；　wringing　his　hands。　And；　sooth　to　say；　of　all　the　passionate　burst　Ben…Hur　retained　but　a　vague　impression　wrought　by　fiery　eyes；　a　piercing　voice；　and　a　rage　too　intense　for　coherent　expression。

For　the　first　time　in　years；　the　desolate　youth　heard　himself　addressed　by　his　proper　name。　One　man　at　least　knew　him；　and　acknowledged　it　without　demand　of　identity；　and　he　an　Arab　fresh　from　the　desert！

How　came　the　man　by　his　knowledge？　The　letter？　No。　It　told　the　cruelties　from　which　his　family　had　suffered；　it　told　the　story　of　his　own　misfortunes；　but　it　did　not　say　he　was　the　very　victim　whose　escape　from　doom　was　the　theme　of　the　heartless　narrative。　That　was　the　point　of　explanation　he　had　notified　the　sheik　would　follow　the　reading　of　the　letter。　He　was　pleased；　and　thrilled　with　hope　restored；　yet　kept　an　air　of　calmness。

〃Good　sheik；　tell　me　how　you　came　by　this　letter。〃

〃My　people　keep　the　roads　between　cities；〃　Ilderim　answered；　bluntly。　〃They　took　it　from　a　courier。〃

〃Are　they　known　to　be　thy　people？〃

〃No。　To　the　world　they　are　robbers；　whom　it　is　mine　to　catch　and　slay。〃

〃Again；　sheik。　You　call　me　son　of　Hurmy　father's　name。　I　did　not　think　myself　known　to　a　person　on　earth。　How　came　you　by　the　knowledge？〃

Ilderim　hesitated；　but；　rallying；　he　answered；　〃I　know　you；　yet　I　am　not　free　to　tell　you　more。〃

〃Some　one　holds　you　in　restraint？〃

The　sheik　closed　his　mouth；　and　walked　away；　but；　observing　Ben…Hur's　disappointment；　he　came　back；　and　said；　〃Let　us　say　no　more　about　the　matter　now。　I　will　go　to　town；　when　I　return；　I　may　talk　to　you　fully。　Give　me　the　letter。〃

Ilderim　rolled　the　papyrus　carefully；　restored　it　to　its　envelopes；　and　became　once　more　all　energy。

〃What　sayest　thou？〃　he　asked；　while　waiting　for　his　horse　and　retinue。　〃I　told　what　I　would　do；　were　I　thou；　and　thou　hast　made　no　answer。〃

〃I　intended　to　answer；　sheik；　and　I　will。〃　Ben…Hur's　countenance　and　voice　changed　with　the　feeling　invoked。　〃All　thou　hast　said；　I　will　doall　at　least　in　the　power　of　a　man。　I　devoted　myself　to　vengeance　long　ago。　Every　hour　of　the　five　years　passed；　I　have　lived　with　no　other　thought。　I　have　taken　no　respite。　I　have　had　no　pleasures　of　youth。　The　blandishments　of　Rome　were　not　for　me。　I　wanted　her　to　educate　me　for　revenge。　I　resorted　to　her　most　famous　masters　and　professorsnot　those　of　rhetoric　or　philosophy：　alas！　I　had　no　time　for　them。　The　arts　essential　to　a　fighting…man　were　my　desire。　I　associated　with　gladiators；　and　with　winners　of　prizes　in　the　Circus；　and　they