ben-hur-第78章

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's　feet　coming　rapidly；　and　Malluch　rode　up。

〃Son　of　Arrius；〃　he　said；　cheerily；　after　salutation；　〃I　salute　you　for　Sheik　Ilderim；　who　requests　you　to　mount　and　go　to　the　city。　He　is　waiting　for　you。〃

Ben…Hur　asked　no　questions；　but　went　in　where　the　horses　were　feeding。　Aldebaran　came　to　him；　as　if　offering　his　service。　He　played　with　him　lovingly；　but　passed　on；　and　chose　another；　not　of　the　fourthey　were　sacred　to　the　race。　Very　shortly　the　two　were　on　the　road；　going　swiftly　and　in　silence。

Some　distance　below　the　Seleucian　Bridge；　they　crossed　the　river　by　a　ferry；　and；　riding　far　round　on　the　right　bank；　and　recrossing　by　another　ferry；　entered　the　city　from　the　west。　The　detour　was　long；　but　Ben…Hur　accepted　it　as　a　precaution　for　which　there　was　good　reason。

Down　to　Simonides'　landing　they　rode；　and　in　front　of　the　great　warehouse；　under　the　bridge；　Malluch　drew　rein。

〃We　are　come；〃　he　said。　〃Dismount。〃

Ben…Hur　recognized　the　place。

〃Where　is　the　sheik？〃　he　asked。

〃Come　with　me。　I　will　show　you。〃

A　watchman　took　the　horses；　and　almost　before　he　realized　it　Ben…Hur　stood　once　more　at　the　door　of　the　house　up　on　the　greater　one；　listening　to　the　response　from　within〃In　God's　name；　enter。〃




CHAPTER　VII



Malluch　stopped　at　the　door；　Ben…Hur　entered　alone。

The　room　was　the　same　in　which　he　had　formerly　interviewed　Simonides；　and　it　had　been　in　nowise　changed；　except　now；　close　by　the　arm…chair；　a　polished　brazen　rod；　set　on　a　broad　wooden　pedestal；　arose　higher　than　a　tall　man；　holding　lamps　of　silver　on　sliding　arms；　half…a…dozen　or　more　in　number；　and　all　burning。　The　light　was　clear；　bringing　into　view　the　panelling　on　the　walls；　the　cornice　with　its　row　of　gilded　balls；　and　the　dome　dully　tinted　with　violet　mica。

Within　a　few　steps；　Ben…Hur　stopped。

Three　persons　were　present；　looking　at　himSimonides；　Ilderim；　and　Esther。

He　glanced　hurriedly　from　one　to　another；　as　if　to　find　answer　to　the　question　half　formed　in　his　mind；　What　business　can　these　have　with　me？　He　became　calm；　with　every　sense　on　the　alert；　for　the　question　was　succeeded　by　another；　Are　they　friends　or　enemies？

At　length；　his　eyes　rested　upon　Esther。

The　men　returned　his　look　kindly；　in　her　face　there　was　something　more　than　kindnesssomething　too　_spirituel_　for　definition；　which　yet　went　to　his　inner　consciousness　without　definition。

Shall　it　be　said；　good　reader？　Back　of　his　gaze　there　was　a　comparison　in　which　the　Egyptian　arose　and　set　herself　over　against　the　gentle　Jewess；　but　it　lived　an　instant；　and；　as　is　the　habit　of　such　comparisons；　passed　away　without　a　conclusion。

〃Son　of　Hur〃

The　guest　turned　to　the　speaker。

〃Son　of　Hur；〃　said　Simonides；　repeating　the　address　slowly；　and　with　distinct　emphasis；　as　if　to　impress　all　its　meaning　upon　him　most　interested　in　understanding　it；　〃take　thou　the　peace　of　the　Lord　God　of　our　fatherstake　it　from　me。〃　He　paused；　then　added；　〃From　me　and　mine。〃

The　speaker　sat　in　his　chair；　there　were　the　royal　head；　the　bloodless　face；　the　masterful　air；　under　the　influence　of　which　visitors　forgot　the　broken　limbs　and　distorted　body　of　the　man。　The　full　black　eyes　gazed　out　under　the　white　brows　steadily；　but　not　sternly。　A　moment　thus；　then　he　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　breast。

The　action；　taken　with　the　salutation；　could　not　be　misunderstood；　and　was　not。

〃Simonides；〃　Ben…Hur　answered；　much　moved；　〃the　holy　peace　you　tender　is　accepted。　As　son　to　father；　I　return　it　to　you。　Only　let　there　be　perfect　understanding　between　us。〃

Thus　delicately　he　sought　to　put　aside　the　submission　of　the　merchant；　and；　in　place　of　the　relation　of　master　and　servant；　substitute　one　higher　and　holier。

Simonides　let　fall　his　hands；　and；　turning　to　Esther；　said；　〃A　seat　for　the　master；　daughter。〃

She　hastened；　and　brought　a　stool；　and　stood；　with　suffused　face；　looking　from　one　to　the　otherfrom　Ben…Hur　to　Simonides；　from　Simonides　to　Ben…Hur；　and　they　waited；　each　declining　the　superiority　direction　would　imply。　When　at　length　the　pause　began　to　be　embarrassing；　Ben…Hur　advanced；　and　gently　took　the　stool　from　her；　and；　going　to　the　chair；　placed　it　at　the　merchant's　feet。

〃I　will　sit　here；〃　he　said。

His　eyes　met　hersan　instant　only；　but　both　were　better　of　the　look。　He　recognized　her　gratitude；　she　his　generosity　and　forbearance。

Simonides　bowed　his　acknowledgment。

〃Esther；　child；　bring　me　the　paper；〃　he　said；　with　a　breath　of　relief。

She　went　to　a　panel　in　the　wall；　opened　it；　took　out　a　roll　of　papyri；　and　brought　and　gave　it　to　him。

〃Thou　saidst　well；　son　of　Hur；〃　Simonides　began；　while　unrolling　the　sheets。　〃Let　us　understand　each　other。　In　anticipation　of　the　demandwhich　I　would　have　made　hadst　thou　waived　itI　have　here　a　statement　covering　everything　necessary　to　the　understanding　required。　I　could　see　but　two　points　involvedthe　property　first；　and　then　our　relation。　The　statement　is　explicit　as　to　both。　Will　it　please　thee　to　read　it　now？〃

Ben…Hur　received　the　papers；　but　glanced　at　Ilderim。

〃Nay；〃　said　Simonides；　〃the　sheik　shall　not　deter　thee　from　reading。　The　accountsuch　thou　wilt　find　itis　of　a　nature　requiring　a　witness。　In　the　attesting　place　at　the　end　thou　wilt　find；　when　thou　comest　to　it；　the　nameIlderim；　Sheik。　He　knows　all。　He　is　thy　friend。　All　he　has　been　to　me；　that　will　he　be　to　thee　also。〃

Simonides　looked　at　the　Arab；　nodding　pleasantly；　and　the　latter　gravely　returned　the　nod；　saying；　〃Thou　hast　said。〃

Ben…Hur　replied；　〃I　know　already　the　excellence　of　his　friendship；　and　have　yet　to　prove　myself　worthy　of　it。〃　Immediately　he　continued；　〃Later；　O　Simonides；　I　will　read　the　papers　carefully；　for　the　present；　do　thou　take　them；　and　if　thou　be　not　too　weary；　give　me　their　substance。〃

Simonides　took　back　the　roll。

〃Here；　Esther；　stand　by　me　and　receive　the　sheets；　lest　they　fall　into　confusion。〃

She　took　place　by　his　chair；　letting　her　right　arm　fall　lightly　across　his　shoulder；　so；　when　he　spoke；　the　account　seemed　to　have　rendition　from　both　of　them　jointly。

〃This；〃　said　Simonides；　drawing　out　the　first　leaf；　〃shows　the　money　I　had　of　thy　father's；　being　the　amount　saved　from　the　Romans；　there　was　no　property　saved；　only　money；　and　that　the　robbers　would　have　secured　but　for　our　Jewish　custom　of　bills　of　exchange。　The　amount　saved；　being　sums　I　drew　from　Rome；　Alexandria；　Damascus；　Carthage；　Valentia；　and　elsewhere　within　the　circle　of　trade；　was　one　hundred　and　twenty　talents　Jewish　money。〃

He　gave　the　sheet　to　Esther；　and　took　the　next　one。

〃With　that　amountone　hundred　and　twenty　talentsI　charged　myself。　Hear　now　my　credits。　I　use　the　word；　as　thou　wilt　see；　with　reference　rather　to　the　proceeds　gained　from　the　use　of　the　money。〃

From　separate　sheets　he　then　read　footings；　which；　fractions　omitted；　were　as　follows：

〃CR。

By　ships。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　60　talents。　　〃　goods　in　store。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。110　　　〃　　〃　cargoes　in　transit。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　75　　　〃　　〃　camels；　horses；　etc。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　20　　　〃　　〃　warehouses。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　10　　　〃　　〃　bills　due。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　54　　　〃　　〃　money　on　hand　and　subject　to　draft。。224　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　Total。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。553　　　〃　　　〃

〃To　these　now；　to　the　five　hundred　and　fifty…three　talents　gained；　add　the　original　capital　I　had　from　thy　father；　and　thou　hast　SIX　HUNDRED　AND　SEVENTY　THREE　TALENTS！and　all　thinemaking　thee；　O　son　of　Hur；　the　richest　subject　in　the　world。〃

He　took　the　papyri　from　Esther；　and；　reserving　one；　rolled　them　and　offered　them　to　Ben…Hur。　The　pride　perceptible　in　his　manner　was　not　offensive；　it　might　have　been　from　a　sense　of　duty　well　done；　it　might　have　been　for　Ben…Hur　without　reference　to　himself。

〃And　there　is　nothing；〃　he　added；　dropping　his　voice；　but　not　his　eyes〃there　is　nothing　now　thou　mayst　not　do。〃

The　moment　was　one　of　absorbing　interest　to　all　present。　Simonides　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　breast　again；　Esther　was　anxious；　Ilderim　nervous。　A　man　is　never　so　on　trial　as　in　the　moment　of　excessive　good…fortune。

Taking　the　roll；　Ben…Hur　arose；　struggling　with　emotion。

〃All　this　is　to　me　as　a　light　from　heaven；　sent