ben-hur-第79章

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

〃All　this　is　to　me　as　a　light　from　heaven；　sent　to　drive　away　a　night　which　has　been　so　long　I　feared　it　would　never　end；　and　so　dark　I　had　lost　the　hope　of　seeing；〃　he　said；　with　a　husky　voice。　〃I　give　first　thanks　to　the　Lord；　who　has　not　abandoned　me；　and　my　next　to　thee；　O　Simonides。　Thy　faithfulness　outweighs　the　cruelty　of　others；　and　redeems　our　human　nature。　'There　is　nothing　I　cannot　do：'　be　it　so。　Shall　any　man　in　this　my　hour　of　such　mighty　privilege　be　more　generous　than　I？　Serve　me　as　a　witness　now；　Sheik　Ilderim。　Hear　thou　my　words　as　I　shall　speak　themhear　and　remember。　And　thou；　Esther；　good　angel　of　this　good　man！　hear　thou　also。〃

He　stretched　his　hand　with　the　roll　to　Simonides。

〃The　things　these　papers　take　into　accountall　of　them：　ships；　houses；　goods；　camels；　horses；　money；　the　least　as　well　as　the　greatestgive　I　back　to　thee；　O　Simonides；　making　them　all　thine；　and　sealing　them　to　thee　and　thine　forever。〃

Esther　smiled　through　her　tears；　Ilderim　pulled　his　beard　with　rapid　motion；　his　eyes　glistening　like　beads　of　jet。　Simonides　alone　was　calm。

〃Sealing　them　to　thee　and　thine　forever；〃　Ben…Hur　continued；　with　better　control　of　himself；　〃with　one　exception；　and　upon　one　condition。〃

The　breath　of　the　listeners　waited　upon　his　words。

〃The　hundred　and　twenty　talents　which　were　my　father's　thou　shalt　return　to　me。〃

Ilderim's　countenance　brightened。

〃And　thou　shalt　join　me　in　search　of　my　mother　and　sister；　holding　all　thine　subject　to　the　expense　of　discovery；　even　as　I　will　hold　mine。〃

Simonides　was　much　affected。　Stretching　out　his　hand；　he　said；　〃I　see　thy　spirit；　son　of　Hur；　and　I　am　grateful　to　the　Lord　that　he　hath　sent　thee　to　me　such　as　thou　art。　If　I　served　well　thy　father　in　life；　and　his　memory　afterwards；　be　not　afraid　of　default　to　thee；　yet　must　I　say　the　exception　cannot　stand。〃

Exhibiting；　then；　the　reserved　sheet；　he　continued；

〃Thou　hast　not　all　the　account。　Take　this　and　readread　aloud。〃

Ben…Hur　took　the　supplement；　and　read　it。

〃Statement　of　the　servants　of　Hur；　rendered　by　Simonides；　steward　of　the　estate。　1。　Amrah；　Egyptian；　keeping　the　palace　in　Jerusalem。　2。　Simonides；　the　steward；　in　Antioch。　3。　Esther；　daughter　of　Simonides。〃

Now；　in　all　his　thoughts　of　Simonides；　not　once　had　it　entered　Ben…Hur's　mind　that；　by　the　law；　a　daughter　followed　the　parent's　condition。　In　all　his　visions　of　her；　the　sweet…faced　Esther　had　figured　as　the　rival　of　the　Egyptian；　and　an　object　of　possible　love。　He　shrank　from　the　revelation　so　suddenly　brought　him；　and　looked　at　her　blushing；　and；　blushing；　she　dropped　her　eyes　before　him。　Then　he　said；　while　the　papyrus　rolled　itself　together；

〃A　man　with　six　hundred　talents　is　indeed　rich；　and　may　do　what　he　pleases；　but；　rarer　than　the　money；　more　priceless　than　the　property；　is　the　mind　which　amassed　the　wealth；　and　the　heart　it　could　not　corrupt　when　amassed。　O　Simonidesand　thou；　fair　Estherfear　not。　Sheik　Ilderim　here　shall　be　witness　that　in　the　same　moment　ye　were　declared　my　servants；　that　moment　I　declared　ye　free；　and　what　I　declare；　that　will　I　put　in　writing。　Is　it　not　enough？　Can　I　do　more？〃

〃Son　of　Hur；〃　said　Simonides；　〃verily　thou　dost　make　servitude　lightsome。　I　was　wrong；　there　are　some　things　thou　canst　not　do；　thou　canst　not　make　us　free　in　law。　I　am　thy　servant　forever；　because　I　went　to　the　door　with　thy　father　one　day；　and　in　my　ear　the　awl…marks　yet　abide。〃

〃Did　my　father　that？〃

〃Judge　him　not；〃　cried　Simonides；　quickly。　〃He　accepted　me　a　servant　of　that　class　because　I　prayed　him　to　do　so。　I　never　repented　the　step。　It　was　the　price　I　paid　for　Rachel；　the　mother　of　my　child　here；　for　Rachel；　who　would　not　be　my　wife　unless　I　became　what　she　was。〃

〃Was　she　a　servant　forever？〃

〃Even　so。〃

Ben…Hur　walked　the　floor　in　pain　of　impotent　wish。

〃I　was　rich　before；〃　he　said；　stopping　suddenly。　〃I　was　rich　with　the　gifts　of　the　generous　Arrius；　now　comes　this　greater　fortune；　and　the　mind　which　achieved　it。　Is　there　not　a　purpose　of　God　in　it　all？　Counsel　me；　O　Simonides！　Help　me　to　see　the　right　and　do　it。　Help　me　to　be　worthy　my　name；　and　what　thou　art　in　law　to　me；　that　will　I　be　to　thee　in　fact　and　deed。　I　will　be　thy　servant　forever。〃

Simonides'　face　actually　glowed。

〃O　son　of　my　dead　master！　I　will　do　better　than　help；　I　will　serve　thee　with　all　my　might　of　mind　and　heart。　Body；　I　have　not；　it　perished　in　thy　cause；　but　with　mind　and　heart　I　will　serve　thee。　I　swear　it；　by　the　altar　of　our　God；　and　the　gifts　upon　the　altar！　Only　make　me　formally　what　I　have　assumed　to　be。〃

〃Name　it；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　eagerly。

〃As　steward　the　care　of　the　property　will　be　mine。〃

〃Count　thyself　steward　now；　or　wilt　thou　have　it　in　writing？〃

〃Thy　word　simply　is　enough；　it　was　so　with　the　father；　and　I　will　not　more　from　the　son。　And　now；　if　the　understanding　be　perfect〃Simonides　paused。

〃It　is　with　me；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃And　thou；　daughter　of　Rachel；　speak！〃　said　Simonides；　lifting　her　arm　from　his　shoulder。

Esther；　left　thus　alone；　stood　a　moment　abashed；　her　color　coming　and　going；　then　she　went　to　Ben…Hur；　and　said；　with　a　womanliness　singularly　sweet；　〃I　am　not　better　than　my　mother　was；　and；　as　she　is　gone；　I　pray　you；　O　my　master；　let　me　care　for　my　father。〃

Ben…Hur　took　her　hand；　and　led　her　back　to　the　chair；　saying；　〃Thou　art　a　good　child。　Have　thy　will。〃

Simonides　replaced　her　arm　upon　his　neck；　and　there　was　silence　for　a　time　in　the　room。




CHAPTER　VIII



Simonides　looked　up；　none　the　less　a　master。

〃Esther；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃the　night　is　going　fast；　and；　lest　we　become　too　weary　for　that　which　is　before　us；　let　the　refreshments　be　brought。〃

She　rang　a　bell。　A　servant　answered　with　wine　and　bread；　which　she　bore　round。

〃The　understanding；　good　my　master；〃　continued　Simonides；　when　all　were　served；　〃is　not　perfect　in　my　sight。　Henceforth　our　lives　will　run　on　together　like　rivers　which　have　met　and　joined　their　waters。　I　think　their　flowing　will　be　better　if　every　cloud　is　blown　from　the　sky　above　them。　You　left　my　door　the　other　day　with　what　seemed　a　denial　of　the　claims　which　I　have　just　allowed　in　the　broadest　terms；　but　it　was　not　so；　indeed　it　was　not。　Esther　is　witness　that　I　recognized　you；　and　that　I　did　not　abandon　you；　let　Malluch　say。〃

〃Malluch！〃　exclaimed　Ben…Hur。

〃One　bound　to　a　chair；　like　me；　must　have　many　hands　far…reaching；　if　he　would　move　the　world　from　which　he　is　so　cruelly　barred。　I　have　many　such；　and　Malluch　is　one　of　the　best　of　them。　And；　sometimes〃　he　cast　a　grateful　glance　at　the　sheik〃sometimes　I　borrow　from　others　good　of　heart；　like　Ilderim　the　Generousgood　and　brave。　Let　him　say　if　I　either　denied　or　forgot　you。〃

Ben…Hur　looked　at　the　Arab。

〃This　is　he；　good　Ilderim；　this　is　he　who　told　you　of　me？〃

Ilderim's　eyes　twinkled　as　he　nodded　his　answer。

〃How；　O　my　master；〃　said　Simonides；　〃may　we　without　trial　tell　what　a　man　is？　I　knew　you；　I　saw　your　father　in　you；　but　the　kind　of　man　you　were　I　did　not　know。　There　are　people　to　whom　fortune　is　a　curse　in　disguise。　Were　you　of　them？　I　sent　Malluch　to　find　out　for　me；　and　in　the　service　he　was　my　eyes　and　ears。　Do　not　blame　him。　He　brought　me　report　of　you　which　was　all　good。〃

〃I　do　not；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　heartily。　〃There　was　wisdom　in　your　goodness。〃

〃The　words　are　very　pleasant　to　me；〃　said　the　merchant；　with　feeling；　〃very　pleasant。　My　fear　of　misunderstanding　is　laid。　Let　the　rivers　run　on　now　as　God　may　give　them　direction。〃

After　an　interval　he　continued：

〃I　am　compelled　now　by　truth。　The　weaver　sits　weaving；　and；　as　the　shuttle　flies；　the　cloth　increases；　and　the　figures　grow；　and　he　dreams　dreams　meanwhile；　so　to　my　hands　the　fortune　grew；　and　I　wondered　at　the　increase；　and　asked　myself　about　it　many　times。　I　could　see　a　care　not　my　own　went　with　the　enterprises　I　set　going。　The　simooms　which　smote　others　on　the　desert　jumped　over　the　things　which　were　mine。　The　storms　which　heaped　the　seashore　with　wrecks　did　but　blow　my　ships　the　sooner　into　port。　Strangest　of　all；　I；　so　dependent　upon　others；　fixed　to　a　place　like　a　dead　thing；　had　never　a　loss　by　an　agentnever。　The　e