ben-hur-第85章

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Messala　laughed　scornfully。

〃The　idiots！　Perpol！　They　never　beheld　a　Circensian　with　Caesar　for　editor。　But；　my　Drusus；　what　found　you？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Oah！　You　forget；〃　said　Cecilius。

〃What？〃　asked　Drusus。

〃The　procession　of　whites。〃

〃Mirabile！〃　cried　Drusus；　half　rising。　〃We　met　a　faction　of　whites；　and　they　had　a　banner。　Butha；　ha；　ha！〃

He　fell　back　indolently。

〃Cruel　Drususnot　to　go　on；〃　said　Messala。

〃Scum　of　the　desert　were　they；　my　Messala；　and　garbage…eaters　from　the　Jacob's　Temple　in　Jerusalem。　What　had　I　to　do　with　them！〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Cecilius；　〃Drusus　is　afraid　of　a　laugh；　but　I　am　not；　my　Messala。〃

〃Speak　thou；　then。〃

〃Well；　we　stopped　the　faction；　and〃

〃Offered　them　a　wager；〃　said　Drusus；　relenting；　and　taking　the　word　from　the　shadow's　mouth。　〃Andha；　ha；　ha！one　fellow　with　not　enough　skin　on　his　face　to　make　a　worm　for　a　carp　stepped　forth；　andha；　ha；　ha！said　yes。　I　drew　my　tablets。　'Who　is　your　man？'　I　asked。　'Ben…Hur；　the　Jew；'　said　he。　Then　I：　'What　shall　it　be？　How　much？'　He　answered；　'Aa'　Excuse　me；　Messala。　By　Jove's　thunder；　I　cannot　go　on　for　laughter！　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

The　listeners　leaned　forward。

Messala　looked　to　Cecilius。

〃A　shekel；〃　said　the　latter。

〃A　shekel！　A　shekel！〃

A　burst　of　scornful　laughter　ran　fast　upon　the　repetition。

〃And　what　did　Drusus？〃　asked　Messala。

An　outcry　over　about　the　door　just　then　occasioned　a　rush　to　that　quarter；　and；　as　the　noise　there　continued；　and　grew　louder；　even　Cecilius　betook　himself　off；　pausing　only　to　say；　〃The　noble　Drusus；　my　Messala；　put　up　his　tablets　andlost　the　shekel。〃

〃A　white！　A　white！〃

〃Let　him　come！〃

〃This　way；　this　way！〃

These　and　like　exclamations　filled　the　saloon；　to　the　stoppage　of　other　speech。　The　dice…players　quit　their　games；　the　sleepers　awoke；　rubbed　their　eyes；　drew　their　tablets；　and　hurried　to　the　common　centre。

〃I　offer　you〃

〃And　I〃

〃I〃

The　person　so　warmly　received　was　the　respectable　Jew；　Ben…Hur's　fellow…voyager　from　Cyprus。　He　entered　grave；　quiet；　observant。　His　robe　was　spotlessly　white；　so　was　the　cloth　of　his　turban。　Bowing　and　smiling　at　the　welcome；　he　moved　slowly　towards　the　central　table。　Arrived　there；　he　drew　his　robe　about　him　in　a　stately　manner；　took　seat；　and　waved　his　hand。　The　gleam　of　a　jewel　on　a　finger　helped　him　not　a　little　to　the　silence　which　ensued。

〃Romansmost　noble　RomansI　salute　you！〃　he　said。

〃Easy；　by　Jupiter！　Who　is　he？〃　asked　Drusus。

〃A　dog　of　IsraelSanballat　by　namepurveyor　for　the　army；　residence；　Rome；　vastly　rich；　grown　so　as　a　contractor　of　furnishments　which　he　never　furnishes。　He　spins　mischiefs；　nevertheless；　finer　than　spiders　spin　their　webs。　Comeby　the　girdle　of　Venus！　let　us　catch　him！〃

Messala　arose　as　he　spoke；　and；　with　Drusus；　joined　the　mass　crowded　about　the　purveyor。

〃It　came　to　me　on　the　street；〃　said　that　person；　producing　his　tablets；　and　opening　them　on　the　table　with　an　impressive　air　of　business；　〃that　there　was　great　discomfort　in　the　palace　because　offers　on　Messala　were　going　without　takers。　The　gods；　you　know；　must　have　sacrifices；　and　here　am　I。　You　see　my　color；　let　us　to　the　matter。　Odds　first；　amounts　next。　What　will　you　give　me？〃

The　audacity　seemed　to　stun　his　hearers。

〃Haste！〃　he　said。　〃I　have　an　engagement　with　the　consul。〃

The　spur　was　effective。

〃Two　to　one；〃　cried　half　a　dozen　in　a　voice。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　purveyor；　astonished。　〃Only　two　to　one；　and　yours　a　Roman！〃

〃Take　three；　then。〃

〃Three　say　youonly　threeand　mine　but　a　dog　of　a　Jew！　Give　me　four。〃

〃Four　it　is；〃　said　a　boy；　stung　by　the　taunt。

〃Fivegive　me　five；〃　cried　the　purveyor；　instantly。

A　profound　stillness　fell　upon　the　assemblage。

〃The　consulyour　master　and　mineis　waiting　for　me。〃

The　inaction　became　awkward　to　the　many。

〃Give　me　fivefor　the　honor　of　Rome；　five。〃

〃Five　let　it　be；〃　said　one　in　answer。

There　was　a　sharp　cheera　commotionand　Messala　himself　appeared。

〃Five　let　it　be；〃　he　said。

And　Sanballat　smiled；　and　made　ready　to　write。

〃If　Caesar　die　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　〃Rome　will　not　be　all　bereft。　There　is　at　least　one　other　with　spirit　to　take　his　place。　Give　me　six。〃

〃Six　be　it；〃　answered　Messala。

There　was　another　shout　louder　than　the　first。

〃Six　be　it；〃　repeated　Messala。　〃Six　to　onethe　difference　between　a　Roman　and　a　Jew。　And；　having　found　it；　now；　O　redemptor　of　the　flesh　of　swine；　let　us　on。　The　amountand　quickly。　The　consul　may　send　for　thee；　and　I　will　then　be　bereft。〃

Sanballat　took　the　laugh　against　him　coolly；　and　wrote；　and　offered　the　writing　to　Messala。

〃Read；　read！〃　everybody　demanded。

And　Messala　read：

〃Mem。Chariot…race。　Messala　of　Rome；　in　wager　with　Sanballat；　also　of　Rome；　says　he　will　beat　Ben…Hur；　the　Jew。　Amount　of　wager；　twenty　talents。　Odds　to　Sanballat；　six　to　one。

〃Witnesses：　SANBALLAT。〃

There　was　no　noise；　no　motion。　Each　person　seemed　held　in　the　pose　the　reading　found　him。　Messala　stared　at　the　memorandum；　while　the　eyes　which　had　him　in　view　opened　wide；　and　stared　at　him。　He　felt　the　gaze；　and　thought　rapidly。　So　lately　he　stood　in　the　same　place；　and　in　the　same　way　hectored　the　countrymen　around　him。　They　would　remember　it。　If　he　refused　to　sign；　his　hero…ship　was　lost。　And　sign　he　could　not；　he　was　not　worth　one　hundred　talents；　nor　the　fifth　part　of　the　sum。　Suddenly　his　mind　became　a　blank；　he　stood　speechless；　the　color　fled　his　face。　An　idea　at　last　came　to　his　relief。

〃Thou　Jew！〃　he　said；　〃where　hast　thou　twenty　talents？　Show　me。〃

Sanballat's　provoking　smile　deepened。

〃There；〃　he　replied；　offering　Messala　a　paper。

〃Read；　read！〃　arose　all　around。

Again　Messala　read：

〃AT　ANTIOCH；　Tammuz　16th　day。

〃The　bearer；　Sanballat　of　Rome；　hath　now　to　his　order　with　me　fifty　talents；　coin　of　Caesar。

SIMONIDES。〃

〃Fifty　talents；　fifty　talents！〃　echoed　the　throng；　in　amazement。

Then　Drusus　came　to　the　rescue。

〃By　Hercules！〃　he　shouted；　〃the　paper　lies；　and　the　Jew　is　a　liar。　Who　but　Caesar　hath　fifty　talents　at　order？　Down　with　the　insolent　white！〃

The　cry　was　angry；　and　it　was　angrily　repeated；　yet　Sanballat　kept　his　seat；　and　his　smile　grew　more　exasperating　the　longer　he　waited。　At　length　Messala　spoke。

〃Hush！　One　to　one；　my　countrymenone　to　one；　for　love　of　our　ancient　Roman　name。〃

The　timely　action　recovered　him　his　ascendancy。

〃O　thou　circumcised　dog！〃　he　continued；　to　Sanballat；　〃I　gave　thee　six　to　one；　did　I　not？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Jew；　quietly。

〃Well；　give　me　now　the　fixing　of　the　amount。〃

〃With　reserve；　if　the　amount　be　trifling；　have　thy　will；〃　answered　Sanballat。

〃Write；　then；　five　in　place　of　twenty。〃

〃Hast　thou　so　much？〃

〃By　the　mother　of　the　gods；　I　will　show　you　receipts。〃

〃Nay；　the　word　of　so　brave　a　Roman　must　pass。　Only　make　the　sum　evensix　make　it；　and　I　will　write。〃

〃Write　it　so。〃

And　forthwith　they　exchanged　writings。

Sanballat　immediately　arose　and　looked　around　him；　a　sneer　in　place　of　his　smile。　No　man　better　than　he　knew　those　with　whom　he　was　dealing。

〃Romans；〃　he　said；　〃another　wager；　if　you　dare！　Five　talents　against　five　talents　that　the　white　will　win。　I　challenge　you　collectively。〃

They　were　again　surprised。

〃What！〃　he　cried；　louder。　〃Shall　it　be　said　in　the　Circus　to…morrow　that　a　dog　of　Israel　went　into　the　saloon　of　the　palace　full　of　Roman　noblesamong　them　the　scion　of　a　Caesarand　laid　five　talents　before　them　in　challenge；　and　they　had　not　the　courage　to　take　it　up？〃

The　sting　was　unendurable。

〃Have　done；　O　insolent！〃　said　Drusus；　〃write　the　challenge；　and　leave　it　on　the　table；　and　to…morrow；　if　we　find　thou　hast　indeed　so　much　money　to　put　at　such　hopeless　hazard；　I；　Drusus；　promise　it　shall　be　taken。〃

Sanballat　wrote　again；　and；　rising；　said；　unmoved　as　ever；　〃See；　Drusus；　I　leave　the　offer　with　you。　When　it　is　signed；　send　it　to　me　any　time　before　the　race　begins。　I　will　be　found　with　the　consul　in　a　seat　over　the　Porta　Pompae。　Peace　to　you；　peace　to　all。〃

He　bowed；　and　departed；　careless　of　the　shout　of　derision　with　which　they　pursued　him　out　of　the　door。

In　the　night　the　story　of　the　prodigious　wager　flew　along　the　streets　and　over　the　city；　and　Ben…Hur；　lying　with　his