ben-hur-第91章

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〃On；　Atair！　On；　Rigel！　What；　Antares！　dost　thou　linger　now？　Good　horseoho；　Aldebaran！　I　hear　them　singing　in　the　tents。　I　hear　the　children　singing　and　the　womensinging　of　the　stars；　of　Atair；　Antares；　Rigel；　Aldebaran；　victory！and　the　song　will　never　end。　Well　done！　Home　to…morrow；　under　the　black　tenthome！　On；　Antares！　The　tribe　is　waiting　for　us；　and　the　master　is　waiting！　'Tis　done！　'tis　done！　Ha；　ha！　We　have　overthrown　the　proud。　The　hand　that　smote　us　is　in　the　dust。　Ours　the　glory！　Ha；　ha！steady！　The　work　is　donesoho！　Rest！〃

There　had　never　been　anything　of　the　kind　more　simple；　seldom　anything　so　instantaneous。

At　the　moment　chosen　for　the　dash；　Messala　was　moving　in　a　circle　round　the　goal。　To　pass　him；　Ben…Hur　had　to　cross　the　track；　and　good　strategy　required　the　movement　to　be　in　a　forward　direction；　that　is；　on　a　like　circle　limited　to　the　least　possible　increase。　The　thousands　on　the　benches　understood　it　all：　they　saw　the　signal　giventhe　magnificent　response；　the　four　close　outside　Messala's　outer　wheel；　Ben…Hur's　inner　wheel　behind　the　other's　carall　this　they　saw。　Then　they　heard　a　crash　loud　enough　to　send　a　thrill　through　the　Circus；　and；　quicker　than　thought；　out　over　the　course　a　spray　of　shining　white　and　yellow　flinders　flew。　Down　on　its　right　side　toppled　the　bed　of　the　Roman's　chariot。　There　was　a　rebound　as　of　the　axle　hitting　the　hard　earth；　another　and　another；　then　the　car　went　to　pieces；　and　Messala；　entangled　in　the　reins；　pitched　forward　headlong。

To　increase　the　horror　of　the　sight　by　making　death　certain；　the　Sidonian；　who　had　the　wall　next　behind；　could　not　stop　or　turn　out。　Into　the　wreck　full　speed　he　drove；　then　over　the　Roman；　and　into　the　latter's　four；　all　mad　with　fear。　Presently；　out　of　the　turmoil；　the　fighting　of　horses；　the　resound　of　blows；　the　murky　cloud　of　dust　and　sand；　he　crawled；　in　time　to　see　the　Corinthian　and　Byzantine　go　on　down　the　course　after　Ben…Hur；　who　had　not　been　an　instant　delayed。

The　people　arose；　and　leaped　upon　the　benches；　and　shouted　and　screamed。　Those　who　looked　that　way　caught　glimpses　of　Messala；　now　under　the　trampling　of　the　fours；　now　under　the　abandoned　cars。　He　was　still；　they　thought　him　dead；　but　far　the　greater　number　followed　Ben…Hur　in　his　career。　They　had　not　seen　the　cunning　touch　of　the　reins　by　which；　turning　a　little　to　the　left；　he　caught　Messala's　wheel　with　the　iron…shod　point　of　his　axle；　and　crushed　it；　but　they　had　seen　the　transformation　of　the　man；　and　themselves　felt　the　heat　and　glow　of　his　spirit；　the　heroic　resolution；　the　maddening　energy　of　action　with　which；　by　look；　word；　and　gesture；　he　so　suddenly　inspired　his　Arabs。　And　such　running！　It　was　rather　the　long　leaping　of　lions　in　harness；　but　for　the　lumbering　chariot；　it　seemed　the　four　were　flying。　When　the　Byzantine　and　Corinthian　were　halfway　down　the　course；　Ben…Hur　turned　the　first　goal。

AND　THE　RACE　WAS　WON！

The　consul　arose；　the　people　shouted　themselves　hoarse；　the　editor　came　down　from　his　seat；　and　crowned　the　victors。

The　fortunate　man　among　the　boxers　was　a　low…browed；　yellow…haired　Saxon；　of　such　brutalized　face　as　to　attract　a　second　look　from　Ben…Hur；　who　recognized　a　teacher　with　whom　he　himself　had　been　a　favorite　at　Rome。　From　him　the　young　Jew　looked　up　and　beheld　Simonides　and　his　party　on　the　balcony。　They　waved　their　hands　to　him。　Esther　kept　her　seat；　but　Iras　arose；　and　gave　him　a　smile　and　a　wave　of　her　fanfavors　not　the　less　intoxicating　to　him　because　we　know；　O　reader；　they　would　have　fallen　to　Messala　had　he　been　the　victor。

The　procession　was　then　formed；　and；　midst　the　shouting　of　the　multitude　which　had　had　its　will；　passed　out　of　the　Gate　of　Triumph。

And　the　day　was　over。




CHAPTER　XV



Ben…Hur　tarried　across　the　river　with　Ilderim；　for　at　midnight；　as　previously　determined；　they　would　take　the　road　which　the　caravan；　then　thirty　hours　out；　had　pursued。

The　sheik　was　happy；　his　offers　of　gifts　had　been　royal；　but　Ben…Hur　had　refused　everything；　insisting　that　he　was　satisfied　with　the　humiliation　of　his　enemy。　The　generous　dispute　was　long　continued。

〃Think；〃　the　sheik　would　say；　〃what　thou　hast　done　for　me。　In　every　black　tent　down　to　the　Akaba　and　to　the　ocean；　and　across　to　the　Euphrates；　and　beyond　to　the　sea　of　the　Scythians；　the　renown　of　my　Mira　and　her　children　will　go；　and　they　who　sing　of　them　will　magnify　me；　and　forget　that　I　am　in　the　wane　of　life；　and　all　the　spears　now　masterless　will　come　to　me；　and　my　sword…hands　multiply　past　counting。　Thou　dost　not　know　what　it　is　to　have　sway　of　the　desert　such　as　will　now　be　mine。　I　tell　thee　it　will　bring　tribute　incalculable　from　commerce；　and　immunity　from　kings。　Ay；　by　the　sword　of　Solomon！　doth　my　messenger　seek　favor　for　me　of　Caesar；　that　will　he　get。　Yet　nothingnothing？〃

And　Ben…Hur　would　answer；

〃Nay；　sheik；　have　I　not　thy　hand　and　heart？　Let　thy　increase　of　power　and　influence　inure　to　the　King　who　comes。　Who　shall　say　it　was　not　allowed　thee　for　him？　In　the　work　I　am　going　to；　I　may　have　great　need。　Saying　no　now　will　leave　me　to　ask　of　thee　with　better　grace　hereafter。〃

In　the　midst　of　a　controversy　of　the　kind；　two　messengers　arrivedMalluch　and　one　unknown。　The　former　was　admitted　first。

The　good　fellow　did　not　attempt　to　hide　his　joy　over　the　event　of　the　day。

〃But；　coming　to　that　with　which　I　am　charged；〃　he　said；　〃the　master　Simonides　sends　me　to　say　that；　upon　the　adjournment　of　the　games；　some　of　the　Roman　faction　made　haste　to　protest　against　payment　of　the　money　prize。〃

Ilderim　started　up；　crying；　in　his　shrillest　tones；

〃By　the　splendor　of　God！　the　East　shall　decide　whether　the　race　was　fairly　won。〃

〃Nay；　good　sheik；〃　said　Malluch；　〃the　editor　has　paid　the　money。〃

〃'Tis　well。〃

〃When　they　said　Ben…Hur　struck　Messala's　wheel；　the　editor　laughed；　and　reminded　them　of　the　blow　the　Arabs　had　at　the　turn　of　the　goal。〃

〃And　what　of　the　Athenian？〃

〃He　is　dead。〃

〃Dead！〃　cried　Ben…Hur。

〃Dead！〃　echoed　Ilderim。　〃What　fortune　these　Roman　monsters　have！　Messala　escaped？〃

〃Escapedyes；　O　sheik；　with　life；　but　it　shall　be　a　burden　to　him。　The　physicians　say　he　will　live；　but　never　walk　again。〃

Ben…Hur　looked　silently　up　to　heaven。　He　had　a　vision　of　Messala；　chairbound　like　Simonides；　and；　like　him；　going　abroad　on　the　shoulders　of　servants。　The　good　man　had　abode　well；　but　what　would　this　one　with　his　pride　and　ambition？

〃Simonides　bade　me　say；　further；〃　Malluch　continued；　〃Sanballat　is　having　trouble。　Drusus；　and　those　who　signed　with　him；　referred　the　question　of　paying　the　five　talents　they　lost　to　the　Consul　Maxentius；　and　he　has　referred　it　to　Caesar。　Messala　also　refused　his　losses；　and　Sanballat；　in　imitation　of　Drusus；　went　to　the　consul；　where　the　matter　is　still　in　advisement。　The　better　Romans　say　the　protestants　shall　not　be　excused；　and　all　the　adverse　factions　join　with　them。　The　city　rings　with　the　scandal。〃

〃What　says　Simonides？〃　asked　Ben…Hur。

〃The　master　laughs；　and　is　well　pleased。　If　the　Roman　pays；　he　is　ruined；　if　he　refuses　to　pay；　he　is　dishonored。　The　imperial　policy　will　decide　the　matter。　To　offend　the　East　would　be　a　bad　beginning　with　the　Parthians；　to　offend　Sheik　Ilderim　would　be　to　antagonize　the　Desert；　over　which　lie　all　Maxentius's　lines　of　operation。　Wherefore　Simonides　bade　me　tell　you　to　have　no　disquiet；　Messala　will　pay。〃

Ilderim　was　at　once　restored　to　his　good…humor。

〃Let　us　be　off　now；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands。　〃The　business　will　do　well　with　Simonides。　The　glory　is　ours。　I　will　order　the　horses。〃

〃Stay；〃　said　Malluch。　〃I　left　a　messenger　outside。　Will　you　see　him？〃

〃By　the　splendor　of　God！　I　forgot　him。〃

Malluch　retired；　and　was　succeeded　by　a　lad　of　gentle　manners　and　delicate　appearance；　who　knelt　upon　one　knee；　and　said；　winningly；　〃Iras；　the　daughter　of　Balthasar；　well　known　to　good　Sheik　Ilderim；　hath　intrusted　me　with　a　message　to　the　sheik；　who；　she　saith；　will　do　her　great　favor　so　he　receive　her　congratulations　on　account　of　the　victory　of　his　four。〃

〃The　daughter　of　my　friend　is　kind；〃　said　Ilderim；　with　sparkling　eyes。　〃Do　thou　give　her　this　jewel；　in　sign　of　the　pleasure　I　have　from　her　message。〃

He　took　a