ben-hur-第94章

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ft　hand；　to　strike　the　bare　neck　under　the　earwere　but　petty　divisions　of　the　same　act。　No　need　of　a　second　blow。　The　myrmidon　fell　heavily；　and　without　a　cry；　and　lay　still。

Ben…Hur　turned　to　Thord。

〃Ha！　What！　By　the　beard　of　Irmin！〃　the　latter　cried；　in　astonishment；　rising　to　a　sitting　posture。　Then　he　laughed。

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！　I　could　not　have　done　it　better　myself。〃

He　viewed　Ben…Hur　coolly　from　head　to　foot；　and；　rising；　faced　him　with　undisguised　admiration。

〃It　was　my　trickthe　trick　I　have　practised　for　ten　years　in　the　schools　of　Rome。　You　are　not　a　Jew。　Who　are　you？〃

〃You　knew　Arrius　the　duumvir。〃

〃Quintus　Arrius？　Yes；　he　was　my　patron。〃

〃He　had　a　son。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Thord；　his　battered　features　lighting　dully；　〃I　knew　the　boy；　he　would　have　made　a　king　gladiator。　Caesar　offered　him　his　patronage。　I　taught　him　the　very　trick　you　played　on　this　one　herea　trick　impossible　except　to　a　hand　and　arm　like　mine。　It　has　won　me　many　a　crown。〃

〃I　am　that　son　of　Arrius。〃

Thord　drew　nearer；　and　viewed　him　carefully；　then　his　eyes　brightened　with　genuine　pleasure；　and；　laughing；　he　held　out　his　hand。

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！　He　told　me　I　would　find　a　Jew　herea　Jewa　dog　of　a　Jewkilling　whom　was　serving　the　gods。〃

〃Who　told　you　so？〃　asked　Ben…Hur；　taking　the　hand。

〃HeMessalaha；　ha；　ha！〃

〃When；　Thord？〃

〃Last　night。〃

〃I　thought　he　was　hurt。〃

〃He　will　never　walk　again。　On　his　bed　he　told　me　between　groans。〃

A　very　vivid　portrayal　of　hate　in　a　few　words；　and　Ben…Hur　saw　that　the　Roman；　if　he　lived；　would　still　be　capable　and　dangerous；　and　follow　him　unrelentingly。　Revenge　remained　to　sweeten　the　ruined　life；　therefore　the　clinging　to　fortune　lost　in　the　wager　with　Sanballat。　Ben…Hur　ran　the　ground　over；　with　a　distinct　foresight　of　the　many　ways　in　which　it　would　be　possible　for　his　enemy　to　interfere　with　him　in　the　work　he　had　undertaken　for　the　King　who　was　coming。　Why　not　he　resort　to　the　Roman's　methods？　The　man　hired　to　kill　him　could　be　hired　to　strike　back。　It　was　in　his　power　to　offer　higher　wages。　The　temptation　was　strong；　and；　half　yielding；　he　chanced　to　look　down　at　his　late　antagonist　lying　still；　with　white　upturned　face；　so　like　himself。　A　light　came　to　him；　and　he　asked；　〃Thord；　what　was　Messala　to　give　you　for　killing　me？〃

〃A　thousand　sestertii。〃

〃You　shall　have　them　yet；　and　so　you　do　now　what　I　tell　you；　I　will　add　three　thousand　more　to　the　sum。〃

The　giant　reflected　aloud；

〃I　won　five　thousand　yesterday；　from　the　Roman　onesix。　Give　me　four；　good　Arriusfour　moreand　I　will　stand　firm　for　you；　though　old　Thor；　my　namesake；　strike　me　with　his　hammer。　Make　it　four；　and　I　will　kill　the　lying　patrician；　if　you　say　so。　I　have　only　to　cover　his　mouth　with　my　handthus。〃

He　illustrated　the　process　by　clapping　his　hand　over　his　own　mouth。

〃I　see；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　〃ten　thousand　sestertii　is　a　fortune。　It　will　enable　you　to　return　to　Rome；　and　open　a　wine…shop　near　the　Great　Circus；　and　live　as　becomes　the　first　of　the　lanistae。〃

The　very　scars　on　the　giant's　face　glowed　afresh　with　the　pleasure　the　picture　gave　him。

〃I　will　make　it　four　thousand；〃　Ben…Hur　continued；　〃and　in　what　you　shall　do　for　the　money　there　will　be　no　blood　on　your　hands；　Thord。　Hear　me　now。　Did　not　your　friend　here　look　like　me？〃

〃I　would　have　said　he　was　an　apple　from　the　same　tree。〃

〃Well；　if　I　put　on　his　tunic；　and　dress　him　in　these　clothes　of　mine；　and　you　and　I　go　away　together；　leaving　him　here；　can　you　not　get　your　sestertii　from　Messala　all　the　same？　You　have　only　to　make　him　believe　it　me　that　is　dead。〃

Thord　laughed　till　the　tears　ran　into　his　mouth。

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！　Ten　thousand　sestertii　were　never　won　so　easily。　And　a　wine…shop　by　the　Great　Circus！all　for　a　lie　without　blood　in　it！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Give　me　thy　hand；　O　son　of　Arrius。　Get　on　now；　andha；　ha；　ha！if　ever　you　come　to　Rome；　fail　not　to　ask　for　the　wine…shop　of　Thord　the　Northman。　By　the　beard　of　Irmin；　I　will　give　you　the　best；　though　I　borrow　it　from　Caesar！〃

They　shook　hands　again；　after　which　the　exchange　of　clothes　was　effected。　It　was　arranged　then　that　a　messenger　should　go　at　night　to　Thord's　lodging…place　with　the　four　thousand　sestertii。　When　they　were　done；　the　giant　knocked　at　the　front　door；　it　opened　to　him；　and；　passing　out　of　the　atrium；　he　led　Ben…Hur　into　a　room　adjoining；　where　the　latter　completed　his　attire　from　the　coarse　garments　of　the　dead　pugilist。　They　separated　directly　in　the　Omphalus。

〃Fail　not；　O　son　of　Arrius；　fail　not　the　wine…shop　near　the　Great　Circus！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　By　the　beard　of　Irmin；　there　was　never　fortune　gained　so　cheap。　The　gods　keep　you！〃

Upon　leaving　the　atrium；　Ben…Hur　gave　a　last　look　at　the　myrmidon　as　he　lay　in　the　Jewish　vestments；　and　was　satisfied。　The　likeness　was　striking。　If　Thord　kept　faith；　the　cheat　was　a　secret　to　endure　forever。

*　*　*　*　*　*

At　night；　in　the　house　of　Simonides；　Ben…Hur　told　the　good　man　all　that　had　taken　place　in　the　palace　of　Idernee；　and　it　was　agreed　that；　after　a　few　days；　public　inquiry　should　be　set　afloat　for　the　discovery　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　son　of　Arrius。　Eventually　the　matter　was　to　be　carried　boldly　to　Maxentius；　then；　if　the　mystery　came　not　out；　it　was　concluded　that　Messala　and　Gratus　would　be　at　rest　and　happy；　and　Ben…Hur　free　to　betake　himself　to　Jerusalem；　to　make　search　for　his　lost　people。

At　the　leave…taking；　Simonides　sat　in　his　chair　out　on　the　terrace　overlooking　the　river；　and　gave　his　farewell　and　the　peace　of　the　Lord　with　the　impressment　of　a　father。　Esther　went　with　the　young　man　to　the　head　of　the　steps。

〃If　I　find　my　mother；　Esther；　thou　shalt　go　to　her　at　Jerusalem；　and　be　a　sister　to　Tirzah。〃

And　with　the　words　he　kissed　her。

Was　it　only　a　kiss　of　peace？

He　crossed　the　river　next　to　the　late　quarters　of　Ilderim；　where　he　found　the　Arab　who　was　to　serve　him　as　guide。　The　horses　were　brought　out。

〃This　one　is　thine；〃　said　the　Arab。

Ben…Hur　looked；　and；　lo！　it　was　Aldebaran；　the　swiftest　and　brightest　of　the　sons　of　Mira；　and；　next　to　Sirius；　the　beloved　of　the　sheik；　and　he　knew　the　old　man's　heart　came　to　him　along　with　the　gift。

The　corpse　in　the　atrium　was　taken　up　and　buried　by　night；　and；　as　part　of　Messala's　plan；　a　courier　was　sent　off　to　Gratus　to　make　him　at　rest　by　the　announcement　of　Ben…Hur's　deaththis　time　past　question。

Ere　long　a　wine…shop　was　opened　near　the　Circus　Maximus；　with　inscription　over　the　door：

THORD　THE　NORTHMAN。





BOOK　SIXTH

〃Is　that　a　Death？　and　are　there　two？　Is　Death　that　woman's　mate？　　*　*　*　*　Her　skin　was　as　white　as　leprosy；　The　Nightmare　Life…in…Death　was　she；　Who　thicks　man's　blood　with　cold。〃

COLERIDGE。




CHAPTER　I



Our　story　moves　forward　now　thirty　days　from　the　night　Ben…Hur　left　Antioch　to　go　out　with　Sheik　Ilderim　into　the　desert。

A　great　change　has　befallengreat　at　least　as　respects　the　fortunes　of　our　hero。　VALERIUS　GRATUS　HAS　BEEN　SUCCEEDED　BY　PONTIUS　PILATE！

The　removal；　it　may　be　remarked；　cost　Simonides　exactly　five　talents　Roman　money　in　hand　paid　to　Sejanus；　who　was　then　in　height　of　power　as　imperial　favorite；　the　object　being　to　help　Ben…Hur；　by　lessening　his　exposure　while　in　and　about　Jerusalem　attempting　discovery　of　his　people。　To　such　pious　use　the　faithful　servant　put　the　winnings　from　Drusus　and　his　associates；　all　of　whom；　having　paid　their　wagers；　became　at　once　and　naturally　the　enemies　of　Messala；　whose　repudiation　was　yet　an　unsettled　question　in　Rome。

Brief　as　the　time　was；　already　the　Jews　knew　the　change　of　rulers　was　not　for　the　better。

The　cohorts　sent　to　relieve　the　garrison　of　Antonia　made　their　entry　into　the　city　by　night；　next　morning　the　first　sight　that　greeted　the　people　resident　in　the　neighborhood　was　the　walls　of　the　old　Tower　decorated　with　military　ensigns；　which　unfortunately　consisted　of　busts　of　the　emperor　mixed　with　eagles　and　globes。　A　multitude；　in　passion；　marched　to　Caesarea；　where　Pilate　was　lingering；　and　implored　him　to　remove　the　detested　images。　Five　days　and　nights　they　beset　his　palace　gates；　at　last　he　appointed　a　meeting　with　them　in　the　Circus。　When　they　were　assembled；　he　encircled　them　with　soldiers；　instead　of　resisting；　they　off