ben-hur-第108节

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〃Yes；〃　said　Amrah；　〃Judah　said　he　saw　them　go　away　well。〃

Meantime　the　people　in　the　east　came　up　slowly。　When　at　length　the　foremost　of　them　were　in　sight；　the　gaze　of　the　lepers　fixed　upon　a　man　riding　in　the　midst　of　what　seemed　a　chosen　company　which　sang　and　danced　about　him　in　extravagance　of　joy。　The　rider　was　bareheaded　and　clad　all　in　white。　When　he　was　in　distance　to　be　more　clearly　observed；　these；　looking　anxiously；　saw　an　olive…hued　face　shaded　by　long　chestnut　hair　slightly　sunburned　and　parted　in　the　middle。　He　looked　neither　to　the　right　nor　left。　In　the　noisy　abandon　of　his　followers　he　appeared　to　have　no　part；　nor　did　their　favor　disturb　him　in　the　least；　or　raise　him　out　of　the　profound　melancholy　into　which；　as　his　countenance　showed；　he　was　plunged。　The　sun　beat　upon　the　back　of　his　head；　and　lighting　up　the　floating　hair　gave　it　a　delicate　likeness　to　a　golden　nimbus。　Behind　him　the　irregular　procession；　pouring　forward　with　continuous　singing　and　shouting；　extended　out　of　view。　There　was　no　need　of　any　one　to　tell　the　lepers　that　this　was　hethe　wonderful　Nazarene！

〃He　is　here；　Tirzah；〃　the　mother　said；　〃he　is　here。　Come；　my　child。〃

As　she　spoke　she　glided　in　front　of　the　white　rock　and　fell　upon　her　knees。

Directly　the　daughter　and　servant　were　by　her　side。　Then　at　sight　of　the　procession　in　the　west；　the　thousands　from　the　city　halted；　and　began　to　wave　their　green　branches；　shouting；　or　rather　chanting　（for　it　was　all　in　one　voice）；

〃Blessed　is　the　King　of　Israel　that　cometh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！〃

And　all　the　thousands　who　were　of　the　rider's　company；　both　those　near　and　those　afar；　replied　so　the　air　shook　with　the　sound；　which　was　as　a　great　wind　threshing　the　side　of　the　hill。　Amidst　the　din；　the　cries　of　the　poor　lepers　were　not　more　than　the　twittering　of　dazed　sparrows。

The　moment　of　the　meeting　of　the　hosts　was　come；　and　with　it　the　opportunity　the　sufferers　were　seeking；　if　not　taken；　it　would　be　lost　forever；　and　they　would　be　lost　as　well。

〃Nearer；　my　childlet　us　get　nearer。　He　cannot　hear　us；〃　said　the　mother。

She　arose；　and　staggered　forward。　Her　ghastly　hands　were　up；　and　she　screamed　with　horrible　shrillness。　The　people　saw　hersaw　her　hideous　face；　and　stopped　awe…struckan　effect　for　which　extreme　human　misery；　visible　as　in　this　instance；　is　as　potent　as　majesty　in　purple　and　gold。　Tirzah；　behind　her　a　little　way；　fell　down　too　faint　and　frightened　to　follow　farther。

〃The　lepers！　the　lepers！〃

〃Stone　them！〃

〃The　accursed　of　God！　Kill　them！〃

These；　with　other　yells　of　like　import；　broke　in　upon　the　hosannas　of　the　part　of　the　multitude　too　far　removed　to　see　and　understand　the　cause　of　the　interruption。　Some　there　were；　however；　near　by　familiar　with　the　nature　of　the　man　to　whom　the　unfortunates　were　appealingsome　who；　by　long　intercourse　with　him；　had　caught　somewhat　of　his　divine　compassion：　they　gazed　at　him；　and　were　silent　while；　in　fair　view；　he　rode　up　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　woman。　She　also　beheld　his　facecalm；　pitiful；　and　of　exceeding　beauty；　the　large　eyes　tender　with　benignant　purpose。

And　this　was　the　colloquy　that　ensued：

〃O　Master；　Master！　Thou　seest　our　need；　thou　canst　make　us　clean。　Have　mercy　upon　usmercy！〃

〃Believest　thou　I　am　able　to　do　this？〃　he　asked。

〃Thou　art　he　of　whom　the　prophets　spakethou　art　the　Messiah！〃　she　replied。

His　eyes　grew　radiant；　his　manner　confident。

〃Woman；〃　he　said；　〃great　is　thy　faith；　be　it　unto　thee　even　as　thou　wilt。〃

He　lingered　an　instant　after；　apparently　unconscious　of　the　presence　of　the　throngan　instantthen　he　rode　away。

To　the　heart　divinely　original；　yet　so　human　in　all　the　better　elements　of　humanity；　going　with　sure　prevision　to　a　death　of　all　the　inventions　of　men　the　foulest　and　most　cruel；　breathing　even　then　in　the　forecast　shadow　of　the　awful　event；　and　still　as　hungry　and　thirsty　for　love　and　faith　as　in　the　beginning；　how　precious　and　ineffably　soothing　the　farewell　exclamation　of　the　grateful　woman：

〃To　God　in　the　highest；　glory！　Blessed；　thrice　blessed；　the　Son　whom　he　hath　given　us！〃

Immediately　both　the　hosts；　that　from　the　city　and　that　from　Bethphage；　closed　around　him　with　their　joyous　demonstrations；　with　hosannas　and　waving　of　palms；　and　so　he　passed　from　the　lepers　forever。　Covering　her　head；　the　elder　hastened　to　Tirzah；　and　folded　her　in　her　arms；　crying；　〃Daughter；　look　up！　I　have　his　promise；　he　is　indeed　the　Messiah。　We　are　savedsaved！〃　And　the　two　remained　kneeling　while　the　procession；　slowly　going；　disappeared　over　the　mount。　When　the　noise　of　its　singing　afar　was　a　sound　scarcely　heard　the　miracle　began。

There　was　first　in　the　hearts　of　the　lepers　a　freshening　of　the　blood；　then　it　flowed　faster　and　stronger；　thrilling　their　wasted　bodies　with　an　infinitely　sweet　sense　of　painless　healing。　Each　felt　the　scourge　going　from　her；　their　strength　revived；　they　were　returning　to　be　themselves。　Directly；　as　if　to　make　the　purification　complete；　from　body　to　spirit　the　quickening　ran；　exalting　them　to　a　very　fervor　of　ecstasy。　The　power　possessing　them　to　this　good　end　was　most　nearly　that　of　a　draught　of　swift　and　happy　effect；　yet　it　was　unlike　and　superior　in　that　its　healing　and　cleansing　were　absolute；　and　not　merely　a　delicious　consciousness　while　in　progress；　but　the　planting；　growing；　and　maturing　all　at　once　of　a　recollection　so　singular　and　so　holy　that　the　simple　thought　of　it　should　be　of　itself　ever　after　a　formless　yet　perfect　thanksgiving。

To　this　transformationfor　such　it　may　be　called　quite　as　properly　as　a　curethere　was　a　witness　other　than　Amrah。　The　reader　will　remember　the　constancy　with　which　Ben…Hur　had　followed　the　Nazarene　throughout　his　wanderings；　and　now；　recalling　the　conversation　of　the　night　before；　there　will　be　little　surprise　at　learning　that　the　young　Jew　was　present　when　the　leprous　woman　appeared　in　the　path　of　the　pilgrims。　He　heard　her　prayer；　and　saw　her　disfigured　face；　he　heard　the　answer　also；　and　was　not　so　accustomed　to　incidents　of　the　kind；　frequent　as　they　had　been；　as　to　have　lost　interest　in　them。　Had　such　thing　been　possible　with　him；　still　the　bitter　disputation　always　excited　by　the　simplest　display　of　the　Master's　curative　gift　would　have　sufficed　to　keep　his　curiosity　alive。　Besides　that；　if　not　above　it　as　an　incentive；　his　hope　to　satisfy　himself　upon　the　vexed　question　of　the　mission　of　the　mysterious　man　was　still　upon　him　strong　as　in　the　beginning；　we　might　indeed　say　even　stronger；　because　of　a　belief　that　now　quickly；　before　the　sun　went　down；　the　man　himself　would　make　all　known　by　public　proclamation。　At　the　close　of　the　scene；　consequently；　Ben…Hur　had　withdrawn　from　the　procession；　and　seated　himself　upon　a　stone　to　wait　its　passage。

From　his　place　he　nodded　recognition　to　many　of　the　peopleGalileans　in　his　league；　carrying　short　swords　under　their　long　abbas。　After　a　little　a　swarthy　Arab　came　up　leading　two　horses；　at　a　sign　from　Ben…Hur　he　also　drew　out。

〃Stay　here；〃　the　young　master　said；　when　all　were　gone　by；　even　the　laggards。　〃I　wish　to　be　at　the　city　early；　and　Aldebaran　must　do　me　service。〃

He　stroked　the　broad　forehead　of　the　horse；　now　in　his　prime　of　strength　and　beauty；　then　crossed　the　road　towards　the　two　women。

They　were　to　him；　it　should　be　borne　in　mind；　strangers　in　whom　he　felt　interest　only　as　they　were　subjects　of　a　superhuman　experiment；　the　result　of　which　might　possibly　help　him　to　solution　of　the　mystery　that　had　so　long　engaged　him。　As　he　proceeded；　he　glanced　casually　at　the　figure　of　the　little　woman　over　by　the　white　rock；　standing　there；　her　face　hidden　in　her　hands。

〃As　the　Lord　liveth；　it　is　Amrah！〃　he　said　to　himself。

He　hurried　on；　and　passing　by　the　mother　and　daughter；　still　without　recognizing　them；　he　stopped　before　the　servant。

〃Amrah；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃Amrah；　what　do　you　here？〃

She　rushed　forward；　and　fell　upon　her　knees　before　him；　blinded　by　her　tears；　nigh　speechless　with　contending　joy　and　fear。

〃O　master；　master！　Thy　God　and　mine；　how　good　he　is！〃

The　knowledge　we　gain　from　much　sympathy　with　others　passing　through　trials　is　but　vaguely　understood；　strangely　enough；　it　enables　us；　among　other　things；　to　merge　our　identity　into　theirs　often　so　completely　that　their　sorrows　and　their　delights　become　our　own。　So　poor　Amrah；　aloof　and　hiding　her　face；　knew　the　transformation　the　lepers　were　undergoing　without　a　word　spoken　to　herknew　it；　and　shared　all　their　feeling　to　the　full。　Her　countenance；　her　words；　her　whole　manner；　betrayed　her　condition；　and　with　swift　presentiment　he　connected　it　with　the　women　he　had　just　passed：　he　felt　her　presence　there　at　that　time　was　in　some　way　associated　with　them；　and　turned　hastily　as　they　arose　to　their　feet。　His　heart　stood　still；　he　became　rooted　in　his　tracksdumb　past　outcryawe…struck。

The　woman　he　had　seen　before　the　Nazarene　was　standing　with　her　hands　clasped　and　eyes　streaming；　looking　towards　heaven。　The　mere　transformation　would　have　been　a　sufficient　surprise；　but　it　was　the　least　of　the　causes　of　his　emotion。　Could　he　be　mistaken？　Never　was　there　in　life　a　stranger　so　like　his　mother；　and　like　her　as　she　was　the　day　the　Roman　snatched　her　from　him。　The