ben-hur-第112节

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〃Whom？〃

〃The　son　of　Hur　himself。〃

〃Was　there　no　other　who　contributed？〃

〃No；　not　one。〃

Hur　drew　a　breath　of　relief；　and　said；　lightly；　〃Thanks。　It　were　not　well　to　keep　the　Lord　Sejanus　waiting　for　you。　The　Desert　is　not　so　sensitive。　Again；　O　Egypt；　peace！〃

To　this　time　he　had　been　standing　uncovered；　now　he　took　the　handkerchief　from　his　arm　where　it　had　been　hanging；　and　adjusting　it　upon　his　head；　turned　to　depart。　But　she　arrested　him；　in　her　eagerness；　she　even　reached　a　hand　to　him。

〃Stay；〃　she　said。

He　looked　back　at　her；　but　without　taking　the　hand；　though　it　was　very　noticeable　for　its　sparkling　of　jewels；　and　he　knew　by　her　manner　that　the　reserved　point　of　the　scene　which　was　so　surprising　to　him　was　now　to　come。

〃Stay；　and　do　not　distrust　me；　O　son　of　Hur；　if　I　declare　I　know　why　the　noble　Arrius　took　you　for　his　heir。　And；　by　Isis！　by　all　the　gods　of　Egypt！　I　swear　I　tremble　to　think　of　you；　so　brave　and　generous；　under　the　hand　of　the　remorseless　minister。　You　have　left　a　portion　of　your　youth　in　the　atria　of　the　great　capital；　consider；　as　I　do；　what　the　Desert　will　be　to　you　in　contrast　of　life。　Oh；　I　give　you　pitypity！　And　if　you　but　do　what　I　say；　I　will　save　you。　That；　also；　I　swear；　by　our　holy　Isis！〃

Words　of　entreaty　and　prayer　these；　poured　forth　volubly　and　with　earnestness　and　the　mighty　sanction　of　beauty。

〃Almostalmost　I　believe　you；〃　Ben…Hur　said；　yet　hesitatingly；　and　in　a　voice　low　and　indistinct；　for　a　doubt　remained　with　him　grumbling　against　the　yielding　tendency　of　the　mana　good　sturdy　doubt；　such　a　one　as　has　saved　many　a　life　and　fortune。

〃The　perfect　life　for　a　woman　is　to　live　in　love；　the　greatest　happiness　for　a　man　is　the　conquest　of　himself；　and　that；　O　prince；　is　what　I　have　to　ask　of　you。〃

She　spoke　rapidly；　and　with　animation；　indeed；　she　had　never　appeared　to　him　so　fascinating。

〃You　had　once　a　friend；〃　she　continued。　〃It　was　in　your　boyhood。　There　was　a　quarrel；　and　you　and　he　became　enemies。　He　did　you　wrong。　After　many　years　you　met　him　again　in　the　Circus　at　Antioch。〃

〃Messala！〃

〃Yes；　Messala。　You　are　his　creditor。　Forgive　the　past；　admit　him　to　friendship　again；　restore　the　fortune　he　lost　in　the　great　wager；　rescue　him。　The　six　talents　are　as　nothing　to　you；　not　so　much　as　a　bud　lost　upon　a　tree　already　in　full　leaf；　but　to　him　Ah；　he　must　go　about　with　a　broken　body；　wherever　you　meet　him　he　must　look　up　to　you　from　the　ground。　O　Ben…Hur；　noble　prince！　to　a　Roman　descended　as　he　is　beggary　is　the　other　most　odious　name　for　death。　Save　him　from　beggary！〃

If　the　rapidity　with　which　she　spoke　was　a　cunning　invention　to　keep　him　from　thinking；　either　she　never　knew　or　else　had　forgotten　that　there　are　convictions　which　derive　nothing　from　thought；　but　drop　into　place　without　leave　or　notice。　It　seemed　to　him；　when　at　last　she　paused　to　have　his　answer；　that　he　could　see　Messala　himself　peering　at　him　over　her　shoulder；　and　in　its　expression　the　countenance　of　the　Roman　was　not　that　of　a　mendicant　or　a　friend；　the　sneer　was　as　patrician　as　ever；　and　the　fine　edge　of　the　hauteur　as　flawless　and　irritating。

〃The　appeal　has　been　decided　then；　and　for　once　a　Messala　takes　nothing。　I　must　go　and　write　it　in　my　book　of　great　occurrencesa　judgment　by　a　Roman　against　a　Roman！　But　did　hedid　Messala　send　you　to　me　with　this　request；　O　Egypt？〃

〃He　has　a　noble　nature；　and　judged　you　by　it。〃

Ben…Hur　took　the　hand　upon　arm。

〃As　you　know　him　in　such　friendly　way；　fair　Egyptian；　tell　me；　would　he　do　for　me；　there　being　a　reversal　of　the　conditions；　that　he　asks　of　me？　Answer；　by　Isis！　Answer；　for　the　truth's　sake！〃

There　was　insistence　in　the　touch　of　his　hand；　and　in　his　look　also。

〃Oh！〃　she　began；　〃he　is〃

〃A　Roman；　you　were　about　to　say；　meaning　that　I；　a　Jew；　must　not　determine　dues　from　me　to　him　by　any　measure　of　dues　from　him　to　me；　being　a　Jew；　I　must　forgive　him　my　winnings　because　he　is　a　Roman。　If　you　have　more　to　tell　me；　daughter　of　Balthasar；　speak　quickly；　quickly；　for　by　the　Lord　God　of　Israel；　when　this　heat　of　blood；　hotter　waxing；　attains　its　highest；　I　may　not　be　able　longer　to　see　that　you　are　a　woman；　and　beautiful！　I　may　see　but　the　spy　of　a　master　the　more　hateful　because　the　master　is　a　Roman。　Say　on；　and　quickly。〃

She　threw　his　hand　off　and　stepped　back　into　the　full　light；　with　all　the　evil　of　her　nature　collected　in　her　eyes　and　voice。

〃Thou　drinker　of　lees；　feeder　upon　husks！　To　think　I　could　love　thee；　having　seen　Messala！　Such　as　thou　were　born　to　serve　him。　He　would　have　been　satisfied　with　release　of　the　six　talents；　but　I　say　to　the　six　thou　shalt　add　twentytwenty；　dost　thou　hear？　The　kissings　of　my　little　finger　which　thou　hast　taken　from　him；　though　with　my　consent；　shall　be　paid　for；　and　that　I　have　followed　thee　with　affection　of　sympathy；　and　endured　thee　so　long；　enter　into　the　account　not　less　because　I　was　serving　him。　The　merchant　here　is　thy　keeper　of　moneys。　If　by　to…morrow　at　noon　he　has　not　thy　order　acted　upon　in　favor　of　my　Messala　for　six…and…twenty　talentsmark　the　sum！thou　shalt　settle　with　the　Lord　Sejanus。　Be　wise　andfarewell。〃

As　she　was　going　to　the　door；　he　put　himself　in　her　way。

〃The　old　Egypt　lives　in　you；〃　he　said。　〃Whether　you　see　Messala　to…morrow　or　the　next　day；　here　or　in　Rome；　give　him　this　message。　Tell　him　I　have　back　the　money；　even　the　six　talents；　he　robbed　me　of　by　robbing　my　father's　estate；　tell　him　I　survived　the　galleys　to　which　he　had　me　sent；　and　in　my　strength　rejoice　in　his　beggary　and　dishonor；　tell　him　I　think　the　affliction　of　body　which　he　has　from　my　hand　is　the　curse　of　our　Lord　God　of　Israel　upon　him　more　fit　than　death　for　his　crimes　against　the　helpless；　tell　him　my　mother　and　sister　whom　he　had　sent　to　a　cell　in　Antonia　that　they　might　die　of　leprosy；　are　alive　and　well；　thanks　to　the　power　of　the　Nazarene　whom　you　so　despise；　tell　him　that；　to　fill　my　measure　of　happiness；　they　are　restored　to　me；　and　that　I　will　go　hence　to　their　love；　and　find　in　it　more　than　compensation　for　the　impure　passions　which　you　leave　me　to　take　to　him；　tell　himthis　for　your　comfort；　O　cunning　incarnate；　as　much　as　histell　him　that　when　the　Lord　Sejanus　comes　to　despoil　me　he　will　find　nothing；　for　the　inheritance　I　had　from　the　duumvir；　including　the　villa　by　Misenum；　has　been　sold；　and　the　money　from　the　sale　is　out　of　reach；　afloat　in　the　marts　of　the　world　as　bills　of　exchange；　and　that　this　house　and　the　goods　and　merchandise　and　the　ships　and　caravans　with　which　Simonides　plies　his　commerce　with　such　princely　profits　are　covered　by　imperial　safeguardsa　wise　head　having　found　the　price　of　the　favor；　and　the　Lord　Sejanus　preferring　a　reasonable　gain　in　the　way　of　gift　to　much　gain　fished　from　pools　of　blood　and　wrong；　tell　him　if　all　this　were　not　so；　if　the　money　and　property　were　all　mine；　yet　should　he　not　have　the　least　part　of　it；　for　when　he　finds　our　Jewish　bills；　and　forces　them　to　give　up　their　values；　there　is　yet　another　resort　left　mea　deed　of　gift　to　Caesarso　much；　O　Egypt；　I　found　out　in　the　atria　of　the　great　capital；　tell　him　that　along　with　my　defiance　I　do　not　send　him　a　curse　in　words；　but；　as　a　better　expression　of　my　undying　hate；　I　send　him　one　who　will　prove　to　him　the　sum　of　all　curses；　and　when　he　looks　at　you　repeating　this　my　message；　daughter　of　Balthasar；　his　Roman　shrewdness　will　tell　him　all　I　mean。　Go　nowand　I　will　go。〃

He　conducted　her　to　the　door；　and；　with　ceremonious　politeness；　held　back　the　curtain　while　she　passed　out。

〃Peace　to　you；〃　he　said；　as　she　disappeared。




CHAPTER　VII



When　Ben…Hur　left　the　guest…chamber；　there　was　not　nearly　so　much　life　in　his　action　as　when　he　entered　it；　his　steps　were　slower；　and　he　went　along　with　his　head　quite　upon　his　breast。　Having　made　discovery　that　a　man　with　a　broken　back　may　yet　have　a　sound　brain；　he　was　reflecting　upon　the　discovery。

Forasmuch　as　it　is　easy　after　a　calamity　has　befallen　to　look　back　and　see　the　proofs　of　its　coming　strewn　along　the　way；　the　thought　that　he　had　not　even　suspected　the　Egyptian　as　in　Messala's　interest；　but　had　gone　blindly　on　through　whole　years　putting　himself　and　his　friends　more　and　more　at　her　mercy；　was　a　sore　wound　to　the　young　man's　vanity。　〃I　remember；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃she　had　no　word　of　indignation　for　the　perfidious　Roman　at　the　Fountain　of　Castalia！　I　remember　she　extolled　him　at　the　boat…ride　on　the　lake　in　the　Orchard　of　Palms！　And；　ah！〃he　stopped；　and　beat　his　left　hand　violently　with　his　right〃ah！　that　mystery　about　the　appointment　she　made　with　me　at　the　Palace　of　Idernee　is　no　mystery　now！〃

The　wound；　it　should　be　observed；　was　to　his　vanity；　and　fortunately　it　is　not　often　that　people　die　of　such　hurts；　or　even　continue　a　long　time　sick。　In　Ben…Hur's　case；　moreover；　there　was　a　compensation；　for　presently　he　exclaimed　aloud；　〃Praised　be　the　Lord　God　that　the　woman　took　not　a　more　lasting　hold　on　me！　I　see　I　did　not　love　her。〃

Then；　as　if　he　had　already　parted　with　not　a　little　of　the　weight　on　his　mind；　he　stepped　forward　more　lightly；　and；　coming　to　the　place　on　the　terrace　where　one　stairway　led　down　to　the　court…yard　below；　and　another　ascended　to　the　roof；　he　took　the　latter　and　began　to