ben-hur-第113节

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other　ascended　to　the　roof；　he　took　the　latter　and　began　to　climb。　As　he　made　the　last　step　in　the　flight　he　stopped　again。

〃Can　Balthasar　have　been　her　partner　in　the　long　mask　she　has　been　playing？　No；　no。　Hypocrisy　seldom　goes　with　wrinkled　age　like　that。　Balthasar　is　a　good　man。〃

With　this　decided　opinion　he　stepped　upon　the　roof。　There　was　a　full　moon　overhead；　yet　the　vault　of　the　sky　at　the　moment　was　lurid　with　light　cast　up　from　the　fires　burning　in　the　streets　and　open　places　of　the　city；　and　the　chanting　and　chorusing　of　the　old　psalmody　of　Israel　filled　it　with　plaintive　harmonies　to　which　he　could　not　but　listen。　The　countless　voices　bearing　the　burden　seemed　to　say；　〃Thus；　O　son　of　Judah；　we　prove　our　worshipfulness　of　the　Lord　God；　and　our　loyalty　to　the　land　he　gave　us。　Let　a　Gideon　appear；　or　a　David；　or　a　Maccabaeus；　and　we　are　ready。〃

That　seemed　an　introduction；　for　next　he　saw　the　man　of　Nazareth。

In　certain　moods　the　mind　is　disposed　to　mock　itself　with　inapposite　fancies。

The　tearful　woman…like　face　of　the　Christ　stayed　with　him　while　he　crossed　the　roof　to　the　parapet　above　the　street　on　the　north　side　of　the　house；　and　there　was　in　it　no　sign　of　war；　but　rather　as　the　heavens　of　calm　evenings　look　peace　upon　everything；　so　it　looked；　provoking　the　old　question；　What　manner　of　man　is　he？

Ben…Hur　permitted　himself　one　glance　over　the　parapet；　then　turned　and　walked　mechanically　towards　the　summer…house。

〃Let　them　do　their　worst；〃　he　said；　as　he　went　slowly　on。　〃I　will　not　forgive　the　Roman。　I　will　not　divide　my　fortune　with　him；　nor　will　I　fly　from　this　city　of　my　fathers。　I　will　call　on　Galilee　first；　and　here　make　the　fight。　By　brave　deeds　I　will　bring　the　tribes　to　our　side。　He　who　raised　up　Moses　will　find　us　a　leader；　if　I　fail。　If　not　the　Nazarene；　then　some　other　of　the　many　ready　to　die　for　freedom。〃

The　interior　of　the　summer…house；　when　Ben…Hur；　slow　sauntering；　came　to　it；　was　murkily　lighted。　The　faintest　of　shadows　lay　along　the　floor　from　the　pillars　on　the　north　and　west　sides。　Looking　in；　he　saw　the　arm…chair　usually　occupied　by　Simonides　drawn　to　a　spot　from　which　a　view　of　the　city　over　towards　the　Market…place　could　be　best　had。

〃The　good　man　is　returned。　I　will　speak　with　him；　unless　he　be　asleep。〃

He　walked　in；　and　with　a　quiet　step　approached　the　chair。　Peering　over　the　high　back；　he　beheld　Esther　nestled　in　the　seat　asleepa　small　figure　snugged　away　under　her　father's　lap…robe。　The　hair　dishevelled　fell　over　her　face。　Her　breathing　was　low　and　irregular。　Once　it　was　broken　by　a　long　sigh；　ending　in　a　sob。　Somethingit　might　have　been　the　sigh　or　the　loneliness　in　which　he　found　herimparted　to　him　the　idea　that　the　sleep　was　a　rest　from　sorrow　rather　than　fatigue。　Nature　kindly　sends　such　relief　to　children；　and　he　was　used　to　thinking　Esther　scarcely　more　than　a　child。　He　put　his　arms　upon　the　back　of　the　chair；　and　thought。

〃I　will　not　wake　her。　I　have　nothing　to　tell　hernothing　unlessunless　it　be　my　love。　。　。　。　She　is　a　daughter　of　Judah；　and　beautiful；　and　so　unlike　the　Egyptian；　for　there　it　is　all　vanity；　here　all　truth；　there　ambition；　here　duty；　there　selfishness；　here　self…sacrifice。　。　。　。　Nay；　the　question　is　not　do　I　love　her；　but　does　she　love　me？　She　was　my　friend　from　the　beginning。　The　night　on　the　terrace　at　Antioch；　how　child…like　she　begged　me　not　to　make　Rome　my　enemy；　and　had　me　tell　her　of　the　villa　by　Misenum；　and　of　the　life　there！　That　she　should　not　see　I　saw　her　cunning　drift　I　kissed　her。　Can　she　have　forgotten　the　kiss！　I　have　not。　I　love　her。　。　。　。　They　do　not　know　in　the　city　that　I　have　back　my　people。　I　shrank　from　telling　it　to　the　Egyptian；　but　this　little　one　will　rejoice　with　me　over　their　restoration；　and　welcome　them　with　love　and　sweet　services　of　hand　and　heart。　She　will　be　to　my　mother　another　daughter；　in　Tirzah　she　will　find　her　other　self。　I　would　wake　her　and　tell　her　these　things；　butout　on　the　sorceress　of　Egypt！　Of　that　folly　I　could　not　command　myself　to　speak。　I　will　go　away；　and　wait　another　and　a　better　time。　I　will　wait。　Fair　Esther；　dutiful　child；　daughter　of　Judah！〃

He　retired　silently　as　he　came。




CHAPTER　VIII



The　streets　were　full　of　people　going　and　coming；　or　grouped　about　the　fires　roasting　meat；　and　feasting　and　singing；　and　happy。　The　odor　of　scorching　flesh　mixed　with　the　odor　of　cedar…wood　aflame　and　smoking　loaded　the　air；　and　as　this　was　the　occasion　when　every　son　of　Israel　was　full　brother　to　every　other　son　of　Israel；　and　hospitality　was　without　bounds；　Ben…Hur　was　saluted　at　every　step；　while　the　groups　by　the　fires　insisted；　〃Stay　and　partake　with　us。　We　are　brethren　in　the　love　of　the　Lord。〃　But　with　thanks　to　them　he　hurried　on；　intending　to　take　horse　at　the　khan　and　return　to　the　tents　on　the　Cedron。

To　make　the　place；　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　cross　the　thoroughfare　so　soon　to　receive　sorrowful　Christian　perpetuation。　There　also　the　pious　celebration　was　at　its　height。　Looking　up　the　street；　he　noticed　the　flames　of　torches　in　motion　streaming　out　like　pennons；　then　he　observed　that　the　singing　ceased　where　the　torches　came。　His　wonder　rose　to　its　highest；　however；　when　he　became　certain　that　amidst　the　smoke　and　dancing　sparks　he　saw　the　keener　sparkling　of　burnished　spear…tips；　arguing　the　presence　of　Roman　soldiers。　What　were　they；　the　scoffing　legionaries；　doing　in　a　Jewish　religious　procession？　The　circumstance　was　unheard　of；　and　he　stayed　to　see　the　meaning　of　it。

The　moon　was　shining　its　best；　yet；　as　if　the　moon　and　the　torches；　and　the　fires　in　the　street；　and　the　rays　streaming　from　windows　and　open　doors　were　not　enough　to　make　the　way　clear；　some　of　the　processionists　carried　lighted　lanterns；　and　fancying　he　discovered　a　special　purpose　in　the　use　of　such　equipments；　Ben…Hur　stepped　into　the　street　so　close　to　the　line　of　march　as　to　bring　every　one　of　the　company　under　view　while　passing。　The　torches　and　the　lanterns　were　being　borne　by　servants；　each　of　whom　was　armed　with　a　bludgeon　or　a　sharpened　stave。　Their　present　duty　seemed　to　be　to　pick　out　the　smoothest　paths　among　the　rocks　in　the　street　for　certain　dignitaries　among　themelders　and　priests；　rabbis　with　long　beards；　heavy　brows；　and　beaked　noses；　men　of　the　class　potential　in　the　councils　of　Caiaphas　and　Hannas。　Where　could　they　be　going？　Not　to　the　Temple；　certainly；　for　the　route　to　the　sacred　house　from　Zion；　whence　these　appeared　to　be　coming；　was　by　the　Xystus。　And　their　businessif　peaceful；　why　the　soldiers？

As　the　procession　began　to　go　by　Ben…Hur；　his　attention　was　particularly　called　to　three　persons　walking　together。　They　were　well　towards　the　front；　and　the　servants　who　went　before　them　with　lanterns　appeared　unusually　careful　in　the　service。　In　the　person　moving　on　the　left　of　this　group　he　recognized　a　chief　policeman　of　the　Temple；　the　one　on　the　right　was　a　priest；　the　middle　man　was　not　at　first　so　easily　placed；　as　he　walked　leaning　heavily　upon　the　arms　of　the　others；　and　carried　his　head　so　low　upon　his　breast　as　to　hide　his　face。　His　appearance　was　that　of　a　prisoner　not　yet　recovered　from　the　fright　of　arrest；　or　being　taken　to　something　dreadfulto　torture　or　death。　The　dignitaries　helping　him　on　the　right　and　left；　and　the　attention　they　gave　him；　made　it　clear　that　if　he　were　not　himself　the　object　moving　the　party；　he　was　at　least　in　some　way　connected　with　the　objecta　witness　or　a　guide；　possibly　an　informer。　So　if　it　could　be　found　who　he　was　the　business　in　hand　might　be　shrewdly　guessed。　With　great　assurance；　Ben…Hur　fell　in　on　the　right　of　the　priest；　and　walked　along　with　him。　Now　if　the　man　would　lift　his　head！　And　presently　he　did　so；　letting　the　light　of　the　lanterns　strike　full　in　his　face；　pale；　dazed；　pinched　with　dread；　the　beard　roughed；　the　eyes　filmy；　sunken；　and　despairing。　In　much　going　about　following　the　Nazarene；　Ben…Hur　had　come　to　know　his　disciples　as　well　as　the　Master；　and　now；　at　sight　of　the　dismal　countenance；　he　cried　out；

〃The　'Scariot！〃

Slowly　the　head　of　the　man　turned　until　his　eyes　settled　upon　Ben…Hur；　and　his　lips　moved　as　if　he　were　about　to　speak；　but　the　priest　interfered。

〃Who　art　thou？　Begone！〃　he　said　to　Ben…Hur；　pushing　him　away。

The　young　man　took　the　push　good…naturedly；　and；　waiting　an　opportunity；　fell　into　the　procession　again。　Thus　he　was　carried　passively　along　down　the　street；　through　the　crowded　lowlands　between　the　hill　Bezetha　and　the　Castle　of　Antonia；　and　on　by　the　Bethesda　reservoir　to　the　Sheep　Gate。　There　were　people　everywhere；　and　everywhere　the　people　were　engaged　in　sacred　observances。

It　being　Passover　night；　the　valves　of　the　Gate　stood　open。　The　keepers　were　off　somewhere　feasting。　In　front　of　the　procession　as　it　passed　out　unchallenged　was　the　deep　gorge　of　the　Cedron；　with　Olivet　beyond；　its　dressing　of　cedar　and　olive　trees　darker　of　the　moonlight　silvering　all　the　heavens。　Two　roads　met　and　merged　into　the　street　at　the　gateone　from　the　northeast；　the　other　from　Bethany。　Ere　Ben…Hur　could　finish　wondering　whether　he　were　to　go　farther；　and　if　so；　which　road　was　to　be　taken；　he　was　led　off　down　into　the　gorge。　And　still　no　hint　of　the　purpose　of　the　midnight　march。

Down　the