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he　spirits　which　endure　it　calmly　are　made　of　stuffs　sterner　than　common；　and　Ben…Hur's　was　not　of　them。　Through　vistas　in　the　future；　he　began　to　catch　glimpses　of　a　life　serenely　beautiful；　with　a　home　instead　of　a　palace　of　state；　and　Esther　its　mistress。　Again　and　again　through　the　leaden…footed　hours　of　the　night　he　saw　the　villa　by　Misenum；　and　with　his　little　countrywoman　strolled　through　the　garden；　and　rested　in　the　panelled　atrium；　overhead　the　Neapolitan　sky；　at　their　feet　the　sunniest　of　sun…lands　and　the　bluest　of　bays。

In　plainest　speech；　he　was　entering　upon　a　crisis　with　which　to…morrow　and　the　Nazarene　will　have　everything　to　do。




CHAPTER　IX



Next　morning；　about　the　second　hour；　two　men　rode　full　speed　to　the　doors　of　Ben…Hur's　tents；　and　dismounting；　asked　to　see　him。　He　was　not　yet　risen；　but　gave　directions　for　their　admission。

〃Peace　to　you；　brethren；〃　he　said；　for　they　were　of　his　Galileans；　and　trusted　officers。　〃Will　you　be　seated？〃

〃Nay；〃　the　senior　replied；　bluntly；　〃to　sit　and　be　at　ease　is　to　let　the　Nazarene　die。　Rise；　son　of　Judah；　and　go　with　us。　The　judgment　has　been　given。　The　tree　of　the　cross　is　already　at　Golgotha。〃

Ben…Hur　stared　at　them。

〃The　cross！〃　was　all　he　could　for　the　moment　say。

〃They　took　him　last　night；　and　tried　him；〃　the　man　continued。　〃At　dawn　they　led　him　before　Pilate。　Twice　the　Roman　denied　his　guilt；　twice　he　refused　to　give　him　over。　At　last　he　washed　his　hands；　and　said；　'Be　it　upon　you　then；'　and　they　answered〃

〃Who　answered？〃

〃Theythe　priests　and　people'His　blood　be　upon　us　and　our　children。'〃

〃Holy　father　Abraham！〃　cried　Ben…Hur；　〃a　Roman　kinder　to　an　Israelite　than　his　own　kin！　And　ifah；　if　he　should　indeed　be　the　son　of　God；　what　shall　ever　wash　his　blood　from　their　children？　It　must　not　be'tis　time　to　fight！〃

His　face　brightened　with　resolution；　and　he　clapped　his　hands。

〃The　horsesand　quickly！〃　he　said　to　the　Arab　who　answered　the　signal。　〃And　bid　Amrah　send　me　fresh　garments；　and　bring　my　sword！　It　is　time　to　die　for　Israel；　my　friends。　Tarry　without　till　I　come。〃

He　ate　a　crust；　drank　a　cup　of　wine；　and　was　soon　upon　the　road。

〃Whither　would　you　go　first？〃　asked　the　Galilean。

〃To　collect　the　legions。〃

〃Alas！〃　the　man　replied；　throwing　up　his　hands。

〃Why　alas？〃

〃Master〃the　man　spoke　with　shame〃master；　I　and　my　friend　here　are　all　that　are　faithful。　The　rest　do　follow　the　priests。〃

〃Seeking　what？〃　and　Ben…Hur　drew　rein。

〃To　kill　him。〃

〃Not　the　Nazarene？〃

〃You　have　said　it。〃

Ben…Hur　looked　slowly　from　one　man　to　the　other。　He　was　hearing　again　the　question　of　the　night　before：　〃The　cup　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　In　the　ear　of　the　Nazarene　he　was　putting　his　own　question；　〃If　I　bring　thee　rescue；　wilt　thou　accept　it？〃　He　was　saying　to　himself；　〃This　death　may　not　be　averted。　The　man　has　been　travelling　towards　it　with　full　knowledge　from　the　day　he　began　his　mission：　it　is　imposed　by　a　will　higher　than　his；　whose　but　the　Lord's！　If　he　is　consenting；　if　he　goes　to　it　voluntarily；　what　shall　another　do？〃　Nor　less　did　Ben…Hur　see　the　failure　of　the　scheme　he　had　built　upon　the　fidelity　of　the　Galileans；　their　desertion；　in　fact；　left　nothing　more　of　it。　But　how　singular　it　should　happen　that　morning　of　all　others！　A　dread　seized　him。　It　was　possible　his　scheming；　and　labor；　and　expenditure　of　treasure　might　have　been　but　blasphemous　contention　with　God。　When　he　picked　up　the　reins　and　said；　〃Let　us　go；　brethren；〃　all　before　him　was　uncertainty。　The　faculty　of　resolving　quickly；　without　which　one　cannot　be　a　hero　in　the　midst　of　stirring　scenes；　was　numb　within　him。

〃Let　us　go；　brethren；　let　us　to　Golgotha。〃

They　passed　through　excited　crowds　of　people　going　south；　like　themselves。　All　the　country　north　of　the　city　seemed　aroused　and　in　motion。

Hearing　that　the　procession　with　the　condemned　might　be　met　with　somewhere　near　the　great　white　towers　left　by　Herod；　the　three　friends　rode　thither；　passing　round　southeast　of　Akra。　In　the　valley　below　the　Pool　of　Hezekiah；　passage…way　against　the　multitude　became　impossible；　and　they　were　compelled　to　dismount；　and　take　shelter　behind　the　corner　of　a　house　and　wait。

The　waiting　was　as　if　they　were　on　a　river　bank；　watching　a　flood　go　by；　for　such　the　people　seemed。

There　are　certain　chapters　in　the　First　Book　of　this　story　which　were　written　to　give　the　reader　an　idea　of　the　composition　of　the　Jewish　nationality　as　it　was　in　the　time　of　Christ。　They　were　also　written　in　anticipation　of　this　hour　and　scene；　so　that　he　who　has　read　them　with　attention　can　now　see　all　Ben…Hur　saw　of　the　going　to　the　crucifixiona　rare　and　wonderful　sight！

Half　an　houran　hourthe　flood　surged　by　Ben…Hur　and　his　companions；　within　arm's　reach；　incessant；　undiminished。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　could　have　said；　〃I　have　seen　all　the　castes　of　Jerusalem；　all　the　sects　of　Judea；　all　the　tribes　of　Israel；　and　all　the　nationalities　of　earth　represented　by　them。〃　The　Libyan　Jew　went　by；　and　the　Jew　of　Egypt；　and　the　Jew　from　the　Rhine；　in　short；　Jews　from　all　East　countries　and　all　West　countries；　and　all　islands　within　commercial　connection；　they　went　by　on　foot；　on　horseback；　on　camels；　in　litters　and　chariots；　and　with　an　infinite　variety　of　costumes；　yet　with　the　same　marvellous　similitude　of　features　which　to…day　particularizes　the　children　of　Israel；　tried　as　they　have　been　by　climates　and　modes　of　life；　they　went　by　speaking　all　known　tongues；　for　by　that　means　only　were　they　distinguishable　group　from　group；　they　went　by　in　hasteeager；　anxious；　crowdingall　to　behold　one　poor　Nazarene　die；　a　felon　between　felons。

These　were　the　many；　but　they　were　not　all。

Borne　along　with　the　stream　were　thousands　not　Jewsthousands　hating　and　despising　themGreeks；　Romans；　Arabs；　Syrians；　Africans；　Egyptians；　Easterns。　So　that；　studying　the　mass；　it　seemed　the　whole　world　was　to　be　represented；　and；　in　that　sense；　present　at　the　crucifixion。

The　going　was　singularly　quiet。　A　hoof…stroke　upon　a　rock；　the　glide　and　rattle　of　revolving　wheels；　voices　in　conversation；　and　now　and　then　a　calling　voice；　were　all　the　sounds　heard　above　the　rustle　of　the　mighty　movement。　Yet　was　there　upon　every　countenance　the　look　with　which　men　make　haste　to　see　some　dreadful　sight；　some　sudden　wreck；　or　ruin；　or　calamity　of　war。　And　by　such　signs　Ben…Hur　judged　that　these　were　the　strangers　in　the　city　come　up　to　the　Passover；　who　had　had　no　part　in　the　trial　of　the　Nazarene；　and　might　be　his　friends。

At　length；　from　the　direction　of　the　great　towers；　Ben…Hur　heard；　at　first　faint　in　the　distance；　a　shouting　of　many　men。

〃Hark！　they　are　coming　now；〃　said　one　of　his　friends。

The　people　in　the　street　halted　to　hear；　but　as　the　cry　rang　on　over　their　heads；　they　looked　at　each　other；　and　in　shuddering　silence　moved　along。

The　shouting　drew　nearer　each　moment；　and　the　air　was　already　full　of　it　and　trembling；　when　Ben…Hur　saw　the　servants　of　Simonides　coming　with　their　master　in　his　chair；　and　Esther　walking　by　his　side；　a　covered　litter　was　next　behind　them。

〃Peace　to　you；　O　Simonidesand　to　you；　Esther；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　meeting　them。　〃If　you　are　for　Golgotha；　stay　until　the　procession　passes；　I　will　then　go　with　you。　There　is　room　to　turn　in　by　the　house　here。〃

The　merchant's　large　head　rested　heavily　upon　his　breast；　rousing　himself；　he　answered；　〃Speak　to　Balthasar；　his　pleasure　will　be　mine。　He　is　in　the　litter。〃

Ben…Hur　hastened　to　draw　aside　the　curtain。　The　Egyptian　was　lying　within；　his　wan　face　so　pinched　as　to　appear　like　a　dead　man's。　The　proposal　was　submitted　to　him。

〃Can　we　see　him？〃　he　inquired；　faintly。

〃The　Nazarene？　yes；　he　must　pass　within　a　few　feet　of　us。〃

〃Dear　Lord！〃　the　old　man　cried；　fervently。　〃Once　more；　once　more！　Oh；　it　is　a　dreadful　day　for　the　world！〃

Shortly　the　whole　party　were　in　waiting　under　shelter　of　the　house。　They　said　but　little；　afraid；　probably；　to　trust　their　thoughts　to　each　other；　everything　was　uncertain；　and　nothing　so　much　so　as　opinions。　Balthasar　drew　himself　feebly　from　the　litter；　and　stood　supported　by　a　servant；　Esther　and　Ben…Hur　kept　Simonides　company。

Meantime　the　flood　poured　along；　if　anything；　more　densely　than　before；　and　the　shouting　came　nearer；　shrill　up　in　the　air；　hoarse　along　the　earth；　and　cruel。　At　last　the　procession　was　up。

〃See！〃　said　Ben…Hur；　bitterly；　〃that　which　cometh　now　is　Jerusalem。〃

The　advance　was　in　possession　of　an　army　of　boys；　hooting　and　screaming；　〃The　King　of　the　Jews！　Room；　room　for　the　King　of　the　Jews！〃

Simonides　watched　them　as　they　whirled　and　danced　along；　like　a　cloud　of　summer　insects；　and　said；　gravely；　〃When　these　come　to　their　inheritance；　son　of　Hur；　alas　for　the　city　of　Solomon！〃

A　band　of　legionaries　fully　armed　followed　next；　marching　in　sturdy　indifference；　the　glory　of　burnished　brass　about　them　the　while。

Then　came　the　NAZARENE！

He　was　nearly　dead。　Every　few　steps　he　staggered　as　if　he　would　fall。　A　stained　gown　badly　torn　hung　from　his　shoulders　over　a　seamless　undertunic。　His　bare　feet　left　red　splotches　upon　the　stones。　An　inscription　on　a　board　was　tied　to　his　neck。　A　crown　of　thorns　had　been　crushed　hard　down　upon　hi