ben-hur-第116节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


An　inscription　on　a　board　was　tied　to　his　neck。　A　crown　of　thorns　had　been　crushed　hard　down　upon　his　head；　making　cruel　wounds　from　which　streams　of　blood；　now　dry　and　blackened；　had　run　over　his　face　and　neck。　The　long　hair；　tangled　in　the　thorns；　was　clotted　thick。　The　skin；　where　it　could　be　seen；　was　ghastly　white。　His　hands　were　tied　before　him。　Back　somewhere　in　the　city　he　had　fallen　exhausted　under　the　transverse　beam　of　his　cross；　which；　as　a　condemned　person；　custom　required　him　to　bear　to　the　place　of　execution；　now　a　countryman　carried　the　burden　in　his　stead。　Four　soldiers　went　with　him　as　a　guard　against　the　mob；　who　sometimes；　nevertheless；　broke　through；　and　struck　him　with　sticks；　and　spit　upon　him。　Yet　no　sound　escaped　him；　neither　remonstrance　nor　groan；　nor　did　he　look　up　until　he　was　nearly　in　front　of　the　house　sheltering　Ben…Hur　and　his　friends；　all　of　whom　were　moved　with　quick　compassion。　Esther　clung　to　her　father；　and　he；　strong　of　will　as　he　was；　trembled。　Balthasar　fell　down　speechless。　Even　Ben…Hur　cried　out；　〃O　my　God！　my　God！〃　Then；　as　if　he　divined　their　feelings　or　heard　the　exclamation；　the　Nazarene　turned　his　wan　face　towards　the　party；　and　looked　at　them　each　one；　so　they　carried　the　look　in　memory　through　life。　They　could　see　he　was　thinking　of　them；　not　himself；　and　the　dying　eyes　gave　them　the　blessing　he　was　not　permitted　to　speak。

〃Where　are　thy　legions；　son　of　Hur？〃　asked　Simonides；　aroused。

〃Hannas　can　tell　thee　better　than　I。〃

〃What；　faithless？〃

〃All　but　these　two。〃

〃Then　all　is　lost；　and　this　good　man　must　die！〃

The　face　of　the　merchant　knit　convulsively　as　he　spoke；　and　his　head　sank　upon　his　breast。　He　had　borne　his　part　in　Ben…Hur's　labors　well；　and　he　had　been　inspired　by　the　same　hopes；　now　blown　out　never　to　be　rekindled。

Two　other　men　succeeded　the　Nazarene　bearing　cross…beams。

〃Who　are　these？〃　Ben…Hur　asked　of　the　Galileans。

〃Thieves　appointed　to　die　with　the　Nazarene；〃　they　replied。

Next　in　the　procession　stalked　a　mitred　figure　clad　all　in　the　golden　vestments　of　the　high…priest。　Policemen　from　the　Temple　curtained　him　round　about；　and　after　him；　in　order；　strode　the　sanhedrim；　and　a　long　array　of　priests；　the　latter　in　their　plain　white　garments；　overwrapped　by　abnets　of　many　folds　and　gorgeous　colors。

〃The　son…in…law　of　Hannas；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Caiaphas！　I　have　seen　him；〃　Simonides　replied；　adding；　after　a　pause　during　which　he　thoughtfully　watched　the　haughty　pontiff；　〃And　now　am　I　convinced。　With　such　assurance　as　proceeds　from　clear　enlightenment　of　the　spiritwith　absolute　assurancenow　know　I　that　he　who　first　goes　yonder　with　the　inscription　about　his　neck　is　what　the　inscription　proclaims　himKING　OF　THE　JEWS。　A　common　man；　an　impostor；　a　felon；　was　never　thus　waited　upon。　For　look！　Here　are　the　nationsJerusalem；　Israel。　Here　is　the　ephod；　here　the　blue　robe　with　its　fringe；　and　purple　pomegranates；　and　golden　bells；　not　seen　in　the　street　since　the　day　Jaddua　went　out　to　meet　the　Macedonianproofs　all　that　this　Nazarene　is　King。　Would　I　could　rise　and　go　after　him！〃

Ben…Hur　listened　surprised；　and　directly；　as　if　himself　awakening　to　his　unusual　display　of　feeling；　Simonides　said；　impatiently；

〃Speak　to　Balthasar；　I　pray　you；　and　let　us　begone。　The　vomit　of　Jerusalem　is　coming。〃

Then　Esther　spoke。

〃I　see　some　women　there；　and　they　are　weeping。　Who　are　they？〃

Following　the　pointing　of　her　hand；　the　party　beheld　four　women　in　tears；　one　of　them　leaned　upon　the　arm　of　a　man　of　aspect　not　unlike　the　Nazarene's。　Presently　Ben…Hur　answered；

〃The　man　is　the　disciple　whom　the　Nazarene　loves　the　best　of　all；　she　who　leans　upon　his　arm　is　Mary；　the　Master's　mother；　the　others　are　friendly　women　of　Galilee。〃

Esther　pursued　the　mourners　with　glistening　eyes　until　the　multitude　received　them　out　of　sight。

It　may　be　the　reader　will　fancy　the　foregoing　snatches　of　conversation　were　had　in　quiet；　but　it　was　not　so。　The　talking　was；　for　the　most　part；　like　that　indulged　by　people　at　the　seaside　under　the　sound　of　the　surf；　for　to　nothing　else　can　the　clamor　of　this　division　of　the　mob　be　so　well　likened。

The　demonstration　was　the　forerunner　of　those　in　which；　scarce　thirty　years　later；　under　rule　of　the　factions；　the　Holy　City　was　torn　to　pieces；　it　was　quite　as　great　in　numbers；　as　fanatical　and　bloodthirsty；　boiled　and　raved；　and　had　in　it　exactly　the　same　elementsservants；　camel…drivers；　marketmen；　gate…keepers；　gardeners；　dealers　in　fruits　and　wines；　proselytes；　and　foreigners　not　proselytes；　watchmen　and　menials　from　the　Temple；　thieves；　robbers；　and　the　myriad　not　assignable　to　any　class；　but　who；　on　such　occasions　as　this；　appeared　no　one　could　say　whence；　hungry　and　smelling　of　caves　and　old　tombsbareheaded　wretches　with　naked　arms　and　legs；　hair　and　beard　in　uncombed　mats；　and　each　with　one　garment　the　color　of　clay；　beasts　with　abysmal　mouths；　in　outcry　effective　as　lions　calling　each　other　across　desert　spaces。　Some　of　them　had　swords；　a　greater　number　flourished　spears　and　javelins；　though　the　weapons　of　the　many　were　staves　and　knotted　clubs；　and　slings；　for　which　latter　selected　stones　were　stored　in　scrips；　and　sometimes　in　sacks　improvised　from　the　foreskirts　of　their　dirty　tunics。　Among　the　mass　here　and　there　appeared　persons　of　high　degreescribes；　elders；　rabbis；　Pharisees　with　broad　fringing；　Sadducees　in　fine　cloaksserving　for　the　time　as　prompters　and　directors。　If　a　throat　tired　of　one　cry；　they　invented　another　for　it；　if　brassy　lungs　showed　signs　of　collapse；　they　set　them　going　again；　and　yet　the　clamor；　loud　and　continuous　as　it　was；　could　have　been　reduced　to　a　few　syllablesKing　of　the　Jews！　Room　for　the　King　of　the　Jews！Defiler　of　the　Temple！Blasphemer　of　God！Crucify　him；　crucify　him！　And　of　these　cries　the　last　one　seemed　in　greatest　favor；　because；　doubtless；　it　was　more　directly　expressive　of　the　wish　of　the　mob；　and　helped　to　better　articulate　its　hatred　of　the　Nazarene。

〃Come；〃　said　Simonides；　when　Balthasar　was　ready　to　proceed〃come；　let　us　forward。〃

Ben…Hur　did　not　hear　the　call。　The　appearance　of　the　part　of　the　procession　then　passing；　its　brutality　and　hunger　for　life；　were　reminding　him　of　the　Nazarenehis　gentleness；　and　the　many　charities　he　had　seen　him　do　for　suffering　men。　Suggestions　beget　suggestions；　so　he　remembered　suddenly　his　own　great　indebtedness　to　the　man；　the　time　he　himself　was　in　the　hands　of　a　Roman　guard　going；　as　was　supposed；　to　a　death　as　certain　and　almost　as　terrible　as　this　one　of　the　cross；　the　cooling　drink　he　had　at　the　well　by　Nazareth；　and　the　divine　expression　of　the　face　of　him　who　gave　it；　the　later　goodness；　the　miracle　of　Palm…Sunday；　and　with　these　recollections；　the　thought　of　his　present　powerlessness　to　give　back　help　for　help　or　make　return　in　kind　stung　him　keenly；　and　he　accused　himself。　He　had　not　done　all　he　might；　he　could　have　watched　with　the　Galileans；　and　kept　them　true　and　ready；　and　thisah！　this　was　the　moment　to　strike！　A　blow　well　given　now　would　not　merely　disperse　the　mob　and　set　the　Nazarene　free；　it　would　be　a　trumpet…call　to　Israel；　and　precipitate　the　long…dreamt…of　war　for　freedom。　The　opportunity　was　going；　the　minutes　were　bearing　it　away；　and　if　lost！　God　of　Abraham！　Was　there　nothing　to　be　donenothing？

That　instant　a　party　of　Galileans　caught　his　eye。　He　rushed　through　the　press　and　overtook　them。

〃Follow　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　would　have　speech　with　you。〃

The　men　obeyed　him；　and　when　they　were　under　shelter　of　the　house；　he　spoke　again：

〃You　are　of　those　who　took　my　swords；　and　agreed　with　me　to　strike　for　freedom　and　the　King　who　was　coming。　You　have　the　swords　now；　and　now　is　the　time　to　strike　with　them。　Go；　look　everywhere；　and　find　our　brethren；　and　tell　them　to　meet　me　at　the　tree　of　the　cross　making　ready　for　the　Nazarene。　Haste　all　of　you！　Nay；　stand　not　so！　The　Nazarene　is　the　King；　and　freedom　dies　with　him。〃

They　looked　at　him　respectfully；　but　did　not　move。

〃Hear　you？〃　he　asked。

Then　one　of　them　replied；

〃Son　of　Judah〃by　that　name　they　knew　him〃son　of　Judah；　it　is　you　who　are　deceived；　not　we　or　our　brethren　who　have　your　swords。　The　Nazarene　is　not　the　King；　neither　has　he　the　spirit　of　a　king。　We　were　with　him　when　he　came　into　Jerusalem；　we　saw　him　in　the　Temple；　he　failed　himself；　and　us；　and　Israel；　at　the　Gate　Beautiful　he　turned　his　back　upon　God　and　refused　the　throne　of　David。　He　is　not　King；　and　Galilee　is　not　with　him。　He　shall　die　the　death。　But　hear　you；　son　of　Judah。　We　have　your　swords；　and　we　are　ready　now　to　draw　them　and　strike　for　freedom；　and　so　is　Galilee。　Be　it　for　freedom；　O　son　of　Judah；　for　freedom！　and　we　will　meet　you　at　the　tree　of　the　cross。〃

The　sovereign　moment　of　his　life　was　upon　Ben…Hur。　Could　he　have　taken　the　offer　and　said　the　word；　history　might　have　been　other　than　it　is；　but　then　it　would　have　been　history　ordered　by　men；　not　Godsomething　that　never　was；　and　never　will　be。　A　confusion　fell　upon　him；　he　knew　not　how；　though　afterwards　he　attributed　it　to　the　Nazarene；　for　when　the　Nazarene　was　risen；　he　understood　the　death　was　necessary　to　faith　in　the　resurrection；　without　which　Christianity　would　be　an　empty　husk。　The　confusion；　as　h