ben-hur-第118节

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dropped　the　tree　into　the　hole；　and　the　body　of　the　Nazarene　also　dropped　heavily；　and　hung　by　the　bleeding　hands。　Still　no　cry　of　painonly　the　exclamation　divinest　of　all　recorded　exclamations；

〃Father；　forgive　them；　for　they　know　not　what　they　do。〃

The　cross；　reared　now　above　all　other　objects；　and　standing　singly　out　against　the　sky；　was　greeted　with　a　burst　of　delight；　and　all　who　could　see　and　read　the　writing　upon　the　board　over　the　Nazarene's　head　made　haste　to　decipher　it。　Soon　as　read；　the　legend　was　adopted　by　them　and　communicated；　and　presently　the　whole　mighty　concourse　was　ringing　the　salutation　from　side　to　side；　and　repeating　it　with　laughter　and　groans；

〃King　of　the　Jews！　Hail；　King　of　the　Jews！〃

The　pontiff；　with　a　clearer　idea　of　the　import　of　the　inscription；　protested　against　it；　but　in　vain；　so　the　titled　King；　looking　from　the　knoll　with　dying　eyes；　must　have　had　the　city　of　his　fathers　at　rest　below　himshe　who　had　so　ignominiously　cast　him　out。

The　sun　was　rising　rapidly　to　noon；　the　hills　bared　their　brown　breasts　lovingly　to　it；　the　more　distant　mountains　rejoiced　in　the　purple　with　which　it　so　regally　dressed　them。　In　the　city；　the　temples；　palaces；　towers；　pinnacles；　and　all　points　of　beauty　and　prominence　seemed　to　lift　themselves　into　the　unrivalled　brilliance；　as　if　they　knew　the　pride　they　were　giving　the　many　who　from　time　to　time　turned　to　look　at　them。　Suddenly　a　dimness　began　to　fill　the　sky　and　cover　the　earthat　first　no　more　than　a　scarce　perceptible　fading　of　the　day；　a　twilight　out　of　time；　an　evening　gliding　in　upon　the　splendors　of　noon。　But　it　deepened；　and　directly　drew　attention；　whereat　the　noise　of　the　shouting　and　laughter　fell　off；　and　men；　doubting　their　senses；　gazed　at　each　other　curiously：　then　they　looked　to　the　sun　again；　then　at　the　mountains；　getting　farther　away；　at　the　sky　and　the　near　landscape；　sinking　in　shadow；　at　the　hill　upon　which　the　tragedy　was　enacting；　and　from　all　these　they　gazed　at　each　other　again；　and　turned　pale；　and　held　their　peace。

〃It　is　only　a　mist　or　passing　cloud；〃　Simonides　said　soothingly　to　Esther；　who　was　alarmed。　〃It　will　brighten　presently。〃

Ben…Hur　did　not　think　so。

〃It　is　not　a　mist　or　a　cloud；〃　he　said。　〃The　spirits　who　live　in　the　airthe　prophets　and　saintsare　at　work　in　mercy　to　themselves　and　nature。　I　say　to　you；　O　Simonides；　truly　as　God　lives；　he　who　hangs　yonder　is　the　Son　of　God。〃

And　leaving　Simonides　lost　in　wonder　at　such　a　speech　from　him；　he　went　where　Balthasar　was　kneeling　near　by；　and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　good　man's　shoulder。

〃O　wise　Egyptian；　hearken！　Thou　alone　wert　rightthe　Nazarene　is　indeed　the　Son　of　God。〃

Balthasar　drew　him　down　to　him；　and　replied；　feebly；　〃I　saw　him　a　child　in　the　manger　where　he　was　first　laid；　it　is　not　strange　that　I　knew　him　sooner　than　thou；　but　oh　that　I　should　live　to　see　this　day！　Would　I　had　died　with　my　brethren！　Happy　Melchior！　Happy；　happy　Gaspar！〃

〃Comfort　thee！〃　said　Ben…Hur。　〃Doubtless　they　too　are　here。〃

The　dimness　went　on　deepening　into　obscurity；　and　that　into　positive　darkness；　but　without　deterring　the　bolder　spirits　upon　the　knoll。　One　after　the　other　the　thieves　were　raised　on　their　crosses；　and　the　crosses　planted。　The　guard　was　then　withdrawn；　and　the　people　set　free　closed　in　upon　the　height；　and　surged　up　it；　like　a　converging　wave。　A　man　might　take　a　look；　when　a　new…comer　would　push　him　on；　and　take　his　place；　to　be　in　turn　pushed　onand　there　were　laughter　and　ribaldry　and　revilements；　all　for　the　Nazarene。

〃Ha；　ha！　If　thou　be　King　of　the　Jews；　save　thyself；〃　a　soldier　shouted。

〃Ay；〃　said　a　priest；　〃if　he　will　come　down　to　us　now；　we　will　believe　in　him。

Others　wagged　their　heads　wisely；　saying；　〃He　would　destroy　the　Temple；　and　rebuild　it　in　three　days；　but　cannot　save　himself。〃

Others　still：　〃He　called　himself　the　Son　of　God；　let　us　see　if　God　will　have　him。〃

What　all　there　is　in　prejudice　no　one　has　ever　said。　The　Nazarene　had　never　harmed　the　people；　far　the　greater　part　of　them　had　never　seen　him　except　in　this　his　hour　of　calamity；　yetsingular　contrariety！　they　loaded　him　with　their　curses；　and　gave　their　sympathy　to　the　thieves。

The　supernatural　night；　dropped　thus　from　the　heavens；　affected　Esther　as　it　began　to　affect　thousands　of　others　braver　and　stronger。

〃Let　us　go　home；〃　she　prayedtwice；　three　timessaying；　〃It　is　the　frown　of　God；　father。　What　other　dreadful　things　may　happen；　who　can　tell？　I　am　afraid。〃

Simonides　was　obstinate。　He　said　little；　but　was　plainly　under　great　excitement。　Observing；　about　the　end　of　the　first　hour；　that　the　violence　of　the　crowding　up　on　the　knoll　was　somewhat　abated；　at　his　suggestion　the　party　advanced　to　take　position　nearer　the　crosses。　Ben…Hur　gave　his　arm　to　Balthasar；　yet　the　Egyptian　made　the　ascent　with　difficulty。　From　their　new　stand；　the　Nazarene　was　imperfectly　visible；　appearing　to　them　not　more　than　a　dark　suspended　figure。　They　could　hear　him；　howeverhear　his　sighing；　which　showed　an　endurance　or　exhaustion　greater　than　that　of　his　fellow…sufferers；　for　they　filled　every　lull　in　the　noises　with　their　groans　and　entreaties。

The　second　hour　after　the　suspension　passed　like　the　first　one。　To　the　Nazarene　they　were　hours　of　insult；　provocation；　and　slow　dying。　He　spoke　but　once　in　the　time。　Some　women　came　and　knelt　at　the　foot　of　his　cross。　Among　them　he　recognized　his　mother　with　the　beloved　disciple。

〃Woman；〃　he　said；　raising　his　voice；　〃behold　thy　son！〃　And　to　the　disciple；　〃Behold　thy　mother！〃

The　third　hour　came；　and　still　the　people　surged　round　the　hill；　held　to　it　by　some　strange　attraction；　with　which；　in　probability；　the　night　in　midday　had　much　to　do。　They　were　quieter　than　in　the　preceding　hour；　yet　at　intervals　they　could　be　heard　off　in　the　darkness　shouting　to　each　other；　multitude　calling　unto　multitude。　It　was　noticeable；　also；　that　coming　now　to　the　Nazarene；　they　approached　his　cross　in　silence；　took　the　look　in　silence；　and　so　departed。　This　change　extended　even　to　the　guard；　who　so　shortly　before　had　cast　lots　for　the　clothes　of　the　crucified；　they　stood　with　their　officers　a　little　apart；　more　watchful　of　the　one　convict　than　of　the　throngs　coming　and　going。　If　he　but　breathed　heavily；　or　tossed　his　head　in　a　paroxysm　of　pain；　they　were　instantly　on　the　alert。　Most　marvellous　of　all；　however；　was　the　altered　behavior　of　the　high…priest　and　his　following；　the　wise　men　who　had　assisted　him　in　the　trial　in　the　night；　and；　in　the　victim's　face；　kept　place　by　him　with　zealous　approval。　When　the　darkness　began　to　fall；　they　began　to　lose　their　confidence。　There　were　among　them　many　learned　in　astronomy；　and　familiar　with　the　apparitions　so　terrible　in　those　days　to　the　masses；　much　of　the　knowledge　was　descended　to　them　from　their　fathers　far　back；　some　of　it　had　been　brought　away　at　the　end　of　the　Captivity；　and　the　necessities　of　the　Temple　service　kept　it　all　bright。　These　closed　together　when　the　sun　commenced　to　fade　before　their　eyes；　and　the　mountains　and　hills　to　recede；　they　drew　together　in　a　group　around　their　pontiff；　and　debated　what　they　saw。　〃The　moon　is　at　its　full；〃　they　said；　with　truth；　〃and　this　cannot　be　an　eclipse。〃　Then；　as　no　one　could　answer　the　question　common　with　them　allas　no　one　could　account　for　the　darkness；　or　for　its　occurrence　at　that　particular　time；　in　their　secret　hearts　they　associated　it　with　the　Nazarene；　and　yielded　to　an　alarm　which　the　long　continuance　of　the　phenomenon　steadily　increased。　In　their　place　behind　the　soldiers；　they　noted　every　word　and　motion　of　the　Nazarene；　and　hung　with　fear　upon　his　sighs；　and　talked　in　whispers。　The　man　might　be　the　Messiah；　and　then　But　they　would　wait　and　see！

In　the　meantime　Ben…Hur　was　not　once　visited　by　the　old　spirit。　The　perfect　peace　abode　with　him。　He　prayed　simply　that　the　end　might　be　hastened。　He　knew　the　condition　of　Simonides'　mindthat　he　was　hesitating　on　the　verge　of　belief。　He　could　see　the　massive　face　weighed　down　by　solemn　reflection。　He　noticed　him　casting　inquiring　glances　at　the　sun；　as　seeking　the　cause　of　the　darkness。　Nor　did　he　fail　to　notice　the　solicitude　with　which　Esther　clung　to　him；　smothering　her　fears　to　accommodate　his　wishes。

〃Be　not　afraid；〃　he　heard　him　say　to　her；　〃but　stay　and　watch　with　me。　Thou　mayst　live　twice　the　span　of　my　life；　and　see　nothing　of　human　interest　equal　to　this；　and　there　may　be　revelations　more。　Let　us　stay　to　the　close。〃

When　the　third　hour　was　about　half　gone；　some　men　of　the　rudest　classwretches　from　the　tombs　about　the　citycame　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　centre　cross。

〃This　is　he；　the　new　King　of　the　Jews；〃　said　one　of　them。

The　others　cried；　with　laughter；　〃Hail；　all　hail；　King　of　the　Jews！〃

Receiving　no　reply；　they　went　closer。

〃If　thou　be　King　of　the　Jews；　or　Son　of　God；　come　down；〃　they　said；　loudly。

At　this；　one　of　the　thieves　quit　groaning；　and　called　to　the　Nazarene；　〃Yes；　if　thou　be　Christ；　save　thyself　and　us。〃

The　people　laughed　and　applauded；　then；　while　they　were　listening　for　a　reply；　the　other　felon　was　heard　to　say　to　the　first　one；　〃Dost　thou　not　fear　God？　We　receive　the　due　rewards　of　our　deeds；　but　this　man　hath　done　nothing　amiss。〃

The　bysta