ben-hur-第36节

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〃Wilt　thou　promise　then？〃

〃That　were　to　give　the　pledge；　and　Blessed　be　the　God　of　my　fathers！　yonder　cometh　a　ship！〃

〃In　what　direction？〃

〃From　the　north。〃

〃Canst　thou　tell　her　nationality　by　outward　signs？〃

〃No。　My　service　hath　been　at　the　oars。〃

〃Hath　she　a　flag？〃

〃I　cannot　see　one。〃

Arrius　remained　quiet　some　time；　apparently　in　deep　reflection。

〃Does　the　ship　hold　this　way　yet？〃　he　at　length　asked。

〃Still　this　way。〃

〃Look　for　the　flag　now。〃

〃She　hath　none。〃

〃Nor　any　other　sign？〃

〃She　hath　a　sail　set；　and　is　of　three　banks；　and　cometh　swiftly　that　is　all　I　can　say　of　her。〃

〃A　Roman　in　triumph　would　have　out　many　flags。　She　must　be　an　enemy。　Hear　now；〃　said　Arrius；　becoming　grave　again；　〃hear；　while　yet　I　may　speak。　If　the　galley　be　a　pirate；　thy　life　is　safe；　they　may　not　give　thee　freedom；　they　may　put　thee　to　the　oar　again；　but　they　will　not　kill　thee。　On　the　other　hand；　I〃

The　tribune　faltered。

〃Perpol！〃　he　continued；　resolutely。　〃I　am　too　old　to　submit　to　dishonor。　In　Rome；　let　them　tell　how　Quintus　Arrius；　as　became　a　Roman　tribune；　went　down　with　his　ship　in　the　midst　of　the　foe。　This　is　what　I　would　have　thee　do。　If　the　galley　prove　a　pirate；　push　me　from　the　plank　and　drown　me。　Dost　thou　hear？　Swear　thou　wilt　do　it。〃

〃I　will　not　swear；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　firmly；　〃neither　will　I　do　the　deed。　The　Law；　which　is　to　me　most　binding；　O　tribune；　would　make　me　answerable　for　thy　life。　Take　back　the　ring〃he　took　the　seal　from　his　finger〃take　it　back；　and　all　thy　promises　of　favor　in　the　event　of　delivery　from　this　peril。　The　judgment　which　sent　me　to　the　oar　for　life　made　me　a　slave；　yet　I　am　not　a　slave；　no　more　am　I　thy　freedman。　I　am　a　son　of　Israel；　and　this　moment；　at　least；　my　own　master。　Take　back　the　ring。〃

Arrius　remained　passive。

〃Thou　wilt　not？〃　Judah　continued。　〃Not　in　anger；　then；　nor　in　any　despite；　but　to　free　myself　from　a　hateful　obligation；　I　will　give　thy　gift　to　the　sea。　See；　O　tribune！〃

He　tossed　the　ring　away。　Arrius　heard　the　splash　where　it　struck　and　sank；　though　he　did　not　look。

〃Thou　hast　done　a　foolish　thing；〃　he　said；　〃foolish　for　one　placed　as　thou　art。　I　am　not　dependent　upon　thee　for　death。　Life　is　a　thread　I　can　break　without　thy　help；　and；　if　I　do；　what　will　become　of　thee？　Men　determined　on　death　prefer　it　at　the　hands　of　others；　for　the　reason　that　the　soul　which　Plato　giveth　us　is　rebellious　at　the　thought　of　self…destruction；　that　is　all。　If　the　ship　be　a　pirate；　I　will　escape　from　the　world。　My　mind　is　fixed。　I　am　a　Roman。　Success　and　honor　are　all　in　all。　Yet　I　would　have　served　thee；　thou　wouldst　not。　The　ring　was　the　only　witness　of　my　will　available　in　this　situation。　We　are　both　lost。　I　will　die　regretting　the　victory　and　glory　wrested　from　me；　thou　wilt　live　to　die　a　little　later；　mourning　the　pious　duties　undone　because　of　this　folly。　I　pity　thee。〃

Ben…Hur　saw　the　consequences　of　his　act　more　distinctly　than　before；　yet　he　did　not　falter。

〃In　the　three　years　of　my　servitude；　O　tribune；　thou　wert　the　first　to　look　upon　me　kindly。　No；　no！　There　was　another。〃　The　voice　dropped；　the　eyes　became　humid；　and　he　saw　plainly　as　if　it　were　then　before　him　the　face　of　the　boy　who　helped　him　to　a　drink　by　the　old　well　at　Nazareth。　〃At　least；〃　he　proceeded；　〃thou　wert　the　first　to　ask　me　who　I　was；　and　if；　when　I　reached　out　and　caught　thee；　blind　and　sinking　the　last　time；　I；　too；　had　thought　of　the　many　ways　in　which　thou　couldst　be　useful　to　me　in　my　wretchedness；　still　the　act　was　not　all　selfish；　this　I　pray　you　to　believe。　Moreover；　seeing　as　God　giveth　me　to　know；　the　ends　I　dream　of　are　to　be　wrought　by　fair　means　alone。　As　a　thing　of　conscience；　I　would　rather　die　with　thee　than　be　thy　slayer。　My　mind　is　firmly　set　as　thine；　though　thou　wert　to　offer　me　all　Rome；　O　tribune；　and　it　belonged　to　thee　to　make　the　gift　good；　I　would　not　kill　thee。　Thy　Cato　and　Brutus　were　as　little　children　compared　to　the　Hebrew　whose　law　a　Jew　must　obey。〃

〃But　my　request。　Hast〃

〃Thy　command　would　be　of　more　weight；　and　that　would　not　move　me。　I　have　said。〃

Both　became　silent；　waiting。

Ben…Hur　looked　often　at　the　coming　ship。　Arrius　rested　with　closed　eyes；　indifferent。

〃Art　thou　sure　she　is　an　enemy？〃　Ben…Hur　asked。

〃I　think　so；〃　was　the　reply。

〃She　stops；　and　puts　a　boat　over　the　side。〃

〃Dost　thou　see　her　flag？〃

〃Is　there　no　other　sign　by　which　she　may　be　known　if　Roman？〃

〃If　Roman；　she　hath　a　helmet　over　the　mast's　top。〃

〃Then　be　of　cheer。　I　see　the　helmet。〃

Still　Arrius　was　not　assured。

〃The　men　in　the　small　boat　are　taking　in　the　people　afloat。　Pirates　are　not　humane。〃

〃They　may　need　rowers；〃　Arrius　replied；　recurring；　possibly；　to　times　when　he　had　made　rescues　for　the　purpose。

Ben…Hur　was　very　watchful　of　the　actions　of　the　strangers。

〃The　ship　moves　off；〃　he　said。

〃Whither？〃

〃Over　on　our　right　there　is　a　galley　which　I　take　to　be　deserted。　The　new…comer　heads　towards　it。　Now　she　is　alongside。　Now　she　is　sending　men　aboard。〃

Then　Arrius　opened　his　eyes　and　threw　off　his　calm。

〃Thank　thou　thy　God；〃　he　said　to　Ben…Hur；　after　a　look　at　the　galleys；　〃thank　thou　thy　God；　as　I　do　my　many　gods。　A　pirate　would　sink；　not　save；　yon　ship。　By　the　act　and　the　helmet　on　the　mast　I　know　a　Roman。　The　victory　is　mine。　Fortune　hath　not　deserted　me。　We　are　saved。　Wave　thy　handcall　to　thembring　them　quickly。　I　shall　be　duumvir；　and　thou！　I　knew　thy　father；　and　loved　him。　He　was　a　prince　indeed。　He　taught　me　a　Jew　was　not　a　barbarian。　I　will　take　thee　with　me。　I　will　make　thee　my　son。　Give　thy　God　thanks；　and　call　the　sailors。　Haste！　The　pursuit　must　be　kept。　Not　a　robber　shall　escape。　Hasten　them！〃

Judah　raised　himself　upon　the　plank；　and　waved　his　hand；　and　called　with　all　his　might；　at　last　he　drew　the　attention　of　the　sailors　in　the　small　boat；　and　they　were　speedily　taken　up。

Arrius　was　received　on　the　galley　with　all　the　honors　due　a　hero　so　the　favorite　of　Fortune。　Upon　a　couch　on　the　deck　he　heard　the　particulars　of　the　conclusion　of　the　fight。　When　the　survivors　afloat　upon　the　water　were　all　saved　and　the　prize　secured；　he　spread　his　flag　of　commandant　anew；　and　hurried　northward　to　rejoin　the　fleet　and　perfect　the　victory。　In　due　time　the　fifty　vessels　coming　down　the　channel　closed　in　upon　the　fugitive　pirates；　and　crushed　them　utterly；　not　one　escaped。　To　swell　the　tribune's　glory；　twenty　galleys　of　the　enemy　were　captured。

Upon　his　return　from　the　cruise；　Arrius　had　warm　welcome　on　the　mole　at　Misenum。　The　young　man　attending　him　very　early　attracted　the　attention　of　his　friends　there；　and　to　their　questions　as　to　who　he　was　the　tribune　proceeded　in　the　most　affectionate　manner　to　tell　the　story　of　his　rescue　and　introduce　the　stranger；　omitting　carefully　all　that　pertained　to　the　latter's　previous　history。　At　the　end　of　the　narrative；　he　called　Ben…Hur　to　him；　and　said；　with　a　hand　resting　affectionately　upon　his　shoulder；

〃Good　friends；　this　is　my　son　and　heir；　who；　as　he　is　to　take　my　propertyif　it　be　the　will　of　the　gods　that　I　leave　anyshall　be　known　to　you　by　my　name。　I　pray　you　all　to　love　him　as　you　love　me。〃

Speedily　as　opportunity　permitted；　the　adoption　was　formally　perfected。　And　in　such　manner　the　brave　Roman　kept　his　faith　with　Ben…Hur；　giving　him　happy　introduction　into　the　imperial　world。　The　month　succeeding　Arrius's　return；　the　armilustrium　was　celebrated　with　the　utmost　magnificence　in　the　theater　of　Scaurus。　One　side　of　the　structure　was　taken　up　with　military　trophies；　among　which　by　far　the　most　conspicuous　and　most　admired　were　twenty　prows；　complemented　by　their　corresponding　aplustra；　cut　bodily　from　as　many　galleys；　and　over　them；　so　as　to　be　legible　to　the　eighty　thousand　spectators　in　the　seats；　was　this　inscription：

　TAKEN　FROM　THE　PIRATES　IN　THE　GULF　OF　EURIPUS；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　QUINTUS　ARRIUS；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DUUMVIR。　





BOOK　FOURTH

〃Alva。　　　Should　the　monarch　prove　unjust　And；　at　this　time

　Queen。　　　　　　　　　Then　I　must　wait　for　justice　Until　it　come；　and　they　are　happiest　far　Whose　consciences　may　calmly　wait　their　right。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Schiller；　Don　Carlos　（act　iv。；　sc。　xv。）




CHAPTER　I



The　month　to　which　we　now　come　is　July；　the　year　that　of　our　Lord　29；　and　the　place　Antioch；　then　Queen　of　the　East；　and　next　to　Rome　the　strongest；　if　not　the　most　populous；　city　in　the　world。

There　is　an　opinion　that　the　extravagance　and　dissoluteness　of　the　age　had　their　origin　in　Rome；　and　spread　thence　throughout　the　empire；　that　the　great　cities　but　reflected　the　manners　of　their　mistress　on　the　Tiber。　This　may　be　doubted。　The　reaction　of　the　conquest　would　seem　to　have　been　upon　the　morals　of　the　conqueror。　In　Greece　she　found　a　spring　of　corruption；　so　also　in　Egypt；　and　the　student；　having　exhausted　the　subject；　will　close　the　books　assured　that　the　flow　of　the　demoralizing　river　was　from　the　East　westwardly；　and　that　this　very　city　of　Antioch；　one　of　the　oldest　seats　of　Assyrian　power　and　splendor；　was　a　principal　source　of　the　deadly　stream。

A　transport　galley　entered　the　mouth　of　the　river　Orontes　from　the　blue　waters　of　the　sea。　It　was　in　the　forenoon。　The　heat　was　great；　ye