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Then　addressing　the　limp　figure；　Messala　said；　amidst　profound　silence；　〃O　Bacchus！　greatest　of　the　gods；　be　thou　propitious　to…night。　And　for　myself；　and　these　thy　votaries；　I　vow　this　chaplet〃and　from　his　head　he　raised　it　reverently〃I　vow　this　chaplet　to　thy　altar　in　the　Grove　of　Daphne。〃

He　bowed；　replaced　the　crown　upon　his　locks；　then　stooped　and　uncovered　the　dice；　saying；　with　a　laugh；　〃See；　my　Drusus；　by　the　ass　of　Silenus；　the　denarius　is　mine！〃

There　was　a　shout　that　set　the　floor　to　quaking；　and　the　grim　Atlantes　to　dancing；　and　the　orgies　began。




CHAPTER　XIII



Sheik　Ilderim　was　a　man　of　too　much　importance　to　go　about　with　a　small　establishment。　He　had　a　reputation　to　keep　with　his　tribe；　such　as　became　a　prince　and　patriarch　of　the　greatest　following　in　all　the　Desert　east　of　Syria；　with　the　people　of　the　cities　he　had　another　reputation；　which　was　that　of　one　of　the　richest　personages　not　a　king　in　all　the　East；　and；　being　rich　in　factin　money　as　well　as　in　servants；　camels；　horses；　and　flocks　of　all　kindshe　took　pleasure　in　a　certain　state；　which；　besides　magnifying　his　dignity　with　strangers；　contributed　to　his　personal　pride　and　comfort。　Wherefore　the　reader　must　not　be　misled　by　the　frequent　reference　to　his　tent　in　the　Orchard　of　Palms。　He　had　there　really　a　respectable　dowar；　that　is　to　say；　he　had　there　three　large　tentsone　for　himself；　one　for　visitors；　one　for　his　favorite　wife　and　her　women；　and　six　or　eight　lesser　ones；　occupied　by　his　servants　and　such　tribal　retainers　as　he　had　chosen　to　bring　with　him　as　a　body…guardstrong　men　of　approved　courage；　and　skillful　with　bow；　spear；　and　horses。

To　be　sure；　his　property　of　whatever　kind　was　in　no　danger　at　the　Orchard；　yet　as　the　habits　of　a　man　go　with　him　to　town　not　less　than　the　country；　and　as　it　is　never　wise　to　slip　the　bands　of　discipline；　the　interior　of　the　dowar　was　devoted　to　his　cows；　camels；　goats；　and　such　property　in　general　as　might　tempt　a　lion　or　a　thief。

To　do　him　full　justice；　Ilderim　kept　well　all　the　customs　of　his　people；　abating　none；　not　even　the　smallest；　in　consequence　his　life　at　the　Orchard　was　a　continuation　of　his　life　in　the　Desert；　nor　that　alone；　it　was　a　fair　reproduction　of　the　old　patriarchal　modesthe　genuine　pastoral　life　of　primitive　Israel。

Recurring　to　the　morning　the　caravan　arrived　at　the　Orchard〃Here；　plant　it　here；〃　he　said；　stopping　his　horse；　and　thrusting　a　spear　into　the　ground。　〃Door　to　the　south；　the　lake　before　it　thus；　and　these；　the　children　of　the　Desert；　to　sit　under　at　the　going…down　of　the　sun。〃

At　the　last　words　he　went　to　a　group　of　three　great　palm…trees；　and　patted　one　of　them　as　he　would　have　patted　his　horse's　neck；　or　the　cheek　of　the　child　of　his　love。

Who　but　the　sheik　could　of　right　say　to　the　caravan；　Halt！　or　of　the　tent；　Here　be　it　pitched？　The　spear　was　wrested　from　the　ground；　and　over　the　wound　it　had　riven　in　the　sod　the　base　of　the　first　pillar　of　the　tent　was　planted；　marking　the　centre　of　the　front　door。　Then　eight　others　were　plantedin　all；　three　rows　of　pillars；　three　in　a　row。　Then；　at　call；　the　women　and　children　came；　and　unfolded　the　canvas　from　its　packing　on　the　camels。　Who　might　do　this　but　the　women？　Had　they　not　sheared　the　hair　from　the　brown　goats　of　the　flock？　and　twisted　it　into　thread？　and　woven　the　thread　into　cloth？　and　stitched　the　cloth　together；　making　the　perfect　roof；　dark…brown　in　fact；　though　in　the　distance　black　as　the　tents　of　Kedar？　And；　finally；　with　what　jests　and　laughter；　and　pulls　altogether；　the　united　following　of　the　sheik　stretched　the　canvas　from　pillar　to　pillar；　driving　the　stakes　and　fastening　the　cords　as　they　went！　And　when　the　walls　of　open　reed　matting　were　put　in　placethe　finishing…touch　to　the　building　after　the　style　of　the　Desertwith　what　hush　of　anxiety　they　waited　the　good　man's　judgment！　When　he　walked　in　and　out；　looking　at　the　house　in　connection　with　the　sun；　the　trees；　and　the　lake；　and　said；　rubbing　his　hands　with　might　of　heartiness；　〃Well　done！　Make　the　dowar　now　as　ye　well　know；　and　to…night　we　will　sweeten　the　bread　with　arrack；　and　the　milk　with　honey；　and　at　every　fire　there　shall　be　a　kid。　God　with　ye！　Want　of　sweet　water　there　shall　not　be；　for　the　lake　is　our　well；　neither　shall　the　bearers　of　burden　hunger；　or　the　least　of　the　flock；　for　here　is　green　pasture　also。　God　with　you　all；　my　children！　Go。〃

And；　shouting；　the　many　happy　went　their　ways　then　to　pitch　their　own　habitations。　A　few　remained　to　arrange　the　interior　for　the　sheik；　and　of　these　the　men…servants　hung　a　curtain　to　the　central　row　of　pillars；　making　two　apartments；　the　one　on　the　right　sacred　to　Ilderim　himself；　the　other　sacred　to　his　horseshis　jewels　of　Solomonwhich　they　led　in；　and　with　kisses　and　love…taps　set　at　liberty。　Against　the　middle　pillar　they　then　erected　the　arms…rack；　and　filled　it　with　javelins　and　spears；　and　bows；　arrows；　and　shields；　outside　of　them　hanging　the　master's　sword；　modelled　after　the　new　moon；　and　the　glitter　of　its　blade　rivalled　the　glitter　of　the　jewels　bedded　in　its　grip。　Upon　one　end　of　the　rack　they　hung　the　housings　of　the　horses；　gay　some　of　them　as　the　livery　of　a　king's　servant；　while　on　the　other　end　they　displayed　the　great　man's　wearing　apparelhis　robes　woollen　and　robes　linen；　his　tunics　and　trousers；　and　many　colored　kerchiefs　for　the　head。　Nor　did　they　give　over　the　work　until　he　pronounced　it　well。

Meantime　the　women　drew　out　and　set　up　the　divan；　more　indispensable　to　him　than　the　beard　down…flowing　over　his　breast；　white　as　Aaron's。　They　put　a　frame　together　in　shape　of　three　sides　of　a　square；　the　opening　to　the　door；　and　covered　it　with　cushions　and　base　curtains；　and　the　cushions　with　a　changeable　spread　striped　brown　and　yellow；　at　the　corners　they　placed　pillows　and　bolsters　sacked　in　cloth　blue　and　crimson；　then　around　the　divan　they　laid　a　margin　of　carpet；　and　the　inner　space　they　carpeted　as　well；　and　when　the　carpet　was　carried　from　the　opening　of　the　divan　to　the　door　of　the　tent；　their　work　was　done；　whereupon　they　again　waited　until　the　master　said　it　was　good。　Nothing　remained　then　but　to　bring　and　fill　the　jars　with　water；　and　hang　the　skin　bottles　of　arrack　ready　for　the　handto…morrow　the　leben。　Nor　might　an　Arab　see　why　Ilderim　should　not　be　　both　happy　and　generousin　his　tent　by　the　lake　of　sweet　waters；　under　the　palms　of　the　Orchard　of　Palms。

Such　was　the　tent　at　the　door　of　which　we　left　Ben…Hur。

Servants　were　already　waiting　the　master's　direction。　One　of　them　took　off　his　sandals；　another　unlatched　Ben…Hur's　Roman　shoes；　then　the　two　exchanged　their　dusty　outer　garments　for　fresh　ones　of　white　linen。

〃Enterin　God's　name；　enter；　and　take　thy　rest；〃　said　the　host；　heartily；　in　the　dialect　of　the　Market…place　of　Jerusalem；　forthwith　he　led　the　way　to　the　divan。

〃I　will　sit　here；〃　he　said　next；　pointing；　〃and　there　the　stranger。〃

A　womanin　the　old　time　she　would　have　been　called　a　handmaidanswered；　and　dexterously　piled　the　pillows　and　bolsters　as　rests　for　the　back；　after　which　they　sat　upon　the　side　of　the　divan；　while　water　was　brought　fresh　from　the　lake；　and　their　feet　bathed　and　dried　with　napkins。

〃We　have　a　saying　in　the　Desert；〃　Ilderim　began；　gathering　his　beard；　and　combing　it　with　his　slender　fingers；　〃that　a　good　appetite　is　the　promise　of　a　long　life。　Hast　thou　such？〃

〃By　that　rule；　good　sheik；　I　will　live　a　hundred　years。　I　am　a　hungry　wolf　at　thy　door；〃　Ben…Hur　replied。

〃Well；　thou　shalt　not　be　sent　away　like　a　wolf。　I　will　give　thee　the　best　of　the　flocks。〃

Ilderim　clapped　his　hands。

〃Seek　the　stranger　in　the　guest…tent；　and　say　I；　Ilderim；　send　him　a　prayer　that　his　peace　may　be　as　incessant　as　the　flowing　of　waters。〃

The　man　in　waiting　bowed。

〃Say；　also；〃　Ilderim　continued；　〃that　I　have　returned　with　another　for　breaking　of　bread；　and；　if　Balthasar　the　wise　careth　to　share　the　loaf；　three　may　partake　of　it；　and　the　portion　of　the　birds　be　none　the　less。〃

The　second　servant　went　away。

〃Let　us　take　our　rest　now。〃

Thereupon　Ilderim　settled　himself　upon　the　divan；　as　at　this　day　merchants　sit　on　their　rugs　in　the　bazaars　of　Damascus；　and　when　fairly　at　rest；　he　stopped　combing　his　beard；　and　said；　gravely；　〃That　thou　art　my　guest；　and　hast　drunk　my　leben；　and　art　about　to　taste　my　salt；　ought　not　to　forbid　a　question：　Who　art　thou？〃

〃Sheik　Ilderim；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　calmly　enduring　his　gaze；　〃I　pray　thee　not　to　think　me　trifling　with　thy　just　demand；　but　was　there　never　a　time　in　thy　life　when　to　answer　such　a　question　would　have　been　a　crime　to　thyself？〃

〃By　the　splendor　of　Solomon；　yes！〃　Ilderim　answered。　〃Betrayal　of　self　is　at　times　as　base　as　the　betrayal　of　a　tribe。〃

〃Thanks；　thanks；　good　sheik！〃　Ben…Hur　exclaimed。

〃Never　answer　became　thee　better。　Now　I　know　thou　cost　but　seek　assurance　to　justify　the　trust　I　have　come　to　ask；　and　that　such　assurance　is　of　more　interest　to　thee　than　the　affairs　of　my　poor　life。〃

The　sheik　in　his　turn　bowed；　and　Ben…Hur　hastened　to　pursue　his　advantage。

〃So　it　please　thee　then；〃　he　said；　〃first；　I　am　not　a　Roman；　as　the　name　given　thee　as　mine　implieth。〃

Ilderim　clasped　the　beard　overflowing　his　breast；　and　gazed　at　the　speaker　wit