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　by　my　will；　the　four　as　one；　thou　shalt　have　the　sestertii　and　the　crown；　and　I　my　revenge。　What　sayest　thou？〃

Ilderim　listened；　combing　his　beard　the　while。　At　the　end　he　said；　with　a　laugh；　〃I　think　better　of　thee；　son　of　Israel。　We　have　a　saying　in　the　Desert；　'If　you　will　cook　the　meal　with　words；　I　will　promise　an　ocean　of　butter。'　thou　shalt　have　the　horses　in　the　morning。〃

At　that　moment　there　was　a　stir　at　the　rear　entrance　to　the　tent。

〃The　supperit　is　here！　and　yonder　my　friend　Balthasar；　whom　thou　shalt　know。　He　hath　a　story　to　tell　which　an　Israelite　should　never　tire　of　hearing。〃

And　to　the　servants　he　added；

〃Take　the　records　away；　and　return　my　jewels　to　their　apartment。〃

And　they　did　as　he　ordered。




CHAPTER　XIV



If　the　reader　will　return　now　to　the　repast　of　the　wise　men　at　their　meeting　in　the　desert；　he　will　understand　the　preparations　for　the　supper　in　Ilderim's　tent。　The　differences　were　chiefly　such　as　were　incident　to　ampler　means　and　better　service。

Three　rugs　were　spread　on　the　carpet　within　the　space　so　nearly　enclosed　by　the　divan；　a　table　not　more　than　a　foot　in　height　was　brought　and　set　within　the　same　place；　and　covered　with　a　cloth。　Off　to　one　side　a　portable　earthenware　oven　was　established　under　the　presidency　of　a　woman　whose　duty　it　was　to　keep　the　company　in　bread；　or；　more　precisely；　in　hot　cakes　of　flour　from　the　handmills　grinding　with　constant　sound　in　a　neighboring　tent。

Meanwhile　Balthasar　was　conducted　to　the　divan；　where　Ilderim　and　Ben…Hur　received　him　standing。　A　loose　black　gown　covered　his　person；　his　step　was　feeble；　and　his　whole　movement　slow　and　cautious；　apparently　dependent　upon　a　long　staff　and　the　arm　of　a　servant。

〃Peace　to　you；　my　friend；〃　said　Ilderim；　respectfully。　〃Peace　and　welcome。〃

The　Egyptian　raised　his　head　and　replied；　〃And　to　thee；　good　sheikto　thee　and　thine；　peace　and　the　blessing　of　the　One　GodGod　the　true　and　loving。〃

The　manner　was　gentle　and　devout；　and　impressed　Ben…Hur　with　a　feeling　of　awe；　besides　which　the　blessing　included　in　the　answering　salutation　had　been　partly　addressed　to　him；　and　while　that　part　was　being　spoken；　the　eyes　of　the　aged　guest；　hollow　yet　luminous；　rested　upon　his　face　long　enough　to　stir　an　emotion　new　and　mysterious；　and　so　strong　that　he　again　and　again　during　the　repast　scanned　the　much　wrinkled　and　bloodless　face　for　its　meaning；　but　always　there　was　the　expression　bland；　placid；　and　trustful　as　a　child's。　A　little　later　he　found　that　expression　habitual。

〃This　is　he；　O　Balthasar；〃　said　the　sheik；　laying　his　hand　on　Ben…Hur's　arm；　〃who　will　break　bread　with　us　this　evening。〃

The　Egyptian　glanced　at　the　young　man；　and　looked　again　surprised　and　doubting；　seeing　which　the　sheik　continued；　〃I　have　promised　him　my　horses　for　trial　to…morrow；　and　if　all　goes　well；　he　will　drive　them　in　the　Circus。〃

Balthasar　continued　his　gaze。

〃He　came　well　recommended；〃　Ilderim　pursued；　much　puzzled。　〃You　may　know　him　as　the　son　of　Arrius；　who　was　a　noble　Roman　sailor；　though〃the　sheik　hesitated；　then　resumed；　with　a　laugh〃though　he　declares　himself　an　Israelite　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and；　by　the　splendor　of　God；　I　believe　that　he　tells　me！〃

Balthasar　could　no　longer　withhold　explanation。

〃To…day；　O　most　generous　sheik；　my　life　was　in　peril；　and　would　have　been　lost　had　not　a　youth；　the　counterpart　of　this　oneif；　indeed；　he　be　not　the　very　sameintervened　when　all　others　fled；　and　saved　me。〃　Then　he　addressed　Ben…Hur　directly；　〃Art　thou　not　he？〃

〃I　cannot　answer　so　far；〃　Ben…Hur　replied；　with　modest　deference。　〃I　am　he　who　stopped　the　horses　of　the　insolent　Roman　when　they　were　rushing　upon　thy　camel　at　the　Fountain　of　Castalia。　Thy　daughter　left　a　cup　with　me。〃

From　the　bosom　of　his　tunic　he　produced　the　cup；　and　gave　it　to　Balthasar。

A　glow　lighted　the　faded　countenance　of　the　Egyptian。

〃The　Lord　sent　thee　to　me　at　the　Fountain　to…day；〃　he　said；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　stretching　his　hand　towards　Ben…Hur；　〃and　he　sends　thee　to　me　now。　I　give　him　thanks；　and　praise　him　thou；　for　of　his　favor　I　have　wherewith　to　give　thee　great　reward；　and　I　will。　The　cup　is　thine；　keep　it。〃

Ben…Hur　took　back　the　gift；　and　Balthasar；　seeing　the　inquiry　upon　Ilderim's　face；　related　the　occurrence　at　the　Fountain。

〃What！〃　said　the　sheik　to　Ben…Hur。　〃Thou　saidst　nothing　of　this　to　me；　when　better　recommendation　thou　couldst　not　have　brought。　Am　I　not　an　Arab；　and　sheik　of　my　tribe　of　tens　of　thousands？　And　is　not　he　my　guest？　And　is　it　not　in　my　guest…bond　that　the　good　or　evil　thou　dost　him　is　good　or　evil　done　to　me？　Whither　shouldst　thou　go　for　reward　but　here？　And　whose　the　hand　to　give　it　but　mine？〃

His　voice　at　the　end　of　the　speech　rose　to　cutting　shrillness。

〃Good　sheik；　spare　me；　I　pray。　I　came　not　for　reward；　great　or　small；　and　that　I　may　be　acquitted　of　the　thought；　I　say　the　help　I　gave　this　excellent　man　would　have　been　given　as　well　to　thy　humblest　servant。〃

〃But　he　is　my　friend；　my　guestnot　my　servant；　and　seest　thou　not　in　the　difference　the　favor　of　Fortune？〃　Then　to　Balthasar　the　sheik　subjoined；　〃Ah；　by　the　splendor　of　God！　I　tell　thee　again　he　is　not　a　Roman。〃

With　that　he　turned　away；　and　gave　attention　to　the　servants；　whose　preparations　for　the　supper　were　about　complete。

The　reader　who　recollects　the　history　of　Balthasar　as　given　by　himself　at　the　meeting　in　the　desert　will　understand　the　effect　of　Ben…Hur's　assertion　of　disinterestedness　upon　that　worthy。　In　his　devotion　to　men　there　had　been；　it　will　be　remembered；　no　distinctions；　while　the　redemption　which　had　been　promised　him　in　the　way　of　rewardthe　redemption　for　which　he　was　waitingwas　universal。　To　him；　therefore；　the　assertion　sounded　somewhat　like　an　echo　of　himself。　He　took　a　step　nearer　Ben…Hur；　and　spoke　to　him　in　the　childlike　way。

〃How　did　the　sheik　say　I　should　call　you？　It　was　a　Roman　name；　I　think。〃

〃Arrius；　the　son　of　Arrius。〃

〃Yet　thou　art　not　a　Roman？〃

〃All　my　people　were　Jews。〃

〃Were；　saidst　thou？　Are　they　not　living？〃

The　question　was　subtle　as　well　as　simple；　but　Ilderim　saved　Ben…Hur　from　reply。

〃Come；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃the　meal　is　ready。〃

Ben…Hur　gave　his　arm　to　Balthasar；　and　conducted　him　to　the　table；　where　shortly　they　were　all　seated　on　their　rugs　Eastern　fashion。　The　lavers　were　brought　them；　and　they　washed　and　dried　their　hands；　then　the　sheik　made　a　sign；　the　servants　stopped；　and　the　voice　of　the　Egyptian　arose　tremulous　with　holy　feeling。

〃Father　of　AllGod！　What　we　have　is　of　thee；　take　our　thanks；　and　bless　us；　that　we　may　continue　to　do　thy　will。〃

It　was　the　grace　the　good　man　had　said　simultaneously　with　his　brethren　Gaspar　the　Greek　and　Melchior　the　Hindoo；　the　utterance　in　diverse　tongues　out　of　which　had　come　the　miracle　attesting　the　Divine　Presence　at　the　meal　in　the　desert　years　before。

The　table　to　which　they　immediately　addressed　themselves　was；　as　may　be　thought；　rich　in　the　substantials　and　delicacies　favorite　in　the　Eastin　cakes　hot　from　the　oven；　vegetables　from　the　gardens；　meats　singly；　compounds　of　meats　and　vegetables；　milk　of　kine；　and　honey　and　butterall　eaten　or　drunk；　it　should　be　remarked；　without　any　of　the　modern　accessoriesknives；　forks；　spoons；　cups；　or　plates；　and　in　this　part　of　the　repast　but　little　was　said；　for　they　were　hungry。　But　when　the　dessert　was　in　course　it　was　otherwise。　They　laved　their　hands　again；　had　the　lap…cloths　shaken　out；　and　with　a　renewed　table　and　the　sharp　edge　of　their　appetites　gone　they　were　disposed　to　talk　and　listen。

With　such　a　companyan　Arab；　a　Jew；　and　an　Egyptian；　all　believers　alike　in　one　Godthere　could　be　at　that　age　but　one　subject　of　conversation；　and　of　the　three；　which　should　be　speaker　but　he　to　whom　the　Deity　had　been　so　nearly　a　personal　appearance；　who　had　seen　him　in　a　star；　had　heard　his　voice　in　direction；　had　been　led　so　far　and　so　miraculously　by　his　Spirit？　And　of　what　should　he　talk　but　that　of　which　he　had　been　called　to　testify？




CHAPTER　XV



The　shadows　cast　over　the　Orchard　of　Palms　by　the　mountains　at　set　of　sun　left　no　sweet　margin　time　of　violet　sky　and　drowsing　earth　between　the　day　and　night。　The　latter　came　early　and　swift；　and　against　its　glooming　in　the　tent　this　evening　the　servants　brought　four　candlesticks　of　brass；　and　set　them　by　the　corners　of　the　table。　To　each　candlestick　there　were　four　branches；　and　on　each　branch　a　lighted　silver　lamp　and　a　supply　cup　of　olive…oil。　In　light　ample；　even　brilliant；　the　group　at　dessert　continued　their　conversation；　speaking　in　the　Syriac　dialect；　familiar　to　all　peoples　in　that　part　of　the　world。

The　Egyptian　told　his　story　of　the　meeting　of　the　three　in　the　desert；　and　agreed　with　the　sheik　that　it　was　in　December；　twenty…seven　years　before；　when　he　and　his　companions　fleeing　from　Herod　arrived　at　the　tent　praying　shelter。　The　narrative　was　heard　with　intense　interest；　even　the　servants　lingering　when　they　could　to　catch　its　details。　Ben…Hur　received　it　as　became　a　man　listening　to　a　revelation　of　deep　concern　to　all　humanity；　and　to　none　of　more　concern　than　the　people　of　Israel。　In　his　mind；　as　we　shall　presently　see；　there　was　crystallizing　an　idea　which　was　to　change　his　co