ben-hur-第61节

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His　scheme　of　life　has　been　explained。　In　all　reflection　about　it　heretofore　there　had　been　one　hiatus　which　he　had　not　been　able　to　bridge　or　fill　upone　so　broad　he　could　see　but　vaguely　to　the　other　side　of　it。　When；　finally；　he　was　graduated　a　captain　as　well　as　a　soldier；　to　what　object　should　he　address　his　efforts？　Revolution　he　contemplated；　of　course；　but　the　processes　of　revolution　have　always　been　the　same；　and　to　lead　men　into　them　there　have　always　been　required；　first；　a　cause　or　presence　to　enlist　adherents；　second；　an　end；　or　something　as　a　practical　achievement。　As　a　rule　he　fights　well　who　has　wrongs　to　redress；　but　vastly　better　fights　he　who；　with　wrongs　as　a　spur；　has　also　steadily　before　him　a　glorious　result　in　prospecta　result　in　which　he　can　discern　balm　for　wounds；　compensation　for　valor；　remembrance　and　gratitude　in　the　event　of　death。

To　determine　the　sufficiency　of　either　the　cause　or　the　end；　it　was　needful　that　Ben…Hur　should　study　the　adherents　to　whom　he　looked　when　all　was　ready　for　action。　Very　naturally；　they　were　his　countrymen。　The　wrongs　of　Israel　were　to　every　son　of　Abraham；　and　each　one　was　a　cause　vastly　holy；　vastly　inspiring。

Ay；　the　cause　was　there；　but　the　endwhat　should　it　be？

The　hours　and　days　he　had　given　this　branch　of　his　scheme　were　past　calculationall　with　the　same　conclusiona　dim；　uncertain；　general　idea　of　national　liberty。　Was　it　sufficient？　He　could　not　say　no；　for　that　would　have　been　the　death　of　his　hope；　he　shrank　from　saying　yes；　because　his　judgment　taught　him　better。　He　could　not　assure　himself　even　that　Israel　was　able　single…handed　to　successfully　combat　Rome。　He　knew　the　resources　of　that　great　enemy；　he　knew　her　art　was　superior　to　her　resources。　A　universal　alliance　might　suffice；　but；　alas！　that　was　impossible；　except　and　upon　the　exception　how　long　and　earnestly　he　had　dwelt！　except　a　hero　would　come　from　one　of　the　suffering　nations；　and　by　martial　successes　accomplish　a　renown　to　fill　the　whole　earth。　What　glory　to　Judea　could　she　prove　the　Macedonia　of　the　new

Alexander！　Alas；　again！　Under　the　rabbis　valor　was　possible；　but　not　discipline。　And　then　the　taunt　of　Messala　in　the　garden　of　Herod　〃All　you　conquer　in　the　six　days；　you　lose　on　the　seventh。〃

So　it　happened　he　never　approached　the　chasm　thinking　to　surmount　it；　but　he　was　beaten　back；　and　so　incessantly　had　he　failed　in　the　object　that　he　had　about　given　it　over；　except　as　a　thing　of　chance。　The　hero　might　be　discovered　in　his　day；　or　he　might　not。　God　only　knew。　Such　his　state　of　mind；　there　need　be　no　lingering　upon　the　effect　of　Malluch's　skeleton　recital　of　the　story　of　Balthasar。　He　heard　it　with　a　bewildering　satisfactiona　feeling　that　here　was　the　solution　of　the　troublehere　was　the　requisite　hero　found　at　last；　and　he　a　son　of　the　Lion　tribe；　and　King　of　the　Jews！　Behind　the　hero；　lo！　the　world　in　arms。

The　king　implied　a　kingdom；　he　was　to　be　a　warrior　glorious　as　David；　a　ruler　wise　and　magnificent　as　Solomon；　the　kingdom　was　to　be　a　power　against　which　Rome　was　to　dash　itself　to　pieces。　There　would　be　colossal　war；　and　the　agonies　of　death　and　birth　then　peace；　meaning；　of　course；　Judean　dominion　forever。

Ben…Hur's　heart　beat　hard　as　for　an　instant　he　had　a　vision　of　Jerusalem　the　capital　of　the　world；　and　Zion；　the　site　of　the　throne　of　the　Universal　Master。

It　seemed　to　the　enthusiast　rare　fortune　that　the　man　who　had　seen　the　king　was　at　the　tent　to　which　he　was　going。　He　could　see　him　there；　and　hear　him；　and　learn　of　him　what　all　he　knew　of　the　coming　change；　especially　all　he　knew　of　the　time　of　its　happening。　If　it　were　at　hand；　the　campaign　with　Maxentius　should　be　abandoned；　and　he　would　go　and　set　about　organizing　and　arming　the　tribes；　that　Israel　might　be　ready　when　the　great　day　of　the　restoration　began　to　break。

Now；　as　we　have　seen；　from　Balthasar　himself　Ben…Hur　had　the　marvelous　story。　Was　he　satisfied？

There　was　a　shadow　upon　him　deeper　than　that　of　the　cluster　of　palmsthe　shadow　of　a　great　uncertainty；　whichtake　note；　O　reader！　which　pertained　more　to　the　kingdom　than　the　king。

〃What　of　this　kingdom？　And　what　is　it　to　be？〃　Ben…Hur　asked　himself　in　thought。

Thus　early　arose　the　questions　which　were　to　follow　the　Child　to　his　end；　and　survive　him　on　earthincomprehensible　in　his　day；　a　dispute　in　thisan　enigma　to　all　who　do　not　or　cannot　understand　that　every　man　is　two　in　onea　deathless　Soul　and　a　mortal　Body。

〃What　is　it　to　be？〃　he　asked。

For　us；　O　reader；　the　Child　himself　has　answered；　but　for　Ben…Hur　there　were　only　the　words　of　Balthasar；　〃On　the　earth；　yet　not　of　itnot　for　men；　but　for　their　soulsa　dominion；　nevertheless；　of　unimaginable　glory。〃

What　wonder　the　hapless　youth　found　the　phrases　but　the　darkening　of　a　riddle？

〃The　hand　of　man　is　not　in　it；〃　he　said；　despairingly。　〃Nor　has　the　king　of　such　a　kingdom　use　for　men；　neither　toilers；　nor　councillors；　nor　soldiers。　The　earth　must　die　or　be　made　anew；　and　for　government　new　principles　must　be　discoveredsomething　besides　armed　handssomething　in　place　of　Force。　But　what？〃

Again；　O　reader！

That　which　we　will　not　see；　he　could　not。　The　power　there　is　in　Love　had　not　yet　occurred　to　any　man；　much　less　had　one　come　saying　directly　that　for　government　and　its　objectspeace　and　orderLove　is　better　and　mightier　than　Force。

In　the　midst　of　his　reverie　a　hand　was　laid　upon　his　shoulder。

〃I　have　a　word　to　say；　O　son　of　Arrius；〃　said　Ilderim；　stopping　by　his　side〃a　word；　and　then　I　must　return；　for　the　night　is　going。〃

〃I　give　you　welcome；　sheik。〃

〃As　to　the　things　you　have　heard　but　now；〃　said　Ilderim；　almost　without　pause；　〃take　in　belief　all　save　that　relating　to　the　kind　of　kingdom　the　Child　will　set　up　when　he　comes；　as　to　so　much　keep　virgin　mind　until　you　hear　Simonides　the　merchanta　good　man　here　in　Antioch；　to　whom　I　will　make　you　known。　The　Egyptian　gives　you　coinage　of　his　dreams　which　are　too　good　for　the　earth；　Simonides　is　wiser；　he　will　ring　you　the　sayings　of　your　prophets；　giving　book　and　page；　so　you　cannot　deny　that　the　Child　will　be　King　of　the　Jews　in　factay；　by　the　splendor　of　God！　a　king　as　Herod　was；　only　better　and　far　more　magnificent。　And　then；　see　you；　we　will　taste　the　sweetness　of　vengeance。　I　have　said。　Peace　to　you！〃

〃Staysheik！〃

If　Ilderim　heard　his　call；　he　did　not　stay。

〃Simonides　again！〃　said　Ben…Hur；　bitterly。　〃Simonides　here；　Simonides　there；　from　this　one　now；　then　from　that！　I　am　like　to　be　well　ridden　by　my　father's　servant；　who　knows　at　least　to　hold　fast　that　which　is　mine；　wherefore　he　is　richer；　if　indeed　he　be　not　wiser；　than　the　Egyptian。　By　the　covenant！　it　is　not　to　the　faithless　a　man　should　go　to　find　a　faith　to　keepand　I　will　not。　But；　hark！　singingand　the　voice　a　woman'sor　an　angel's！　It　comes　this　way。〃

Down　the　lake　towards　the　dower　came　a　woman　singing。　Her　voice　floated　along　the　hushed　water　melodious　as　a　flute；　and　louder　growing　each　instant。　Directly　the　dipping　of　oars　was　heard　in　slow　measure；　a　little　later　the　words　were　distinguishablewords　in　purest　Greek；　best　fitted　of　all　the　tongues　of　the　day　for　the　expression　of　passionate　grief。

THE　LAMENT。　（Egyptian。）

I　sigh　as　I　sing　for　the　story　land　　　Across　the　Syrian　sea。　The　odorous　winds　from　the　musky　sand　　　Were　breaths　of　life　to　me。　They　play　with　the　plumes　of　the　whispering　palm　　　For　me；　alas！　no　more；　Nor　more　does　the　Nile　in　the　moonlit　calm　　　Moan　past　the　Memphian　shore。

O　Nilus！　thou　god　of　my　fainting　soul！　　　In　dreams　thou　comest　to　me；　And；　dreaming；　I　play　with　the　lotus　bowl；　　　And　sing　old　songs　to　thee；　And　hear　from　afar　the　Memnonian　strain；　　　And　calls　from　dear　Simbel；　And　wake　to　a　passion　of　grief　and　pain　　　That　e'er　I　saidFarewell！


At　the　conclusion　of　the　song　the　singer　was　past　the　cluster　of　palms。　The　last　wordfarewellfloated　past　Ben…Hur　weighted　with　all　the　sweet　sorrow　of　parting。　The　passing　of　the　boat　was　as　the　passing　of　a　deeper　shadow　into　the　deeper　night。

Ben…Hur　drew　a　long　breath　hardly　distinguishable　from　a　sigh。

〃I　know　her　by　the　songthe　daughter　of　Balthasar。　How　beautiful　it　was！　And　how　beautiful　is　she！〃

He　recalled　her　large　eyes　curtained　slightly　by　the　drooping　lids；　the　cheeks　oval　and　rosy　rich；　the　lips　full　and　deep　with　dimpling　in　the　corners；　and　all　the　grace　of　the　tall　lithe　figure。

〃How　beautiful　she　is！〃　he　repeated。

And　his　heart　made　answer　by　a　quickening　of　its　movement。

Then；　almost　the　same　instant；　another　face；　younger　and　quite　as　beautifulmore　childlike　and　tender；　if　not　so　passionate　appeared　as　if　held　up　to　him　out　of　the　lake。

〃Esther！〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃As　I　wished；　a　star　has　been　sent　to　me。〃

He　turned；　and　passed　slowly　back　to　the　tent。

His　life　had　been　crowded　with　griefs　and　with　vengeful　preparationstoo　much　crowded　for　love。　Was　this　the　beginning　of　a　happy　change？

And　if　the　influence　went　with　him　into　the　tent；　whose　was　it？　Esther　had　given　him　a　cup。　So　had　the　Egyptian。　And　both　had　come　to　him　at　the　same　time　under　the　palms。

Which？





BOOK　FIFTH

〃Only　the　actions　of　the　just　　Smell　sweet　and　blossom　in　the　dust。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHIRLEY。

〃And；　through