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e　read　on〃'under　the　tent　of　the　traitor　Sheik　Ilderim；　who　cannot　long　escape　our　strong　hand。　Be　not　surprised　if　Maxentius；　as　his　first　measure；　places　the　Arab　on　ship　for　forwarding　to　Rome。'〃

〃To　Rome！　MeIlderimsheik　of　ten　thousand　horsemen　with　spears　me　to　Rome！〃

He　leaped　rather　than　rose　to　his　feet；　his　arms　outstretched；　his　fingers　spread　and　curved　like　claws；　his　eyes　glittering　like　a　serpent's。

〃O　God！nay；　by　all　the　gods　except　of　Rome！when　shall　this　insolence　end？　A　freeman　am　I；　free　are　my　people。　Must　we　die　slaves？　Or；　worse；　must　I　live　a　dog；　crawling　to　a　master's　feet？　Must　I　lick　his　hand；　lest　he　lash　me？　What　is　mine　is　not　mine；　I　am　not　my　own；　for　breath　of　body　I　must　be　beholden　to　a　Roman。　Oh；　if　I　were　young　again！　Oh；　could　I　shake　off　twenty　yearsor　tenor　five！〃

He　ground　his　teeth　and　shook　his　hands　overhead；　then；　under　the　impulse　of　another　idea；　he　walked　away　and　back　again　to　Ben…Hur　swiftly；　and　caught　his　shoulder　with　a　strong　grasp。

〃If　I　were　as　thou；　son　of　Arriusas　young；　as　strong；　as　practised　in　arms；　if　I　had　a　motive　hissing　me　to　revengea　motive；　like　thine；　great　enough　to　make　hate　holy　Away　with　disguise　on　thy　part　and　on　mine！　Son　of　Hur；　son　of　Hur；　I　say〃

At　that　name　all　the　currents　of　Ben…Hur's　blood　stopped；　surprised；　bewildered；　he　gazed　into　the　Arab's　eyes；　now　close　to　his；　and　fiercely　bright。

〃Son　of　Hur；　I　say；　were　I　as　thou；　with　half　thy　wrongs；　bearing　about　with　me　memories　like　thine；　I　would　not；　I　could　not；　rest。〃　Never　pausing；　his　words　following　each　other　torrent…like；　the　old　man　swept　on。　〃To　all　my　grievances；　I　would　add　those　of　the　world；　and　devote　myself　to　vengeance。　From　land　to　land　I　would　go　firing　all　mankind。　No　war　for　freedom　but　should　find　me　engaged；　no　battle　against　Rome　in　which　I　would　not　bear　a　part。　I　would　turn　Parthian；　if　I　could　not　better。　If　men　failed　me；　still　I　would　not　give　over　the　effortha；　ha；　ha！　By　the　splendor　of　God！　I　would　herd　with　wolves；　and　make　friends　of　lions　and　tigers；　in　hope　of　marshalling　them　against　the　common　enemy。　I　would　use　every　weapon。　So　my　victims　were　Romans；　I　would　rejoice　in　slaughter。　Quarter　I　would　not　ask；　quarter　I　would　not　give。　To　the　flames　everything　Roman；　to　the　sword　every　Roman　born。　Of　nights　I　would　pray　the　gods；　the　good　and　the　bad　alike；　to　lend　me　their　special　terrorstempests；　drought；　heat；　cold；　and　all　the　nameless　poisons　they　let　loose　in　air；　all　the　thousand　things　of　which　men　die　on　sea　and　on　land。　Oh；　I　could　not　sleep。　II〃

The　sheik　stopped　for　want　of　breath；　panting；　wringing　his　hands。　And；　sooth　to　say；　of　all　the　passionate　burst　Ben…Hur　retained　but　a　vague　impression　wrought　by　fiery　eyes；　a　piercing　voice；　and　a　rage　too　intense　for　coherent　expression。

For　the　first　time　in　years；　the　desolate　youth　heard　himself　addressed　by　his　proper　name。　One　man　at　least　knew　him；　and　acknowledged　it　without　demand　of　identity；　and　he　an　Arab　fresh　from　the　desert！

How　came　the　man　by　his　knowledge？　The　letter？　No。　It　told　the　cruelties　from　which　his　family　had　suffered；　it　told　the　story　of　his　own　misfortunes；　but　it　did　not　say　he　was　the　very　victim　whose　escape　from　doom　was　the　theme　of　the　heartless　narrative。　That　was　the　point　of　explanation　he　had　notified　the　sheik　would　follow　the　reading　of　the　letter。　He　was　pleased；　and　thrilled　with　hope　restored；　yet　kept　an　air　of　calmness。

〃Good　sheik；　tell　me　how　you　came　by　this　letter。〃

〃My　people　keep　the　roads　between　cities；〃　Ilderim　answered；　bluntly。　〃They　took　it　from　a　courier。〃

〃Are　they　known　to　be　thy　people？〃

〃No。　To　the　world　they　are　robbers；　whom　it　is　mine　to　catch　and　slay。〃

〃Again；　sheik。　You　call　me　son　of　Hurmy　father's　name。　I　did　not　think　myself　known　to　a　person　on　earth。　How　came　you　by　the　knowledge？〃

Ilderim　hesitated；　but；　rallying；　he　answered；　〃I　know　you；　yet　I　am　not　free　to　tell　you　more。〃

〃Some　one　holds　you　in　restraint？〃

The　sheik　closed　his　mouth；　and　walked　away；　but；　observing　Ben…Hur's　disappointment；　he　came　back；　and　said；　〃Let　us　say　no　more　about　the　matter　now。　I　will　go　to　town；　when　I　return；　I　may　talk　to　you　fully。　Give　me　the　letter。〃

Ilderim　rolled　the　papyrus　carefully；　restored　it　to　its　envelopes；　and　became　once　more　all　energy。

〃What　sayest　thou？〃　he　asked；　while　waiting　for　his　horse　and　retinue。　〃I　told　what　I　would　do；　were　I　thou；　and　thou　hast　made　no　answer。〃

〃I　intended　to　answer；　sheik；　and　I　will。〃　Ben…Hur's　countenance　and　voice　changed　with　the　feeling　invoked。　〃All　thou　hast　said；　I　will　doall　at　least　in　the　power　of　a　man。　I　devoted　myself　to　vengeance　long　ago。　Every　hour　of　the　five　years　passed；　I　have　lived　with　no　other　thought。　I　have　taken　no　respite。　I　have　had　no　pleasures　of　youth。　The　blandishments　of　Rome　were　not　for　me。　I　wanted　her　to　educate　me　for　revenge。　I　resorted　to　her　most　famous　masters　and　professorsnot　those　of　rhetoric　or　philosophy：　alas！　I　had　no　time　for　them。　The　arts　essential　to　a　fighting…man　were　my　desire。　I　associated　with　gladiators；　and　with　winners　of　prizes　in　the　Circus；　and　they　were　my　teachers。　The　drill…masters　in　the　great　camp　accepted　me　as　a　scholar；　and　were　proud　of　my　attainments　in　their　line。　O　sheik；　I　am　a　soldier；　but　the　things　of　which　I　dream　require　me　to　be　a　captain。　With　that　thought；　I　have　taken　part　in　the　campaign　against　the　Parthians；　when　it　is　over；　then；　if　the　Lord　spare　my　life　and　strengththen〃he　raised　his　clenched　hands；　and　spoke　vehemently〃then　I　will　be　an　enemy　Roman…taught　in　all　things；　then　Rome　shall　account　to　me　in　Roman　lives　for　her　ills。　You　have　my　answer；　sheik。〃

Ilderim　put　an　arm　over　his　shoulder；　and　kissed　him；　saying；　passionately；　〃If　thy　God　favor　thee　not；　son　of　Hur；　it　is　because　he　is　dead。　Take　thou　this　from　mesworn　to；　if　so　thy　preference　run：　thou　shalt　have　my　hands；　and　their　fulnessmen；　horses；　camels；　and　the　desert　for　preparation。　I　swear　it！　For　the　present；　enough。　Thou　shalt　see　or　hear　from　me　before　night。〃

Turning　abruptly　off；　the　sheik　was　speedily　on　the　road　to　the　city。




CHAPTER　VI



The　intercepted　letter　was　conclusive　upon　a　number　of　points　of　great　interest　to　Ben…Hur。　It　had　all　the　effect　of　a　confession　that　the　writer　was　a　party　to　the　putting…away　of　the　family　with　murderous　intent；　that　he　had　sanctioned　the　plan　adopted　for　the　purpose；　that　he　had　received　a　portion　of　the　proceeds　of　the　confiscation；　and　was　yet　in　enjoyment　of　his　part；　that　he　dreaded　the　unexpected　appearance　of　what　he　was　pleased　to　call　the　chief　malefactor；　and　accepted　it　as　a　menace；　that　he　contemplated　such　further　action　as　would　secure　him　in　the　future；　and　was　ready　to　do　whatever　his　accomplice　in　Caesarea　might　advise。

And；　now　that　the　letter　had　reached　the　hand　of　him　really　its　subject；　it　was　notice　of　danger　to　come；　as　well　as　a　confession　of　guilt。　So　when　Ilderim　left　the　tent；　Ben…Hur　had　much　to　think　about；　requiring　immediate　action。　His　enemies　were　as　adroit　and　powerful　as　any　in　the　East。　If　they　were　afraid　of　him；　he　had　greater　reason　to　be　afraid　of　them。　He　strove　earnestly　to　reflect　upon　the　situation；　but　could　not；　his　feelings　constantly　overwhelmed　him。　There　was　a　certain　qualified　pleasure　in　the　assurance　that　his　mother　and　sister　were　alive；　and　it　mattered　little　that　the　foundation　of　the　assurance　was　a　mere　inference。　That　there　was　one　person　who　could　tell　him　where　they　were　seemed　to　his　hope　so　long　deferred　as　if　discovery　were　now　close　at　hand。　These　were　mere　causes　of　feeling；　underlying　them；　it　must　be　confessed　he　had　a　superstitious　fancy　that　God　was　about　to　make　ordination　in　his　behalf；　in　which　event　faith　whispered　him　to　stand　still。

Occasionally；　referring　to　the　words　of　Ilderim；　he　wondered　whence　the　Arab　derived　his　information　about　him；　not　from　Malluch　certainly；　nor　from　Simonides；　whose　interests；　all　adverse；　would　hold　him　dumb。　Could　Messala　have　been　the　informant？　No；　no：　disclosure　might　be　dangerous　in　that　quarter。　Conjecture　was　vain；　at　the　same　time；　often　as　Ben…Hur　was　beaten　back　from　the　solution；　he　was　consoled　with　the　thought　that　whoever　the　person　with　the　knowledge　might　be；　he　was　a　friend；　and；　being　such；　would　reveal　himself　in　good　time。　A　little　more　waitinga　little　more　patience。　Possibly　the　errand　of　the　sheik　was　to　see　the　worthy；　possibly　the　letter　might　precipitate　a　full　disclosure。

And　patient　he　would　have　been　if　only　he　could　have　believed　Tirzah　and　his　mother　were　waiting　for　him　under　circumstances　permitting　hope　on　their　part　strong　as　his；　if；　in　other　words；　conscience　had　not　stung　him　with　accusations　respecting　them。

To　escape　such　accusations；　he　wandered　far　through　the　Orchard；　pausing　now　where　the　date…gatherers　were　busy；　yet　not　too　busy　to　offer　him　of　their　fruit　and　talk　with　him；　then；　under　the　great　trees；　to　watch　the　nesting　birds；　or　hear　the　bees　swarming　about　the　berries　bursting　with　honeyed　sweetness；　and　filling　all　the　green　and　golden　spaces　with　the　music　of　their　beating　wings。

By　the　lake；　however；　he　lingered　longest。　He　might　not　look　upon　the　water　and