ben-hur-第70节

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Ben…Hur　received　the　papers；　but　glanced　at　Ilderim。

〃Nay；〃　said　Simonides；　〃the　sheik　shall　not　deter　thee　from　reading。　The　accountsuch　thou　wilt　find　itis　of　a　nature　requiring　a　witness。　In　the　attesting　place　at　the　end　thou　wilt　find；　when　thou　comest　to　it；　the　nameIlderim；　Sheik。　He　knows　all。　He　is　thy　friend。　All　he　has　been　to　me；　that　will　he　be　to　thee　also。〃

Simonides　looked　at　the　Arab；　nodding　pleasantly；　and　the　latter　gravely　returned　the　nod；　saying；　〃Thou　hast　said。〃

Ben…Hur　replied；　〃I　know　already　the　excellence　of　his　friendship；　and　have　yet　to　prove　myself　worthy　of　it。〃　Immediately　he　continued；　〃Later；　O　Simonides；　I　will　read　the　papers　carefully；　for　the　present；　do　thou　take　them；　and　if　thou　be　not　too　weary；　give　me　their　substance。〃

Simonides　took　back　the　roll。

〃Here；　Esther；　stand　by　me　and　receive　the　sheets；　lest　they　fall　into　confusion。〃

She　took　place　by　his　chair；　letting　her　right　arm　fall　lightly　across　his　shoulder；　so；　when　he　spoke；　the　account　seemed　to　have　rendition　from　both　of　them　jointly。

〃This；〃　said　Simonides；　drawing　out　the　first　leaf；　〃shows　the　money　I　had　of　thy　father's；　being　the　amount　saved　from　the　Romans；　there　was　no　property　saved；　only　money；　and　that　the　robbers　would　have　secured　but　for　our　Jewish　custom　of　bills　of　exchange。　The　amount　saved；　being　sums　I　drew　from　Rome；　Alexandria；　Damascus；　Carthage；　Valentia；　and　elsewhere　within　the　circle　of　trade；　was　one　hundred　and　twenty　talents　Jewish　money。〃

He　gave　the　sheet　to　Esther；　and　took　the　next　one。

〃With　that　amountone　hundred　and　twenty　talentsI　charged　myself。　Hear　now　my　credits。　I　use　the　word；　as　thou　wilt　see；　with　reference　rather　to　the　proceeds　gained　from　the　use　of　the　money。〃

From　separate　sheets　he　then　read　footings；　which；　fractions　omitted；　were　as　follows：

〃CR。

By　ships。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　60　talents。　　〃　goods　in　store。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。110　　　〃　　〃　cargoes　in　transit。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　75　　　〃　　〃　camels；　horses；　etc。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　20　　　〃　　〃　warehouses。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　10　　　〃　　〃　bills　due。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　54　　　〃　　〃　money　on　hand　and　subject　to　draft。。224　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　Total。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。553　　　〃　　　〃

〃To　these　now；　to　the　five　hundred　and　fifty…three　talents　gained；　add　the　original　capital　I　had　from　thy　father；　and　thou　hast　SIX　HUNDRED　AND　SEVENTY　THREE　TALENTS！and　all　thinemaking　thee；　O　son　of　Hur；　the　richest　subject　in　the　world。〃

He　took　the　papyri　from　Esther；　and；　reserving　one；　rolled　them　and　offered　them　to　Ben…Hur。　The　pride　perceptible　in　his　manner　was　not　offensive；　it　might　have　been　from　a　sense　of　duty　well　done；　it　might　have　been　for　Ben…Hur　without　reference　to　himself。

〃And　there　is　nothing；〃　he　added；　dropping　his　voice；　but　not　his　eyes〃there　is　nothing　now　thou　mayst　not　do。〃

The　moment　was　one　of　absorbing　interest　to　all　present。　Simonides　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　breast　again；　Esther　was　anxious；　Ilderim　nervous。　A　man　is　never　so　on　trial　as　in　the　moment　of　excessive　good…fortune。

Taking　the　roll；　Ben…Hur　arose；　struggling　with　emotion。

〃All　this　is　to　me　as　a　light　from　heaven；　sent　to　drive　away　a　night　which　has　been　so　long　I　feared　it　would　never　end；　and　so　dark　I　had　lost　the　hope　of　seeing；〃　he　said；　with　a　husky　voice。　〃I　give　first　thanks　to　the　Lord；　who　has　not　abandoned　me；　and　my　next　to　thee；　O　Simonides。　Thy　faithfulness　outweighs　the　cruelty　of　others；　and　redeems　our　human　nature。　'There　is　nothing　I　cannot　do：'　be　it　so。　Shall　any　man　in　this　my　hour　of　such　mighty　privilege　be　more　generous　than　I？　Serve　me　as　a　witness　now；　Sheik　Ilderim。　Hear　thou　my　words　as　I　shall　speak　themhear　and　remember。　And　thou；　Esther；　good　angel　of　this　good　man！　hear　thou　also。〃

He　stretched　his　hand　with　the　roll　to　Simonides。

〃The　things　these　papers　take　into　accountall　of　them：　ships；　houses；　goods；　camels；　horses；　money；　the　least　as　well　as　the　greatestgive　I　back　to　thee；　O　Simonides；　making　them　all　thine；　and　sealing　them　to　thee　and　thine　forever。〃

Esther　smiled　through　her　tears；　Ilderim　pulled　his　beard　with　rapid　motion；　his　eyes　glistening　like　beads　of　jet。　Simonides　alone　was　calm。

〃Sealing　them　to　thee　and　thine　forever；〃　Ben…Hur　continued；　with　better　control　of　himself；　〃with　one　exception；　and　upon　one　condition。〃

The　breath　of　the　listeners　waited　upon　his　words。

〃The　hundred　and　twenty　talents　which　were　my　father's　thou　shalt　return　to　me。〃

Ilderim's　countenance　brightened。

〃And　thou　shalt　join　me　in　search　of　my　mother　and　sister；　holding　all　thine　subject　to　the　expense　of　discovery；　even　as　I　will　hold　mine。〃

Simonides　was　much　affected。　Stretching　out　his　hand；　he　said；　〃I　see　thy　spirit；　son　of　Hur；　and　I　am　grateful　to　the　Lord　that　he　hath　sent　thee　to　me　such　as　thou　art。　If　I　served　well　thy　father　in　life；　and　his　memory　afterwards；　be　not　afraid　of　default　to　thee；　yet　must　I　say　the　exception　cannot　stand。〃

Exhibiting；　then；　the　reserved　sheet；　he　continued；

〃Thou　hast　not　all　the　account。　Take　this　and　readread　aloud。〃

Ben…Hur　took　the　supplement；　and　read　it。

〃Statement　of　the　servants　of　Hur；　rendered　by　Simonides；　steward　of　the　estate。　1。　Amrah；　Egyptian；　keeping　the　palace　in　Jerusalem。　2。　Simonides；　the　steward；　in　Antioch。　3。　Esther；　daughter　of　Simonides。〃

Now；　in　all　his　thoughts　of　Simonides；　not　once　had　it　entered　Ben…Hur's　mind　that；　by　the　law；　a　daughter　followed　the　parent's　condition。　In　all　his　visions　of　her；　the　sweet…faced　Esther　had　figured　as　the　rival　of　the　Egyptian；　and　an　object　of　possible　love。　He　shrank　from　the　revelation　so　suddenly　brought　him；　and　looked　at　her　blushing；　and；　blushing；　she　dropped　her　eyes　before　him。　Then　he　said；　while　the　papyrus　rolled　itself　together；

〃A　man　with　six　hundred　talents　is　indeed　rich；　and　may　do　what　he　pleases；　but；　rarer　than　the　money；　more　priceless　than　the　property；　is　the　mind　which　amassed　the　wealth；　and　the　heart　it　could　not　corrupt　when　amassed。　O　Simonidesand　thou；　fair　Estherfear　not。　Sheik　Ilderim　here　shall　be　witness　that　in　the　same　moment　ye　were　declared　my　servants；　that　moment　I　declared　ye　free；　and　what　I　declare；　that　will　I　put　in　writing。　Is　it　not　enough？　Can　I　do　more？〃

〃Son　of　Hur；〃　said　Simonides；　〃verily　thou　dost　make　servitude　lightsome。　I　was　wrong；　there　are　some　things　thou　canst　not　do；　thou　canst　not　make　us　free　in　law。　I　am　thy　servant　forever；　because　I　went　to　the　door　with　thy　father　one　day；　and　in　my　ear　the　awl…marks　yet　abide。〃

〃Did　my　father　that？〃

〃Judge　him　not；〃　cried　Simonides；　quickly。　〃He　accepted　me　a　servant　of　that　class　because　I　prayed　him　to　do　so。　I　never　repented　the　step。　It　was　the　price　I　paid　for　Rachel；　the　mother　of　my　child　here；　for　Rachel；　who　would　not　be　my　wife　unless　I　became　what　she　was。〃

〃Was　she　a　servant　forever？〃

〃Even　so。〃

Ben…Hur　walked　the　floor　in　pain　of　impotent　wish。

〃I　was　rich　before；〃　he　said；　stopping　suddenly。　〃I　was　rich　with　the　gifts　of　the　generous　Arrius；　now　comes　this　greater　fortune；　and　the　mind　which　achieved　it。　Is　there　not　a　purpose　of　God　in　it　all？　Counsel　me；　O　Simonides！　Help　me　to　see　the　right　and　do　it。　Help　me　to　be　worthy　my　name；　and　what　thou　art　in　law　to　me；　that　will　I　be　to　thee　in　fact　and　deed。　I　will　be　thy　servant　forever。〃

Simonides'　face　actually　glowed。

〃O　son　of　my　dead　master！　I　will　do　better　than　help；　I　will　serve　thee　with　all　my　might　of　mind　and　heart。　Body；　I　have　not；　it　perished　in　thy　cause；　but　with　mind　and　heart　I　will　serve　thee。　I　swear　it；　by　the　altar　of　our　God；　and　the　gifts　upon　the　altar！　Only　make　me　formally　what　I　have　assumed　to　be。〃

〃Name　it；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　eagerly。

〃As　steward　the　care　of　the　property　will　be　mine。〃

〃Count　thyself　steward　now；　or　wilt　thou　have　it　in　writing？〃

〃Thy　word　simply　is　enough；　it　was　so　with　the　father；　and　I　will　not　more　from　the　son。　And　now；　if　the　understanding　be　perfect〃Simonides　paused。

〃It　is　with　me；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃And　thou；　daughter　of　Rachel；　speak！〃　said　Simonides；　lifting　her　arm　from　his　shoulder。

Esther；　left　thus　alone；　stood　a　moment　abashed；　her　color　coming　and　going；　then　she　went　to　Ben…Hur；　and　said；　with　a　womanliness　singularly　sweet；　〃I　am　not　better　than　my　mother　was；　and；　as　she　is　gone；　I　pray　you；　O　my　master；　let　me　care　for　my　father。〃

Ben…Hur　took　her　hand；　and　led　her　back　to　the　chair；　saying；　〃Thou　art　a　good　child。　Have　thy　will。〃

Simonides　replaced　her　arm　upon　his　neck；　and　there　was　silence　for　a　time　in　the　room。




CHAPTER　VIII



Simonides　looked　up；　none　the　less　a　master。

〃Esther；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃the　night　is　going　fast；　and；　lest　we　become　too　weary　for　that　which　is　before　us；　let　the　refreshments　be　brought。〃

She　rang　a　bell。　A　servant　answered　with　wine　and　bread；　which　she　bore　round。

〃The　understanding；　good　my　master；〃　continued　Simonides；　when　all　were　served；　〃is　not　perfect　in　my　sight。　Henceforth　our　lives　will　run　on　together　like　rivers　which　have　met　and　joined　their　waters。　I　think　their　flowing　will　be　better　if　every　cloud　is　blown　from　the　sky　above　them。　Yo