ben-hur-第71节

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　sky　above　them。　You　left　my　door　the　other　day　with　what　seemed　a　denial　of　the　claims　which　I　have　just　allowed　in　the　broadest　terms；　but　it　was　not　so；　indeed　it　was　not。　Esther　is　witness　that　I　recognized　you；　and　that　I　did　not　abandon　you；　let　Malluch　say。〃

〃Malluch！〃　exclaimed　Ben…Hur。

〃One　bound　to　a　chair；　like　me；　must　have　many　hands　far…reaching；　if　he　would　move　the　world　from　which　he　is　so　cruelly　barred。　I　have　many　such；　and　Malluch　is　one　of　the　best　of　them。　And；　sometimes〃　he　cast　a　grateful　glance　at　the　sheik〃sometimes　I　borrow　from　others　good　of　heart；　like　Ilderim　the　Generousgood　and　brave。　Let　him　say　if　I　either　denied　or　forgot　you。〃

Ben…Hur　looked　at　the　Arab。

〃This　is　he；　good　Ilderim；　this　is　he　who　told　you　of　me？〃

Ilderim's　eyes　twinkled　as　he　nodded　his　answer。

〃How；　O　my　master；〃　said　Simonides；　〃may　we　without　trial　tell　what　a　man　is？　I　knew　you；　I　saw　your　father　in　you；　but　the　kind　of　man　you　were　I　did　not　know。　There　are　people　to　whom　fortune　is　a　curse　in　disguise。　Were　you　of　them？　I　sent　Malluch　to　find　out　for　me；　and　in　the　service　he　was　my　eyes　and　ears。　Do　not　blame　him。　He　brought　me　report　of　you　which　was　all　good。〃

〃I　do　not；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　heartily。　〃There　was　wisdom　in　your　goodness。〃

〃The　words　are　very　pleasant　to　me；〃　said　the　merchant；　with　feeling；　〃very　pleasant。　My　fear　of　misunderstanding　is　laid。　Let　the　rivers　run　on　now　as　God　may　give　them　direction。〃

After　an　interval　he　continued：

〃I　am　compelled　now　by　truth。　The　weaver　sits　weaving；　and；　as　the　shuttle　flies；　the　cloth　increases；　and　the　figures　grow；　and　he　dreams　dreams　meanwhile；　so　to　my　hands　the　fortune　grew；　and　I　wondered　at　the　increase；　and　asked　myself　about　it　many　times。　I　could　see　a　care　not　my　own　went　with　the　enterprises　I　set　going。　The　simooms　which　smote　others　on　the　desert　jumped　over　the　things　which　were　mine。　The　storms　which　heaped　the　seashore　with　wrecks　did　but　blow　my　ships　the　sooner　into　port。　Strangest　of　all；　I；　so　dependent　upon　others；　fixed　to　a　place　like　a　dead　thing；　had　never　a　loss　by　an　agentnever。　The　elements　stooped　to　serve　me；　and　all　my　servants；　in　fact；　were　faithful。〃

〃It　is　very　strange；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃So　I　said；　and　kept　saying。　Finally；　O　my　master；　finally　I　came　to　be　of　your　opinionGod　was　in　itand；　like　you；　I　asked；　What　can　his　purpose　be？　Intelligence　is　never　wasted；　intelligence　like　God's　never　stirs　except　with　design。　I　have　held　the　question　in　heart；　lo！　these　many　years；　watching　for　an　answer。　I　felt　sure；　if　God　were　in　it；　some　day；　in　his　own　good　time；　in　his　own　way；　he　would　show　me　his　purpose；　making　it　clear　as　a　whited　house　upon　a　hill。　And　I　believe　he　has　done　so。〃

Ben…Hur　listened　with　every　faculty　intent。

〃Many　years　ago；　with　my　peoplethy　mother　was　with　me；　Esther；　beautiful　as　morning　over　old　OlivetI　sat　by　the　wayside　out　north　of　Jerusalem；　near　the　Tombs　of　the　Kings；　when　three　men　passed　by　riding　great　white　camels；　such　as　had　never　been　seen　in　the　Holy　City。　The　men　were　strangers；　and　from　far　countries。　The　first　one　stopped　and　asked　me　a　question。　'Where　is　he　that　is　born　King　of　the　Jews？'　As　if　to　allay　my　wonder；　he　went　on　to　say；　'We　have　seen　his　star　in　the　east；　and　have　come　to　worship　him。'　I　could　not　understand；　but　followed　them　to　the　Damascus　Gate；　and　of　every　person　they　met　on　the　wayof　the　guard　at　the　Gate；　eventhey　asked　the　question。　All　who　heard　it　were　amazed　like　me。　In　time　I　forgot　the　circumstance；　though　there　was　much　talk　of　it　as　a　presage　of　the　Messiah。　Alas；　alas！　What　children　we　are；　even　the　wisest！　When　God　walks　the　earth；　his　steps　are　often　centuries　apart。　You　have　seen　Balthasar？〃

〃And　heard　him　tell　his　story；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃A　miracle！a　very　miracle！〃　cried　Simonides。　〃As　he　told　it　to　me；　good　my　master；　I　seemed　to　hear　the　answer　I　had　so　long　waited；　God's　purpose　burst　upon　me。　Poor　will　the　King　be　when　he　comespoor　and　friendless；　without　following；　without　armies；　without　cities　or　castles；　a　kingdom　to　be　set　up；　and　Rome　reduced　and　blotted　out。　See；　see；　O　my　master！　thou　flushed　with　strength；　thou　trained　to　arms；　thou　burdened　with　riches；　behold　the　opportunity　the　Lord　hath　sent　thee！　Shall　not　his　purpose　be　thine？　Could　a　man　be　born　to　a　more　perfect　glory？〃

Simonides　put　his　whole　force　in　the　appeal。

〃But　the　kingdom；　the　kingdom！〃　Ben…Hur　answered；　eagerly。　〃Balthasar　says　it　is　to　be　of　souls。〃

The　pride　of　the　Jew　was　strong　in　Simonides；　and　therefore　the　slightly　contemptuous　curl　of　the　lip　with　which　he　began　his　reply：

〃Balthasar　has　been　a　witness　of　wonderful　thingsof　miracles；　O　my　master；　and　when　he　speaks　of　them；　I　bow　with　belief；　for　they　are　of　sight　and　sound　personal　to　him。　But　he　is　a　son　of　Mizraim；　and　not　even　a　proselyte。　Hardly　may　he　be　supposed　to　have　special　knowledge　by　virtue　of　which　we　must　bow　to　him　in　a　matter　of　God's　dealing　with　our　Israel。　The　prophets　had　their　light　from　Heaven　directly；　even　as　he　had　hismany　to　one；　and　Jehovah　the　same　forever。　I　must　believe　the　prophets。Bring　me　the　Torah；　Esther。〃

He　proceeded　without　waiting　for　her。

〃May　the　testimony　of　a　whole　people　be　slighted；　my　master？　Though　you　travel　from　Tyre；　which　is　by　the　sea　in　the　north；　to　the　capital　of　Edom；　which　is　in　the　desert　south；　you　will　not　find　a　lisper　of　the　Shema；　an　alms…giver　in　the　Temple；　or　any　one　who　has　ever　eaten　of　the　lamb　of　the　Passover；　to　tell　you　the　kingdom　the　King　is　coming　to　build　for　us；　the　children　of　the　covenant；　is　other　than　of　this　world；　like　our　father　David's。　Now　where　got　they　the　faith；　ask　you！　We　will　see　presently。〃

Esther　here　returned；　bringing　a　number　of　rolls　carefully　enveloped　in　dark…brown　linen　lettered　quaintly　in　gold。

〃Keep　them；　daughter；　to　give　to　me　as　I　call　for　them；〃　the　father　said；　in　the　tender　voice　he　always　used　in　speaking　to　her；　and　continued　his　argument：

〃It　were　long；　good　my　mastertoo　long；　indeedfor　me　to　repeat　to　you　the　names　of　the　holy　men　who；　in　the　providence　of　God；　succeeded　the　prophets；　only　a　little　less　favored　than　theythe　seers　who　have　written　and　the　preachers　who　have　taught　since　the　Captivity；　the　very　wise　who　borrowed　their　lights　from　the　lamp　of　Malachi；　the　last　of　his　line；　and　whose　great　names　Hillel　and　Shammai　never　tired　of　repeating　in　the　colleges。　Will　you　ask　them　of　the　kingdom？　Thus；　the　Lord　of　the　sheep　in　the　Book　of　Enochwho　is　he？　Who　but　the　King　of　whom　we　are　speaking？　A　throne　is　set　up　for　him；　he　smites　the　earth；　and　the　other　kings　are　shaken　from　their　thrones；　and　the　scourges　of　Israel　flung　into　a　cavern　of　fire　flaming　with　pillars　of　fire。　So　also　the　singer　of　the　Psalms　of　Solomon'Behold；　O　Lord；　and　raise　up　to　Israel　their　king；　the　son　of　David；　at　the　time　thou　knowest；　O　God；　to　rule　Israel；　thy　children。　。　。　。　And　he　will　bring　the　peoples　of　the　heathen　under　his　yoke　to　serve　him。　。　。　。　And　he　shall　be　a　righteous　king　taught　of　God；　。　。　。　for　he　shall　rule　all　the　earth　by　the　word　of　his　mouth　forever。'　And　last；　though　not　least；　hear　Ezra；　the　second　Moses；　in　his　visions　of　the　night；　and　ask　him　who　is　the　lion　with　human　voice　that　says　to　the　eaglewhich　is　Rome'Thou　hast　loved　liars；　and　overthrown　the　cities　of　the　industrious；　and　razed　their　walls；　though　they　did　thee　no　harm。　Therefore；　begone；　that　the　earth　may　be　refreshed；　and　recover　itself；　and　hope　in　the　justice　and　piety　of　him　who　made　her。'　Whereat　the　eagle　was　seen　no　more。　Surely；　O　my　master；　the　testimony　of　these　should　be　enough！　But　the　way　to　the　fountain's　head　is　open。　Let　us　go　up　to　it　at　once。Some　wine；　Esther；　and　then　the　Torah。〃

〃Dost　thou　believe　the　prophets；　master？〃　he　asked；　after　drinking。　〃I　know　thou　dost；　for　of　such　was　the　faith　of　all　thy　kindred。Give　me；　Esther；　the　book　which　bath　in　it　the　visions　of　Isaiah。〃

He　took　one　of　the　rolls　which　she　had　unwrapped　for　him；　and　read；　〃'The　people　that　walked　in　darkness　have　seen　a　great　light：　they　that　dwell　in　the　land　of　the　shadow　of　death；　upon　them　hath　the　light　shined。　。　。　。　For　unto　us　a　child　is　born；　unto　us　a　son　is　given：　and　the　government　shall　be　upon　his　shoulder。　。　。　。　Of　the　increase　of　his　government　and　peace　there　shall　be　no　end；　upon　the　throne　of　David；　and　upon　his　kingdom；　to　order　it；　and　to　establish　it　with　judgment　and　with　justice　from　henceforth　even　forever。'Believest　thou　the　prophets；　O　my　master？Now；　Esther；　the　word　of　the　Lord　that　came　to　Micah。〃

She　gave　him　the　roll　he　asked。

〃'But　thou；'〃　he　began　reading〃'but　thou；　Bethlehem　Ephrath；　though　thou　be　little　among　the　thousands　of　Judah；　yet　out　of　thee　shall　he　come　forth　unto　me　that　is　to　be　ruler　in　Israel。'This　was　he；　the　very　child　Balthasar　saw　and　worshipped　in　the　cave。　Believest　thou　the　prophets；　O　my　master？Give　me；　Esther；　the　words　of　Jeremiah。〃

Receiving　that　roll；　he　read　as　before；　〃'Behold；　the　days　come；　saith　the　Lord；　that　I　will　raise　unto　David　a　righteous　branch；　and　a　king　shall　reign　and　prosper；　and　shall　execute　judgment　and　justice　in　the　earth。　In　his　days　Judah　shall　be　saved；　and　Israel　shall　dwell　safely。'　As　a　k