ben-hur-第73节

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　and　the　ready　hands　of　my　tribe；　and　whatever　serviceable　thing　I　have。〃

The　threeSimonides；　Ilderim；　Esthergazed　at　Ben…Hur　fixedly。

〃Every　man；〃　he　answered；　at　first　sadly；　〃has　a　cup　of　pleasure　poured　for　him；　and　soon　or　late　it　comes　to　his　hand；　and　he　tastes　and　drinksevery　man　but　me。　I　see；　Simonides；　and　thou；　O　generous　sheik！I　see　whither　the　proposal　tends。　If　I　accept；　and　enter　upon　the　course；　farewell　peace；　and　the　hopes　which　cluster　around　it。　The　doors　I　might　enter　and　the　gates　of　quiet　life　will　shut　behind　me；　never　to　open　again；　for　Rome　keeps　them　all；　and　her　outlawry　will　follow　me；　and　her　hunters；　and　in　the　tombs　near　cities　and　the　dismal　caverns　of　remotest　hills；　I　must　eat　my　crust　and　take　my　rest。〃

The　speech　was　broken　by　a　sob。　All　turned　to　Esther；　who　hid　her　face　upon　her　father's　shoulder。

〃I　did　not　think　of　you；　Esther；〃　said　Simonides；　gently；　for　he　was　himself　deeply　moved。

〃It　is　well　enough；　Simonides；〃　said　Ben…Hur。　〃A　man　bears　a　hard　doom　better；　knowing　there　is　pity　for　him。　Let　me　go　on。〃

They　gave　him　ear　again。

〃I　was　about　to　say；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　no　choice；　but　take　the　part　you　assign　me；　and　as　remaining　here　is　to　meet　an　ignoble　death；　I　will　to　the　work　at　once。〃

〃Shall　we　have　writings？〃　asked　Simonides；　moved　by　his　habit　of　business。

〃I　rest　upon　your　word；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

〃And　I；〃　Ilderim　answered。

Thus　simply　was　effected　the　treaty　which　was　to　alter　Ben…Hur's　life。　And　almost　immediately　the　latter　added；

〃It　is　done；　then。〃

〃May　the　God　of　Abraham　help　us！〃　Simonides　exclaimed。

〃One　word　now；　my　friends；〃　Ben…Hur　said；　more　cheerfully。　〃By　your　leave；　I　will　be　my　own　until　after　the　games。　It　is　not　probable　Messala　will　set　peril　on　foot　for　me　until　he　has　given　the　procurator　time　to　answer　him；　and　that　cannot　be　in　less　than　seven　days　from　the　despatch　of　his　letter。　The　meeting　him　in　the　Circus　is　a　pleasure　I　would　buy　at　whatever　risk。〃

Ilderim；　well　pleased；　assented　readily；　and　Simonides；　intent　on　business；　added；　〃It　is　well；　for　look　you；　my　master；　the　delay　will　give　me　time　to　do　you　a　good　part。　I　understood　you　to　speak　of　an　inheritance　derived　from　Arrius。　Is　it　in　property？〃

〃A　villa　near　Misenum；　and　houses　in　Rome。〃

〃I　suggest；　then；　the　sale　of　the　property；　and　safe　deposit　of　the　proceeds。　Give　me　an　account　of　it；　and　I　will　have　authorities　drawn；　and　despatch　an　agent　on　the　mission　forthwith。　We　will　forestall　the　imperial　robbers　at　least　this　once。〃

〃You　shall　have　the　account　to…morrow。〃

〃Then；　if　there　be　nothing　more；　the　work　of　the　night　is　done；〃　said　Simonides。

Ilderim　combed　his　beard　complacently；　saying；　〃And　well　done。〃

〃The　bread　and　wine　again；　Esther。　Sheik　Ilderim　will　make　us　happy　by　staying　with　us　till　to…morrow；　or　at　his　pleasure；　and　thou；　my　master〃

〃Let　the　horses　be　brought；〃　said　Ben…Hur。　〃I　will　return　to　the　Orchard。　The　enemy　will　not　discover　me　if　I　go　now；　and〃he　glanced　at　Ilderim〃the　four　will　be　glad　to　see　me。〃

As　the　day　dawned；　he　and　Malluch　dismounted　at　the　door　of　the　tent。




CHAPTER　IX



Next　night；　about　the　fourth　hour；　Ben…Hur　stood　on　the　terrace　of　the　great　warehouse　with　Esther。　Below　them；　on　the　landing；　there　was　much　running　about；　and　shifting　of　packages　and　boxes；　and　shouting　of　men；　whose　figures；　stooping；　heaving；　hauling；　looked；　in　the　light　of　the　crackling　torches　kindled　in　their　aid；　like　the　laboring　genii　of　the　fantastic　Eastern　tales。　A　galley　was　being　laden　for　instant　departure。　Simonides　had　not　yet　come　from　his　office；　in　which；　at　the　last　moment；　he　would　deliver　to　the　captain　of　the　vessel　instructions　to　proceed　without　stop　to　Ostia；　the　seaport　of　Rome；　and；　after　landing　a　passenger　there；　continue　more　leisurely　to　Valentia；　on　the　coast　of　Spain。

The　passenger　is　the　agent　going　to　dispose　of　the　estate　derived　from　Arrius　the　duumvir。　When　the　lines　of　the　vessel　are　cast　off；　and　she　is　put　about；　and　her　voyage　begun；　Ben…Hur　will　be　committed　irrevocably　to　the　work　undertaken　the　night　before。　If　he　is　disposed　to　repent　the　agreement　with　Ilderim；　a　little　time　is　allowed　him　to　give　notice　and　break　it　off。　He　is　master；　and　has　only　to　say　the　word。

Such　may　have　been　the　thought　at　the　moment　in　his　mind。　He　was　standing　with　folded　arms；　looking　upon　the　scene　in　the　manner　of　a　man　debating　with　himself。　Young；　handsome；　rich；　but　recently　from　the　patrician　circles　of　Roman　society；　it　is　easy　to　think　of　the　world　besetting　him　with　appeals　not　to　give　more　to　onerous　duty　or　ambition　attended　with　outlawry　and　danger。　We　can　even　imagine　the　arguments　with　which　he　was　pressed；　the　hopelessness　of　contention　with　Caesar；　the　uncertainty　veiling　everything　connected　with　the　King　and　his　coming；　the　ease；　honors；　state；　purchasable　like　goods　in　market；　and；　strongest　of　all；　the　sense　newly　acquired　of　home；　with　friends　to　make　it　delightful。　Only　those　who　have　been　wanderers　long　desolate　can　know　the　power　there　was　in　the　latter　appeal。

Let　us　add　now；　the　worldalways　cunning　enough　of　itself；　always　whispering　to　the　weak；　Stay；　take　thine　ease；　always　presenting　the　sunny　side　of　lifethe　world　was　in　this　instance　helped　by　Ben…Hur's　companion。

〃Were　you　ever　at　Rome？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　Esther　replied。

〃Would　you　like　to　go？〃

〃I　think　not。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　am　afraid　of　Rome；〃　she　answered；　with　a　perceptible　tremor　of　the　voice。

He　looked　at　her　thenor　rather　down　upon　her；　for　at　his　side　she　appeared　little　more　than　a　child。　In　the　dim　light　he　could　not　see　her　face　distinctly；　even　the　form　was　shadowy。　But　again　he　was　reminded　of　Tirzah；　and　a　sudden　tenderness　fell　upon　himjust　so　the　lost　sister　stood　with　him　on　the　house…top　the　calamitous　morning　of　the　accident　to　Gratus。　Poor　Tirzah！　Where　was　she　now？　Esther　had　the　benefit　of　the　feeling　evoked。　If　not　his　sister；　he　could　never　look　upon　her　as　his　servant；　and　that　she　was　his　servant　in　fact　would　make　him　always　the　more　considerate　and　gentle　towards　her。

〃I　cannot　think　of　Rome；〃　she　continued；　recovering　her　voice；　and　speaking　in　her　quiet　womanly　way〃I　cannot　think　of　Rome　as　a　city　of　palaces　and　temples；　and　crowded　with　people；　she　is　to　me　a　monster　which　has　possession　of　one　of　the　beautiful　lands；　and　lies　there　luring　men　to　ruin　and　deatha　monster　which　it　is　not　possible　to　resista　ravenous　beast　gorging　with　blood。　Why〃

She　faltered；　looked　down；　stopped。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　reassuringly。

She　drew　closer　to　him；　looked　up　again；　and　said；　〃Why　must　you　make　her　your　enemy？　Why　not　rather　make　peace　with　her；　and　be　at　rest？　You　have　had　many　ills；　and　borne　them；　you　have　survived　the　snares　laid　for　you　by　foes。　Sorrow　has　consumed　your　youth；　is　it　well　to　give　it　the　remainder　of　your　days？〃

The　girlish　face　under　his　eyes　seemed　to　come　nearer　and　get　whiter　as　the　pleading　went　on；　he　stooped　towards　it；　and　asked；　softly；　〃What　would　you　have　me　do；　Esther？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　asked；　in　return；　〃Is　the　property　near　Rome　a　residence？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　pretty？〃

〃It　is　beautifula　palace　in　the　midst　of　gardens　and　shell…strewn　walks；　fountains　without　and　within；　statuary　in　the　shady　nooks；　hills　around　covered　with　vines；　and　so　high　that　Neapolis　and　Vesuvius　are　in　sight；　and　the　sea　an　expanse　of　purpling　blue　dotted　with　restless　sails。　Caesar　has　a　country…seat　near…by；　but　in　Rome　they　say　the　old　Arrian　villa　is　the　prettiest。〃

〃And　the　life　there；　is　it　quiet？〃

〃There　was　never　a　summer　day；　never　a　moonlit　night；　more　quiet；　save　when　visitors　come。　Now　that　the　old　owner　is　gone；　and　I　am　here；　there　is　nothing　to　break　its　silencenothing；　unless　it　be　the　whispering　of　servants；　or　the　whistling　of　happy　birds；　or　the　noise　of　fountains　at　play；　it　is　changeless；　except　as　day　by　day　old　flowers　fade　and　fall；　and　new　ones　bud　and　bloom；　and　the　sunlight　gives　place　to　the　shadow　of　a　passing　cloud。　The　life；　Esther；　was　all　too　quiet　for　me。　It　made　me　restless　by　keeping　always　present　a　feeling　that　I；　who　have　so　much　to　do；　was　dropping　into　idle　habits；　and　tying　myself　with　silken　chains；　and　after　a　whileand　not　a　long　while　eitherwould　end　with　nothing　done。〃

She　looked　off　over　the　river。

〃Why　did　you　ask？〃　he　said。

〃Good　my　master〃

〃No；　no；　Esthernot　that。　Call　me　friendbrother；　if　you　will；　I　am　not　your　master；　and　will　not　be。　Call　me　brother。〃

He　could　not　see　the　flush　of　pleasure　which　reddened　her　face；　and　the　glow　of　the　eyes　that　went　out　lost　in　the　void　above　the　river。

〃I　cannot　understand；〃　she　said；　〃the　nature　which　prefers　the　life　you　are　going　toa　life　of〃

〃Of　violence；　and　it　may　be　of　blood；〃　he　said；　completing　the　sentence。

〃Yes；〃　she　added；　〃the　nature　which　could　prefer　that　life　to　such　as　might　be　in　the　beautiful　villa。〃

〃Esther；　you　mistake。　There　is　no　preference。　Alas！　the　Roman　is　not　so　kind。　I　am　going　of　necessity。　To　stay　here　is　to　die；　and　if　I　go　there；　the　end　will　be　the　samea　poisoned　cup；　a　bravo's　blow；　or　a　judge's　sentence　obtained　by　perjury。　Messala　and　the　procurator　Gratus　are　rich　with