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The　lad　arose；　and；　with　silent　salute；　departed。

At　midnight　Ilderim　took　the　road；　having　arranged　to　leave　a　horse　and　a　guide　for　Ben…Hur；　who　was　to　follow　him。




CHAPTER　XVI



Going　next　day　to　fill　his　appointment　with　Iras；　Ben…Hur　turned　from　the　Omphalus；　which　was　in　the　heart　of　the　city；　into　the　Colonnade　of　Herod；　and　came　shortly　to　the　palace　of　Idernee。

From　the　street　he　passed　first　into　a　vestibule；　on　the　sides　of　which　were　stairways　under　cover；　leading　up　to　a　portico。　Winged　lions　sat　by　the　stairs；　in　the　middle　there　was　a　gigantic　ibis　spouting　water　over　the　floor；　the　lions；　ibis；　walls；　and　floor　were　reminders　of　the　Egyptians：　everything；　even　the　balustrading　of　the　stairs；　was　of　massive　gray　stone。

Above　the　vestibule；　and　covering　the　landing　of　the　steps；　arose　the　portico；　a　pillared　grace；　so　light；　so　exquisitely　proportioned；　it　was　at　that　period　hardly　possible　of　conception　except　by　a　Greek。　Of　marble　snowy　white；　its　effect　was　that　of　a　lily　dropped　carelessly　upon　a　great　bare　rock。

Ben…Hur　paused　in　the　shade　of　the　portico　to　admire　its　tracery　and　finish；　and　the　purity　of　its　marble；　then　he　passed　on　into　the　palace。　Ample　folding…doors　stood　open　to　receive　him。　The　passage　into　which　he　first　entered　was　high；　but　somewhat　narrow；　red　tiling　formed　the　floor；　and　the　walls　were　tinted　to　correspond。　Yet　this　plainness　was　a　warning　of　something　beautiful　to　come。

He　moved　on　slowly；　all　his　faculties　in　repose。　Presently　he　would　be　in　the　presence　of　Iras；　she　was　waiting　for　him；　waiting　with　song　and　story　and　badinage；　sparkling；　fanciful；　capriciouswith　smiles　which　glorified　her　glance；　and　glances　which　lent　voluptuous　suggestion　to　her　whisper。　She　had　sent　for　him　the　evening　of　the　boat…ride　on　the　lake　in　the　Orchard　of　Palms；　she　had　sent　for　him　now；　and　he　was　going　to　her　in　the　beautiful　palace　of　Idernee。　He　was　happy　and　dreamful　rather　than　thoughtless。

The　passage　brought　him　to　a　closed　door；　in　front　of　which　he　paused；　and；　as　he　did　so；　the　broad　leaves　began　to　open　of　themselves；　without　creak　or　sound　of　lock　or　latch；　or　touch　of　foot　or　finger。　The　singularity　was　lost　in　the　view　that　broke　upon　him。

Standing　in　the　shade　of　the　dull　passage；　and　looking　through　the　doorway；　he　beheld　the　atrium　of　a　Roman　house；　roomy　and　rich　to　a　fabulous　degree　of　magnificence。

How　large　the　chamber　was　cannot　be　stated；　because　of　the　deceit　there　is　in　exact　proportions；　its　depth　was　vista…like；　something　never　to　be　said　of　an　equal　interior。　When　he　stopped　to　make　survey；　and　looked　down　upon　the　floor；　he　was　standing　upon　the　breast　of　a　Leda；　represented　as　caressing　a　swan；　and；　looking　farther；　he　saw　the　whole　floor　was　similarly　laid　in　mosaic　pictures　of　mythological　subjects。　And　there　were　stools　and　chairs；　each　a　separate　design；　and　a　work　of　art　exquisitely　composed；　and　tables　much　carven；　and　here　and　there　couches　which　were　invitations　of　themselves。　The　articles　of　furniture；　which　stood　out　from　the　walls；　were　duplicated　on　the　floor　distinctly　as　if　they　floated　unrippled　water；　even　the　panelling　of　the　walls；　the　figures　upon　them　in　painting　and　bas…relief；　and　the　fresco　of　the　ceiling　were　reflected　on　the　floor。　The　ceiling　curved　up　towards　the　centre；　where　there　was　an　opening　through　which　the　sunlight　poured　without　hindrance；　and　the　sky；　ever　so　blue；　seemed　in　hand…reach；　the　impluvium　under　the　opening　was　guarded　by　bronzed　rails；　the　gilded　pillars　supporting　the　roof　at　the　edges　of　the　opening　shone　like　flame　where　the　sun　struck　them；　and　their　reflections　beneath　seemed　to　stretch　to　infinite　depth。　And　there　were　candelabra　quaint　and　curious；　and　statuary　and　vases；　the　whole　making　an　interior　that　would　have　befitted　well　the　house　on　the　Palatine　Hill　which　Cicero　bought　of　Crassus；　or　that　other；　yet　more　famous　for　extravagance；　the　Tusculan　villa　of　Scaurus。

Still　in　his　dreamful　mood；　Ben…Hur　sauntered　about；　charmed　by　all　he　beheld；　and　waiting。　He　did　not　mind　a　little　delay；　when　Iras　was　ready；　she　would　come　or　send　a　servant。　In　every　well…regulated　Roman　house　the　atrium　was　the　reception　chamber　for　visitors。

Twice；　thrice；　he　made　the　round。　As　often　he　stood　under　the　opening　in　the　roof；　and　pondered　the　sky　and　its　azure　depth；　then；　leaning　against　a　pillar；　he　studied　the　distribution　of　light　and　shade；　and　its　effects；　here　a　veil　diminishing　objects；　there　a　brilliance　exaggerating　others；　yet　nobody　came。　Time；　or　rather　the　passage　of　time；　began　at　length　to　impress　itself　upon　him；　and　he　wondered　why　Iras　stayed　so　long。　Again　he　traced　out　the　figures　upon　the　floor；　but　not　with　the　satisfaction　the　first　inspection　gave　him。　He　paused　often　to　listen：　directly　impatience　blew　a　little　fevered　breath　upon　his　spirit；　next　time　it　blew　stronger　and　hotter；　and　at　last　he　woke　to　a　consciousness　of　the　silence　which　held　the　house　in　thrall；　and　the　thought　of　it　made　him　uneasy　and　distrustful。　Still　he　put　the　feeling　off　with　a　smile　and　a　promise。　〃Oh；　she　is　giving　the　last　touch　to　her　eyelids；　or　she　is　arranging　a　chaplet　for　me；　she　will　come　presently；　more　beautiful　of　the　delay！〃　He　sat　down　then　to　admire　a　candelabruma　bronze　plinth　on　rollers；　filigree　on　the　sides　and　edges；　the　post　at　one　end；　and　on　the　end　opposite　it　an　altar　and　a　female　celebrant；　the　lamp…rests　swinging　by　delicate　chains　from　the　extremities　of　drooping　palm…branches；　altogether　a　wonder　in　its　way。　But　the　silence　would　obtrude　itself：　he　listened　even　as　he　looked　at　the　pretty　objecthe　listened；　but　there　was　not　a　sound；　the　palace　was　still　as　a　tomb。

There　might　be　a　mistake。　No；　the　messenger　had　come　from　the　Egyptian；　and　this　was　the　palace　of　Idernee。　Then　he　remembered　how　mysteriously　the　door　had　opened　so　soundlessly；　so　of　itself。　He　would　see！

He　went　to　the　same　door。　Though　he　walked　ever　so　lightly　the　sound　of　his　stepping　was　loud　and　harsh；　and　he　shrank　from　it。　He　was　getting　nervous。　The　cumbrous　Roman　lock　resisted　his　first　effort　to　raise　it；　and　the　secondthe　blood　chilled　in　his　cheekshe　wrenched　with　all　his　might：　in　vainthe　door　was　not　even　shaken。　A　sense　of　danger　seized　him；　and　for　a　moment　he　stood　irresolute。

Who　in　Antioch　had　the　motive　to　do　him　harm？

Messala！

And　this　palace　of　Idernee？　He　had　seen　Egypt　in　the　vestibule；　Athens　in　the　snowy　portico；　but　here；　in　the　atrium；　was　Rome；　everything　about　him　betrayed　Roman　ownership。　True；　the　site　was　on　the　great　thoroughfare　of　the　city；　a　very　public　place　in　which　to　do　him　violence；　but　for　that　reason　it　was　more　accordant　with　the　audacious　genius　of　his　enemy。　The　atrium　underwent　a　change；　with　all　its　elegance　and　beauty；　it　was　no　more　than　a　trap。　Apprehension　always　paints　in　black。

The　idea　irritated　Ben…Hur。

There　were　many　doors　on　the　right　and　left　of　the　atrium；　leading；　doubtless；　to　sleeping…chambers；　he　tried　them；　but　they　were　all　firmly　fastened。　Knocking　might　bring　response。　Ashamed　to　make　outcry；　he　betook　himself　to　a　couch；　and；　lying　down；　tried　to　reflect。

All　too　plainly　he　was　a　prisoner；　but　for　what　purpose？　and　by　whom？

If　the　work　were　Messala's！　He　sat　up；　looked　about；　and　smiled　defiantly。　There　were　weapons　in　every　table。　But　birds　had　been　starved　in　golden　cages；　not　so　would　hethe　couches　would　serve　him　as　battering…rams；　and　he　was　strong；　and　there　was　such　increase　of　might　in　rage　and　despair！

Messala　himself　could　not　come。　He　would　never　walk　again；　he　was　a　cripple　like　Simonides；　still　he　could　move　others。　And　where　were　there　not　others　to　be　moved　by　him？　Ben…Hur　arose；　and　tried　the　doors　again。　Once　he　called　out；　the　room　echoed　so　that　he　was　startled。　With　such　calmness　as　he　could　assume；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　wait　a　time　before　attempting　to　break　a　way　out。

In　such　a　situation　the　mind　has　its　ebb　and　flow　of　disquiet；　with　intervals　of　peace　between。　At　lengthhow　long；　though；　he　could　not　have　saidhe　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　affair　was　an　accident　or　mistake。　The　palace　certainly　belonged　to　somebody；　it　must　have　care　and　keeping：　and　the　keeper　would　come；　the　evening　or　the　night　would　bring　him。　Patience！

So　concluding；　he　waited。

Half　an　hour　passeda　much　longer　period　to　Ben…Hurwhen　the　door　which　had　admitted　him　opened　and　closed　noiselessly　as　before；　and　without　attracting　his　attention。

The　moment　of　the　occurrence　he　was　sitting　at　the　farther　end　of　the　room。　A　footstep　startled　him。

〃At　last　she　has　come！〃　he　thought；　with　a　throb　of　relief　and　pleasure；　and　arose。

The　step　was　heavy；　and　accompanied　with　the　gride　and　clang　of　coarse　sandals。　The　gilded　pillars　were　between　him　and　the　door；　he　advanced　quietly；　and　leaned　against　one　of　them。　Presently　he　heard　voicesthe　voices　of　menone　of　them　rough　and　guttural。　What　was　said　he　could　not　understand；　as　the　language　was　not　of　the　East　or　South　of　Europe。

After　a　general　survey　of　the　room；　the　strangers　crossed　to　their　left；　and　were　brought　into　Ben…Hur's　viewtwo　men；　one　very　stout；　both　tall；　and　both　in　short　tunics。　They　had　not　the　air　of　masters　of　the　hou