ben-hur-第94节

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〃As　at　Caesareacamp　here　till　he　gives　them　ear。〃

〃He　will　not　dare　touch　the　treasure；　will　he？〃　asked　one　of　the　Galileans。

〃Who　can　say？　Did　not　a　Roman　profane　the　Holy　of　Holies？　Is　there　anything　sacred　from　Romans？〃

An　hour　passed；　and　though　Pilate　deigned　them　no　answer；　the　rabbis　and　crowd　remained。　Noon　came；　bringing　a　shower　from　the　west；　but　no　change　in　the　situation；　except　that　the　multitude　was　larger　and　much　noisier；　and　the　feeling　more　decidedly　angry。　The　shouting　was　almost　continuous；　Come　forth；　come　forth！　The　cry　was　sometimes　with　disrespectful　variations。　Meanwhile　Ben…Hur　held　his　Galilean　friends　together。　He　judged　the　pride　of　the　Roman　would　eventually　get　the　better　of　his　discretion；　and　that　the　end　could　not　be　far　off。　Pilate　was　but　waiting　for　the　people　to　furnish　him　an　excuse　for　resort　to　violence。

And　at　last　the　end　came。　In　the　midst　of　the　assemblage　there　was　heard　the　sound　of　blows；　succeeded　instantly　by　yells　of　pain　and　rage；　and　a　most　furious　commotion。　The　venerable　men　in　front　of　the　portico　faced　about　aghast。　The　common　people　in　the　rear　at　first　pushed　forward；　in　the　centre；　the　effort　was　to　get　out；　and　for　a　short　time　the　pressure　of　opposing　forces　was　terrible。　A　thousand　voices　made　inquiry；　raised　all　at　once；　as　no　one　had　time　to　answer；　the　surprise　speedily　became　a　panic。

Ben…Hur　kept　his　senses。

〃You　cannot　see？〃　he　said　to　one　of　the　Galileans。

〃No。〃

〃I　will　raise　you　up。〃

He　caught　the　man　about　the　middle；　and　lifted　him　bodily。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　see　now；〃　said　the　man。　〃There　are　some　armed　with　clubs；　and　they　are　beating　the　people。　They　are　dressed　like　Jews。〃

〃Who　are　they？〃

〃Romans；　as　the　Lord　liveth！　Romans　in　disguise。　Their　clubs　fly　like　flails！　There；　I　saw　a　rabbi　struck　downan　old　man！　They　spare　nobody！〃

Ben…Hur　let　the　man　down。

〃Men　of　Galilee；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　trick　of　Pilate's。　Now；　will　you　do　what　I　say；　we　will　get　even　with　the　club…men。〃

The　Galilean　spirit　arose。

〃Yes；　yes！〃　they　answered。

〃Let　us　go　back　to　the　trees　by　the　gate；　and　we　may　find　the　planting　of　Herod；　though　unlawful；　has　some　good　in　it　after　all。　Come！〃

They　ran　back　all　of　them　fast　as　they　could；　and；　by　throwing　their　united　weight　upon　the　limbs；　tore　them　from　the　trunks。　In　a　brief　time　they；　too；　were　armed。　Returning；　at　the　corner　of　the　square　they　met　the　crowd　rushing　madly　for　the　gate。　Behind；　the　clamor　continueda　medley　of　shrieks；　groans；　and　execrations。

〃To　the　wall！〃　Ben…Hur　shouted。　〃To　the　wall！and　let　the　herd　go　by！〃

So；　clinging　to　the　masonry　at　their　right　hand；　they　escaped　the　might　of　the　rush；　and　little　by　little　made　headway　until；　at　last；　the　square　was　reached。

〃Keep　together　now；　and　follow　me！〃

By　this　time　Ben…Hur's　leadership　was　perfect；　and　as　he　pushed　into　the　seething　mob　his　party　closed　after　him　in　a　body。　And　when　the　Romans；　clubbing　the　people　and　making　merry　as　they　struck　them　down；　came　hand　to　hand　with　the　Galileans；　lithe　of　limb；　eager　for　the　fray；　and　equally　armed；　they　were　in　turn　surprised。　Then　the　shouting　was　close　and　fierce；　the　crash　of　sticks　rapid　and　deadly；　the　advance　furious　as　hate　could　make　it。　No　one　performed　his　part　as　well　as　Ben…Hur；　whose　training　served　him　admirably；　for；　not　merely　he　knew　to　strike　and　guard；　his　long　arm；　perfect　action；　and　incomparable　strength　helped　him；　also；　to　success　in　every　encounter。　He　was　at　the　same　time　fighting…man　and　leader。　The　club　he　wielded　was　of　goodly　length　and　weighty；　so　he　had　need　to　strike　a　man　but　once。　He　seemed；　moreover；　to　have　eyes　for　each　combat　of　his　friends；　and　the　faculty　of　being　at　the　right　moment　exactly　where　he　was　most　needed。　In　his　fighting　cry　there　were　inspiration　for　his　party　and　alarm　for　his　enemies。　Thus　surprised　and　equally　matched；　the　Romans　at　first　retired；　but　finally　turned　their　backs　and　fled　to　the　portico。　The　impetuous　Galileans　would　have　pursued　them　to　the　steps；　but　Ben…Hur　wisely　restrained　them。

〃Stay；　my　men！〃　he　said。　〃The　centurion　yonder　is　coming　with　the　guard。　They　have　swords　and　shields；　we　cannot　fight　them。　We　have　done　well；　let　us　get　back　and　out　of　the　gate　while　we　may。〃

They　obeyed　him；　though　slowly；　for　they　had　frequently　to　step　over　their　countrymen　lying　where　they　had　been　felled；　some　writhing　and　groaning；　some　praying　help；　others　mute　as　the　dead。　But　the　fallen　were　not　all　Jews。　In　that　there　was　consolation。

The　centurion　shouted　to　them　as　they　went　off；　Ben…Hur　laughed　at　him；　and　replied　in　his　own　tongue；　〃If　we　are　dogs　of　Israel；　you　are　jackals　of　Rome。　Remain　here；　and　we　will　come　again。〃

The　Galileans　cheered；　and　laughing　went　on。

Outside　the　gate　there　was　a　multitude　the　like　of　which　Ben…Hur　had　never　seen；　not　even　in　the　circus　at　Antioch。　The　house…tops；　the　streets；　the　slope　of　the　hill；　appeared　densely　covered　with　people　wailing　and　praying。　The　air　was　filled　with　their　cries　and　imprecations。

The　party　were　permitted　to　pass　without　challenge　by　the　outer　guard。　But　hardly　were　they　out　before　the　centurion　in　charge　at　the　portico　appeared；　and　in　the　gateway　called　to　Ben…Hur；

〃Ho；　insolent！　Art　thou　a　Roman　or　a　Jew？〃

Ben…Hur　answered；　〃I　am　a　son　of　Judah；　born　here。　What　wouldst　thou　with　me？〃

〃Stay　and　fight。〃

〃Singly？〃

〃As　thou　wilt！〃

Ben…Hur　laughed　derisively。

〃O　brave　Roman！　Worthy　son　of　the　bastard　Roman　Jove！　I　have　no　arms。〃

〃Thou　shalt　have　mine；〃　the　centurion　answered。　〃I　will　borrow　of　the　guard　here。〃

The　people　in　hearing　of　the　colloquy　became　silent；　and　from　them　the　hush　spread　afar。　But　lately　Ben…Hur　had　beaten　a　Roman　under　the　eyes　of　Antioch　and　the　Farther　East；　now；　could　he　beat　another　one　under　the　eyes　of　Jerusalem；　the　honor　might　be　vastly　profitable　to　the　cause　of　the　New　King。　He　did　not　hesitate。　Going　frankly　to　the　centurion；　he　said；　〃I　am　willing。　Lend　me　thy　sword　and　shield。〃

〃And　the　helm　and　breastplate？〃　asked　the　Roman。

〃Keep　them。　They　might　not　fit　me。〃

The　arms　were　as　frankly　delivered；　and　directly　the　centurion　was　ready。　All　this　time　the　soldiers　in　rank　close　by　the　gate　never　moved；　they　simply　listened。　As　to　the　multitude；　only　when　the　combatants　advanced　to　begin　the　fight　the　question　sped　from　mouth　to　mouth；　〃Who　is　he？〃　And　no　one　knew。

Now　the　Roman　supremacy　in　arms　lay　in　three　thingssubmission　to　discipline；　the　legionary　formation　of　battle；　and　a　peculiar　use　of　the　short　sword。　In　combat；　they　never　struck　or　cut；　from　first　to　last　they　thrustthey　advanced　thrusting；　they　retired　thrusting；　and　generally　their　aim　was　at　the　foeman's　face。　All　this　was　well　known　to　Ben…Hur。　As　they　were　about　to　engage　he　said；

〃I　told　thee　I　was　a　son　of　Judah；　but　I　did　not　tell　that　I　am　lanista…taught。　Defend　thyself！〃

At　the　last　word　Ben…Hur　closed　with　his　antagonist。　A　moment；　standing　foot　to　foot；　they　glared　at　each　other　over　the　rims　of　their　embossed　shields；　then　the　Roman　pushed　forward　and　feinted　an　under…thrust。　The　Jew　laughed　at　him。　A　thrust　at　the　face　followed。　The　Jew　stepped　lightly　to　the　left；　quick　as　the　thrust　was；　the　step　was　quicker。　Under　the　lifted　arm　of　the　foe　he　slid　his　shield；　advancing　it　until　the　sword　and　sword…arm　were　both　caught　on　its　upper　surface；　another　step；　this　time　forward　and　left；　and　the　man's　whole　right　side　was　offered　to　the　point。　The　centurion　fell　heavily　on　his　breast；　clanging　the　pavement；　and　Ben…Hur　had　won。　With　his　foot　upon　his　enemy's　back；　he　raised　his　shield　overhead　after　a　gladiatorial　custom；　and　saluted　the　imperturbable　soldiers　by　the　gate。

When　the　people　realized　the　victory　they　behaved　like　mad。　On　the　houses　far　as　the　Xystus；　fast　as　the　word　could　fly；　they　waved　their　shawls　and　handkerchiefs　and　shouted；　and　if　he　had　consented；　the　Galileans　would　have　carried　Ben…Hur　off　upon　their　shoulders。

To　a　petty　officer　who　then　advanced　from　the　gate　he　said；　〃Thy　comrade　died　like　a　soldier。　I　leave　him　undespoiled。　Only　his　sword　and　shield　are　mine。〃

With　that；　he　walked　away。　Off　a　little　he　spoke　to　the　Galileans。

〃Brethren；　you　have　behaved　well。　Let　us　now　separate；　lest　we　be　pursued。　Meet　me　to…night　at　the　khan　in　Bethany。　I　have　something　to　propose　to　you　of　great　interest　to　Israel。〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　they　asked　him。

〃A　son　of　Judah；〃　he　answered；　simply。

A　throng　eager　to　see　him　surged　around　the　party。

〃Will　you　come　to　Bethany？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　we　will　come。〃

〃Then　bring　with　you　this　sword　and　shield　that　I　may　know　you。〃

Pushing　brusquely　through　the　increasing　crowd；　he　speedily　disappeared。

At　the　instance　of　Pilate；　the　people　went　up　from　the　city；　and　carried　off　their　dead　and　wounded；　and　there　was　much　mourning　for　them；　but　the　grief　was　greatly　lightened　by　the　victory　of　the　unknown　champion；　who　was　everywhere　sought；　and　by　every　one　extolled。　The　fainting　spirit　of　the　nation　was　revived　by　the　brave　deed；　insomuch　that　in　the　streets　and　up　in　the　Temple　even；　amidst　the　solemnities　of　the　feast；　old　tales　of　the　Maccabees　were　told　again；　and　thousands　shook　their　heads　whis