ben-hur-第96节

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n　short　way　behind　us　going　to　Alexandria；　and　as　it　is　to　pass　through　Jerusalem；　I　thought　best　to　avail　myself　of　its　company　as　far　as　the　Holy　City；　whither　I　am　journeying。　This　morning；　however；　in　discontent　with　its　slow　movementslower　because　of　a　Roman　cohort　in　attendance　upon　itwe　rose　early；　and　ventured　thus　far　in　advance。　As　to　robbers　along　the　way；　we　are　not　afraid；　for　I　have　here　a　signet　of　Sheik　Ilderim；　against　beasts　of　prey；　God　is　our　sufficient　trust。〃

Ben…Hur　bowed　and　said；　〃The　good　sheik's　signet　is　a　safeguard　wherever　the　wilderness　extends；　and　the　lion　shall　be　swift　that　overtakes　this　king　of　his　kind。〃

He　patted　the　neck　of　the　camel　as　he　spoke。

〃Yet；〃　said　Iras；　with　a　smile　which　was　not　lost　upon　the　youth；　whose　eyes；　it　must　be　admitted；　had　several　times　turned　to　her　during　the　interchange　of　speeches　with　the　elder〃Yet　even　he　would　be　better　if　his　fast　were　broken。　Kings　have　hunger　and　headaches。　If　you　be；　indeed；　the　Ben…Hur　of　whom　my　father　has　spoken；　and　whom　it　was　my　pleasure　to　have　known　as　well；　you　will　be　happy；　I　am　sure；　to　show　us　some　near　path　to　living　water；　that　with　its　sparkle　we　may　grace　a　morning's　meal　in　the　Desert。〃

Ben…Hur；　nothing　loath；　hastened　to　answer。

〃Fair　Egyptian；　I　give　you　sympathy。　Can　you　bear　suffering　a　little　longer；　we　will　find　the　spring　you　ask　for；　and　I　promise　that　its　draught　shall　be　as　sweet　and　cooling　as　that　of　the　more　famous　Castalia。　With　leave；　we　will　make　haste。〃

〃I　give　you　the　blessing　of　the　thirsty；〃　she　replied；　〃and　offer　you　in　return　a　bit　of　bread　from　the　city　ovens；　dipped　in　fresh　butter　from　the　dewy　meadows　of　Damascus。〃

〃A　most　rare　favor！　Let　us　go　on。〃

So　saying；　Ben…Hur　rode　forward　with　the　guide；　one　of　the　inconveniences　of　travelling　with　camels　being　that　it　is　necessarily　an　interdiction　of　polite　conversation。

Afterwhile　the　party　came　to　a　shallow　wady；　down　which；　turning　to　the　right　hand；　the　guide　led　them。　The　bed　of　the　cut　was　somewhat　soft　from　recent　rains；　and　quite　bold　in　its　descent。　Momentarily；　however；　it　widened；　and　erelong　the　sides　became　bluffs　ribbed　with　rocks　much　scarred　by　floods　rushing　to　lower　depths　ahead。　Finally；　from　a　narrow　passage；　the　travellers　entered　a　spreading　vale　which　was　very　delightful；　but　come　upon　suddenly　from　the　yellow；　unrelieved；　verdureless　plain；　it　had　the　effect　of　a　freshly　discovered　Paradise。　The　water…channels　winding　here　and　there；　definable　by　crisp　white　shingling；　appeared　like　threads　tangled　among　islands　green　with　grasses　and　fringed　with　reeds。　Up　from　the　final　depths　of　the　valley　of　the　Jordan　some　venturous　oleanders　had　crept；　and　with　their　large　bloom　now　starred　the　sunken　place。　One　palm…tree　arose　in　royal　assertion。　The　bases　of　the　boundary…walls　were　cloaked　with　clambering　vines；　and　under　a　leaning　cliff　over　on　the　left　the　mulberry　grove　had　planted　itself；　proclaiming　the　spring　which　the　party　were　seeking。　And　thither　the　guide　conducted　them；　careless　of　whistling　partridges　and　lesser　birds　of　brighter　hues　roused　whirring　from　the　reedy　coverts。

The　water　started　from　a　crack　in　the　cliff　which　some　loving　hand　had　enlarged　into　an　arched　cavity。　Graven　over　it　in　bold　Hebraic　letters　was　the　word　GOD。　The　graver　had　no　doubt　drunk　there；　and　tarried　many　days；　and　given　thanks　in　that　durable　form。　From　the　arch　the　stream　ran　merrily　over　a　flag　spotted　with　bright　moss；　and　leaped　into　a　pool　glassy　clear；　thence　it　stole　away　between　grassy　banks；　nursing　the　trees　before　it　vanished　in　the　thirsty　sand。　A　few　narrow　paths　were　noticeable　about　the　margin　of　the　pool；　otherwise　the　space　around　was　untrodden　turf；　at　sight　of　which　the　guide　was　assured　of　rest　free　from　intrusion　by　men。　The　horses　were　presently　turned　loose；　and　from　the　kneeling　camel　the　Ethiopian　assisted　Balthasar　and　Iras；　whereupon　the　old　man；　turning　his　face　to　the　east；　crossed　his　hands　reverently　upon　his　breast　and　prayed。

〃Bring　me　a　cup；〃　Iras　said；　with　some　impatience。

From　the　houdah　the　slave　brought　her　a　crystal　goblet；　then　she　said　to　Ben…Hur；

〃I　will　be　your　servant　at　the　fountain。〃

They　walked　to　the　pool　together。　He　would　have　dipped　the　water　for　her；　but　she　refused　his　offer；　and　kneeling；　held　the　cup　to　be　filled　by　the　stream　itself；　nor　yet　content；　when　it　was　cooled　and　overrunning；　she　tendered　him　the　first　draught。

〃No；〃　he　said；　putting　the　graceful　hand　aside；　and　seeing　only　the　large　eyes　half　hidden　beneath　the　arches　of　the　upraised　brows；　〃be　the　service　mine；　I　pray。〃

She　persisted　in　having　her　way。

〃In　my　country；　O　son　of　Hur；　we　have　a　saying；　'Better　a　cupbearer　to　the　fortunate　than　minister　to　a　king。'〃

〃Fortunate！〃　he　said。

There　were　both　surprise　and　inquiry　in　the　tone　of　his　voice　and　in　his　look；　and　she　said　quickly；

〃The　gods　give　us　success　as　a　sign　by　which　we　may　know　them　on　our　side。　Were　you　not　winner　in　the　Circus？〃

His　cheeks　began　to　flush。

〃That　was　one　sign。　There　is　another。　In　a　combat　with　swords　you　slew　a　Roman。〃

The　flush　deepenednot　so　much　for　the　triumphs　themselves　as　the　flattery　there　was　in　the　thought　that　she　had　followed　his　career　with　interest。　A　moment；　and　the　pleasure　was　succeeded　by　a　reflection。　The　combat；　he　knew；　was　matter　of　report　throughout　the　East；　but　the　name　of　the　victor　had　been　committed　to　a　very　fewMalluch；　Ilderim；　and　Simonides。　Could　they　have　made　a　confidante　of　the　woman？　So　with　wonder　and　gratification　he　was　confused；　and　seeing　it；　she　arose　and　said；　holding　the　cup　over　the　pool；

〃O　gods　of　Egypt！　I　give　thanks　for　a　hero　discoveredthanks　that　the　victim　in　the　Palace　of　Idernee　was　not　my　king　of　men。　And　so；　O　holy　gods；　I　pour　and　drink。〃

Part　of　the　contents　of　the　cup　she　returned　to　the　stream；　the　rest　she　drank。　When　she　took　the　crystal　from　her　lips；　she　laughed　at　him。

〃O　son　of　Hur；　is　it　a　fashion　of　the　very　brave　to　be　so　easily　overcome　by　a　woman？　Take　the　cup　now；　and　see　if　you　cannot　find　a　happy　word　in　it　for　me〃

He　took　the　cup；　and　stooped　to　refill　it。

〃A　son　of　Israel　has　no　gods　whom　he　can　libate；〃　he　said；　playing　with　the　water　to　hide　his　amazement；　now　greater　than　before。　What　more　did　the　Egyptian　know　about　him？　Had　she　been　told　of　his　relations　with　Simonides？　And　there　was　the　treaty　with　Ilderimhad　she　knowledge　of　that　also？　He　was　struck　with　mistrust。　Somebody　had　betrayed　his　secrets；　and　they　were　serious。　And；　besides；　he　was　going　to　Jerusalem；　just　then　of　all　the　world　the　place　where　such　intelligence　possessed　by　an　enemy　might　be　most　dangerous　to　him；　his　associates；　and　the　cause。　But　was　she　an　enemy？　It　is　well　for　us　that；　while　writing　is　slow；　thought　is　instantaneous。　When　the　cup　was　fairly　cooled；　he　filled　it　and　arose；　saying；　with　indifference　well　affected；

〃Most　fair；　were　I　an　Egyptian　or　a　Greek　or　a　Roman；　I　would　say〃he　raised　the　goblet　overhead　as　he　spoke〃O　ye　better　gods！　I　give　thanks　that　there　are　yet　left　to　the　world；　despite　its　wrongs　and　sufferings；　the　charm　of　beauty　and　the　solace　of　love；　and　I　drink　to　her　who　best　represents　themto　Iras；　loveliest　of　the　daughters　of　the　Nile！〃

She　laid　her　hand　softly　upon　his　shoulder。

〃You　have　offended　against　the　law。　The　gods　you　have　drunk　to　are　false　gods。　Why　shall　I　not　tell　the　rabbis　on　you？〃

〃Oh！〃　he　replied；　laughing；　〃that　is　very　little　to　tell　for　one　who　knows　so　much　else　that　is　really　important。〃

〃I　will　go　furtherI　will　go　to　the　little　Jewess　who　makes　the　roses　grow　and　the　shadows　flame　in　the　house　of　the　great　merchant　over　in　Antioch。　To　the　rabbis　I　will　accuse　you　of　impenitence；　to　her〃

〃Well；　to　her？〃

〃I　will　repeat　what　you　have　said　to　me　under　the　lifted　cup；　with　the　gods　for　witnesses。〃

He　was　still　a　moment；　as　if　waiting　for　the　Egyptian　to　go　on。　With　quickened　fancy　he　saw　Esther　at　her　father's　side　listening　to　the　despatches　he　had　forwardedsometimes　reading　them。　In　her　presence　he　had　told　Simonides　the　story　of　the　affair　in　the　Palace　of　Idernee。　She　and　Iras　were　acquainted；　this　one　was　shrewd　and　worldly；　the　other　was　simple　and　affectionate；　and　therefore　easily　won。　Simonides　could　not　have　broken　faithnor　Ilderimfor　if　not　held　by　honor；　there　was　no　one；　unless　it　might　be　himself；　to　whom　the　consequences　of　exposure　were　more　serious　and　certain。　Could　Esther　have　been　the　Egyptian's　informant？　He　did　not　accuse　her；　yet　a　suspicion　was　sown　with　the　thought；　and　suspicions；　as　we　all　know；　are　weeds　of　the　mind　which　grow　of　themselves；　and　most　rapidly　when　least　wanted。　Before　he　could　answer　the　allusion　to　the　little　Jewess；　Balthasar　came　to　the　pool。

〃We　are　greatly　indebted　to　you；　son　of　Hur；〃　he　said；　in　his　grave　manner。　〃This　vale　is　very　beautiful；　the　grass；　the　trees；　the　shade；　invite　us　to　stay　and　rest；　and　the　spring　here　has　the　sparkle　of　diamonds　in　motion；　and　sings　to　me　of　a　loving　God。　It　is　not　enough　to　thank　you　for　the　enjoyment　we　find；　come　sit　with　us；　and　taste　our　bread。〃

〃Suffer　me　first　to　serve　you。〃

With　that　Ben…Hur　filled　the　goblet；　and　gave　it　to　Balthasar；　who　lifted