ben-hur-第102部分

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The　features；　it　should　be　further　said；　were　ruled　by　a　certain　expression　which；　as　the　viewer　chose；　might　with　equal　correctness　have　been　called　the　effect　of　intelligence；　love；　pity；　or　sorrow；　though；　in　better　speech；　it　was　a　blending　of　them　alla　look　easy　to　fancy　as　the　mark　of　a　sinless　soul　doomed　to　the　sight　and　understanding　of　the　utter　sinfulness　of　those　among　whom　it　was　passing；　yet　withal　no　one　could　have　observed　the　face　with　a　thought　of　weakness　in　the　man；　so；　at　least；　would　not　they　who　know　that　the　qualities　mentionedlove；　sorrow；　pityare　the　results　of　a　consciousness　of　strength　to　bear　suffering　oftener　than　strength　to　do；　such　has　been　the　might　of　martyrs　and　devotees　and　the　myriads　written　down　in　saintly　calendars。　And　such；　indeed；　was　the　air　of　this　one。

Slowly　he　drew　nearnearer　the　three。

Now　Ben…Hur；　mounted　and　spear　in　hand；　was　an　object　to　claim　the　glance　of　a　king；　yet　the　eyes　of　the　man　approaching　were　all　the　time　raised　above　himand　not　to　Iras；　whose　loveliness　has　been　so　often　remarked；　but　to　Balthasar；　the　old　and　unserviceable。

The　hush　was　profound。

Presently　the　Nazarite；　still　pointing　with　his　staff；　cried；　in　a　loud　voice；

〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world！〃

The　many　standing　still；　arrested　by　the　action　of　the　speaker；　and　listening　for　what　might　follow；　were　struck　with　awe　by　words　so　strange　and　past　their　understanding；　upon　Balthasar　they　were　overpowering。　He　was　there　to　see　once　more　the　Redeemer　of　men。　The　faith　which　had　brought　him　the　singular　privileges　of　the　time　long　gone　abode　yet　in　his　heart；　and　if　now　it　gave　him　a　power　of　vision　above　that　of　his　fellowsa　power　to　see　and　know　him　for　whom　he　was　lookingbetter　than　calling　the　power　a　miracle；　let　it　be　thought　of　as　the　faculty　of　a　soul　not　yet　entirely　released　from　the　divine　relations　to　which　it　had　been　formerly　admitted；　or　as　the　fitting　reward　of　a　life　in　that　age　so　without　examples　of　holinessa　life　itself　a　miracle。　The　ideal　of　his　faith　was　before　him；　perfect　in　face；　form；　dress；　action；　age；　and　he　was　in　its　view；　and　the　view　was　recognition。　Ah；　now　if　something　should　happen　to　identify　the　stranger　beyond　all　doubt！

And　that　was　what　did　happen。

Exactly　at　the　fitting　moment；　as　if　to　assure　the　trembling　Egyptian；　the　Nazarite　repeated　the　outcry；

〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world！〃

Balthasar　fell　upon　his　knees。　For　him　there　was　no　need　of　explanation；　and　as　if　the　Nazarite　knew　it；　he　turned　to　those　more　immediately　about　him　staring　in　wonder；　and　continued：

〃This　is　he　of　whom　I　said；　After　me　cometh　a　man　which　is　preferred　before　me；　for　he　was　before　me。　And　I　knew　him　not：　but　that　he　should　be　manifest　to　Israel；　therefore　am　I　come　baptizing　with　water。　I　saw　the　Spirit　descending　from　heaven　like　a　dove；　and　it　abode　upon　him。　And　I　knew　him　not：　but　he　that　sent　me　to　baptize　with　water；　the　same　said　unto　me；　Upon　whom　thou　shalt　see　the　Spirit　descending　and　remaining　on　him；　the　same　is　he　which　baptizeth　with　the　Holy　Ghost。　And　I　saw　and　bare　record；　that　this〃he　paused；　his　staff　still　pointing　at　the　stranger　in　the　white　garments；　as　if　to　give　a　more　absolute　certainty　to　both　his　words　and　the　conclusions　intended〃I　bare　record；　THAT　THIS　IS　THE　SON　OF　GOD！〃

〃It　is　he；　it　is　he！〃　Balthasar　cried；　with　upraised　tearful　eyes。　Next　moment　he　sank　down　insensible。

In　this　time；　it　should　be　remembered；　Ben…Hur　was　studying　the　face　of　the　stranger；　though　with　an　interest　entirely　different。　He　was　not　insensible　to　its　purity　of　feature；　and　its　thoughtfulness；　tenderness；　humility；　and　holiness；　but　just　then　there　was　room　in　his　mind　for　but　one　thoughtWho　is　this　man？　And　what？　Messiah　or　king？　Never　was　apparition　more　unroyal。　Nay；　looking　at　that　calm；　benignant　countenance；　the　very　idea　of　war　and　conquest；　and　lust　of　dominion；　smote　him　like　a　profanation。　He　said；　as　if　speaking　to　his　own　heart；　Balthasar　must　be　right　and　Simonides　wrong。　This　man　has　not　come　to　rebuild　the　throne　of　Solomon；　he　has　neither　the　nature　nor　the　genius　of　Herod；　king　he　may　be；　but　not　of　another　and　greater　than　Rome。

It　should　be　understood　now　that　this　was　not　a　conclusion　with　Ben…Hur；　but　an　impression　merely；　and　while　it　was　forming；　while　yet　he　gazed　at　the　wonderful　countenance；　his　memory　began　to　throe　and　struggle。　〃Surely；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　have　seen　the　man；　but　where　and　when？〃　That　the　look；　so　calm；　so　pitiful；　so　loving；　had　somewhere　in　a　past　time　beamed　upon　him　as　that　moment　it　was　beaming　upon　Balthasar　became　an　assurance。　Faintly　at　first；　at　last　a　clear　light；　a　burst　of　sunshine；　the　scene　by　the　well　at　Nazareth　what　time　the　Roman　guard　was　dragging　him　to　the　galleys　returned；　and　all　his　being　thrilled。　Those　hands　had　helped　him　when　he　was　perishing。　The　face　was　one　of　the　pictures　he　had　carried　in　mind　ever　since。　In　the　effusion　of　feeling　excited；　the　explanation　of　the　preacher　was　lost　by　him；　all　but　the　last　wordswords　so　marvellous　that　the　world　yet　rings　with　them：

〃this　is　the　SON　OF　GOD！〃

Ben…Hur　leaped　from　his　horse　to　render　homage　to　his　benefactor；　but　Iras　cried　to　him；　〃Help；　son　of　Hur；　help；　or　my　father　will　die！〃

He　stopped；　looked　back；　then　hurried　to　her　assistance。　She　gave　him　a　cup；　and　leaving　the　slave　to　bring　the　camel　to　its　knees；　he　ran　to　the　river　for　water。　The　stranger　was　gone　when　he　came　back。

At　last　Balthasar　was　restored　to　consciousness。　Stretching　forth　his　hands；　he　asked；　feebly；　〃Where　is　he？〃

〃Who？〃　asked　Iras。

An　intense　instant　interest　shone　upon　the　good　man's　face；　as　if　a　last　wish　had　been　gratified；　and　he　answered；

〃Hethe　Redeemerthe　Son　of　God；　whom　I　have　seen　again。〃

〃Believest　thou　so？〃　Iras　asked　in　a　low　voice　of　Ben…Hur。

〃The　time　is　full　of　wonders；　let　us　wait；〃　was　all　he　said。

And　next　day　while　the　three　were　listening　to　him；　the　Nazarite　broke　off　in　mid…speech；　saying　reverently；　〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God！〃

Looking　to　where　he　pointed；　they　beheld　the　stranger　again。　As　Ben…Hur　surveyed　the　slender　figure；　and　holy　beautiful　countenance　compassionate　to　sadness；　a　new　idea　broke　upon　him。

〃Balthasar　is　rightso　is　Simonides。　May　not　the　Redeemer　be　a　king　also？〃

And　he　asked　one　at　his　side；　〃Who　is　the　man　walking　yonder？〃

The　other　laughed　mockingly；　and　replied；

〃He　is　the　son　of　a　carpenter　over　in　Nazareth。〃





BOOK　EIGHTH

〃Who　could　resist？　Who　in　this　universe？　She　did　so　breathe　ambrosia；　so　immerse　My　fine　existence　in　a　golden　clime。　She　took　me　like　a　child　of　suckling…time；　And　cradled　me　in　roses。　Thus　condemn'd；　The　current　of　my　former　life　was　stemm'd；　And　to　this　arbitrary　queen　of　sense　I　bow'd　a　tranced　vassal。〃KEATS；　Endymion。


〃I　am　the　resurrection　and　the　life。〃




CHAPTER　I



〃EstherEsther！　Speak　to　the　servant　below　that　he　may　bring　me　a　cup　of　water。〃

〃Would　you　not　rather　have　wine；　father？〃

〃Let　him　bring　both。〃

This　was　in　the　summer…house　upon　the　roof　of　the　old　palace　of　the　Hurs　in　Jerusalem。　From　the　parapet　overlooking　the　court…yard　Esther　called　to　a　man　in　waiting　there；　at　the　same　moment　another　man…servant　came　up　the　steps　and　saluted　respectfully。

〃A　package　for　the　master；〃　he　said；　giving　her　a　letter　enclosed　in　linen　cloth；　tied　and　sealed。

For　the　satisfaction　of　the　reader；　we　stop　to　say　that　it　is　the　twenty…first　day　of　March；　nearly　three　years　after　the　annunciation　of　the　Christ　at　Bethabara。

In　the　meanwhile；　Malluch；　acting　for　Ben…Hur；　who　could　not　longer　endure　the　emptiness　and　decay　of　his　father's　house；　had　bought　it　from　Pontius　Pilate；　and；　in　process　of　repair；　gates；　courts；　lewens；　stairways；　terraces；　rooms；　and　roof　had　been　cleansed　and　thoroughly　restored；　not　only　was　there　no　reminder　left　of　the　tragic　circumstances　so　ruinous　to　the　family；　but　the　refurnishment　was　in　a　style　richer　than　before。　At　every　point；　indeed；　a　visitor　was　met　by　evidences　of　the　higher　tastes　acquired　by　the　young　proprietor　during　his　years　of　residence　in　the　villa　by　Misenum　and　in　the　Roman　capital。

Now　it　should　not　be　inferred　from　this　explanation　that　Ben…Hur　had　publicly　assumed　ownership　of　the　property。　In　his　opinion；　the　hour　for　that　was　not　yet　come。　Neither　had　he　yet　taken　his　proper　name。　Passing　the　time　in　the　labors　of　preparation　in　Galilee；　he　waited　patiently　the　action　of　the　Nazarene；　who　became　daily　more　and　more　a　mystery　to　him；　and　by　prodigies　done；　often　before　his　eyes；　kept　him　in　a　state　of　anxious　doubt　both　as　to　his　character　and　mission。　Occasionally　he　came　up　to　the　Holy　City；　stopping　at　the　paternal　house；　always；　however；　as　a　stranger　and　a　guest。

These　visits　of　Ben…Hur；　it　should　also　be　observed；　were　for　more　than　mere　rest　from　labor。　Balthasar　and　Iras　made　their　home　in　the　palace；　and　the　charm　of　the　daughter　was　still　upon　him　with　all　its　original　freshness；　while　the　father；　though　feebler　in　body；　held　him　an　unflagging　listener　to　speeches　of　astonishing　power；　urging　the　divinity　of　the　wandering　miracle…worker　of　whom　they　w