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With　blessings　given　and　received；　Malluch　set　out　in　return。




CHAPTER　XI



What　time　the　lower　horn　of　a　new　moon　touched　the　castellated　piles　on　Mount　Sulpius；　and　two　thirds　of　the　people　of　Antioch　were　out　on　their　house…tops　comforting　themselves　with　the　night　breeze　when　it　blew；　and　with　fans　when　it　failed；　Simonides　sat　in　the　chair　which　had　come　to　be　a　part　of　him；　and　from　the　terrace　looked　down　over　the　river；　and　his　ships　a…swing　at　their　moorings。　The　wall　at　his　back　cast　its　shadow　broadly　over　the　water　to　the　opposite　shore。　Above　him　the　endless　tramp　upon　the　bridge　went　on。　Esther　was　holding　a　plate　for　him　containing　his　frugal　suppersome　wheaten　cakes；　light　as　wafers；　some　honey；　and　a　bowl　of　milk；　into　which　he　now　and　then　dipped　the　wafers　after　dipping　them　into　the　honey。

〃Malluch　is　a　laggard　to…night；〃　he　said；　showing　where　his　thoughts　were。

〃Do　you　believe　he　will　come？〃　Esther　asked。

〃Unless　he　has　taken　to　the　sea　or　the　desert；　and　is　yet　following　on；　he　will　come。〃

Simonides　spoke　with　quiet　confidence。

〃He　may　write；〃　she　said。

〃Not　so；　Esther。　He　would　have　despatched　a　letter　when　he　found　he　could　not　return；　and　told　me　so；　because　I　have　not　received　such　a　letter；　I　know　he　can　come；　and　will。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　she　said；　very　softly。

Something　in　the　utterance　attracted　his　attention；　it　might　have　been　the　tone；　it　might　have　been　the　wish。　The　smallest　bird　cannot　light　upon　the　greatest　tree　without　sending　a　shock　to　its　most　distant　fibre；　every　mind　is　at　times　no　less　sensitive　to　the　most　trifling　words。

〃You　wish　him　to　come；　Esther？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　lifting　her　eyes　to　his。

〃Why？　Can　you　tell　me？〃　he　persisted。

〃Because〃she　hesitated；　then　began　again〃because　the　young　man　is〃　The　stop　was　full。

〃Our　master。　Is　that　the　word？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you　still　think　I　should　not　suffer　him　to　go　away　without　telling　him　to　come；　if　he　chooses；　and　take　usand　all　we　have…　…all；　Estherthe　goods；　the　shekels；　the　ships；　the　slaves；　and　the　mighty　credit；　which　is　a　mantle　of　cloth　of　gold　and　finest　silver　spun　for　me　by　the　greatest　of　the　angels　of　menSuccess。〃

She　made　no　answer。

〃Does　that　move　you　nothing？　No？〃　he　said；　with　the　slightest　taint　of　bitterness。　〃Well；　well；　I　have　found；　Esther；　the　worst　reality　is　never　unendurable　when　it　comes　out　from　behind　the　clouds　through　which　we　at　first　see　it　darklynevernot　even　the　rack。　I　suppose　it　will　be　so　with　death。　And　by　that　philosophy　the　slavery　to　which　we　are　going　must　afterwhile　become　sweet。　It　pleases　me　even　now　to　think　what　a　favored　man　our　master　is。　The　fortune　cost　him　nothingnot　an　anxiety；　not　a　drop　of　sweat；　not　so　much　as　a　thought；　it　attaches　to　him　undreamed　of；　and　in　his　youth。　And；　Esther；　let　me　waste　a　little　vanity　with　the　reflection；　he　gets　what　he　could　not　go　into　the　market　and　buy　with　all　the　pelf　in　a　sumthee；　my　child；　my　darling；　thou　blossom　from　the　tomb　of　my　lost　Rachel！〃

He　drew　her　to　him；　and　kissed　her　twiceonce　for　herself；　once　for　her　mother。

〃Say　not　so；〃。　she　said；　when　his　hand　fell　from　her　neck。　〃Let　us　think　better　of　him；　he　knows　what　sorrow　is；　and　will　set　us　free。〃

〃Ah；　thy　instincts　are　fine；　Esther；　and　thou　knowest　I　lean　upon　them　in　doubtful　cases　where　good　or　bad　is　to　be　pronounced　of　a　person　standing　before　thee　as　he　stood　this　morning。　Butbut〃　his　voice　rose　and　hardened〃these　limbs　upon　which　I　cannot　standthis　body　drawn　and　beaten　out　of　human　shapethey　are　not　all　I　bring　him　of　myself。　Oh　no；　no！　I　bring　him　a　soul　which　has　triumphed　over　torture　and　Roman　malice　keener　than　any　tortureI　bring　him　a　mind　which　has　eyes　to　see　gold　at　a　distance　farther　than　the　ships　of　Solomon　sailed；　and　power　to　bring　it　to　handay；　Esther；　into　my　palm　here　for　the　fingers　to　grip　and　keep　lest　it　take　wings　at　some　other's　worda　mind　skilled　at　scheming〃he　stopped　and　laughed〃Why；　Esther；　before　the　new　moon　which　in　the　courts　of　the　Temple　on　the　Holy　Hill　they　are　this　moment　celebrating　passes　into　its　next　quartering　I　could　ring　the　world　so　as　to　startle　even　Caesar；　for　know　you；　child；　I　have　that　faculty　which　is　better　than　any　one　sense；　better　than　a　perfect　body；　better　than　courage　and　will；　better　than　experience；　ordinarily　the　best　product　of　the　longest　livesthe　faculty　divinest　of　men；　but　which〃he　stopped；　and　laughed　again；　not　bitterly；　but　with　real　zest　〃but　which　even　the　great　do　not　sufficiently　account；　while　with　the　herd　it　is　a　non…existentthe　faculty　of　drawing　men　to　my　purpose　and　holding　them　faithfully　to　its　achievement；　by　which；　as　against　things　to　be　done；　I　multiply　myself　into　hundreds　and　thousands。　So　the　captains　of　my　ships　plough　the　seas；　and　bring　me　honest　returns；　so　Malluch　follows　the　youth；　our　master；　and　will〃just　then　a　footstep　was　heard　upon　the　terrace〃Ha；　Esther！　said　I　not　so？　He　is　hereand　we　will　have　tidings。　For　thy　sake；　sweet　childmy　lily　just　buddedI　pray　the　Lord　God；　who　has　not　forgotten　his　wandering　sheep　of　Israel；　that　they　be　good　and　comforting。　Now　we　will　know　if　he　will　let　thee　go　with　all　thy　beauty；　and　me　with　all　my　faculties。〃

Malluch　came　to　the　chair。

〃Peace　to　you；　good　master；〃　he　said；　with　a　low　obeisance〃and　to　you；　Esther；　most　excellent　of　daughters。〃

He　stood　before　them　deferentially；　and　the　attitude　and　the　address　left　it　difficult　to　define　his　relation　to　them；　the　one　was　that　of　a　servant；　the　other　indicated　the　familiar　and　friend。　On　the　other　side；　Simonides；　as　was　his　habit　in　business；　after　answering　the　salutation　went　straight　to　the　subject。

〃What　of　the　young　man；　Malluch？〃

The　events　of　the　day　were　told　quietly　and　in　the　simplest　words；　and　until　he　was　through　there　was　no　interruption；　nor　did　the　listener　in　the　chair　so　much　as　move　a　hand　during　the　narration；　but　for　his　eyes；　wide　open　and　bright；　and　an　occasional　long…drawn　breath；　he　might　have　been　accounted　an　effigy。

〃Thank　you；　thank　you；　Malluch；〃　he　said；　heartily；　at　the　conclusion；　〃you　have　done　wellno　one　could　have　done　better。　Now　what　say　you　of　the　young　man's　nationality？〃

〃He　is　an　Israelite；　good　master；　and　of　the　tribe　of　Judah。〃

〃You　are　positive？〃

〃Very　positive。〃

〃He　appears　to　have　told　you　but　little　of　his　life。〃

〃He　has　somewhere　reamed　to　be　prudent。　I　might　call　him　distrustful。　He　baffled　all　my　attempts　upon　his　confidence　until　we　started　from　the　Castalian　fount　going　to　the　village　of　Daphne。〃

〃A　place　of　abomination！　Why　went　he　there？〃

〃I　would　say　from　curiosity；　the　first　motive　of　the　many　who　go；　but；　very　strangely；　he　took　no　interest　in　the　things　he　saw。　Of　the　Temple；　he　merely　asked　if　it　were　Grecian。　Good　master；　the　young　man　has　a　trouble　of　mind　from　which　he　would　hide；　and　he　went　to　the　Grove；　I　think；　as　we　go　to　sepulchres　with　our　deadhe　went　to　bury　it。〃

〃That　were　well；　if　so；〃　Simonides　said；　in　a　low　voice；　then　louder；　〃Malluch；　the　curse　of　the　time　is　prodigality。　The　poor　make　themselves　poorer　as　apes　of　the　rich；　and　the　merely　rich　carry　themselves　like　princes。　Saw　you　signs　of　the　weakness　in　the　youth？　Did　he　display　moneyscoin　of　Rome　or　Israel？〃

〃None；　none；　good　master。〃

〃Surely；　Malluch；　where　there　are　so　many　inducements　to　follyso　much；　I　mean；　to　eat　and　drinksurely　he　made　you　generous　offer　of　some　sort。　His　age；　if　nothing　more；　would　warrant　that　much。〃

〃He　neither　ate　nor　drank　in　my　company。〃

〃In　what　he　said　or　did；　Malluch；　could　you　in　anywise　detect　his　master…idea？　You　know　they　peep　through　cracks　close　enough　to　stop　the　wind。〃

〃Give　me　to　understand　you；〃　said　Malluch；　in　doubt。

〃Well；　you　know　we　nor　speak　nor　act；　much　less　decide　grave　questions　concerning　ourselves；　except　as　we　be　driven　by　a　motive。　In　that　respect；　what　made　you　of　him？〃

〃As　to　that；　Master　Simonides；　I　can　answer　with　much　assurance。　He　is　devoted　to　finding　his　mother　and　sisterthat　first。　Then　he　has　a　grievance　against　Rome；　and　as　the　Messala　of　whom　I　told　you　had　something　to　do　with　the　wrong；　the　great　present　object　is　to　humiliate　him。　The　meeting　at　the　fountain　furnished　an　opportunity；　but　it　was　put　aside　as　not　sufficiently　public。〃

〃The　Messala　is　influential；〃　said　Simonides；　thoughtfully。

〃Yes；　but　the　next　meeting　will　be　in　the　Circus。〃

〃Welland　then？〃

〃The　son　of　Arrius　will　win。〃

〃How　know　you？〃

Malluch　smiled。

〃I　am　judging　by　what　he　says。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃No；　there　is　a　much　better　signhis　spirit。〃

〃Ay；　but；　Malluch；　his　idea　of　vengeancewhat　is　its　scope？　Does　he　limit　it　to　the　few　who　did　him　the　wrong；　or　does　he　take　in　the　many？　And　moreis　his　feeling　but　the　vagary　of　a　sensitive　boy；　or　has　it　the　seasoning　of　suffering　manhood　to　give　it　endurance？　You　know；　Malluch；　the　vengeful　thought　that　has　root　merely　in　the　mind　is　but　a　dream　of　idlest　sort　which　one　clear　day　will　dissipate；　while　revenge　the　passion　is　a　disease　of　the　heart　which　climbs　up；　up　to　the　brain；　and　feeds　itself　on　both　alike。〃

In　this　question；　Simonides　for　the　first　time　showed　signs　of　feeling；　he　spoke　with　rapid　utterance；　and　with