ben-hur- 第16部分

Hannas；　the　idol　of　his　party；　had　used　his　power　faithfully　in　the　interest　of　his　imperial　patron。　A　Roman　garrison　held　the　Tower　of　Antonia；　a　Roman　guard　kept　the　gates　of　the　palace；　a　Roman　judge　dispensed　justice　civil　and　criminal；　a　Roman　system　of　taxation；　mercilessly　executed；　crushed　both　city　and　country；　daily；　hourly；　and　in　a　thousand　ways；　the　people　were　bruised　and　galled；　and　taught　the　difference　between　a　life　of　independence　and　a　life　of　subjection；　yet　Hannas　kept　them　in　comparative　quiet。　Rome　had　no　truer　friend；　and　he　made　his　loss　instantly　felt。　Delivering　his　vestments　to　Ishmael；　the　new　appointee；　he　walked　from　the　courts　of　the　Temple　into　the　councils　of　the　Separatists；　and　became　the　head　of　a　new　combination；　Bethusian　and　Sethian。

Gratus；　the　procurator；　left　thus　without　a　party；　saw　the　fires　which；　in　the　fifteen　years；　had　sunk　into　sodden　smoke　begin　to　glow　with　returning　life。　A　month　after　Ishmael　took　the　office；　the　Roman　found　it　necessary　to　visit　him　in　Jerusalem。　When　from　the　walls；　hooting　and　hissing　him；　the　Jews　beheld　his　guard　enter　the　north　gate　of　the　city　and　march　to　the　Tower　of　Antonia；　they　understood　the　real　purpose　of　the　visita　full　cohort　of　legionaries　was　added　to　the　former　garrison；　and　the　keys　of　their　yoke　could　now　be　tightened　with　impunity。　If　the　procurator　deemed　it　important　to　make　an　example；　alas　for　the　first　offender！




CHAPTER　II



With　the　foregoing　explanation　in　mind；　the　reader　is　invited　to　look　into　one　of　the　gardens　of　the　palace　on　Mount　Zion。　The　time　was　noonday　in　the　middle　of　July；　when　the　heat　of　summer　was　at　its　highest。

The　garden　was　bounded　on　every　side　by　buildings；　which　in　places　arose　two　stories；　with　verandas　shading　the　doors　and　windows　of　the　lower　story；　while　retreating　galleries；　guarded　by　strong　balustrades；　adorned　and　protected　the　upper。　Here　and　there；　moreover；　the　structures　fell　into　what　appeared　low　colonnades；　permitting　the　passage　of　such　winds　as　chanced　to　blow；　and　allowing　other　parts　of　the　house　to　be　seen；　the　better　to　realize　its　magnitude　and　beauty。　The　arrangement　of　the　ground　was　equally　pleasant　to　the　eye。　There　were　walks；　and　patches　of　grass　and　shrubbery；　and　a　few　large　trees；　rare　specimens　of　the　palm；　grouped　with　the　carob；　apricot；　and　walnut。　In　all　directions　the　grade　sloped　gently　from　the　centre；　where　there　was　a　reservoir；　or　deep　marble　basin；　broken　at　intervals　by　little　gates　which；　when　raised；　emptied　the　water　into　sluices　bordering　the　walksa　cunning　device　for　the　rescue　of　the　place　from　the　aridity　too　prevalent　elsewhere　in　the　region。

Not　far　from　the　fountain；　there　was　a　small　pool　of　clear　water　nourishing　a　clump　of　cane　and　oleander；　such　as　grow　on　the　Jordan　and　down　by　the　Dead　Sea。　Between　the　clump　and　the　pool；　unmindful　of　the　sun　shining　full　upon　them　in　the　breathless　air；　two　boys；　one　about　nineteen；　the　other　seventeen；　sat　engaged　in　earnest　conversation。

They　were　both　handsome；　and；　at　first　glance；　would　have　been　pronounced　brothers。　Both　had　hair　and　eyes　black；　their　faces　were　deeply　browned；　and；　sitting；　they　seemed　of　a　size　proper　for　the　difference　in　their　ages。

The　elder　was　bareheaded。　A　loose　tunic；　dropping　to　the　knees；　was　his　attire　complete；　except　sandals　and　a　light…blue　mantle　spread　under　him　on　the　seat。　The　costume　left　his　arms　and　legs　exposed；　and　they　were　brown　as　the　face；　nevertheless；　a　certain　grace　of　manner；　refinement　of　features；　and　culture　of　voice　decided　his　rank。　The　tunic；　of　softest　woollen；　gray…tinted；　at　the　neck；　sleeves；　and　edge　of　the　skirt　bordered　with　red；　and　bound　to　the　waist　by　a　tasselled　silken　cord；　certified　him　the　Roman　he　was。　And　if　in　speech　he　now　and　then　gazed　haughtily　at　his　companion　and　addressed　him　as　an　inferior；　he　might　almost　be　excused；　for　he　was　of　a　family　noble　even　in　Romea　circumstance　which　in　that　age　justified　any　assumption。　In　the　terrible　wars　between　the　first　Caesar　and　his　great　enemies；　a　Messala　had　been　the　friend　of　Brutus。　After　Philippi；　without　sacrifice　of　his　honor；　he　and　the　conqueror　became　reconciled。　Yet　later；　when　Octavius　disputed　for　the　empire；　Messala　supported　him。　Octavius；　as　the　Emperor　Augustus；　remembered　the　service；　and　showered　the　family　with　honors。　Among　other　things；　Judea　being　reduced　to　a　province；　he　sent　the　son　of　his　old　client　or　retainer　to　Jerusalem；　charged　with　the　receipt　and　management　of　the　taxes　levied　in　that　region；　and　in　that　service　the　son　had　since　remained；　sharing　the　palace　with　the　high…priest。　The　youth　just　described　was　his　son；　whose　habit　it　was　to　carry　about　with　him　all　too　faithfully　a　remembrance　of　the　relation　between　his　grandfather　and　the　great　Romans　of　his　day。

The　associate　of　the　Messala　was　slighter　in　form；　and　his　garments　were　of　fine　white　linen　and　of　the　prevalent　style　in　Jerusalem；　a　cloth　covered　his　head；　held　by　a　yellow　cord；　and　arranged　so　as　to　fall　away　from　the　forehead　down　low　over　the　back　of　the　neck。　An　observer　skilled　in　the　distinctions　of　race；　and　studying　his　features　more　than　his　costume；　would　have　soon　discovered　him　to　be　of　Jewish　descent。　The　forehead　of　the　Roman　was　high　and　narrow；　his　nose　sharp　and　aquiline；　while　his　lips　were　thin　and　straight；　and　his　eyes　cold　and　close　under　the　brows。　The　front　of　the　Israelite；　on　the　other　hand；　was　low　and　broad；　his　nose　long；　with　expanded　nostrils；　his　upper　lip；　slightly　shading　the　lower　one；　short　and　curving　to　the　dimpled　corners；　like　a　Cupid's　bow；　points　which；　in　connection　with　the　round　chin；　full　eyes；　and　oval　cheeks　reddened　with　a　wine…like　glow；　gave　his　face　the　softness；　strength；　and　beauty　peculiar　to　his　race。　The　comeliness　of　the　Roman　was　severe　and　chaste；　that　of　the　Jew　rich　and　voluptuous。

〃Did　you　not　say　the　new　procurator　is　to　arrive　to…morrow？〃

The　question　proceeded　from　the　younger　of　the　friends；　and　was　couched　in　Greek；　at　the　time；　singularly　enough；　the　language　everywhere　prevalent　in　the　politer　circles　of　Judea；　having　passed　from　the　palace　into　the　camp　and　college；　thence；　nobody　knew　exactly　when　or　how；　into　the　Temple　itself；　and；　for　that　matter；　into　precincts　of　the　Temple　far　beyond　the　gates　and　cloistersprecincts　of　a　sanctity　intolerable　for　a　Gentile。

〃Yes；　to…morrow；〃　Messala　answered。

〃Who　told　you？〃

〃I　heard　Ishmael；　the　new　governor　in　the　palaceyou　call　him　high　priesttell　my　father　so　last　night。　The　news　had　been　more　credible；　I　grant　you；　coming　from　an　Egyptian；　who　is　of　a　race　that　has　forgotten　what　truth　is；　or　even　from　an　Idumaean；　whose　people　never　knew　what　truth　was；　but；　to　make　quite　certain；　I　saw　a　centurion　from　the　Tower　this　morning；　and　he　told　me　preparations　were　going　on　for　the　reception；　that　the　armorers　were　furbishing　the　helmets　and　shields；　and　regilding　the　eagles　and　globes；　and　that　apartments　long　unused　were　being　cleansed　and　aired　as　if　for　an　addition　to　the　garrisonthe　body…guard；　probably；　of　the　great　man。〃

A　perfect　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　the　answer　was　given　cannot　be　conveyed；　as　its　fine　points　continually　escape　the　power　behind　the　pen。　The　reader's　fancy　must　come　to　his　aid；　and　for　that　he　must　be　reminded　that　reverence　as　a　quality　of　the　Roman　mind　was　fast　breaking　down；　or；　rather；　it　was　becoming　unfashionable。　The　old　religion　had　nearly　ceased　to　be　a　faith；　at　most　it　was　a　mere　habit　of　thought　and　expression；　cherished　principally　by　the　priests　who　found　service　in　the　Temple　profitable；　and　the　poets　who；　in　the　turn　of　their　verses；　could　not　dispense　with　the　familiar　deities：　there　are　singers　of　this　age　who　are　similarly　given。　As　philosophy　was　taking　the　place　of　religion；　satire　was　fast　substituting　reverence；　insomuch　that　in　Latin　opinion　it　was　to　every　speech；　even　to　the　little　diatribes　of　conversation；　as　salt　to　viands；　and　aroma　to　wine。　The　young　Messala；　educated　in　Rome；　but　lately　returned；　had　caught　the　habit　and　manner；　the　scarce　perceptible　movement　of　the　outer　corner　of　the　lower　eyelid；　the　decided　curl　of　the　corresponding　nostril；　and　a　languid　utterance　affected　as　the　best　vehicle　to　convey　the　idea　of　general　indifference；　but　more　particularly　because　of　the　opportunities　it　afforded　for　certain　rhetorical　pauses　thought　to　be　of　prime　importance　to　enable　the　listener　to　take　the　happy　conceit　or　receive　the　virus　of　the　stinging　epigram。　Such　a　stop　occurred　in　the　answer　just　given；　at　the　end　of　the　allusion　to　the　Egyptian　and　Idumaean。　The　color　in　the　Jewish　lad's　cheeks　deepened；　and　he　may　not　have　heard　the　rest　of　the　speech；　for　he　remained　silent；　looking　absently　into　the　depths　of　the　pool。

〃Our　farewell　took　place　in　this　garden。　'The　peace　of　the　Lord　go　with　you！'your　last　words。　'The　gods　keep　you！'　I　said。　Do　you　remember？　How　many　years　have　passed　since　then？〃

〃Five；〃　answered　the　Jew；　gazing　into　the　water。

〃Well；　you　have　reason　to　be　thankful　towhom　shall　I　say？　The　gods？　No　matter。　You　have　grown　handsome；　the　Greeks　would　call　you　beautifulhappy　achievement　of　the　years！　If　Jupiter　would　stay　content　with　one　Ganymede；　what　a　cup…bearer　you　would　make　for　the　emperor！　Tell　me；　my　Judah；　how　the　coming　of　the　procurator　is　of　such　interest　to　you。〃

Judah　bent　his　large　eyes　upon　the　questioner；　the　gaze　was　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　caught　the　Roman's；　and　held　it　while　he　replied；　〃Yes；　five　years。　I　remember　the　parting；　you　went　to　Rome；　I　saw　you　start；　and　cried；　for　I　love　you。　The　years　are　gone；　and　you　have　come　back　to　me　accomplished　and　princelyI　do　not　jest；　and　yetyetI　do　wish　you　were　the　Messala　you　went　away。〃

The　fine　nostril　of　the　satirist　stirred；　and　he　put　on　a　longer　drawl　as　he　said；　〃No；　no；　not　a　Ganymedean　oracle；　my　Judah。　A　few　lessons　from　my　teacher　of　rhetoric　hard　by　the　ForumI　will　give　you　a　letter　to　him　when　you　become　wise　enough　to　accept　a　suggestion　which　I　am　reminded　to　make　youa　little　practise　of　the　art　of　mystery；　and　Delphi　will　receive　you　as　Apollo　himself。　At　the　sound　of　your　solemn　voice；　the　Pythia　will　come　down　to　you　with　her　crown。　Seriously；　O　my　friend；　in　what