ben-hur- 第22部分

In　this　passage　the　fan　had　been　kept　in　rapid　play；　it　stopped　now；　and　her　voice　sank　low。

〃You　are　tired；〃　she　said。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃I　was　listening　to　a　new　song　of　Israel。〃

The　mother　was　still　intent　upon　her　purpose；　and　passed　the　pleasant　speech。

〃In　such　light　as　I　could；　my　Judah；　I　have　set　our　great　men　before　youpatriarchs；　legislators；　warriors；　singers；　prophets。　Turn　we　to　the　best　of　Rome。　Against　Moses　place　Caesar；　and　Tarquin　against　David；　Sylla　against　either　of　the　Maccabees；　the　best　of　the　consuls　against　the　judges；　Augustus　against　Solomon；　and　you　are　done：　comparison　ends　there。　But　think　then　of　the　prophetsgreatest　of　the　great。〃

She　laughed　scornfully。

〃Pardon　me。　I　was　thinking　of　the　soothsayer　who　warned　Caius　Julius　against　the　Ides　of　March；　and　fancied　him　looking　for　the　omens　of　evil　which　his　master　despised　in　the　entrails　of　a　chicken。　From　that　picture　turn　to　Elijah　sitting　on　the　hill…top　on　the　way　to　Samaria；　amid　the　smoking　bodies　of　the　captains　and　their　fifties；　warning　the　son　of　Ahab　of　the　wrath　of　our　God。　Finally；　O　my　Judahif　such　speech　be　reverenthow　shall　we　judge　Jehovah　and　Jupiter　unless　it　be　by　what　their　servants　have　done　in　their　names？　And　as　for　what　you　shall　do〃

She　spoke　the　latter　words　slowly；　and　with　a　tremulous　utterance。

〃As　for　what　you　shall　do；　my　boyserve　the　Lord；　the　Lord　God　of　Israel；　not　Rome。　For　a　child　of　Abraham　there　is　no　glory　except　in　the　Lord's　ways；　and　in　them　there　is　much　glory。〃

〃I　may　be　a　soldier　then？〃　Judah　asked。

〃Why　not？　Did　not　Moses　call　God　a　man　of　war？〃

There　was　then　a　long　silence　in　the　summer　chamber。

〃You　have　my　permission；〃　she　said；　finally；　〃if　only　you　serve　the　Lord　instead　of　Caesar。〃

He　was　content　with　the　condition；　and　by…and…by　fell　asleep。　She　arose　then；　and　put　the　cushion　under　his　head；　and；　throwing　a　shawl　over　him　and　kissing　him　tenderly；　went　away。




CHAPTER　VI



The　good　man；　like　the　bad；　must　die；　but；　remembering　the　lesson　of　our　faith；　we　say　of　him　and　the　event；　〃No　matter；　he　will　open　his　eyes　in　heaven。〃　Nearest　this　in　life　is　the　waking　from　healthful　sleep　to　a　quick　consciousness　of　happy　sights　and　sounds。

When　Judah　awoke；　the　sun　was　up　over　the　mountains；　the　pigeons　were　abroad　in　flocks；　filling　the　air　with　the　gleams　of　their　white　wings；　and　off　southeast　he　beheld　the　Temple；　an　apparition　of　gold　in　the　blue　of　the　sky。　These；　however；　were　familiar　objects；　and　they　received　but　a　glance；　upon　the　edge　of　the　divan；　close　by　him；　a　girl　scarcely　fifteen　sat　singing　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　nebel；　which　she　rested　upon　her　knee；　and　touched　gracefully。　To　her　he　turned　listening；　and　this　was　what　she　sang：

THE　SONG。

〃Wake　not；　but　hear　me；　love！　　　Adrift；　adrift　on　slumber's　sea；　　　Thy　spirit　call　to　list　to　me。　Wake　not；　but　hear　me；　love！　　　A　gift　from　Sleep；　the　restful　king；　　　All　happy；　happy　dreams　I　bring。

〃Wake　not；　but　hear　me；　love！　　　Of　all　the　world　of　dreams　'tis　thine　　　This　once　to　choose　the　most　divine。　So　choose；　and　sleep；　my　love！　　　But　ne'er　again　in　choice　be　free；　　　Unless；　unlessthou　dream'st　of　me。〃


She　put　the　instrument　down；　and；　resting　her　hands　in　her　lap；　waited　for　him　to　speak。　And　as　it　has　become　necessary　to　tell　somewhat　of　her；　we　will　avail　ourselves　of　the　chance；　and　add　such　particulars　of　the　family　into　whose　privacy　we　are　brought　as　the　reader　may　wish　to　know。

The　favors　of　Herod　had　left　surviving　him　many　persons　of　vast　estate。　Where　this　fortune　was　joined　to　undoubted　lineal　descent　from　some　famous　son　of　one　of　the　tribes；　especially　Judah；　the　happy　individual　was　accounted　a　Prince　of　Jerusalema　distinction　which　sufficed　to　bring　him　the　homage　of　his　less　favored　countrymen；　and　the　respect；　if　nothing　more；　of　the　Gentiles　with　whom　business　and　social　circumstance　brought　him　into　dealing。　Of　this　class　none　had　won　in　private　or　public　life　a　higher　regard　than　the　father　of　the　lad　whom　we　have　been　following。　With　a　remembrance　of　his　nationality　which　never　failed　him；　he　had　yet　been　true　to　the　king；　and　served　him　faithfully　at　home　and　abroad。　Some　offices　had　taken　him　to　Rome；　where　his　conduct　attracted　the　notice　of　Augustus；　who　strove　without　reserve　to　engage　his　friendship。　In　his　house；　accordingly；　were　many　presents；　such　as　had　gratified　the　vanity　of　kingspurple　togas；　ivory　chairs；　golden　pateroechiefly　valuable　on　account　of　the　imperial　hand　which　had　honorably　conferred　them。　Such　a　man　could　not　fail　to　be　rich；　yet　his　wealth　was　not　altogether　the　largess　of　royal　patrons。　He　had　welcomed　the　law　that　bound　him　to　some　pursuit；　and；　instead　of　one；　he　entered　into　many。　Of　the　herdsmen　watching　flocks　on　the　plains　and　hill…sides；　far　as　old　Lebanon；　numbers　reported　to　him　as　their　employer；　in　the　cities　by　the　sea；　and　in　those　inland；　he　founded　houses　of　traffic；　his　ships　brought　him　silver　from　Spain；　whose　mines　were　then　the　richest　known；　while　his　caravans　came　twice　a　year　from　the　East；　laden　with　silks　and　spices。　In　faith　he　was　a　Hebrew；　observant　of　the　law　and　every　essential　rite；　his　place　in　the　synagogue　and　Temple　knew　him　well；　he　was　thoroughly　learned　in　the　Scriptures；　he　delighted　in　the　society　of　the　college…masters；　and　carried　his　reverence　for　Hillel　almost　to　the　point　of　worship。　Yet　he　was　in　no　sense　a　Separatist；　his　hospitality　took　in　strangers　from　every　land；　the　carping　Pharisees　even　accused　him　of　having　more　than　once　entertained　Samaritans　at　his　table。　Had　he　been　a　Gentile；　and　lived；　the　world　might　have　heard　of　him　as　the　rival　of　Herodes　Atticus：　as　it　was；　he　perished　at　sea　some　ten　years　before　this　second　period　of　our　story；　in　the　prime　of　life；　and　lamented　everywhere　in　Judea。　We　are　already　acquainted　with　two　members　of　his　familyhis　widow　and　son；　the　only　other　was　a　daughtershe　whom　we　have　seen　singing　to　her　brother。

Tirzah　was　her　name；　and　as　the　two　looked　at　each　other；　their　resemblance　was　plain。　Her　features　had　the　regularity　of　his；　and　were　of　the　same　Jewish　type；　they　had　also　the　charm　of　childish　innocency　of　expression。　Home…life　and　its　trustful　love　permitted　the　negligent　attire　in　which　she　appeared。　A　chemise　buttoned　upon　the　right　shoulder；　and　passing　loosely　over　the　breast　and　back　and　under　the　left　arm；　but　half　concealed　her　person　above　the　waist；　while　it　left　the　arms　entirely　nude。　A　girdle　caught　the　folds　of　the　garment；　marking　the　commencement　of　the　skirt。　The　coiffure　was　very　simple　and　becominga　silken　cap；　Tyrian…dyed；　and　over　that　a　striped　scarf　of　the　same　material；　beautifully　embroidered；　and　wound　about　in　thin　folds　so　as　to　show　the　shape　of　the　head　without　enlarging　it；　the　whole　finished　by　a　tassel　dropping　from　the　crown　point　of　the　cap。　She　had　rings；　ear　and　finger；　anklets　and　bracelets；　all　of　gold；　and　around　her　neck　there　was　a　collar　of　gold；　curiously　garnished　with　a　network　of　delicate　chains；　to　which　were　pendants　of　pearl。　The　edges　of　her　eyelids　were　painted；　and　the　tips　of　her　fingers　stained。　Her　hair　fell　in　two　long　plaits　down　her　back。　A　curled　lock　rested　upon　each　cheek　in　front　of　the　ear。　Altogether　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　deny　her　grace；　refinement；　and　beauty。

〃Very　pretty；　my　Tirzah；　very　pretty！〃　he　said；　with　animation。

〃The　song？〃　she　asked。

〃Yesand　the　singer；　too。　It　has　the　conceit　of　a　Greek。　Where　did　you　get　it？〃

〃You　remember　the　Greek　who　sang　in　the　theatre　last　month？　They　said　he　used　to　be　a　singer　at　the　court　for　Herod　and　his　sister　Salome。　He　came　out　just　after　an　exhibition　of　wrestlers；　when　the　house　was　full　of　noise。　At　his　first　note　everything　became　so　quiet　that　I　heard　every　word。　I　got　the　song　from　him。〃

〃But　he　sang　in　Greek。〃

〃And　I　in　Hebrew。〃

〃Ah；　yes。　I　am　proud　of　my　little　sister。　Have　you　another　as　good？〃

〃Very　many。　But　let　them　go　now。　Amrah　sent　me　to　tell　you　she　will　bring　you　your　breakfast；　and　that　you　need　not　come　down。　She　should　be　here　by　this　time。　She　thinks　you　sickthat　a　dreadful　accident　happened　you　yesterday。　What　was　it？　Tell　me；　and　I　will　help　Amrah　doctor　you。　She　knows　the　cures　of　the　Egyptians；　who　were　always　a　stupid　set；　but　I　have　a　great　many　recipes　of　the　Arabs　who〃

〃Are　even　more　stupid　than　the　Egyptians；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。

〃Do　you　think　so？　Very　well；　then；〃　she　replied；　almost　without　pause；　and　putting　her　hands　to　her　left　ear。　〃We　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　any　of　them。　I　have　here　what　is　much　surer　and　betterthe　amulet　which　was　given　to　some　of　our　peopleI　cannot　tell　when；　it　was　so　far　backby　a　Persian　magician。　See；　the　inscription　is　almost　worn　out。〃

She　offered　him　the　earring；　which　he　took；　looked　at；　and　handed　back；　laughing。

〃If　I　were　dying；　Tirzah；　I　could　not　use　the　charm。　It　is　a　relic　of　idolatry；　forbidden　every　believing　son　and　daughter　of　Abraham。　Take　it；　but　do　not　wear　it　any　more。〃

〃Forbidden！　Not　so；〃　she　said。　〃Our　father's　mother　wore　it　I　do　not　know　how　many　Sabbaths　in　her　life。　It　has　cured　I　do　not　know　how　many　peoplemore　than　three　anyhow。　It　is　approved　look；　here　is　the　mark　of　the　rabbis。〃

〃I　have　no　faith　in　amulets。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　his　in　astonishment。

〃What　would　Amrah　say？〃

〃Amrah's　father　and　mother　tended　sakiyeh　for　a　garden　on　the　Nile。〃

〃But　Gamaliel！〃

〃He　says　they　are　godless　inventions　of　unbelievers　and　Shechemites。〃

Tirzah　looked　at　the　ring　doubtfully。

〃What　shall　I　do　with　it？〃

〃Wear　it；　my　little　sister。　It　becomes　youit　helps　make　you　beautiful；　though　I　think　you　that　without　help。〃

Satisfied；　she　returned　the　amulet　to　her　ear　just　as　Amrah　entered　the　summer　chamber；　bearing　a　platter；　with　wash…bowl；　water；　and　napkins。

Not　being　a　Pharisee；　the　ablution　was　short　and　simple　with　Judah。　The　servant　then　went　out；　leaving　Tirzah　to　dress　his　hair。　When　a　lock　was　disposed　to　her　satisfaction；　she　would　unloose　the　small　metallic　mirror　which；　as　was　the　fashion　among　her　fair　countrywomen；　she　wore　at　her　girdle；　and　gave　it　to　him；　that　he　might　see　the　triumph；　and　how　handsome　it　made　him。　Meanwhile　they　kept　up　th