ben-hur- 第47部分

Simonides　settled　back　into　his　pose　of　listening　judge。

〃Then；〃　said　Malluch；　〃I　told　him　Ilderim's　view　of　the　mysterythat　the　king　would　come　with　the　doom　of　Rome。　The　young　man's　blood　rose　over　his　cheeks　and　forehead；　and　he　said　earnestly；　'Who　but　a　Herod　can　be　king　while　Rome　endures？'〃

〃Meaning　what？〃

〃That　the　empire　must　be　destroyed　before　there　could　be　another　rule。〃

Simonides　gazed　for　a　time　at　the　ships　and　their　shadows　slowly　swinging　together　in　the　river；　when　he　looked　up；　it　was　to　end　the　interview。

〃Enough；　Malluch；〃　he　said。　〃Get　you　to　eat；　and　make　ready　to　return　to　the　Orchard　of　Palms；　you　must　help　the　young　man　in　his　coming　trial。　Come　to　me　in　the　morning。　I　will　send　a　letter　to　IIderim。〃　Then　in　an　undertone；　as　if　to　himself；　he　added；　〃I　may　attend　the　Circus　myself。〃

When　Malluch　after　the　customary　benediction　given　and　received　was　gone；　Simonides　took　a　deep　draught　of　milk；　and　seemed　refreshed　and　easy　of　mind。

〃Put　the　meal　down；　Esther；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　over。〃

She　obeyed。

〃Here　now。〃

She　resumed　her　place　upon　the　arm　of　the　chair　close　to　him。

〃God　is　good　to　me；　very　good；〃　he　said；　fervently。　〃His　habit　is　to　move　in　mystery；　yet　sometimes　he　permits　us　to　think　we　see　and　understand　him。　I　am　old；　dear；　and　must　go；　but　now；　in　this　eleventh　hour；　when　my　hope　was　beginning　to　die；　he　sends　me　this　one　with　a　promise；　and　I　am　lifted　up。　I　see　the　way　to　a　great　part　in　a　circumstance　itself　so　great　that　it　shall　be　as　a　new　birth　to　the　whole　world。　And　I　see　a　reason　for　the　gift　of　my　great　riches；　and　the　end　for　which　they　were　designed。　Verily；　my　child；　I　take　hold　on　life　anew。〃

Esther　nestled　closer　to　him；　as　if　to　bring　his　thoughts　from　their　far…flying。

〃The　king　has　been　born〃　he　continued；　imagining　he　was　still　speaking　to　her；　〃and　he　must　be　near　the　half　of　common　life。　Balthasar　says　he　was　a　child　on　his　mother's　lap　when　he　saw　him；　and　gave　him　presents　and　worship；　and　Ilderim　holds　it　was　twenty…seven　years　ago　last　December　when　Balthasar　and　his　companions　came　to　his　tent　asking　a　hiding…place　from　Herod。　Wherefore　the　coming　cannot　now　be　long　delayed。　To…nightto…morrow　it　may　be。　Holy　fathers　of　Israel；　what　happiness　in　the　thought！　I　seem　to　hear　the　crash　of　the　falling　of　old　walls　and　the　clamor　of　a　universal　changeay；　and　for　the　uttermost　joy　of　men；　the　earth　opens　to　take　Rome　in；　and　they　look　up　and　laugh　and　sing　that　she　is　not；　while　we　are；〃　then　he　laughed　at　himself。　〃Why；　Esther；　heard　you　ever　the　like？　Surely；　I　have　on　me　the　passion　of　a　singer；　the　heat　of　blood　and　the　thrill　of　Miriam　and　David。　In　my　thoughts；　which　should　be　those　of　a　plain　worker　in　figures　and　facts；　there　is　a　confusion　of　cymbals　clashing　and　harp…strings　loud　beaten；　and　the　voices　of　a　multitude　standing　around　a　new…risen　throne。　I　will　put　the　thinking　by　for　the　present；　only；　dear；　when　the　king　comes　he　will　need　money　and　men；　for　as　he　was　a　child　born　of　woman　he　will　be　but　a　man　after　all；　bound　to　human　ways　as　you　and　I　are。　And　for　the　money　he　will　have　need　of　getters　and　keepers；　and　for　the　men　leaders。　There；　there！　See　you　not　a　broad　road　for　my　walking；　and　the　running　of　the　youth　our　master？and　at　the　end　of　it　glory　and　revenge　for　us　both？andand〃he　paused；　struck　with　the　selfishness　of　a　scheme　in　which　she　had　no　part　or　good　result；　then　added；　kissing　her；　〃And　happiness　for　thy　mother's　child。〃

She　sat　still；　saying　nothing。　Then　he　remembered　the　difference　in　natures；　and　the　law　by　which　we　are　not　permitted　always　to　take　delight　in　the　same　cause　or　be　equally　afraid　of　the　same　thing。　He　remembered　she　was　but　a　girl。

〃Of　what　are　you　thinking；　Esther？〃　he　said；　in　his　common　home…like　way。　〃If　the　thought　have　the　form　of　a　wish；　give　it　me；　little　one；　while　the　power　remains　mine。　For　power；　you　know；　is　a　fretful　thing；　and　hath　its　wings　always　spread　for　flight。〃

She　answered　with　a　simplicity　almost　childish；

〃Send　for　him；　father。　Send　for　him　to…night；　and　do　not　let　him　go　into　the　Circus。〃

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　prolonging　the　exclamation；　and　again　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　river；　where　the　shadows　were　more　shadowy　than　ever；　since　the　moon　had　sunk　far　down　behind　Sulpius；　leaving　the　city　to　the　ineffectual　stars。　Shall　we　say　it；　reader？　He　was　touched　by　a　twinge　of　jealousy。　If　she　should　really　love　the　young　master！　Oh　no！　That　could　not　be；　she　was　too　young。　But　the　idea　had　fast　grip；　and　directly　held　him　still　and　cold。　She　was　sixteen。　He　knew　it　well。　On　the　last　natal　day　he　had　gone　with　her　to　the　shipyard　where　there　was　a　launch；　and　the　yellow　flag　which　the　galley　bore　to　its　bridal　with　the　waves　had　on　it　〃Esther；〃　so　they　celebrated　the　day　together。　Yet　the　fact　struck　him　now　with　the　force　of　a　surprise。　There　are　realizations　which　come　to　us　all　painfully；　mostly；　however；　such　as　pertain　to　ourselves；　that　we　are　growing　old；　for　instance；　and；　more　terrible；　that　we　must　die。　Such　a　one　crept　into　his　heart；　shadowy　as　the　shadows；　yet　substantial　enough　to　wring　from　him　a　sigh　which　was　almost　a　groan。　It　was　not　sufficient　that　she　should　enter　upon　her　young　womanhood　a　servant；　but　she　must　carry　to　her　master　her　affections；　the　truth　and　tenderness　and　delicacy　of　which　he　the　father　so　well　knew；　because　to　this　time　they　had　all　been　his　own　undividedly。　The　fiend　whose　task　it　is　to　torture　us　with　fears　and　bitter　thoughts　seldom　does　his　work　by　halves。　In　the　pang　of　the　moment；　the　brave　old　man　lost　sight　of　his　new　scheme；　and　of　the　miraculous　king　its　subject。　By　a　mighty　effort；　however；　he　controlled　himself；　and　asked；　calmly；　〃Not　go　into　the　Circus；　Esther？　Why；　child？〃

〃It　is　not　a　place　for　a　son　of　Israel；　father。〃

〃Rabbinical；　rabbinical；　Esther！　Is　that　all？〃

The　tone　of　the　inquiry　was　searching；　and　went　to　her　heart；　which　began　to　beat　loudlyso　loudly　she　could　not　answer。　A　confusion　new　and　strangely　pleasant　fell　upon　her。

〃The　young　man　is　to　have　the　fortune；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand；　and　speaking　more　tenderly；　〃he　is　to　have　the　ships　and　the　shekelsall；　Esther；　all。　Yet　I　did　not　feel　poor；　for　thou　wert　left　me；　and　thy　love　so　like　the　dead　Rachel's。　Tell　me；　is　he　to　have　that　too？〃

She　bent　over　him；　and　laid　her　cheek　against　his　head。

〃Speak；　Esther。　I　will　be　the　stronger　of　the　knowledge。　In　warning　there　is　strength。〃

She　sat　up　then；　and　spoke　as　if　she　were　Truth's　holy　self。

〃Comfort　thee；　father。　I　will　never　leave　thee；　though　he　take　my　love；　I　will　be　thy　handmaid　ever　as　now。〃

And；　stooping；　she　kissed　him。

〃And　more；〃　she　said；　continuing：　〃he　is　comely　in　my　sight；　and　the　pleading　of　his　voice　drew　me　to　him；　and　I　shudder　to　think　of　him　in　danger。　Yes；　father；　I　would　be　more　than　glad　to　see　him　again。　Still；　the　love　that　is　unrequited　cannot　be　perfect　love；　wherefore　I　will　wait　a　time；　remembering　I　am　thy　daughter　and　my　mother's。〃

〃A　very　blessing　of　the　Lord　art　thou；　Esther！　A　blessing　to　keep　me　rich；　though　all　else　be　lost。　And　by　his　holy　name　and　everlasting　life；　I　swear　thou　shalt　not　suffer。〃

At　his　request；　a　little　later；　the　servant　came　and　rolled　the　chair　into　the　room；　where　he　sat　for　a　time　thinking　of　the　coming　of　the　king；　while　she　went　off　and　slept　the　sleep　of　the　innocent。




CHAPTER　XII



The　palace　across　the　river　nearly　opposite　Simonides'　place　is　said　to　have　been　completed　by　the　famous　Epiphanes；　and　was　all　such　a　habitation　can　be　imagined；　though　he　was　a　builder　whose　taste　ran　to　the　immense　rather　than　the　classical；　now　so　calledan　architectural　imitator；　in　other　words；　of　the　Persians　instead　of　the　Greeks。

The　wall　enclosing　the　whole　island　to　the　waters　edge；　and　built　for　the　double　purpose　of　bulwark　against　the　river　and　defence　against　the　mob；　was　said　to　have　rendered　the　palace　unfit　for　constant　occupancy；　insomuch　that　the　legates　abandoned　it　and　moved　to　another　residence　erected　for　them　on　the　western　ridge　of　Mount　Sulpius；　under　the　Temple　of　Jupiter。　Persons　were　not　wanting；　however；　who　flatly　denied　the　bill　against　the　ancient　abode。　They　said；　with　shrewdness　at　least；　that　the　real　object　of　the　removal　of　the　legates　was　not　a　more　healthful　locality；　but　the　assurance　afforded　them　by　the　huge　barracks；　named；　according　to　the　prevalent　style；　citadel；　situated　just　over　the　way　on　the　eastern　ridge　of　the　mount。　And　the　opinion　had　plausible　showing。　Among　other　pertinent　things；　it　was　remarked　that　the　palace　was　kept　in　perpetual　readiness　for　use；　and　when　a　consul；　general　of　the　army；　king；　or　visiting　potentate　of　any　kind　arrived　at　Antioch；　quarters　were　at　once　assigned　him　on　the　island。

As　we　have　to　do　with　but　one　apartment　in　the　old　pile；　the　residue　of　it　is　left　to　the　reader's　fancy；　and　as　pleases　him；　he　may　go　through　its　gardens；　baths；　halls；　and　labyrinth　of　rooms　to　the　pavilions　on　the　roof；　all　furnished　as　became　a　house　of　fame　in　a　city　which　was　more　nearly　Milton's　〃gorgeous　East〃　than　any　other　in　the　world。

At　this　age　the　apartment　alluded　to　would　be　termed　a　saloon。　It　was　quite　spacious；　floored　with　polished　marble　slabs；　and　lighted　in　the　day　by　skylights　in　which　colored　mica　served　as　glass。　The　walls　were　broken　by　Atlantes；　no　two　of　which　were　alike；　but　all　supporting　a　cornice　wrought　with　arabesques　exceedingly　intricate　in　form；　and　more　elegant　on　account　of　superadditions　of　colorblue；　green；　Tyrian　purple；　and　gold。　Around　the　room　ran　a　continuous　divan　of　Indian　silks　and　wool　of　Cashmere。　The　furniture　consisted　of　tables　and　stools　of　Egyptian　patterns　grotesquely　carved。　We　have　left　Simonides　in　his　chair　perfecting　his　scheme　in　aid　of　the　miraculous　king；　whose　coming　he　has　decided　is　so　close　at　hand。　Esther　is　asleep；　and　now；　having　crossed　the　river　by　the　bridge；　and　made　way　through　the　lion…guarded　gate　and　a　number　of　Babylonian　halls　and　courts；　let　us　enter　the　gilded　saloon。

There　are　five　chandeliers　hanging　by　sliding　bronze　chains　from　the　ceilingone　in　each　corner；　and　in　the　centre　oneenormous　pyramids　of　lighted　lamps；　illuminating　even　the　demoniac　faces　of　t