ben-hur- 第52部分

〃Were；　saidst　thou？　Are　they　not　living？〃

The　question　was　subtle　as　well　as　simple；　but　Ilderim　saved　Ben…Hur　from　reply。

〃Come；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃the　meal　is　ready。〃

Ben…Hur　gave　his　arm　to　Balthasar；　and　conducted　him　to　the　table；　where　shortly　they　were　all　seated　on　their　rugs　Eastern　fashion。　The　lavers　were　brought　them；　and　they　washed　and　dried　their　hands；　then　the　sheik　made　a　sign；　the　servants　stopped；　and　the　voice　of　the　Egyptian　arose　tremulous　with　holy　feeling。

〃Father　of　AllGod！　What　we　have　is　of　thee；　take　our　thanks；　and　bless　us；　that　we　may　continue　to　do　thy　will。〃

It　was　the　grace　the　good　man　had　said　simultaneously　with　his　brethren　Gaspar　the　Greek　and　Melchior　the　Hindoo；　the　utterance　in　diverse　tongues　out　of　which　had　come　the　miracle　attesting　the　Divine　Presence　at　the　meal　in　the　desert　years　before。

The　table　to　which　they　immediately　addressed　themselves　was；　as　may　be　thought；　rich　in　the　substantials　and　delicacies　favorite　in　the　Eastin　cakes　hot　from　the　oven；　vegetables　from　the　gardens；　meats　singly；　compounds　of　meats　and　vegetables；　milk　of　kine；　and　honey　and　butterall　eaten　or　drunk；　it　should　be　remarked；　without　any　of　the　modern　accessoriesknives；　forks；　spoons；　cups；　or　plates；　and　in　this　part　of　the　repast　but　little　was　said；　for　they　were　hungry。　But　when　the　dessert　was　in　course　it　was　otherwise。　They　laved　their　hands　again；　had　the　lap…cloths　shaken　out；　and　with　a　renewed　table　and　the　sharp　edge　of　their　appetites　gone　they　were　disposed　to　talk　and　listen。

With　such　a　companyan　Arab；　a　Jew；　and　an　Egyptian；　all　believers　alike　in　one　Godthere　could　be　at　that　age　but　one　subject　of　conversation；　and　of　the　three；　which　should　be　speaker　but　he　to　whom　the　Deity　had　been　so　nearly　a　personal　appearance；　who　had　seen　him　in　a　star；　had　heard　his　voice　in　direction；　had　been　led　so　far　and　so　miraculously　by　his　Spirit？　And　of　what　should　he　talk　but　that　of　which　he　had　been　called　to　testify？




CHAPTER　XV



The　shadows　cast　over　the　Orchard　of　Palms　by　the　mountains　at　set　of　sun　left　no　sweet　margin　time　of　violet　sky　and　drowsing　earth　between　the　day　and　night。　The　latter　came　early　and　swift；　and　against　its　glooming　in　the　tent　this　evening　the　servants　brought　four　candlesticks　of　brass；　and　set　them　by　the　corners　of　the　table。　To　each　candlestick　there　were　four　branches；　and　on　each　branch　a　lighted　silver　lamp　and　a　supply　cup　of　olive…oil。　In　light　ample；　even　brilliant；　the　group　at　dessert　continued　their　conversation；　speaking　in　the　Syriac　dialect；　familiar　to　all　peoples　in　that　part　of　the　world。

The　Egyptian　told　his　story　of　the　meeting　of　the　three　in　the　desert；　and　agreed　with　the　sheik　that　it　was　in　December；　twenty…seven　years　before；　when　he　and　his　companions　fleeing　from　Herod　arrived　at　the　tent　praying　shelter。　The　narrative　was　heard　with　intense　interest；　even　the　servants　lingering　when　they　could　to　catch　its　details。　Ben…Hur　received　it　as　became　a　man　listening　to　a　revelation　of　deep　concern　to　all　humanity；　and　to　none　of　more　concern　than　the　people　of　Israel。　In　his　mind；　as　we　shall　presently　see；　there　was　crystallizing　an　idea　which　was　to　change　his　course　of　life；　if　not　absorb　it　absolutely。

As　the　recital　proceeded；　the　impression　made　by　Balthasar　upon　the　young　Jew　increased；　at　its　conclusion；　his　feeling　was　too　profound　to　permit　a　doubt　of　its　truth；　indeed；　there　was　nothing　left　him　desirable　in　the　connection　but　assurances；　if　such　were　to　be　had；　pertaining　exclusively　to　the　consequences　of　the　amazing　event。

And　now　there　is　wanting　an　explanation　which　the　very　discerning　may　have　heretofore　demanded；　certainly　it　can　be　no　longer　delayed。　Our　tale　begins；　in　point　of　date　not　less　than　fact；　to　trench　close　upon　the　opening　of　the　ministry　of　the　Son　of　Mary；　whom　we　have　seen　but　once　since　this　same　Balthasar　left　him　worshipfully　in　his　mother's　lap　in　the　cave　by　Bethlehem。　Henceforth　to　the　end　the　mysterious　Child　will　be　a　subject　of　continual　reference；　and　slowly　though　surely　the　current　of　events　with　which　we　are　dealing　will　bring　us　nearer　and　nearer　to　him；　until　finally　we　see　him　a　manwe　would　like；　if　armed　contrariety　of　opinion　would　permit　it；　to　addA　MAN　WHOM　THE　WORLD　COULD　NOT　DO　WITHOUT。　Of　this　declaration；　apparently　so　simple；　a　shrewd　mind　inspired　by　faith　will　make　muchand　in　welcome。　Before　his　time；　and　since；　there　have　been　men　indispensable　to　particular　people　and　periods；　but　his　indispensability　was　to　the　whole　race；　and　for　all　timea　respect　in　which　it　is　unique；　solitary；　divine。

To　Sheik　Ilderim　the　story　was　not　new。　He　had　heard　it　from　the　three　wise　men　together　under　circumstances　which　left　no　room　for　doubt；　he　had　acted　upon　it　seriously；　for　the　helping　a　fugitive　escape　from　the　anger　of　the　first　Herod　was　dangerous。　Now　one　of　the　three　sat　at　his　table　again；　a　welcome　guest　and　revered　friend。　Sheik　IIderim　certainly　believed　the　story；　yet；　in　the　nature　of　things；　its　mighty　central　fact　could　not　come　home　to　him　with　the　force　and　absorbing　effect　it　came　to　Ben…Hur。　He　was　an　Arab；　whose　interest　in　the　consequences　was　but　general；　on　the　other　hand；　Ben…Hur　was　an　Israelite　and　a　Jew；　with　more　than　a　special　interest　inif　the　~solecism　can　be　pardonedthe　truth　of　the　fact。　He　laid　hold　of　the　circumstance　with　a　purely　Jewish　mind。

From　his　cradle；　let　it　be　remembered；　he　had　heard　of　the　Messiah；　at　the　colleges　he　had　been　made　familiar　with　all　that　was　known　of　that　Being　at　once　the　hope；　the　fear；　and　the　peculiar　glory　of　the　chosen　people；　the　prophets　from　the　first　to　the　last　of　the　heroic　line　foretold　him；　and　the　coming　had　been；　and　yet　was；　the　theme　of　endless　exposition　with　the　rabbisin　the　synagogues；　in　the　schools；　in　the　Temple；　of　fast…days　and　feast…days；　in　public　and　in　private；　the　national　teachers　expounded　and　kept　expounding　until　all　the　children　of　Abraham；　wherever　their　lots　were　cast；　bore　the　Messiah　in　expectation；　and　by　it　literally；　and　with　iron　severity；　ruled　and　moulded　their　lives。

Doubtless；　it　will　be　understood　from　this　that　there　was　much　argument　among　the　Jews　themselves　about　the　Messiah；　and　so　there　was；　but　the　disputation　was　all　limited　to　one　point；　and　one　onlywhen　would　he　come？

Disquisition　is　for　the　preacher；　whereas　the　writer　is　but　telling　a　tale；　and　that　he　may　not　lose　his　character；　the　explanation　he　is　making　requires　notice　merely　of　a　point　connected　with　the　Messiah　about　which　the　unanimity　among　the　chosen　people　was　matter　of　marvellous　astonishment：　he　was　to　be；　when　come；　the　KING　OF　THE　JEWStheir　political　King；　their　Caesar。　By　their　instrumentality　he　was　to　make　armed　conquest　of　the　earth；　and　then；　for　their　profit　and　in　the　name　of　God；　hold　it　down　forever。　On　this　faith；　dear　reader；　the　Pharisees　or　Separatiststhe　latter　being　rather　a　political　termin　the　cloisters　and　around　the　altars　of　the　Temple；　built　an　edifice　of　hope　far　overtopping　the　dream　of　the　Macedonian。　His　but　covered　the　earth；　theirs　covered　the　earth　and　filled　the　skies；　that　is　to　say；　in　their　bold；　boundless　fantasy　of　blasphemous　egotism；　God　the　Almighty　was　in　effect　to　suffer　them　for　their　uses　to　nail　him　by　the　ear　to　a　door　in　sign　of　eternal　servitude。

Returning　directly　to　Ben…Hur；　it　is　to　be　observed　now　that　there　were　two　circumstances　in　his　life　the　result　of　which　had　been　to　keep　him　in　a　state　comparatively　free　from　the　influence　and　hard　effects　of　the　audacious　faith　of　his　Separatist　countrymen。

In　the　first　place；　his　father　followed　the　faith　of　the　Sadducees；　who　may；　in　a　general　way；　be　termed　the　Liberals　of　their　time。　They　had　some　loose　opinions　in　denial　of　the　soul。　They　were　strict　constructionists　and　rigorous　observers　of　the　Law　as　found　in　the　books　of　Moses；　but　they　held　the　vast　mass　of　Rabbinical　addenda　to　those　books　in　derisive　contempt。　They　were　unquestionably　a　sect；　yet　their　religion　was　more　a　philosophy　than　a　creed；　they　did　not　deny　themselves　the　enjoyments　of　life；　and　saw　many　admirable　methods　and　productions　among　the　Gentile　divisions　of　the　race。　In　politics　they　were　the　active　opposition　of　the　Separatists。　In　the　natural　order　of　things；　these　circumstances　and　conditions；　opinions　and　peculiarities；　would　have　descended　to　the　son　as　certainly　and　really　as　any　portion　of　his　father's　estate；　and；　as　we　have　seen；　he　was　actually　in　course　of　acquiring　them；　when　the　second　saving　event　overtook　him。

Upon　a　youth　of　Ben…Hur's　mind　and　temperament　the　influence　of　five　years　of　affluent　life　in　Rome　can　be　appreciated　best　by　recalling　that　the　great　city　was　then；　in　fact；　the　meeting…place　of　the　nationstheir　meeting…place　politically　and　commercially；　as　well　as　for　the　indulgence　of　pleasure　without　restraint。　Round　and　round　the　golden　mile…stone　in　front　of　the　Forumnow　in　gloom　of　eclipse；　now　in　unapproachable　splendorflowed　all　the　active　currents　of　humanity。　If　excellences　of　manner；　refinements　of　society；　attainments　of　intellect；　and　glory　of　achievement　made　no　impression　upon　him；　how　could　he；　as　the　son　of　Arrius；　pass　day　after　day；　through　a　period　so　long；　from　the　beautiful　villa　near　Misenum　into　the　receptions　of　Caesar；　and　be　wholly　uninfluenced　by　what　he　saw　there　of　kings；　princes；　ambassadors；　hostages；　and　delegates；　suitors　all　of　them　from　every　known　land；　waiting　humbly　the　yes　or　no　which　was　to　make　or　unmake　them？　As　mere　assemblages；　to　be　sure；　there　was　nothing　to　compare　with　the　gatherings　at　Jerusalem　in　celebration　of　the　Passover；　yet　when　he　sat　under　the　purple　velaria　of　the　Circus　Maximus　one　of　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　spectators；　he　must　have　been　visited　by　the　thought　that　possibly　there　might　be　some　branches　of　the　family　of　man　worthy　divine　consideration；　if　not　mercy；　though　they　were　of　the　uncircumcisedsome；　by　their　sorrows；　and；　yet　worse；　by　their　hopelessness　in　the　midst　of　sorrows；　fitted　for　brotherhood　in　the　promises　to　his　countrymen。

That　he　should　have　had　such　a　thought　under　such　circumstances　was　but　natural；　we　think　so　much；　at　least；　will　be　admitted：　but　when　the　refl