ben-hur- 第79部分

That　is；　to　be　a　leper　was　to　be　treated　as　deadto　be　excluded　from　the　city　as　a　corpse；　to　be　spoken　to　by　the　best　beloved　and　most　loving　only　at　a　distance；　to　dwell　with　none　but　lepers；　to　be　utterly　unprivileged；　to　be　denied　the　rites　of　the　Temple　and　the　synagogue；　to　go　about　in　rent　garments　and　with　covered　mouth；　except　when　crying；　〃Unclean；　unclean！〃　to　find　home　in　the　wilderness　or　in　abandoned　tombs；　to　become　a　materialized　specter　of　Hinnom　and　Gehenna；　to　be　at　all　times　less　a　living　offence　to　others　than　a　breathing　torment　to　self；　afraid　to　die；　yet　without　hope　except　in　death。

Onceshe　might　not　tell　the　day　or　the　year；　for　down　in　the　haunted　hell　even　time　was　lostonce　the　mother　felt　a　dry　scurf　in　the　palm　of　her　right　hand；　a　trifle　which　she　tried　to　wash　away。　It　clung　to　the　member　pertinaciously；　yet　she　thought　but　little　of　the　sign　till　Tirzah　complained　that　she；　too；　was　attacked　in　the　same　way。　The　supply　of　water　was　scant；　and　they　denied　themselves　drink　that　they　might　use　it　as　a　curative。　At　length　the　whole　hand　was　attacked；　the　skin　cracked　open；　the　fingernails　loosened　from　the　flesh。　There　was　not　much　pain　withal；　chiefly　a　steadily　increasing　discomfort。　Later　their　lips　began　to　parch　and　seam。　One　day　the　mother；　who　was　cleanly　to　godliness；　and　struggled　against　the　impurities　of　the　dungeon　with　all　ingenuity；　thinking　the　enemy　was　taking　hold　on　Tirzah's　face；　led　her　to　the　light；　and；　looking　with　the　inspiration　of　a　terrible　dread；　lo！　the　young　girl's　eyebrows　were　white　as　snow。

Oh；　the　anguish　of　that　assurance！

The　mother　sat　awhile　speechless；　motionless；　paralyzed　of　soul；　and　capable　of　but　one　thoughtleprosy；　leprosy！

When　she　began　to　think；　mother…like；　it　was　not　of　herself；　but　her　child；　and；　mother…like；　her　natural　tenderness　turned　to　courage；　and　she　made　ready　for　the　last　sacrifice　of　perfect　heroism。　She　buried　her　knowledge　in　her　heart；　hopeless　herself；　she　redoubled　her　devotion　to　Tirzah；　and　with　wonderful　ingenuitywonderful　chiefly　in　its　very　inexhaustibilitycontinued　to　keep　the　daughter　ignorant　of　what　they　were　beset　with；　and　even　hopeful　that　it　was　nothing。　She　repeated　her　little　games；　and　retold　her　stories；　and　invented　new　ones；　and　listened　with　ever　so　much　pleasure　to　the　songs　she　would　have　from　Tirzah；　while　on　her　own　wasting　lips　the　psalms　of　the　singing　king　and　their　race　served　to　bring　soothing　of　forgetfulness；　and　keep　alive　in　them　both　the　recollection　of　the　God　who　would　seem　to　have　abandoned　themthe　world　not　more　lightly　or　utterly。

Slowly；　steadily；　with　horrible　certainty；　the　disease　spread；　after　a　while　bleaching　their　heads　white；　eating　holes　in　their　lips　and　eyelids；　and　covering　their　bodies　with　scales；　then　it　fell　to　their　throats　shrilling　their　voices；　and　to　their　joints；　hardening　the　tissues　and　cartilagesslowly；　and；　as　the　mother　well　knew；　past　remedy；　it　was　affecting　their　lungs　and　arteries　and　bones；　at　each　advance　making　the　sufferers　more　and　more　loathsome；　and　so　it　would　continue　till　death；　which　might　be　years　before　them。

Another　day　of　dread　at　length　camethe　day　the　mother；　under　impulsion　of　duty；　at　last　told　Tirzah　the　name　of　their　ailment；　and　the　two；　in　agony　of　despair；　prayed　that　the　end　might　come　quickly。

Still；　as　is　the　force　of　habit；　these　so　afflicted　grew　in　time　not　merely　to　speak　composedly　of　their　disease；　they　beheld　the　hideous　transformation　of　their　persons　as　of　course；　and　in　despite　clung　to　existence。　One　tie　to　earth　remained　to　them；　unmindful　of　their　own　loneliness；　they　kept　up　a　certain　spirit　by　talking　and　dreaming　of　Ben…Hur。　The　mother　promised　reunion　with　him　to　the　sister；　and　she　to　the　mother；　not　doubting；　either　of　them；　that　he　was　equally　faithful　to　them；　and　would　be　equally　happy　of　the　meeting。　And　with　the　spinning　and　respinning　of　this　slender　thread　they　found　pleasure；　and　excused　their　not　dying。　In　such　manner　as　we　have　seen；　they　were　solacing　themselves　the　moment　Gesius　called　them；　at　the　end　of　twelve　hours'　fasting　and　thirst。

The　torches　flashed　redly　through　the　dungeon；　and　liberty　was　come。　〃God　is　good；〃　the　widow　criednot　for　what　had　been；　O　reader；　but　for　what　was。　In　thankfulness　for　present　mercy；　nothing　so　becomes　us　as　losing　sight　of　past　ills。

The　tribune　came　directly；　then　in　the　corner　to　which　she　had　fled；　suddenly　a　sense　of　duty　smote　the　elder　of　the　women；　and　straightway　the　awful　warning

〃Unclean；　unclean！〃

Ah；　the　pang　the　effort　to　acquit　herself　of　that　duty　cost　the　mother！　Not　all　the　selfishness　of　joy　over　the　prospect　could　keep　her　blind　to　the　consequences　of　release；　now　that　it　was　at　hand。　The　old　happy　life　could　never　be　again。　If　she　went　near　the　house　called　home；　it　would　be　to　stop　at　the　gate　and　cry；　〃Unclean；　unclean！〃　She　must　go　about　with　the　yearnings　of　love　alive　in　her　breast　strong　as　ever；　and　more　sensitive　even；　because　return　in　kind　could　not　be。　The　boy　of　whom　she　had　so　constantly　thought；　and　with　all　sweet　promises　such　as　mothers　find　their　purest　delight　in；　must；　at　meeting　her；　stand　afar　off。　If　he　held　out　his　hands　to　her；　and　called　〃Mother；　mother；〃　for　very　love　of　him　she　must　answer；　〃Unclean；　unclean！〃　And　this　other　child；　before　whom；　in　want　of　other　covering；　she　was　spreading　her　long　tangled　locks；　bleached　unnaturally　whiteah！　that　she　was　she　must　continue；　sole　partner　of　her　blasted　remainder　of　life。　Yet；　O　reader；　the　brave　woman　accepted　the　lot；　and　took　up　the　cry　which　had　been　its　sign　immemorially；　and　which　thenceforward　was　to　be　her　salutation　without　change〃Unclean；　unclean！〃

The　tribune　heard　it　with　a　tremor；　but　kept　his　place。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Two　women　dying　of　hunger　and　thirst。　Yet〃the　mother　did　not　falter〃come　not　near　us；　nor　touch　the　floor　or　the　wall。　Unclean；　unclean！〃

〃Give　me　thy　story；　womanthy　name；　and　when　thou　wert　put　here；　and　by　whom；　and　for　what。〃

〃There　was　once　in　this　city　of　Jerusalem　a　Prince　Ben…Hur；　the　friend　of　all　generous　Romans；　and　who　had　Caesar　for　his　friend。　I　am　his　widow；　and　this　one　with　me　is　his　child。　How　may　I　tell　you　for　what　we　were　sunk　here；　when　I　do　not　know；　unless　it　was　because　we　were　rich？　Valerius　Gratus　can　tell　you　who　our　enemy　was；　and　when　our　imprisonment　began。　I　cannot。　See　to　what　we　have　been　reducedoh；　see；　and　have　pity！〃

The　air　was　heavy　with　the　pest　and　the　smoke　of　the　torches；　yet　the　Roman　called　one　of　the　torch…bearers　to　his　side；　and　wrote　the　answer　nearly　word　for　word。　It　was　terse；　and　comprehensive；　containing　at　once　a　history；　an　accusation；　and　a　prayer。　No　common　person　could　have　made　it；　and　he　could　not　but　pity　and　believe。

〃Thou　shalt　have　relief；　woman；〃　he　said；　closing　the　tablets。　〃I　will　send　thee　food　and　drink。〃

〃And　raiment；　and　purifying　water；　we　pray　you；　O　generous　Roman！〃

〃As　thou　wilt；〃　he　replied。

〃God　is　good；〃　said　the　widow；　sobbing。　〃May　his　peace　abide　with　you！〃

〃And；　further；〃　he　added；　〃I　cannot　see　thee　again。　Make　preparation；　and　to…night　I　will　have　thee　taken　to　the　gate　of　the　Tower；　and　set　free。　Thou　knowest　the　law。　Farewell。〃

He　spoke　to　the　men；　and　went　out　the　door。

Very　shortly　some　slaves　came　to　the　cell　with　a　large　gurglet　of　water；　a　basin　and　napkins；　a　platter　with　bread　and　meat；　and　some　garments　of　women's　wear；　and；　setting　them　down　within　reach　of　the　prisoners；　they　ran　away。

About　the　middle　of　the　first　watch；　the　two　were　conducted　to　the　gate；　and　turned　into　the　street。　So　the　Roman　quit　himself　of　them；　and　in　the　city　of　their　fathers　they　were　once　more　free。

Up　to　the　stars；　twinkling　merrily　as　of　old；　they　looked；　then　they　asked　themselves；

〃What　next？　and　where　to？〃




CHAPTER　III



About　the　hour　Gesius；　the　keeper；　made　his　appearance　before　the　tribune　in　the　Tower　of　Antonia；　a　footman　was　climbing　the　eastern　face　of　Mount　Olivet。　The　road　was　rough　and　dusty；　and　vegetation　on　that　side　burned　brown；　for　it　was　the　dry　season　in　Judea。　Well　for　the　traveller　that　he　had　youth　and　strength；　not　to　speak　of　the　cool；　flowing　garments　with　which　he　was　clothed。

He　proceeded　slowly；　looking　often　to　his　right　and　left；　not　with　the　vexed；　anxious　expression　which　marks　a　man　going　forward　uncertain　of　the　way；　but　rather　the　air　with　which　one　approaches　as　old　acquaintance　after　a　long　separationhalf　of　pleasure；　half　of　inquiry；　as　if　he　were　saying；　〃I　am　glad　to　be　with　you　again；　let　me　see　in　what　you　are　changed。〃

As　he　arose　higher；　he　sometimes　paused　to　look　behind　him　over　the　gradually　widening　view　terminating　in　the　mountains　of　Moab；　but　when　at　length　he　drew　near　the　summit；　he　quickened　his　step；　unmindful　of　fatigue；　and　hurried　on　without　pause　or　turning　of　the　face。　On　the　summitto　reach　which　he　bent　his　steps　somewhat　right　of　the　beaten　pathhe　came　to　a　dead　stop；　arrested　as　if　by　a　strong　hand。　Then　one　might　have　seen　his　eyes　dilate；　his　cheeks　flush；　his　breath　quicken；　effects　all　of　one　bright　sweeping　glance　at　what　lay　before　him。

The　traveller；　good　reader；　was　no　other　than　Ben…Hur；　the　spectacle；　Jerusalem。

Not　the　Holy　City　of　to…day；　but　the　Holy　City　as　left　by　Herodthe　Holy　City　of　the　Christ。　Beautiful　yet；　as　seen　from　old　Olivet；　what　must　it　have　been　then？

Ben…Hur　betook　him　to　a　stone　and　sat　down；　and；　stripping　his　head　of　the　close　white　handkerchief　which　served　it　for　covering；　made　the　survey　at　leisure。

The　same　has　been　done　often　since　by　a　great　variety　of　persons；　under　circumstances　surpassingly　singularby　the　son　of　Vespasian；　by　the　Islamite；　by　the　Crusader；　conquerors　all　of　them；　by　many　a　pilgrim　from　the　great　New　World；　which　waited　discovery　nearly　fifteen　hundred　years　after　the　time　of　our　story；　but　of　the　multitude　probably　not　one　has　taken　that　view　with　sensations　more　keenly　poignant；　more　sadly　sweet；　more　proudly　bitter；　than　Ben…Hur。　He　was　stirred　by　recollections　of　his　countrymen；　their　triumphs　and　vicissitudes；　their　history　the　history　of　God。　The　city　was　of　their　building；　at　once　a　lasting　testimony　of　their　crimes　and　devotion；　their　weakn