ben-hur- 第82部分

At　sight　of　the　man　upon　the　step　the　new…comer　stopped；　then；　as　if　decided；　she　walked　onvery　lightly　as　she　drew　near　the　sleeper。　Passing　round　him；　she　went　to　the　gate；　slid　the　wicket　latch　easily　to　one　side；　and　put　her　hand　in　the　opening。　One　of　the　broad　boards　in　the　left　valve　swung　ajar　without　noise。　She　put　the　basket　through；　and　was　about　to　follow；　when；　yielding　to　curiosity；　she　lingered　to　have　one　look　at　the　stranger　whose　face　was　below　her　in　open　view。

The　spectators　across　the　street　heard　a　low　exclamation；　and　saw　the　woman　rub　her　eyes　as　if　to　renew　their　power；　bend　closer　down；　clasp　her　hands；　gaze　wildly　around；　look　at　the　sleeper；　stoop　and　raise　the　outlying　hand；　and　kiss　it　fondlythat　which　they　wished　so　mightily　to　do；　but　dared　not。

Awakened　by　the　action；　Ben…Hur　instinctively　withdrew　the　hand；　as　he　did　so；　his　eyes　met　the　woman's。

〃Amrah！　O　Amrah；　is　it　thou？〃　he　said。

The　good　heart　made　no　answer　in　words；　but　fell　upon　his　neck；　crying　for　joy。

Gently　he　put　her　arms　away；　and　lifting　the　dark　face　wet　with　tears；　kissed　it；　his　joy　only　a　little　less　than　hers。　Then　those　across　the　way　heard　him　say；

〃MotherTirzahO　Amrah；　tell　me　of　them！　Speak；　speak；　I　pray　thee！〃

Amrah　only　cried　afresh。

〃Thou　has　seen　them；　Amrah。　Thou　knowest　where　they　are；　tell　me　they　are　at　home。〃

Tirzah　moved；　but　her　mother；　divining　her　purpose；　caught　her　and　whispered；　〃Do　not　gonot　for　life。　Unclean；　unclean！〃

Her　love　was　in　tyrannical　mood。　Though　both　their　hearts　broke；　he　should　not　become　what　they　were；　and　she　conquered。

Meantime；　Amrah；　so　entreated；　only　wept　the　more。

〃Wert　thou　going　in？〃　he　asked；　presently；　seeing　the　board　swung　back。　〃Come；　then。　I　will　go　with　thee。〃　He　arose　as　he　spoke。　〃The　Romansbe　the　curse　of　the　Lord　upon　them！the　Romans　lied。　The　house　is　mine。　Rise；　Amrah；　and　let　us　go　in。〃　A　moment　and　they　were　gone；　leaving　the　two　in　the　shade　to　behold　the　gate　staring　blankly　at　themthe　gate　which　they　might　not　ever　enter　more。　They　nestled　together　in　the　dust。

They　had　done　their　duty。

Their　love　was　proven。

Next　morning　they　were　found；　and　driven　out　the　city　with　stones。

〃Begone！　Ye　are　of　the　dead；　go　to　the　dead！〃

With　the　doom　ringing　in　their　ears；　they　went　forth。




CHAPTER　V



Nowadays　travellers　in　the　Holy　Land　looking　for　the　famous　place　with　the　beautiful　name；　the　King's　Garden；　descend　the　bed　of　the　Cedron　or　the　curve　of　Gihon　and　Hinnom　as　far　as　the　old　well　En…rogel；　take　a　drink　of　the　sweet　living　water；　and　stop；　having　reached　the　limit　of　the　interesting　in　that　direction。　They　look　at　the　great　stones　with　which　the　well　is　curbed；　ask　its　depth；　smile　at　the　primitive　mode　of　drawing　the　purling　treasure；　and　waste　some　pity　on　the　ragged　wretch　who　presides　over　it；　then；　facing　about；　they　are　enraptured　with　the　mounts　Moriah　and　Zion；　both　of　which　slope　towards　them　from　the　north；　one　terminating　in　Ophel；　the　other　in　what　used　to　be　the　site　of　the　city　of　David。　In　the　background；　up　far　in　the　sky；　the　garniture　of　the　sacred　places　is　visible：　here　the　Haram；　with　its　graceful　dome；　yonder　the　stalward　remains　of　Hippicus；　defiant　even　in　ruins。　When　that　view　has　been　enjoyed；　and　is　sufficiently　impressed　upon　the　memory；　the　travellers　glance　at　the　Mount　of　Offence　standing　in　rugged　stateliness　at　their　right　hand；　and　then　at　the　Hill　of　Evil　Counsel　over　on　the　left；　in　which；　if　they　be　well　up　in　Scriptural　history　and　in　the　traditions　rabbinical　and　monkish；　they　will　find　a　certain　interest　not　to　be　overcome　by　superstitious　horror。

It　were　long　to　tell　all　the　points　of　interest　grouped　around　that　hill；　for　the　present　purpose；　enough　that　its　feet　are　planted　in　the　veritable　orthodox　Hell　of　the　modernsthe　Hell　of　brimstone　and　firein　the　old　nomenclature　Gehenna；　and　that　now；　as　in　the　days　of　Christ；　its　bluff　face　opposite　the　city　on　the　south　and　southeast　is　seamed　and　pitted　with　tombs　which　have　been　immemorially　the　dwelling…places　of　lepers；　not　singly；　but　collectively。　There　they　set　up　their　government　and　established　their　society；　there　they　founded　a　city　and　dwelt　by　themselves；　avoided　as　the　accursed　of　God。

The　second　morning　after　the　incidents　of　the　preceding　chapter；　Amrah　drew　near　the　well　En…rogel；　and　seated　herself　upon　a　stone。　One　familiar　with　Jerusalem；　looking　at　her；　would　have　said　she　was　the　favorite　servant　of　some　well…to…do　family。　She　brought　with　her　a　water…jar　and　a　basket；　the　contents　of　the　latter　covered　with　a　snow…white　napkin。　Placing　them　on　the　ground　at　her　side；　she　loosened　the　shawl　which　fell　from　her　head；　knit　her　fingers　together　in　her　lap；　and　gazed　demurely　up　to　where　the　hill　drops　steeply　down　into　Aceldama　and　the　Potter's　Field。

It　was　very　early；　and　she　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　well。　Soon；　however；　a　man　came　bringing　a　rope　and　a　leathern　bucket。　Saluting　the　little　dark…faced　woman；　he　undid　the　rope；　fixed　it　to　the　bucket；　and　waited　customers。　Others　who　chose　to　do　so　might　draw　water　for　themselves；　he　was　a　professional　in　the　business；　and　would　fill　the　largest　jar　the　stoutest　woman　could　carry　for　a　gerah。

Amrah　sat　still；　and　had　nothing　to　say。　Seeing　the　jar；　the　man　asked　after　a　while　if　she　wished　it　filled；　she　answered　him　civilly；　〃Not　now；〃　whereupon　he　gave　her　no　more　attention。　When　the　dawn　was　fairly　defined　over　Olivet；　his　patrons　began　to　arrive；　and　he　had　all　he　could　do　to　attend　to　them。　All　the　time　she　kept　her　seat；　looking　intently　up　at　the　hill。

The　sun　made　its　appearance；　yet　she　sat　watching　and　waiting；　and　while　she　thus　waits；　let　us　see　what　her　purpose　is。

Her　custom　had　been　to　go　to　market　after　nightfall。　Stealing　out　unobserved；　she　would　seek　the　shops　in　the　Tyropoeon；　or　those　over　by　the　Fish　Gate　in　the　east；　make　her　purchases　of　meat　and　vegetables；　and　return　and　shut　herself　up　again。

The　pleasure　she　derived　from　the　presence　of　Ben…Hur　in　the　old　house　once　more　may　be　imagined。　She　had　nothing　to　tell　him　of　her　mistress　or　Tirzahnothing。　He　would　have　had　her　move　to　a　place　not　so　lonesome；　she　refused。　She　would　have　had　him　take　his　own　room　again；　which　was　just　as　he　had　left　it；　but　the　danger　of　discovery　was　too　great；　and　he　wished　above　all　things　to　avoid　inquiry。　He　would　come　and　see　her　often　as　possible。　Coming　in　the　night；　he　would　also　go　away　in　the　night。　She　was　compelled　to　be　satisfied；　and　at　once　occupied　herself　contriving　ways　to　make　him　happy。　That　he　was　a　man　now　did　not　occur　to　her；　nor　did　it　enter　her　mind　that　he　might　have　put　by　or　lost　his　boyish　tastes；　to　please　him；　she　thought　to　go　on　her　old　round　of　services。　He　used　to　be　fond　of　confections；　she　remembered　the　things　in　that　line　which　delighted　him　most；　and　resolved　to　make　them；　and　have　a　supply　always　ready　when　he　came。　Could　anything　be　happier？　So　next　night；　earlier　than　usual；　she　stole　out　with　her　basket；　and　went　over　to　the　Fish　Gate　Market。　Wandering　about；　seeking　the　best　honey；　she　chanced　to　hear　a　man　telling　a　story。

What　the　story　was　the　reader　can　arrive　at　with　sufficient　certainty　when　told　that　the　narrator　was　one　of　the　men　who　had　held　torches　for　the　commandant　of　the　Tower　of　Antonia　when；　down　in　cell　VI。；　the　Hurs　were　found。　The　particulars　of　the　finding　were　all　told；　and　she　heard　them；　with　the　names　of　the　prisoners；　and　the　widow's　account　of　herself。

The　feelings　with　which　Amrah　listened　to　the　recital　were　such　as　became　the　devoted　creature　she　was。　She　made　her　purchases；　and　returned　home　in　a　dream。　What　a　happiness　she　had　in　store　for　her　boy！　She　had　found　his　mother！

She　put　the　basket　away；　now　laughing；　now　crying。　Suddenly　she　stopped　and　thought。　It　would　kill　him　to　be　told　that　his　mother　and　Tirzah　were　lepers。　He　would　go　through　the　awful　city　over　on　the　Hill　of　Evil　Counselinto　each　infected　tomb　he　would　go　without　rest；　asking　for　them；　and　the　disease　would　catch　him；　and　their　fate　would　be　his。　She　wrung　her　hands。　What　should　she　do？

Like　many　a　one　before　her；　and　many　a　one　since；　she　derived　inspiration；　if　not　wisdom；　from　her　affection；　and　came　to　a　singular　conclusion。

The　lepers；　she　knew；　were　accustomed　of　mornings　to　come　down　from　their　sepulchral　abodes　in　the　hill；　and　take　a　supply　of　water　for　the　day　from　the　well　En…rogel。　Bringing　their　jars；　they　would　set　them　on　the　ground　and　wait；　standing　afar　until　they　were　filled。　To　that　the　mistress　and　Tirzah　must　come；　for　the　law　was　inexorable；　and　admitted　no　distinction。　A　rich　leper　was　no　better　than　a　poor　one。

So　Amrah　decided　not　to　speak　to　Ben…Hur　of　the　story　she　had　heard；　but　go　alone　to　the　well　and　wait。　Hunger　and　thirst　would　drive　the　unfortunates　thither；　and　she　believed　she　could　recognize　them　at　sight；　if　not；　they　might　recognize　her。

Meantime　Ben…Hur　came；　and　they　talked　much。　To…morrow　Malluch　would　arrive；　then　the　search　should　be　immediately　begun。　He　was　impatient　to　be　about　it。　To　amuse　himself　he　would　visit　the　sacred　places　in　the　vicinity。　The　secret；　we　may　be　sure；　weighed　heavily　on　the　woman；　but　she　held　her　peace。

When　he　was　gone　she　busied　herself　in　the　preparation　of　things　good　to　eat；　applying　her　utmost　skill　to　the　work。　At　the　approach　of　day；　as　signalled　by　the　stars；　she　filled　the　basket；　selected　a　jar；　and　took　the　road　to　En…rogel；　going　out　by　the　Fish　Gate　which　was　earliest　open；　and　arriving　as　we　have　seen。

Shortly　after　sunrise；　when　business　at　the　well　was　most　pressing；　and　the　drawer　of　water　most　hurried；　when；　in　fact；　half　a　dozen　buckets　were　in　use　at　the　same　time；　everybody　making　haste　to　get　away　before　the　cool　of　the　morning　melted　into　the　heat　of　the　day；　the　tenantry　of　the　hill　began　to　appear　and　move　about　the　doors　of　their　tombs。　Somewhat　later　they　were　discernible　in　groups；　of　which　not　a　few　were　children　so　young　that　they　suggested　the　holiest　relation。　Numbers　came　momentarily　around　the　turn　of　the　bluffwomen　with　jars　upon　their　shoulders；　old　and　very　feeble　men　hobbling　along　on　staffs　and　crutches。　Some　leaned　upon　the　shoulders　of　othe