ben-hur- 第98部分

He　stroked　the　broad　forehead　of　the　horse；　now　in　his　prime　of　strength　and　beauty；　then　crossed　the　road　towards　the　two　women。

They　were　to　him；　it　should　be　borne　in　mind；　strangers　in　whom　he　felt　interest　only　as　they　were　subjects　of　a　superhuman　experiment；　the　result　of　which　might　possibly　help　him　to　solution　of　the　mystery　that　had　so　long　engaged　him。　As　he　proceeded；　he　glanced　casually　at　the　figure　of　the　little　woman　over　by　the　white　rock；　standing　there；　her　face　hidden　in　her　hands。

〃As　the　Lord　liveth；　it　is　Amrah！〃　he　said　to　himself。

He　hurried　on；　and　passing　by　the　mother　and　daughter；　still　without　recognizing　them；　he　stopped　before　the　servant。

〃Amrah；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃Amrah；　what　do　you　here？〃

She　rushed　forward；　and　fell　upon　her　knees　before　him；　blinded　by　her　tears；　nigh　speechless　with　contending　joy　and　fear。

〃O　master；　master！　Thy　God　and　mine；　how　good　he　is！〃

The　knowledge　we　gain　from　much　sympathy　with　others　passing　through　trials　is　but　vaguely　understood；　strangely　enough；　it　enables　us；　among　other　things；　to　merge　our　identity　into　theirs　often　so　completely　that　their　sorrows　and　their　delights　become　our　own。　So　poor　Amrah；　aloof　and　hiding　her　face；　knew　the　transformation　the　lepers　were　undergoing　without　a　word　spoken　to　herknew　it；　and　shared　all　their　feeling　to　the　full。　Her　countenance；　her　words；　her　whole　manner；　betrayed　her　condition；　and　with　swift　presentiment　he　connected　it　with　the　women　he　had　just　passed：　he　felt　her　presence　there　at　that　time　was　in　some　way　associated　with　them；　and　turned　hastily　as　they　arose　to　their　feet。　His　heart　stood　still；　he　became　rooted　in　his　tracksdumb　past　outcryawe…struck。

The　woman　he　had　seen　before　the　Nazarene　was　standing　with　her　hands　clasped　and　eyes　streaming；　looking　towards　heaven。　The　mere　transformation　would　have　been　a　sufficient　surprise；　but　it　was　the　least　of　the　causes　of　his　emotion。　Could　he　be　mistaken？　Never　was　there　in　life　a　stranger　so　like　his　mother；　and　like　her　as　she　was　the　day　the　Roman　snatched　her　from　him。　There　was　but　one　difference　to　mar　the　identitythe　hair　of　this　person　was　a　little　streaked　with　gray；　yet　that　was　not　impossible　of　reconcilement；　since　the　intelligence　which　had　directed　the　miracle　might　have　taken　into　consideration　the　natural　effects　of　the　passage　of　years。　And　who　was　it　by　her　side；　if　not　Tirzah？fair；　beautiful；　perfect；　more　mature；　but　in　all　other　respects　exactly　the　same　in　appearance　as　when　she　looked　with　him　over　the　parapet　the　morning　of　the　accident　to　Gratus。　He　had　given　them　over　as　dead；　and　time　had　accustomed　him　to　the　bereavement；　he　had　not　ceased　mourning　for　them；　yet；　as　something　distinguishable；　they　had　simply　dropped　out　of　his　plans　and　dreams。　Scarcely　believing　his　senses；　he　laid　his　hand　upon　the　servant's　head；　and　asked；　tremulously；

〃Amrah；　Amrahmy　mother！　Tirzah！　tell　me　if　I　see　aright。〃

〃Speak　to　them；　O　master；　speak　to　them！〃　she　said。

He　waited　no　longer；　but　ran；　with　outstretched　arms；　crying；　〃Mother！　mother！　Tirzah！　Here　I　am！〃

They　heard　his　call；　and　with　a　cry　as　loving　started　to　meet　him。　Suddenly　the　mother　stopped；　drew　back；　and　uttered　the　old　alarm；

〃Stay；　Judah；　my　son；　come　not　nearer。　Unclean；　unclean！〃

The　utterance　was　not　from　habit；　grown　since　the　dread　disease　struck　her；　as　much　as　fear；　and　the　fear　was　but　another　form　of　the　ever…thoughtful　maternal　love。　Though　they　were　healed　in　person；　the　taint　of　the　scourge　might　be　in　their　garments　ready　for　communication。　He　had　no　such　thought。　They　were　before　him；　he　had　called　them；　they　had　answered。　Who　or　what　should　keep　them　from　him　now？　Next　moment　the　three；　so　long　separated；　were　mingling　their　tears　in　each　other's　arms。

The　first　ecstasy　over；　the　mother　said；　〃In　this　happiness；　O　my　children；　let　us　not　be　ungrateful。　Let　us　begin　life　anew　by　acknowledgment　of　him　to　whom　we　are　all　so　indebted。〃

They　fell　upon　their　knees；　Amrah　with　the　rest；　and　the　prayer　of　the　elder　outspoken　was　as　a　psalm。

Tirzah　repeated　it　word　for　word；　so　did　Ben…Hur；　but　not　with　the　same　clear　mind　and　questionless　faith；　for　when　they　were　risen；　he　asked；

〃In　Nazareth；　where　the　man　was　born；　mother；　they　call　him　the　son　of　a　carpenter。　What　is　he？〃

Her　eyes　rested　upon　him　with　all　their　old　tenderness；　and　she　answered　as　she　had　answered　the　Nazarene　himself

〃He　is　the　Messiah。〃

〃And　whence　has　he　his　power？〃

〃We　may　know　by　the　use　he　makes　of　it。　Can　you　tell　me　any　ill　he　has　done？〃

〃No。〃

〃By　that　sign　then　I　answer；　He　has　his　power　from　God。〃

It　is　not　an　easy　thing　to　shake　off　in　a　moment　the　expectations　nurtured　through　years　until　they　have　become　essentially　a　part　of　us；　and　though　Ben…Hur　asked　himself　what　the　vanities　of　the　world　were　to　such　a　one；　his　ambition　was　obdurate　and　would　not　down。　He　persisted　as　men　do　yet　every　day　in　measuring　the　Christ　by　himself。　How　much　better　if　we　measured　ourselves　by　the　Christ！

Naturally；　the　mother　was　the　first　to　think　of　the　cares　of　life。

〃What　shall　we　do　now；　my　son？　Where　shall　we　go？〃

Then　Ben…Hur；　recalled　to　duty；　observed　how　completely　every　trace　of　the　scourge　had　disappeared　from　his　restored　people；　that　each　had　back　her　perfection　of　person；　that；　as　with　Naaman　when　he　came　up　out　of　the　water；　their　flesh　had　come　again　like　unto　the　flesh　of　a　little　child；　and　he　took　off　his　cloak；　and　threw　it　over　Tirzah。

〃Take　it；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃the　eye　of　the　stranger　would　have　shunned　you　before；　now　it　shall　not　offend　you。〃

The　act　exposed　a　sword　belted　to　his　side。

〃Is　it　a　time　of　war？〃　asked　the　mother；　anxiously。

〃No。〃

〃Why；　then；　are　you　armed？〃

〃It　may　be　necessary　to　defend　the　Nazarene。〃

Thus　Ben…Hur　evaded　the　whole　truth。

〃Has　he　enemies？　Who　are　they？〃

〃Alas；　mother；　they　are　not　all　Romans！〃

〃Is　he　not　of　Israel；　and　a　man　of　peace？〃

〃There　was　never　one　more　so；　but　in　the　opinion　of　the　rabbis　and　teachers　he　is　guilty　of　a　great　crime。〃

〃What　crime？〃

〃In　his　eyes　the　uncircumcised　Gentile　is　as　worthy　favor　as　a　Jew　of　the　strictest　habit。　He　preaches　a　new　dispensation。〃

The　mother　was　silent；　and　they　moved　to　the　shade　of　the　tree　by　the　rock。　Calming　his　impatience　to　have　them　home　again　and　hear　their　story；　he　showed　them　the　necessity　of　obedience　to　the　law　governing　in　cases　like　theirs；　and　in　conclusion　called　the　Arab；　bidding　him　take　the　horses　to　the　gate　by　Bethesda　and　await　him　there；　whereupon　they　set　out　by　the　way　of　the　Mount　of　Offence。　The　return　was　very　different　from　the　coming；　they　walked　rapidly　and　with　ease；　and　in　good　time　reached　a　tomb　newly　made　near　that　of　Absalom；　overlooking　the　depths　of　Cedron。　Finding　it　unoccupied；　the　women　took　possession；　while　he　went　on　hastily　to　make　the　preparations　required　for　their　new　condition。




CHAPTER　V



Ben…Hur　pitched　two　tents　out　on　the　Upper　Cedron　east　a　short　space　of　the　Tombs　of　the　Kings；　and　furnished　them　with　every　comfort　at　his　command；　and　thither；　without　loss　of　time；　he　conducted　his　mother　and　sister；　to　remain　until　the　examining　priest　could　certify　their　perfect　cleansing。

In　course　of　the　duty；　the　young　man　had　subjected　himself　to　such　serious　defilement　as　to　debar　him　from　participation　in　the　ceremonies　of　the　great　feast；　then　near　at　hand。　He　could　not　enter　the　least　sacred　of　the　courts　of　the　Temple。　Of　necessity；　not　less　than　choice；　therefore；　he　stayed　at　the　tents　with　his　beloved　people。　There　was　a　great　deal　to　hear　from　them；　and　a　great　deal　to　tell　them　of　himself。

Stories　such　as　theirssad　experiences　extending　through　a　lapse　of　years；　sufferings　of　body；　acuter　sufferings　of　mindare　usually　long　in　the　telling；　the　incidents　seldom　following　each　other　in　threaded　connection。　He　listened　to　the　narrative　and　all　they　told　him；　with　outward　patience　masking　inward　feeling。　In　fact；　his　hatred　of　Rome　and　Romans　reached　a　higher　mark　than　ever；　his　desire　for　vengeance　became　a　thirst　which　attempts　at　reflection　only　intensified。　In　the　almost　savage　bitterness　of　his　humor　many　mad　impulses　took　hold　of　him。　The　opportunities　of　the　highways　presented　themselves　with　singular　force　of　temptation；　he　thought　seriously　of　insurrection　in　Galilee；　even　the　sea；　ordinarily　a　retrospective　horror　to　him；　stretched　itself　map…like　before　his　fancy；　laced　and　interlaced　with　lines　of　passage　crowded　with　imperial　plunder　and　imperial　travellers；　but　the　better　judgment　matured　in　calmer　hours　was　happily　too　firmly　fixed　to　be　supplanted　by　present　passion　however　strong。　Each　mental　venture　in　reach　of　new　expedients　brought　him　back　to　the　old　conclusionthat　there　could　be　no　sound　success　except　in　a　war　involving　all　Israel　in　solid　union；　and　all　musing　upon　the　subject；　all　inquiry；　all　hope；　ended　where　they　beganin　the　Nazarene　and　his　purposes。

At　odd　moments　the　excited　schemer　found　a　pleasure　in　fashioning　a　speech　for　that　person：

〃Hear；　O　Israel！　I　am　he；　the　promised　of　God；　born　King　of　the　Jewscome　to　you　with　the　dominion　spoken　of　by　the　prophets。　Rise　now；　and　lay　hold　on　the　world！〃

Would　the　Nazarene　but　speak　these　few　words；　what　a　tumult　would　follow！　How　many　mouths　performing　the　office　of　trumpets　would　take　them　up　and　blow　them　abroad　for　the　massing　of　armies！

Would　he　speak　them？

And　eager　to　begin　the　work；　and　answering　in　the　worldly　way；　Ben…Hur　lost　sight　of　the　double　nature　of　the　man；　and　of　the　other　possibility；　that　the　divine　in　him　might　transcend　the　human。　In　the　miracle　of　which　Tirzah　and　his　mother　were　the　witnesses　even　more　nearly　than　himself；　he　saw　and　set　apart　and　dwelt　upon　a　power　ample　enough　to　raise　and　support　a　Jewish　crown　over　the　wrecks　of　the　Italian；　and　more　than　ample　to　remodel　society；　and　convert　mankind　into　one　purified　happy　family；　and　when　that　work　was　done；　could　any　one　say　the　peace　which　might　then　be　ordered　without　hindrance　was　not　a　mission　worthy　a　son　of　God？　Could　any　one　then　deny　the　Redeemership　of　the　Christ？　And　discarding　all　consideration　of　political　consequences；　what　unspeakable　perso