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　and　debated　what　they　saw。　〃The　moon　is　at　its　full；〃　they　said；　with　truth；　〃and　this　cannot　be　an　eclipse。〃　Then；　as　no　one　could　answer　the　question　common　with　them　allas　no　one　could　account　for　the　darkness；　or　for　its　occurrence　at　that　particular　time；　in　their　secret　hearts　they　associated　it　with　the　Nazarene；　and　yielded　to　an　alarm　which　the　long　continuance　of　the　phenomenon　steadily　increased。　In　their　place　behind　the　soldiers；　they　noted　every　word　and　motion　of　the　Nazarene；　and　hung　with　fear　upon　his　sighs；　and　talked　in　whispers。　The　man　might　be　the　Messiah；　and　then　But　they　would　wait　and　see！

In　the　meantime　Ben…Hur　was　not　once　visited　by　the　old　spirit。　The　perfect　peace　abode　with　him。　He　prayed　simply　that　the　end　might　be　hastened。　He　knew　the　condition　of　Simonides'　mindthat　he　was　hesitating　on　the　verge　of　belief。　He　could　see　the　massive　face　weighed　down　by　solemn　reflection。　He　noticed　him　casting　inquiring　glances　at　the　sun；　as　seeking　the　cause　of　the　darkness。　Nor　did　he　fail　to　notice　the　solicitude　with　which　Esther　clung　to　him；　smothering　her　fears　to　accommodate　his　wishes。

〃Be　not　afraid；〃　he　heard　him　say　to　her；　〃but　stay　and　watch　with　me。　Thou　mayst　live　twice　the　span　of　my　life；　and　see　nothing　of　human　interest　equal　to　this；　and　there　may　be　revelations　more。　Let　us　stay　to　the　close。〃

When　the　third　hour　was　about　half　gone；　some　men　of　the　rudest　classwretches　from　the　tombs　about　the　citycame　and　stopped　in　front　of　the　centre　cross。

〃This　is　he；　the　new　King　of　the　Jews；〃　said　one　of　them。

The　others　cried；　with　laughter；　〃Hail；　all　hail；　King　of　the　Jews！〃

Receiving　no　reply；　they　went　closer。

〃If　thou　be　King　of　the　Jews；　or　Son　of　God；　come　down；〃　they　said；　loudly。

At　this；　one　of　the　thieves　quit　groaning；　and　called　to　the　Nazarene；　〃Yes；　if　thou　be　Christ；　save　thyself　and　us。〃

The　people　laughed　and　applauded；　then；　while　they　were　listening　for　a　reply；　the　other　felon　was　heard　to　say　to　the　first　one；　〃Dost　thou　not　fear　God？　We　receive　the　due　rewards　of　our　deeds；　but　this　man　hath　done　nothing　amiss。〃

The　bystanders　were　astonished；　in　the　midst　of　the　hush　which　ensued；　the　second　felon　spoke　again；　but　this　time　to　the　Nazarene：

〃Lord；〃　he　said；　〃remember　me　when　thou　comest　into　thy　kingdom。〃

Simonides　gave　a　great　start。　〃When　thou　comest　into　thy　kingdom！〃　It　was　the　very　point　of　doubt　in　his　mind；　the　point　he　had　so　often　debated　with　Balthasar。

〃Didst　thou　hear？〃　said　Ben…Hur　to　him。　〃The　kingdom　cannot　be　of　this　world。　Yon　witness　saith　the　King　is　but　going　to　his　kingdom；　and；　in　effect；　I　heard　the　same　in　my　dream。〃

〃Hush！〃　said　Simonides；　more　imperiously　than　ever　before　in　speech　to　Ben…Hur。　〃Hush；　I　pray　thee！　If　the　Nazarene　should　answer〃

And　as　he　spoke　the　Nazarene　did　answer；　in　a　clear　voice；　full　of　confidence：

〃Verily　I　say　unto　thee；　To…day　shalt　thou　be　with　me　in　Paradise！〃

Simonides　waited　to　hear　if　that　were　all；　then　he　folded　his　hands　and　said；　〃No　more；　no　more；　Lord！　The　darkness　is　gone；　I　see　with　other　eyeseven　as　Balthasar；　I　see　with　eyes　of　perfect　faith。〃

The　faithful　servant　had　at　last　his　fitting　reward。　His　broken　body　might　never　be　restored；　nor　was　there　riddance　of　the　recollection　of　his　sufferings；　or　recall　of　the　years　embittered　by　them；　but　suddenly　a　new　life　was　shown　him；　with　assurance　that　it　was　for　hima　new　life　lying　just　beyond　this　oneand　its　name　was　Paradise。　There　he　would　find　the　Kingdom　of　which　he　had　been　dreaming；　and　the　King。　A　perfect　peace　fell　upon　him。

Over　the　way；　in　front　of　the　cross；　however；　there　were　surprise　and　consternation。　The　cunning　casuists　there　put　the　assumption　underlying　the　question　and　the　admission　underlying　the　answer　together。　For　saying　through　the　land　that　he　was　the　Messiah；　they　had　brought　the　Nazarene　to　the　cross；　and；　lo！　on　the　cross；　more　confidently　than　ever；　he　had　not　only　reasserted　himself；　but　promised　enjoyment　of　his　Paradise　to　a　malefactor。　They　trembled　at　what　they　were　doing。　The　pontiff；　with　all　his　pride；　was　afraid。　Where　got　the　man　his　confidence　except　from　Truth？　And　what　should　the　Truth　be　but　God？　A　very　little　now　would　put　them　all　to　flight。

The　breaching　of　the　Nazarene　grew　harder；　his　sighs　became　great　gasps。　Only　three　hours　upon　the　cross；　and　he　was　dying！

The　intelligence　was　carried　from　man　to　man；　until　every　one　knew　it；　and　then　everything　hushed；　the　breeze　faltered　and　died；　a　stifling　vapor　loaded　the　air；　heat　was　superadded　to　darkness；　nor　might　any　one　unknowing　the　fact　have　thought　that　off　the　hill；　out　under　the　overhanging　pall；　there　were　three　millions　of　people　waiting　awe…struck　what　should　happen　nextthey　were　so　still！

Then　there　went　out　through　the　gloom；　over　the　heads　of　such　as　were　on　the　hill　within　hearing　of　the　dying　man；　a　cry　of　despair；　if　not　reproach：

〃My　God！　my　God！　why　hast　thou　forsaken　me？〃

The　voice　startled　all　who　heard　it。　One　it　touched　uncontrollably。

The　soldiers　in　coming　had　brought　with　them　a　vessel　of　wine　and　water；　and　set　it　down　a　little　way　from　Ben…Hur。　With　a　sponge　dipped　into　the　liquor；　and　put　on　the　end　of　a　stick；　they　could　moisten　the　tongue　of　a　sufferer　at　their　pleasure。　Ben…Hur　thought　of　the　draught　he　had　had　at　the　well　near　Nazareth；　an　impulse　seized　him；　catching　up　the　sponge；　he　dipped　it　into　the　vessel；　and　started　for　the　cross。

〃Let　him　be！〃　the　people　in　the　way　shouted；　angrily。　〃Let　him　be！〃

Without　minding　them；　he　ran　on；　and　put　the　sponge　to　the　Nazarene's　lips。

Too　late；　too　late！

The　face　then　plainly　seen　by　Ben…Hur；　bruised　and　black　with　blood　and　dust　as　it　was；　lighted　nevertheless　with　a　sudden　glow；　the　eyes　opened　wide；　and　fixed　upon　some　one　visible　to　them　alone　in　the　far　heavens；　and　there　were　content　and　relief；　even　triumph；　in　the　shout　the　victim　gave。

〃It　is　finished！　It　is　finished！〃

So　a　hero；　dying　in　the　doing　a　great　deed；　celebrates　his　success　with　a　last　cheer。

The　light　in　the　eyes　went　out；　slowly　the　crowned　head　sank　upon　the　laboring　breast。　Ben…Hur　thought　the　struggle　over；　but　the　fainting　soul　recollected　itself；　so　that　he　and　those　around　him　caught　the　other　and　last　words；　spoken　in　a　low　voice；　as　if　to　one　listening　close　by：

〃Father；　into　thy　hands　I　commend　my　spirit。〃

A　tremor　shook　the　tortured　body；　there　was　a　scream　of　fiercest　anguish；　and　the　mission　and　the　earthly　life　were　over　at　once。　The　heart；　with　all　its　love；　was　broken；　for　of　that；　O　reader；　the　man　died！

Ben…Hur　went　back　to　his　friends；　saying；　simply；　〃It　is　over；　he　is　dead。〃

In　a　space　incredibly　short　the　multitude　was　informed　of　the　circumstance。　No　one　repeated　it　aloud；　there　was　a　murmur　which　spread　from　the　knoll　in　every　direction；　a　murmur　that　was　little　more　than　a　whispering；　〃He　is　dead！　he　is　dead！〃　and　that　was　all。　The　people　had　their　wish；　the　Nazarene　was　dead；　yet　they　stared　at　each　other　aghast。　His　blood　was　upon　them！　And　while　they　stood　staring　at　each　other；　the　ground　commenced　to　shake；　each　man　took　hold　of　his　neighbor　to　support　himself；　in　a　twinkling　the　darkness　disappeared；　and　the　sun　came　out；　and　everybody；　as　with　the　same　glance；　beheld　the　crosses　upon　the　hill　all　reeling　drunken…like　in　the　earthquake。　They　beheld　all　three　of　them；　but　the　one　in　the　centre　was　arbitrary；　it　alone　would　be　seen；　and　for　that　it　seemed　to　extend　itself　upwards；　and　lift　its　burden；　and　swing　it　to　and　fro　higher　and　higher　in　the　blue　of　the　sky。　And　every　man　among　them　who　had　jeered　at　the　Nazarene；　every　one　who　had　struck　him；　every　one　who　had　voted　to　crucify　him；　every　one　who　had　marched　in　the　procession　from　the　city；　every　one　who　had　in　his　heart　wished　him　dead；　and　they　were　as　ten　to　one；　felt　that　he　was　in　some　way　individually　singled　out　from　the　many；　and　that　if　he　would　live　he　must　get　away　quickly　as　possible　from　that　menace　in　the　sky。　They　started　to　run；　they　ran　with　all　their　might；　on　horseback；　and　camels；　and　in　chariots　they　ran；　as　well　as　on　foot；　but　then　as　if　it　were　mad　at　them　for　what　they　had　done；　and　had　taken　up　the　cause　of　the　unoffending　and　friendless　dead；　the　earthquake　pursued　them；　and　tossed　them　about；　and　flung　them　down；　and　terrified　them　yet　more　by　the　horrible　noise　of　great　rocks　grinding　and　rending　beneath　them。　They　beat　their　breasts　and　shrieked　with　fear。　His　blood　was　upon　them！　The　home…bred　and　the　foreign；　priest　and　layman；　beggar；　Sadducee；　Pharisee；　were　overtaken　in　the　race；　and　tumbled　about　indiscriminately。　If　they　called　on　the　Lord；　the　outraged　earth　answered　for　him　in　fury；　and　dealt　them　all　alike。　It　did　not　even　know　wherein　the　high…priest　was　better　than　his　guilty　brethren；　overtaking　him；　it　tripped　him　up　also；　and　smirched　the　fringimg　of　his　robe；　and　filled　the　golden　bells　with　sand；　and　his　mouth　with　dust。　He　and　his　people　were　alike　in　the　one　thing　at　leastthe　blood　of　the　Nazarene　was　upon　them　all！

When　the　sunlight　broke　upon　the　crucifixion；　the　mother　of　the　Nazarene；　the　disciple；　and　the　faithful　women　of　Galilee；　the　centurion　and　his　soldiers；　and　Ben…Hur　and　his　party；　were　all　who　remained　upon　the　hill。　These　had　not　time　to　observe　the　flight　of　the　multitude；　they　were　too　loudly　called　upon　to　take　care　of　themselves。

〃Seat　thyself　here；〃　said　Ben…Hur　to　Esther；　making　a　place　for　her　at　her　father's　feet。　〃Now　cover　thine　eyes　and　look　not　up；　but　put　thy　trust　in　God；　and　the　spirit　of　yon　just　man　so　foully　slain。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Simonides；　reverently；　〃let　us　henceforth　speak　of　him　as　the　Christ。〃

〃Be　it　so；〃　said　Ben…Hur。

Presently　a　wave　of　the　earthquake　struck　the　hill。　The　shrieks　of　the　thieves　upon　the　reeling　crosses　were　terrible　to　hear。　Though　giddy　with　the　movements　of　the　ground；　Ben…Hur　had　time　to　look　at　Balthasar；　and　beheld　him　prostrate　and　still。　He　ran　to　him　and　calledthere　was　no　reply。　The　good　man　was　dead！　Then　Ben…Hur　remembered　to　have　heard　a　cry　in　answer；　as　it　were；　to　the　scream　of　the　Nazarene　in　his　last　moment；　but　he　had　not　looked　to　see　from　whom　it　had　proceeded；　and　ever　after　he　believed　the　spirit