ben-hur-第19部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


veils　dimly　covering　Circean　singers；　but　they　are　far　off；　while　the　roof　is　close　by；　and　raised　above　the　level　of　the　shimmering　plain　enough　for　the　visitation　of　cool　airs；　and　sufficiently　above　the　trees　to　allure　the　stars　down　closer；　down　at　least　into　brighter　shining。　So　the　roof　became　a　resortbecame　playground；　sleeping…chamber；　boudoir；　rendezvous　for　the　family；　place　of　music；　dance；　conversation；　reverie；　and　prayer。

The　motive　that　prompts　the　decoration；　at　whatever　cost；　of　interiors　in　colder　climes　suggested　to　the　Oriental　the　embellishment　of　his　house…top。　The　parapet　ordered　by　Moses　became　a　potter's　triumph；　above　that；　later；　arose　towers；　plain　and　fantastic；　still　later；　kings　and　princes　crowned　their　roofs　with　summer…houses　of　marble　and　gold。　When　the　Babylonian　hung　gardens　in　the　air；　extravagance　could　push　the　idea　no　further。

The　lad　whom　we　are　following　walked　slowly　across　the　house…top　to　a　tower　built　over　the　northwest　corner　of　the　palace。　Had　he　been　a　stranger；　he　might　have　bestowed　a　glance　upon　the　structure　as　he　drew　nigh　it；　and　seen　all　the　dimness　permitteda　darkened　mass；　low；　latticed；　pillared；　and　domed。　He　entered；　passing　under　a　half…raised　curtain。　The　interior　was　all　darkness；　except　that　on　four　sides　there　were　arched　openings　like　doorways；　through　which　the　sky；　lighted　with　stars；　was　visible。　In　one　of　the　openings；　reclining　against　a　cushion　from　a　divan；　he　saw　the　figure　of　a　woman；　indistinct　even　in　white　floating　drapery。　At　the　sound　of　his　steps　upon　the　floor；　the　fan　in　her　hand　stopped；　glistening　where　the　starlight　struck　the　jewels　with　which　it　was　sprinkled；　and　she　sat　up；　and　called　his　name。

〃Judah；　my　son！〃

〃It　is　I；　mother；〃　he　answered；　quickening　his　approach。

Going　to　her；　he　knelt；　and　she　put　her　arms　around　him；　and　with　kisses　pressed　him　to　her　bosom。




CHAPTER　IV



The　mother　resumed　her　easy　position　against　the　cushion；　while　the　son　took　place　on　the　divan；　his　head　in　her　lap。　Both　of　them；　looking　out　of　the　opening；　could　see　a　stretch　of　lower　house…tops　in　the　vicinity；　a　bank　of　blue…blackness　over　in　the　west　which　they　knew　to　be　mountains；　and　the　sky；　its　shadowy　depths　brilliant　with　stars。　The　city　was　still。　Only　the　winds　stirred。

〃Amrah　tells　me　something　has　happened　to　you；〃　she　said；　caressing　his　cheek。　〃When　my　Judah　was　a　child；　I　allowed　small　things　to　trouble　him；　but　he　is　now　a　man。　He　must　not　forget〃　her　voice　became　very　soft〃that　one　day　he　is　to　be　my　hero。〃

She　spoke　in　the　language　almost　lost　in　the　land；　but　which　a　fewand　they　were　always　as　rich　in　blood　as　in　possessions　cherished　in　its　purity；　that　they　might　be　more　certainly　distinguished　from　Gentile　peoplesthe　language　in　which　the　loved　Rebekah　and　Rachel　sang　to　Benjamin。

The　words　appeared　to　set　him　thinking　anew；　after　a　while；　however；　he　caught　the　hand　with　which　she　fanned　him；　and　said；　〃Today；　O　my　mother；　I　have　been　made　to　think　of　many　things　that　never　had　place　in　my　mind　before。　Tell　me；　first；　what　am　I　to　be？〃

〃Have　I　not　told　you？　You　are　to　be　my　hero。〃

He　could　not　see　her　face；　yet　he　knew　she　was　in　play。　He　became　more　serious。

〃You　are　very　good；　very　kind；　O　my　mother。　No　one　will　ever　love　me　as　you　do。〃

He　kissed　the　hand　over　and　over　again。

〃I　think　I　understand　why　you　would　have　me　put　off　the　question；〃　he　continued。　〃Thus　far　my　life　has　belonged　to　you。　How　gentle；　how　sweet　your　control　has　been！　I　wish　it　could　last　forever。　But　that　may　not　be。　It　is　the　Lord's　will　that　I　shall　one　day　become　owner　of　myselfa　day　of　separation；　and　therefore　a　dreadful　day　to　you。　Let　us　be　brave　and　serious。　I　will　be　your　hero；　but　you　must　put　me　in　the　way。　You　know　the　lawevery　son　of　Israel　must　have　some　occupation。　I　am　not　exempt；　and　ask　now；　shall　I　tend　the　herds？　or　till　the　soil？　or　drive　the　saw？　or　be　a　clerk　or　lawyer？　What　shall　I　be？　Dear；　good　mother；　help　me　to　an　answer。〃

〃Gamaliel　has　been　lecturing　today；〃　she　said；　thoughtfully。

〃If　so；　I　did　not　hear　him。〃

〃Then　you　have　been　walking　with　Simeon；　who；　they　tell　me；　inherits　the　genius　of　his　family。〃

〃No；　I　have　not　seen　him。　I　have　been　up　on　the　Market…place；　not　to　the　Temple。　I　visited　the　young　Messala。〃

A　certain　change　in　his　voice　attracted　the　mother's　attention。　A　presentiment　quickened　the　beating　of　her　heart；　the　fan　became　motionless　again。

〃The　Messala！〃　she　said。　〃What　could　he　say　to　so　trouble　you？〃

〃He　is　very　much　changed。〃

〃You　mean　he　has　come　back　a　Roman。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Roman！〃　she　continued；　half　to　herself。　〃To　all　the　world　the　word　means　master。　How　long　has　he　been　away？〃

〃Five　years。〃

She　raised　her　head；　and　looked　off　into　the　night。

〃The　airs　of　the　Via　Sacra　are　well　enough　in　the　streets　of　the　Egyptian　and　in　Babylon；　but　in　Jerusalemour　Jerusalemthe　covenant　abides。〃

And；　full　of　the　thought；　she　settled　back　into　her　easy　place。　He　was　first　to　speak。

〃What　Messala　said；　my　mother；　was　sharp　enough　in　itself；　but；　taken　with　the　manner；　some　of　the　sayings　were　intolerable。〃

〃I　think　I　understand　you。　Rome；　her　poets；　orators；　senators；　courtiers；　are　mad　with　affectation　of　what　they　call　satire。〃

〃I　suppose　all　great　peoples　are　proud；〃　he　went　on；　scarcely　noticing　the　interruption；　〃but　the　pride　of　that　people　is　unlike　all　others；　in　these　latter　days　it　is　so　grown　the　gods　barely　escape　it。〃

〃The　gods　escape！〃　said　the　mother；　quickly。　〃More　than　one　Roman　has　accepted　worship　as　his　divine　right。〃

〃Well；　Messala　always　had　his　share　of　the　disagreeable　quality。　When　he　was　a　child；　I　have　seen　him　mock　strangers　whom　even　Herod　condescended　to　receive　with　honors；　yet　he　always　spared　Judea。　For　the　first　time；　in　conversation　with　me　to…day；　he　trifled　with　our　customs　and　God。　As　you　would　have　had　me　do；　I　parted　with　him　finally。　And　now；　O　my　dear　mother；　I　would　know　with　more　certainty　if　there　be　just　ground　for　the　Roman's　contempt。　In　what　am　I　his　inferior？　Is　ours　a　lower　order　of　people？　Why　should　I；　even　in　Caesar's　presence；　feel　the　shrinking　of　a　slave？　Tell　me　especially　why；　if　I　have　the　soul；　and　so　choose；　I　may　not　hunt　the　honors　of　the　world　in　all　its　fields？　Why　may　not　I　take　sword　and　indulge　the　passion　of　war？　As　a　poet；　why　may　not　I　sing　of　all　themes？　I　can　be　a　worker　in　metals；　a　keeper　of　flocks；　a　merchant；　why　not　an　artist　like　the　Greek？　Tell　me；　O　my　motherand　this　is　the　sum　of　my　troublewhy　may　not　a　son　of　Israel　do　all　a　Roman　may？〃

The　reader　will　refer　these　questions　back　to　the　conversation　in　the　Market…place；　the　mother；　listening　with　all　her　faculties　awake；　from　something　which　would　have　been　lost　upon　one　less　interested　in　himfrom　the　connections　of　the　subject；　the　pointing　of　the　questions；　possibly　his　accent　and　tonewas　not　less　swift　in　making　the　same　reference。　She　sat　up；　and　in　a　voice　quick　and　sharp　as　his　own；　replied；　〃I　see；　I　see！　From　association　Messala；　in　boyhood；　was　almost　a　Jew；　had　he　remained　here；　he　might　have　become　a　proselyte；　so　much　do　we　all　borrow　from　the　influences　that　ripen　our　lives；　but　the　years　in　Rome　have　been　too　much　for　him。　I　do　not　wonder　at　the　change；　yet〃her　voice　fell〃he　might　have　dealt　tenderly　at　least　with　you。　It　is　a　hard；　cruel　nature　which　in　youth　can　forget　its　first　loves。〃

Her　hand　dropped　lightly　upon　his　forehead；　and　the　fingers　caught　in　his　hair　and　lingered　there　lovingly；　while　her　eyes　sought　the　highest　stars　in　view。　Her　pride　responded　to　his；　not　merely　in　echo；　but　in　the　unison　of　perfect　sympathy。　She　would　answer　him；　at　the　same　time；　not　for　the　world　would　she　have　had　the　answer　unsatisfactory：　an　admission　of　inferiority　might　weaken　his　spirit　for　life。　She　faltered　with　misgivings　of　her　own　powers。

〃What　you　propose；　O　my　Judah；　is　not　a　subject　for　treatment　by　a　woman。　Let　me　put　its　consideration　off　till　to…morrow；　and　I　will　have　the　wise　Simeon〃

〃Do　not　send　me　to　the　Rector；〃　he　said；　abruptly。

〃I　will　have　him　come　to　us。〃

〃No；　I　seek　more　than　information；　while　he　might　give　me　that　better　than　you；　O　my　mother；　you　can　do　better　by　giving　me　what　he　cannotthe　resolution　which　is　the　soul　of　a　man's　soul。〃

She　swept　the　heavens　with　a　rapid　glance；　trying　to　compass　all　the　meaning　of　his　questions。

〃While　craving　justice　for　ourselves；　it　is　never　wise　to　be　unjust　to　others。　To　deny　valor　in　the　enemy　we　have　conquered　is　to　underrate　our　victory；　and　if　the　enemy　be　strong　enough　to　hold　us　at　bay；　much　more　to　conquer　us〃she　hesitated　〃self…respect　bids　us　seek　some　other　explanation　of　our　misfortunes　than　accusing　him　of　qualities　inferior　to　our　own。〃

Thus；　speaking　to　herself　rather　than　to　him；　she　began：

〃Take　heart；　O　my　son。　The　Messala　is　nobly　descended；　his　family　has　been　illustrious　through　many　generations。　In　the　days　of　Republican　Romehow　far　back　I　cannot　tellthey　were　famous；　some　as　soldiers；　some　as　civilians。　I　can　recall　but　one　consul　of　the　name；　their　rank　was　senatorial；　and　their　patronage　always　sought　because　they　were　always　rich。　Yet　if　to…day　your　friend　boasted　of　his　ancestry；　you　might　have　shamed　him　by　recounting　yours。　If　he　referred　to　the　ages　through　which　the　line　is　traceable；　or　to　deeds；　rank；　or　wealthsuch　allusions；　except　when　great　occasion　demands　them；　are　tokens　of　small　mindsif　he　mentioned　them　in　proof　of　his　superiority；　then　without　dread；　and　standing　on　each　particular；　you　might　have　challenged　him　to　a　comparison　of　records。〃

Taking　a　moment's　thought；　the　mother　proceeded：

〃One　of　the　ideas　of　fast　hold　now　is　that　time　has　much　to　do　with　the　nobility　of　races　and　families。　A　Roman　boasting　his　superiority　on　that　account　over　a　son　of　Israel　will　always　fail　when　put　to　the　proof。　The　founding　of　Rome　was　his　beginning；　the　very　best　of　them　cannot　trace　their　descent　beyond　that　period；　few　of　them　pretend　to　do　so；　and　of　such　as　do；　I　say　not　one　could　make　good　his　claim　except　by　resort　to　tradition。　Messala　certainly　could　not。　Let　us　look　now　to　ourselves。　Could　we　better？〃

A　little　more　light　would　have　enabled　him　to　see　the　prid