ben-hur-第34部分

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at　became　of　them　will　not　speak。　They　died　doubtless　in　the　cells　of　one　of　the　castles　which　spot　the　waysides　of　Judea。〃

Judah　walked　to　the　pilot's　quarter。　So　absorbed　was　he　in　thought　that　he　scarcely　noticed　the　shores　of　the　river；　which　from　sea　to　city　were　surpassingly　beautiful　with　orchards　of　all　the　Syrian　fruits　and　vines；　clustered　about　villas　rich　as　those　of　Neapolis。　No　more　did　he　observe　the　vessels　passing　in　an　endless　fleet；　nor　hear　the　singing　and　shouting　of　the　sailors；　some　in　labor；　some　in　merriment。　The　sky　was　full　of　sunlight；　lying　in　hazy　warmth　upon　the　land　and　the　water；　nowhere　except　over　his　life　was　there　a　shadow。

Once　only　he　awoke　to　a　momentary　interest；　and　that　was　when　some　one　pointed　out　the　Grove　of　Daphne；　discernible　from　a　bend　in　the　river。




CHAPTER　II



When　the　city　came　into　view；　the　passengers　were　on　deck；　eager　that　nothing　of　the　scene　might　escape　them。　The　respectable　Jew　already　introduced　to　the　reader　was　the　principal　spokesman。

〃The　river　here　runs　to　the　west；〃　he　said；　in　the　way　of　general　answer。　〃I　remember　when　it　washed　the　base　of　the　walls；　but　as　Roman　subjects　we　have　lived　in　peace；　and；　as　always　happens　in　such　times；　trade　has　had　its　will；　now　the　whole　river　front　is　taken　up　with　wharves　and　docks。　Yonder〃the　speaker　pointed　southward〃is　Mount　Casius；　or；　as　these　people　love　to　call　it；　the　Mountains　of　Orontes；　looking　across　to　its　brother　Amnus　in　the　north；　and　between　them　lies　the　Plain　of　Antioch。　Farther　on　are　the　Black　Mountains；　whence　the　Ducts　of　the　Kings　bring　the　purest　water　to　wash　the　thirsty　streets　and　people；　yet　they　are　forests　in　wilderness　state；　dense；　and　full　of　birds　and　beasts。〃

〃Where　is　the　lake？〃　one　asked。

〃Over　north　there。　You　can　take　horse；　if　you　wish　to　see　itor；　better；　a　boat；　for　a　tributary　connects　it　with　the　river。〃

〃The　Grove　of　Daphne！〃　he　said；　to　a　third　inquirer。　〃Nobody　can　describe　it；　only　beware！　It　was　begun　by　Apollo；　and　completed　by　him。　He　prefers　it　to　Olympus。　People　go　there　for　one　look　just　oneand　never　come　away。　They　have　a　saying　which　tells　it　all'Better　be　a　worm　and　feed　on　the　mulberries　of　Daphne　than　a　king's　guest。'〃

〃Then　you　advise　me　to　stay　away　from　it？〃

〃Not　I！　Go　you　will。　Everybody　goes；　cynic　philosopher；　virile　boy；　women；　and　priestsall　go。　So　sure　am　I　of　what　you　will　do　that　I　assume　to　advise　you。　Do　not　take　quarters　in　the　city　that　will　be　loss　of　time；　but　go　at　once　to　the　village　in　the　edge　of　the　grove。　The　way　is　through　a　garden；　under　the　spray　of　fountains。　The　lovers　of　the　god　and　his　Penaean　maid　built　the　town；　and　in　its　porticos　and　paths　and　thousand　retreats　you　will　find　characters　and　habits　and　sweets　and　kinds　elsewhere　impossible。　But　the　wall　of　the　city！　there　it　is；　the　masterpiece　of　Xeraeus；　the　master　of　mural　architecture。〃

All　eyes　followed　his　pointing　finger。

〃This　part　was　raised　by　order　of　the　first　of　the　Seleucidae。　Three　hundred　years　have　made　it　part　of　the　rock　it　rests　upon。〃

The　defense　justified　the　encomium。　High；　solid；　and　with　many　bold　angles；　it　curved　southwardly　out　of　view。

〃On　the　top　there　are　four　hundred　towers；　each　a　reservoir　of　water；〃　the　Hebrew　continued。　〃Look　now！　Over　the　wall；　tall　as　it　is；　see　in　the　distance　two　hills；　which　you　may　know　as　the　rival　crests　of　Sulpius。　The　structure　on　the　farthest　one　is　the　citadel；　garrisoned　all　the　year　round　by　a　Roman　legion。　Opposite　it　this　way　rises　the　Temple　of　Jupiter；　and　under　that　the　front　of　the　legate's　residencea　palace　full　of　offices；　and　yet　a　fortress　against　which　a　mob　would　dash　harmlessly　as　a　south　wind。〃

At　this　point　the　sailors　began　taking　in　sail；　whereupon　the　Hebrew　exclaimed；　heartily；　〃See！　you　who　hate　the　sea；　and　you　who　have　vows；　get　ready　your　curses　and　your　prayers。　The　bridge　yonder；　over　which　the　road　to　Seleucia　is　carried；　marks　the　limit　of　navigation。　What　the　ship　unloads　for　further　transit；　the　camel　takes　up　there。　Above　the　bridge　begins　the　island　upon　which　Calinicus　built　his　new　city；　connecting　it　with　five　great　viaducts　so　solid　time　has　made　no　impression　upon　them；　nor　floods　nor　earthquakes。　Of　the　main　town；　my　friends；　I　have　only　to　say　you　will　be　happier　all　your　lives　for　having　seen　it。〃

As　he　concluded；　the　ship　turned　and　made　slowly　for　her　wharf　under　the　wall；　bringing　even　more　fairly　to　view　the　life　with　which　the　river　at　that　point　was　possessed。　Finally；　the　lines　were　thrown；　the　oars　shipped；　and　the　voyage　was　done。　Then　Ben…Hur　sought　the　respectable　Hebrew。

〃Let　me　trouble　you　a　moment　before　saying　farewell。〃

The　man　bowed　assent。

〃Your　story　of　the　merchant　has　made　me　curious　to　see　him。　You　called　him　Simonides？〃

〃Yes。　He　is　a　Jew　with　a　Greek　name。〃

〃Where　is　he　to　be　found？〃

The　acquaintance　gave　a　sharp　look　before　he　answered；

〃I　may　save　you　mortification。　He　is　not　a　money…lender。〃

〃Nor　am　I　a　money…borrower；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　smiling　at　the　other's　shrewdness。

The　man　raised　his　head　and　considered　an　instant。

〃One　would　think；〃　he　then　replied；　〃that　the　richest　merchant　in　Antioch　would　have　a　house　for　business　corresponding　to　his　wealth；　but　if　you　would　find　him　in　the　day；　follow　the　river　to　yon　bridge；　under　which　he　quarters　in　a　building　that　looks　like　a　buttress　of　the　wall。　Before　the　door　there　is　an　immense　landing；　always　covered　with　cargoes　come　and　to　go。　The　fleet　that　lies　moored　there　is　his。　You　cannot　fail　to　find　him。〃

〃I　give　you　thanks。〃

〃The　peace　of　our　fathers　go　with　you。〃

〃And　with　you。〃

With　that　they　separated。

Two　street…porters；　loaded　with　his　baggage；　received　Ben…Hur's　orders　upon　the　wharf。

〃To　the　citadel；〃　he　said；　a　direction　which　implied　an　official　military　connection。

Two　great　streets；　cutting　each　other　at　right　angles；　divided　the　city　into　quarters。　A　curious　and　immense　structure；　called　the　Nymphaeum；　arose　at　the　foot　of　the　one　running　north　and　south。　When　the　porters　turned　south　there；　the　new…comer；　though　fresh　from　Rome；　was　amazed　at　the　magnificence　of　the　avenue。　On　the　right　and　left　there　were　palaces；　and　between　them　extended　indefinitely　double　colonnades　of　marble；　leaving　separate　ways　for　footmen；　beasts；　and　chariots；　the　whole　under　shade；　and　cooled　by　fountains　of　incessant　flow。

Ben…Hur　was　not　in　mood　to　enjoy　the　spectacle。　The　story　of　Simonides　haunted　him。　Arrived　at　the　Omphalusa　monument　of　four　arches　wide　as　the　streets；　superbly　illustrated；　and　erected　to　himself　by　Epiphanes；　the　eighth　of　the　Seleucidaehe　suddenly　changed　his　mind。

〃I　will　not　go　to　the　citadel　to…night；〃　he　said　to　the　porters。　〃Take　me　to　the　khan　nearest　the　bridge　on　the　road　to　Seleucia。〃

The　party　faced　about；　and　in　good　time　he　was　deposited　in　a　public　house　of　primitive　but　ample　construction；　within　stone's…throw　of　the　bridge　under　which　old　Simonides　had　his　quarters。　He　lay　upon　the　house…top　through　the　night。　In　his　inner　mind　lived　the　thought；　〃Nownow　I　will　hear　of　homeand　motherand　the　dear　little　Tirzah。　If　they　are　on　earth；　I　will　find　them。〃




CHAPTER　III



Next　day　early；　to　the　neglect　of　the　city；　Ben…Hur　sought　the　house　of　Simonides。　Through　an　embattled　gateway　he　passed　to　a　continuity　of　wharves；　thence　up　the　river　midst　a　busy　press；　to　the　Seleucian　Bridge；　under　which　he　paused　to　take　in　the　scene。

There；　directly　under　the　bridge；　was　the　merchant's　house；　a　mass　of　gray　stone；　unhewn；　referable　to　no　style；　looking；　as　the　voyager　had　described　it；　like　a　buttress　of　the　wall　against　which　it　leaned。　Two　immense　doors　in　front　communicated　with　the　wharf。　Some　holes　near　the　top；　heavily　barred；　served　as　windows。　Weeds　waved　from　the　crevices；　and　in　places　black　moss　splotched　the　otherwise　bald　stones。

The　doors　were　open。　Through　one　of　them　business　went　in；　through　the　other　it　came　out；　and　there　was　hurry；　hurry　in　all　its　movements。

On　the　wharf　there　were　piles　of　goods　in　every　kind　of　package；　and　groups　of　slaves；　stripped　to　the　waist；　going　about　in　the　abandon　of　labor。

Below　the　bridge　lay　a　fleet　of　galleys；　some　loading；　others　unloading。　A　yellow　flag　blew　out　from　each　masthead。　From　fleet　and　wharf；　and　from　ship　to　ship；　the　bondmen　of　traffic　passed　in　clamorous　counter…currents。

Above　the　bridge；　across　the　river；　a　wall　rose　from　the　water's　edge；　over　which　towered　the　fanciful　cornices　and　turrets　of　an　imperial　palace；　covering　every　foot　of　the　island　spoken　of　in　the　Hebrew's　description。　But；　with　all　its　suggestions；　Ben…Hur　scarcely　noticed　it。　Now；　at　last；　he　thought　to　hear　of　his　peoplethis；　certainly；　if　Simonides　had　indeed　been　his　father's　slave。　But　would　the　man　acknowledge　the　relation？　That　would　be　to　give　up　his　riches　and　the　sovereignty　of　trade　so　royally　witnessed　on　the　wharf　and　river。　And　what　was　of　still　greater　consequence　to　the　merchant；　it　would　be　to　forego　his　career　in　the　midst　of　amazing　success；　and　yield　himself　voluntarily　once　more　a　slave。　Simple　thought　of　the　demand　seemed　a　monstrous　audacity。　Stripped　of　diplomatic　address；　it　was　to　say；　You　are　my　slave；　give　me　all　you　have；　andyourself。

Yet　Ben…Hur　derived　strength　for　the　interview　from　faith　in　his　rights　and　the　hope　uppermost　in　his　heart。　If　the　story　to　which　he　was　yielding　were　true；　Simonides　belonged　to　him；　with　all　he　had。　For　the　wealth；　be　it　said　in　justice；　he　cared　nothing。　When　he　started　to　the　door　determined　in　mind；　it　was　with　a　promise　to　himself〃Let　him　tell　me　of　mother　and　Tirzah；　and　I　will　give　him　his　freedom　without　account。〃

He　passed　boldly　into　the　house。

The　interior　was　that　of　a　vast　depot　where；　in　ordered　spaces；　and　under　careful　arrangement；　goods　of　every　kind　were　heaped　and　pent。　Though　the　light　was　murky　and　the　air　stifling；　men　moved　about　briskly；　and　in　places　he　saw　workmen　with　saws　and　hammers　making　packages　for　shipments。　Down　a　path　between　the　piles　he　walked　slowly；　wondering　if　the　man　of　whose　genius　there　were　here　such　abounding　proofs　could　have　been　his　father's　slave？　If　so；　to　what　class　had　he　belonged？　If　a　Jew；　was　he　th