ben-hur-第58部分

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〃Arabs　seldom　are；〃　said　Malluch；　gravely。

〃Nay；　I　do　not　impeach　their　shrewdness；　Malluch。　It　is　well；　however；　to　look　after　them。　To　save　all　forfeit　or　hindrance　in　connection　with　the　race；　you　would　put　me　perfectly　at　rest　by　going　to　the　office　of　the　Circus；　and　seeing　that　he　has　complied　with　every　preliminary　rule；　and　if　you　can　get　a　copy　of　the　rules；　the　service　may　be　of　great　avail　to　me。　I　would　like　to　know　the　colors　I　am　to　wear；　and　particularly　the　number　of　the　crypt　I　am　to　occupy　at　the　starting；　if　it　be　next　Messala's　on　the　right　or　left；　it　is　well；　if　not；　and　you　can　have　it　changed　so　as　to　bring　me　next　the　Roman；　do　so。　Have　you　good　memory；　Malluch？〃

〃It　has　failed　me；　but　never；　son　of　Arrius；　where　the　heart　helped　it　as　now。〃

〃I　will　venture；　then；　to　charge　you　with　one　further　service。　I　saw　yesterday　that　Messala　was　proud　of　his　chariot；　as　he　might　be；　for　the　best　of　Caesar's　scarcely　surpass　it。　Can　you　not　make　its　display　an　excuse　which　will　enable　you　to　find　if　it　be　light　or　heavy？　I　would　like　to　have　its　exact　weight　and　measurementsand；　Malluch；　though　you　fail　in　all　else；　bring　me　exactly　the　height　his　axle　stands　above　the　ground。　You　understand；　Malluch？　I　do　not　wish　him　to　have　any　actual　advantage　of　me。　I　do　not　care　for　his　splendor；　if　I　beat　him；　it　will　make　his　fall　the　harder；　and　my　triumph　the　more　complete。　If　there　are　advantages　really　important；　I　want　them。〃

〃I　see；　I　see！〃　said　Malluch。　〃A　line　dropped　from　the　centre　of　the　axle　is　what　you　want。〃

〃Thou　hast　it；　and　be　glad；　Malluchit　is　the　last　of　my　commissions。　Let　us　return　to　the　dowar。〃

At　the　door　of　the　tent　they　found　a　servant　replenishing　the　smoke…stained　bottles　of　leben　freshly　made；　and　stopped　to　refresh　themselves。　Shortly　afterwards　Malluch　returned　to　the　city。

During　their　absence；　a　messenger　well　mounted　had　been　despatched　with　orders　as　suggested　by　Simonides。　He　was　an　Arab；　and　carried　nothing　written。




CHAPTER　III



〃Iras；　the　daughter　of　Balthasar；　sends　me　with　salutation　and　a　message；〃　said　a　servant　to　Ben…Hur；　who　was　taking　his　ease　in　the　tent。

〃Give　me　the　message。〃

〃Would　it　please　you　to　accompany　her　upon　the　lake？〃

〃I　will　carry　the　answer　myself。　Tell　her　so。〃

His　shoes　were　brought　him；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Ben…Hur　sallied　out　to　find　the　fair　Egyptian。　The　shadow　of　the　mountains　was　creeping　over　the　Orchard　of　Palms　in　advance　of　night。　Afar　through　the　trees　came　the　tinkling　of　sheep　bells；　the　lowing　of　cattle；　and　the　voices　of　the　herdsmen　bringing　their　charges　home。　Life　at　the　Orchard；　it　should　be　remembered；　was　in　all　respects　as　pastoral　as　life　on　the　scantier　meadows　of　the　desert。

Sheik　Ilderim　had　witnessed　the　exercises　of　the　afternoon；　being　a　repetition　of　those　of　the　morning；　after　which　he　had　gone　to　the　city　in　answer　to　the　invitation　of　Simonides；　he　might　return　in　the　night；　but；　considering　the　immensity　of　the　field　to　be　talked　over　with　his　friend；　it　was　hardly　possible。　Ben…Hur；　thus　left　alone；　had　seen　his　horses　cared　for；　cooled　and　purified　himself　in　the　lake；　exchanged　the　field　garb　for　his　customary　vestments；　all　white；　as　became　a　Sadducean　of　the　pure　blood；　supped　early；　and；　thanks　to　the　strength　of　youth；　was　well　recovered　from　the　violent　exertion　he　had　undergone。

It　is　neither　wise　nor　honest　to　detract　from　beauty　as　a　quality。　There　cannot　be　a　refined　soul　insensible　to　its　influence。　The　story　of　Pygmalion　and　his　statue　is　as　natural　as　it　is　poetical。　Beauty　is　of　itself　a　power；　and　it　was　now　drawing　Ben…Hur。

The　Egyptian　was　to　him　a　wonderfully　beautiful　womanbeautiful　of　face；　beautiful　of　form。　In　his　thought　she　always　appeared　to　him　as　he　saw　her　at　the　fountain；　and　he　felt　the　influence　of　her　voice；　sweeter　because　in　tearful　expression　of　gratitude　to　him；　and　of　her　eyesthe　large；　soft；　black；　almond…shaped　eyes　declarative　of　her　raceeyes　which　looked　more　than　lies　in　the　supremest　wealth　of　words　to　utter；　and　recurrences　of　the　thought　of　her　were　returns　just　so　frequent　of　a　figure　tall；　slender；　graceful；　refined；　wrapped　in　rich　and　floating　drapery；　wanting　nothing　but　a　fitting　mind　to　make　her；　like　the　Shulamite；　and　in　the　same　sense；　terrible　as　an　army　with　banners。　In　other　words；　as　she　returned　to　his　fancy；　the　whole　passionate　Song　of　Solomon　came　with　her；　inspired　by　her　presence。　With　this　sentiment　and　that　feeling；　he　was　going　to　see　if　she　actually　justified　them。　It　was　not　love　that　was　taking　him；　but　admiration　and　curiosity；　which　might　be　the　heralds　of　love。

The　landing　was　a　simple　affair；　consisting　of　a　short　stairway；　and　a　platform　garnished　by　some　lamp…posts；　yet　at　the　top　of　the　steps　he　paused；　arrested　by　what　he　beheld。

There　was　a　shallop　resting　upon　the　clear　water　lightly　as　an　egg…shell。　An　Ethiopthe　camel…driver　at　the　Castalian　fountoccupied　the　rower's　place；　his　blackness　intensified　by　a　livery　of　shining　white。　All　the　boat　aft　was　cushioned　and　carpeted　with　stuffs　brilliant　with　Tyrian　red。　On　the　rudder　seat　sat　the　Egyptian　herself；　sunk　in　Indian　shawls　and　a　very　vapor　of　most　delicate　veils　and　scarfs。　Her　arms　were　bare　to　the　shoulders；　and；　not　merely　faultless　in　shape；　they　had　the　effect　of　compelling　attention　to　themtheir　pose；　their　action；　their　expression；　the　hands；　the　fingers　even；　seemed　endowed　with　graces　and　meaning；　each　was　an　object　of　beauty。　The　shoulders　and　neck　were　protected　from　the　evening　air　by　an　ample　scarf；　which　yet　did　not　hide　them。

In　the　glance　he　gave　her；　Ben…Hur　paid　no　attention　to　these　details。　There　was　simply　an　impression　made　upon　him；　and；　like　strong　light；　it　was　a　sensation；　not　a　thing　of　sight　or　enumeration。　Thy　lips　are　like　a　thread　of　scarlet；　thy　temples　are　like　a　piece　of　pomegranate　within　thy　locks。　Rise　up；　my　love；　my　fair　one；　and　come　away；　for；　lo！　the　winter　is　past；　the　rain　is　over　and　gone；　the　flowers　appear　on　the　earth；　the　time　of　the　singing　of　birds　is　come；　and　the　voice　of　the　turtle　is　heard　in　the　landsuch　was　the　impression　she　made　upon　him　translated　into　words。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　observing　him　stop；　〃come；　or　I　shall　think　you　a　poor　sailor。〃

The　red　of　his　cheek　deepened。　Did　she　know　anything　of　his　life　upon　the　sea？　He　descended　to　the　platform　at　once。

〃I　was　afraid；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　the　vacant　seat　before　her。

〃Of　what？〃

〃Of　sinking　the　boat；〃　he　replied；　smiling。

〃Wait　until　we　are　in　deeper　water；〃　she　said；　giving　a　signal　to　the　black；　who　dipped　the　oars；　and　they　were　off。

If　love　and　Ben…Hur　were　enemies；　the　latter　was　never　more　at　mercy。　The　Egyptian　sat　where　he　could　not　but　see　her；　she；　whom　he　had　already　engrossed　in　memory　as　his　ideal　of　the　Shulamite。　With　her　eyes　giving　light　to　his；　the　stars　might　come　out；　and　he　not　see　them；　and　so　they　did。　The　night　might　fall　with　unrelieved　darkness　everywhere　else；　her　look　would　make　illumination　for　him。　And　then；　as　everybody　knows；　given　youth　and　such　companionship；　there　is　no　situation　in　which　the　fancy　takes　such　complete　control　as　upon　tranquil　waters　under　a　calm　night　sky；　warm　with　summer。　It　is　so　easy　at　such　time　to　glide　imperceptibly　out　of　the　commonplace　into　the　ideal。

〃Give　me　the　rudder；〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃that　were　to　reverse　the　relation。　Did　I　not　ask　you　to　ride　with　me？　I　am　indebted　to　you；　and　would　begin　payment。　You　may　talk　and　I　will　listen；　or　I　will　talk　and　you　will　listen：　that　choice　is　yours；　but　it　shall　be　mine　to　choose　where　we　go；　and　the　way　thither。〃

〃And　where　may　that　be？〃

〃You　are　alarmed　again。〃

〃O　fair　Egyptian；　I　but　asked　you　the　first　question　of　every　captive。〃

〃Call　me　Egypt。〃

〃I　would　rather　call　you　Iras。〃

〃You　may　think　of　me　by　that　name；　but　call　me　Egypt。〃

〃Egypt　is　a　country；　and　means　many　people。〃

〃Yes；　yes！　And　such　a　country！〃

〃I　see；　it　is　to　Egypt　we　are　going。〃

〃Would　we　were！　I　would　be　so　glad。〃

She　sighed　as　she　spoke。

〃You　have　no　care　for　me；　then；〃　he　said。

〃Ah；　by　that　I　know　you　were　never　there。〃

〃I　never　was。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　the　land　where　there　are　no　unhappy　people；　the　desired　of　all　the　rest　of　the　earth；　the　mother　of　all　the　gods；　and　therefore　supremely　blest。　There；　O　son　of　Arrius；　there　the　happy　find　increase　of　happiness；　and　the　wretched；　going；　drink　once　of　the　sweet　water　of　the　sacred　river；　and　laugh　and　sing；　rejoicing　like　children。〃

〃Are　not　the　very　poor　with　you　there　as　elsewhere？〃

〃The　very　poor　in　Egypt　are　the　very　simple　in　wants　and　ways；〃　she　replied。　〃They　have　no　wish　beyond　enough；　and　how　little　that　is；　a　Greek　or　a　Roman　cannot　know。〃

〃But　I　am　neither　Greek　nor　Roman。〃

She　laughed。

〃I　have　a　garden　of　roses；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　is　a　tree；　and　its　bloom　is　the　richest　of　all。　Whence　came　it；　think　you？〃

〃From　Persia；　the　home　of　the　rose。〃

〃No。〃

〃From　India；　then。〃

〃No。〃

〃Ah！　one　of　the　isles　of　Greece。〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　she　said：　〃a　traveller　found　it　perishing　by　the　roadside　on　the　plain　of　Rephaim。〃

〃Oh；　in　Judea！〃

〃I　put　it　in　the　earth　left　bare　by　the　receding　Nile；　and　the　soft　south　wind　blew　over　the　desert　and　nursed　it；　and　the　sun　kissed　it　in　pity；　after　which　it　could　not　else　than　grow　and　flourish。　I　stand　in　its　shade　now；　and　it　thanks　me　with　much　perfume。　As　with　the　roses；　so　with　the　men　of　Israel。　Where　shall　they　reach　perfection　but　in　Egypt？〃

〃Moses　was　but　one　of　millions。〃

〃Nay；　there　was　a　reader　of　dreams。　Will　you　forget　him？〃

〃The　friendly　Pharaohs　are　dead。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　The　river　by　which　they　dwelt　sings　to　them　in　their　tombs；　yet　the　same　sun　tempers　the　same　air　to　the　same　people。〃

〃Alexandria　is　but　a　Roman　town。〃

〃She　has　but　exchanged　sceptres。　Caesar　took　from　her　that　of　the　sword；　and　in　its　place　left　that　of　learning。　Go　with　me　to　the　Brucheium；　and　I　will　show　you　the　college　of　nations；　to　the　Serapeion；　and　see　the　perfection　of　architecture；　to　the　Library；　and　read　the　immortals；　to　the　theatre；　and　hear　the　heroics　of　the　Greeks　and　Hindoos；　to　the　quay；　and　count　the　triumphs　of　commerce；　descend　with　m