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。　If　they　were　afraid　of　him；　he　had　greater　reason　to　be　afraid　of　them。　He　strove　earnestly　to　reflect　upon　the　situation；　but　could　not；　his　feelings　constantly　overwhelmed　him。　There　was　a　certain　qualified　pleasure　in　the　assurance　that　his　mother　and　sister　were　alive；　and　it　mattered　little　that　the　foundation　of　the　assurance　was　a　mere　inference。　That　there　was　one　person　who　could　tell　him　where　they　were　seemed　to　his　hope　so　long　deferred　as　if　discovery　were　now　close　at　hand。　These　were　mere　causes　of　feeling；　underlying　them；　it　must　be　confessed　he　had　a　superstitious　fancy　that　God　was　about　to　make　ordination　in　his　behalf；　in　which　event　faith　whispered　him　to　stand　still。

Occasionally；　referring　to　the　words　of　Ilderim；　he　wondered　whence　the　Arab　derived　his　information　about　him；　not　from　Malluch　certainly；　nor　from　Simonides；　whose　interests；　all　adverse；　would　hold　him　dumb。　Could　Messala　have　been　the　informant？　No；　no：　disclosure　might　be　dangerous　in　that　quarter。　Conjecture　was　vain；　at　the　same　time；　often　as　Ben…Hur　was　beaten　back　from　the　solution；　he　was　consoled　with　the　thought　that　whoever　the　person　with　the　knowledge　might　be；　he　was　a　friend；　and；　being　such；　would　reveal　himself　in　good　time。　A　little　more　waitinga　little　more　patience。　Possibly　the　errand　of　the　sheik　was　to　see　the　worthy；　possibly　the　letter　might　precipitate　a　full　disclosure。

And　patient　he　would　have　been　if　only　he　could　have　believed　Tirzah　and　his　mother　were　waiting　for　him　under　circumstances　permitting　hope　on　their　part　strong　as　his；　if；　in　other　words；　conscience　had　not　stung　him　with　accusations　respecting　them。

To　escape　such　accusations；　he　wandered　far　through　the　Orchard；　pausing　now　where　the　date…gatherers　were　busy；　yet　not　too　busy　to　offer　him　of　their　fruit　and　talk　with　him；　then；　under　the　great　trees；　to　watch　the　nesting　birds；　or　hear　the　bees　swarming　about　the　berries　bursting　with　honeyed　sweetness；　and　filling　all　the　green　and　golden　spaces　with　the　music　of　their　beating　wings。

By　the　lake；　however；　he　lingered　longest。　He　might　not　look　upon　the　water　and　its　sparkling　ripples；　so　like　sensuous　life；　without　thinking　of　the　Egyptian　and　her　marvellous　beauty；　and　of　floating　with　her　here　and　there　through　the　night；　made　brilliant　by　her　songs　and　stories；　he　might　not　forget　the　charm　of　her　manner；　the　lightness　of　her　laugh；　the　flattery　of　her　attention；　the　warmth　of　her　little　hand　under　his　upon　the　tiller　of　the　boat。　From　her　it　was　for　his　thought　but　a　short　way　to　Balthasar；　and　the　strange　things　of　which　he　had　been　witness；　unaccountable　by　any　law　of　nature；　and　from　him；　again；　to　the　King　of　the　Jews；　whom　the　good　man；　with　such　pathos　of　patience；　was　holding　in　holy　promise；　the　distance　was　even　nearer。　And　there　his　mind　stayed；　finding　in　the　mysteries　of　that　personage　a　satisfaction　answering　well　for　the　rest　he　was　seeking。　Because；　it　may　have　been；　nothing　is　so　easy　as　denial　of　an　idea　not　agreeable　to　our　wishes；　he　rejected　the　definition　given　by　Balthasar　of　the　kingdom　the　king　was　coming　to　establish。　A　kingdom　of　souls；　if　not　intolerable　to　his　Sadducean　faith；　seemed　to　him　but　an　abstraction　drawn　from　the　depths　of　a　devotion　too　fond　and　dreamy。　A　kingdom　of　Judea；　on　the　other　hand；　was　more　than　comprehensible：　such　had　been；　and；　if　only　for　that　reason；　might　be　again。　And　it　suited　his　pride　to　think　of　a　new　kingdom　broader　of　domain；　richer　in　power；　and　of　a　more　unapproachable　splendor　than　the　old　one；　of　a　new　king　wiser　and　mightier　than　Solomona　new　king　under　whom；　especially；　he　could　find　both　service　and　revenge。　In　that　mood　he　resumed　to　the　dowar。

The　mid…day　meal　disposed　of；　still　further　to　occupy　himself；　Ben…Hur　had　the　chariot　rolled　out　into　the　sunlight　for　inspection。　The　word　but　poorly　conveys　the　careful　study　the　vehicle　underwent。　No　point　or　part　of　it　escaped　him。　With　a　pleasure　which　will　be　better　understood　hereafter；　he　saw　the　pattern　was　Greek；　in　his　judgment　preferable　to　the　Roman　in　many　respects；　it　was　wider　between　the　wheels；　and　lower　and　stronger；　and　the　disadvantage　of　greater　weight　would　be　more　than　compensated　by　the　greater　endurance　of　his　Arabs。　Speaking　generally；　the　carriage…makers　of　Rome　built　for　the　games　almost　solely；　sacrificing　safety　to　beauty；　and　durability　to　grace；　while　the　chariots　of　Achilles　and　〃the　king　of　men；〃　designed　for　war　and　all　its　extreme　tests；　still　ruled　the　tastes　of　those　who　met　and　struggled　for　the　crowns　Isthmian　and　Olympic。

Next　he　brought　the　horses；　and；　hitching　them　to　the　chariot；　drove　to　the　field　of　exercise；　where；　hour　after　hour；　he　practised　them　in　movement　under　the　yoke。　When　he　came　away　in　the　evening；　it　was　with　restored　spirit；　and　a　fixed　purpose　to　defer　action　in　the　matter　of　Messala　until　the　race　was　won　or　lost。　He　could　not　forego　the　pleasure　of　meeting　his　adversary　under　the　eyes　of　the　East；　that　there　might　be　other　competitors　seemed　not　to　enter　his　thought。　His　confidence　in　the　result　was　absolute；　no　doubt　of　his　own　skill；　and　as　to　the　four；　they　were　his　full　partners　in　the　glorious　game。

〃Let　him　look　to　it；　let　him　look　to　it！　Ha；　AntaresAldebaran！　Shall　he　not；　O　honest　Rigel？　and　thou；　Atair；　king　among　coursers；　shall　he　not　beware　of　us？　Ha；　ha！　good　hearts！〃

So　in　rests　he　passed　from　horse　to　horse；　speaking；　not　as　a　master；　but　the　senior　of　as　many　brethren。

After　nightfall；　Ben…Hur　sat　by　the　door　of　the　tent　waiting　for　Ilderim；　not　yet　returned　from　the　city。　He　was　not　impatient；　or　vexed；　or　doubtful。　The　sheik　would　be　heard　from；　at　least。　Indeed；　whether　it　was　from　satisfaction　with　the　performance　of　the　four；　or　the　refreshment　there　is　in　cold　water　succeeding　bodily　exercise；　or　supper　partaken　with　royal　appetite；　or　the　reaction　which；　as　a　kindly　provision　of　nature；　always　follows　depression；　the　young　man　was　in　good…humor　verging　upon　elation。　He　felt　himself　in　the　hands　of　Providence　no　longer　his　enemy。　At　last　there　was　a　sound　of　horse's　feet　coming　rapidly；　and　Malluch　rode　up。

〃Son　of　Arrius；〃　he　said；　cheerily；　after　salutation；　〃I　salute　you　for　Sheik　Ilderim；　who　requests　you　to　mount　and　go　to　the　city。　He　is　waiting　for　you。〃

Ben…Hur　asked　no　questions；　but　went　in　where　the　horses　were　feeding。　Aldebaran　came　to　him；　as　if　offering　his　service。　He　played　with　him　lovingly；　but　passed　on；　and　chose　another；　not　of　the　fourthey　were　sacred　to　the　race。　Very　shortly　the　two　were　on　the　road；　going　swiftly　and　in　silence。

Some　distance　below　the　Seleucian　Bridge；　they　crossed　the　river　by　a　ferry；　and；　riding　far　round　on　the　right　bank；　and　recrossing　by　another　ferry；　entered　the　city　from　the　west。　The　detour　was　long；　but　Ben…Hur　accepted　it　as　a　precaution　for　which　there　was　good　reason。

Down　to　Simonides'　landing　they　rode；　and　in　front　of　the　great　warehouse；　under　the　bridge；　Malluch　drew　rein。

〃We　are　come；〃　he　said。　〃Dismount。〃

Ben…Hur　recognized　the　place。

〃Where　is　the　sheik？〃　he　asked。

〃Come　with　me。　I　will　show　you。〃

A　watchman　took　the　horses；　and　almost　before　he　realized　it　Ben…Hur　stood　once　more　at　the　door　of　the　house　up　on　the　greater　one；　listening　to　the　response　from　within〃In　God's　name；　enter。〃




CHAPTER　VII



Malluch　stopped　at　the　door；　Ben…Hur　entered　alone。

The　room　was　the　same　in　which　he　had　formerly　interviewed　Simonides；　and　it　had　been　in　nowise　changed；　except　now；　close　by　the　arm…chair；　a　polished　brazen　rod；　set　on　a　broad　wooden　pedestal；　arose　higher　than　a　tall　man；　holding　lamps　of　silver　on　sliding　arms；　half…a…dozen　or　more　in　number；　and　all　burning。　The　light　was　clear；　bringing　into　view　the　panelling　on　the　walls；　the　cornice　with　its　row　of　gilded　balls；　and　the　dome　dully　tinted　with　violet　mica。

Within　a　few　steps；　Ben…Hur　stopped。

Three　persons　were　present；　looking　at　himSimonides；　Ilderim；　and　Esther。

He　glanced　hurriedly　from　one　to　another；　as　if　to　find　answer　to　the　question　half　formed　in　his　mind；　What　business　can　these　have　with　me？　He　became　calm；　with　every　sense　on　the　alert；　for　the　question　was　succeeded　by　another；　Are　they　friends　or　enemies？

At　length；　his　eyes　rested　upon　Esther。

The　men　returned　his　look　kindly；　in　her　face　there　was　something　more　than　kindnesssomething　too　_spirituel_　for　definition；　which　yet　went　to　his　inner　consciousness　without　definition。

Shall　it　be　said；　good　reader？　Back　of　his　gaze　there　was　a　comparison　in　which　the　Egyptian　arose　and　set　herself　over　against　the　gentle　Jewess；　but　it　lived　an　instant；　and；　as　is　the　habit　of　such　comparisons；　passed　away　without　a　conclusion。

〃Son　of　Hur〃

The　guest　turned　to　the　speaker。

〃Son　of　Hur；〃　said　Simonides；　repeating　the　address　slowly；　and　with　distinct　emphasis；　as　if　to　impress　all　its　meaning　upon　him　most　interested　in　understanding　it；　〃take　thou　the　peace　of　the　Lord　God　of　our　fatherstake　it　from　me。〃　He　paused；　then　added；　〃From　me　and　mine。〃

The　speaker　sat　in　his　chair；　there　were　the　royal　head；　the　bloodless　face；　the　masterful　air；　under　the　influence　of　which　visitors　forgot　the　broken　limbs　and　distorted　body　of　the　man。　The　full　black　eyes　gazed　out　under　the　white　brows　steadily；　but　not　sternly。　A　moment　thus；　then　he　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　breast。

The　action；　taken　with　the　salutation；　could　not　be　misunderstood；　and　was　not。

〃Simonides；〃　Ben…Hur　answered；　much　moved；　〃the　holy　peace　you　tender　is　accepted。　As　son　to　father；　I　return　it　to　you。　Only　let　there　be　perfect　understanding　between　us。〃

Thus　delicately　he　sought　to　put　aside　the　submission　of　the　merchant；　and；　in　place　of　the　relation　of　master　and　servant；　substitute　one　higher　and　holier。

Simonides　let　fall　his　hands；　and；　turning　to　Esther；　said；　〃A　seat　for　the　master；　daughter。〃

She　hastened；　and　brought　a　stool；　and　stood；　with　suffused　face；　looking　from　one　to　the　otherfrom　Ben…Hur　to　Simonides；　from　Simonides　to　Ben…Hur；　and　they　waited；　each　declining　the　superiority　direction　would　imply。　When　at　length　the　pause　began　to　be　embarrassing；　Ben…Hur　advanced；　and　gently　took　the　stool　from　her；　and；　going　to　the　chair；