ben-hur-第85部分

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he　shouting　was　close　and　fierce；　the　crash　of　sticks　rapid　and　deadly；　the　advance　furious　as　hate　could　make　it。　No　one　performed　his　part　as　well　as　Ben…Hur；　whose　training　served　him　admirably；　for；　not　merely　he　knew　to　strike　and　guard；　his　long　arm；　perfect　action；　and　incomparable　strength　helped　him；　also；　to　success　in　every　encounter。　He　was　at　the　same　time　fighting…man　and　leader。　The　club　he　wielded　was　of　goodly　length　and　weighty；　so　he　had　need　to　strike　a　man　but　once。　He　seemed；　moreover；　to　have　eyes　for　each　combat　of　his　friends；　and　the　faculty　of　being　at　the　right　moment　exactly　where　he　was　most　needed。　In　his　fighting　cry　there　were　inspiration　for　his　party　and　alarm　for　his　enemies。　Thus　surprised　and　equally　matched；　the　Romans　at　first　retired；　but　finally　turned　their　backs　and　fled　to　the　portico。　The　impetuous　Galileans　would　have　pursued　them　to　the　steps；　but　Ben…Hur　wisely　restrained　them。

〃Stay；　my　men！〃　he　said。　〃The　centurion　yonder　is　coming　with　the　guard。　They　have　swords　and　shields；　we　cannot　fight　them。　We　have　done　well；　let　us　get　back　and　out　of　the　gate　while　we　may。〃

They　obeyed　him；　though　slowly；　for　they　had　frequently　to　step　over　their　countrymen　lying　where　they　had　been　felled；　some　writhing　and　groaning；　some　praying　help；　others　mute　as　the　dead。　But　the　fallen　were　not　all　Jews。　In　that　there　was　consolation。

The　centurion　shouted　to　them　as　they　went　off；　Ben…Hur　laughed　at　him；　and　replied　in　his　own　tongue；　〃If　we　are　dogs　of　Israel；　you　are　jackals　of　Rome。　Remain　here；　and　we　will　come　again。〃

The　Galileans　cheered；　and　laughing　went　on。

Outside　the　gate　there　was　a　multitude　the　like　of　which　Ben…Hur　had　never　seen；　not　even　in　the　circus　at　Antioch。　The　house…tops；　the　streets；　the　slope　of　the　hill；　appeared　densely　covered　with　people　wailing　and　praying。　The　air　was　filled　with　their　cries　and　imprecations。

The　party　were　permitted　to　pass　without　challenge　by　the　outer　guard。　But　hardly　were　they　out　before　the　centurion　in　charge　at　the　portico　appeared；　and　in　the　gateway　called　to　Ben…Hur；

〃Ho；　insolent！　Art　thou　a　Roman　or　a　Jew？〃

Ben…Hur　answered；　〃I　am　a　son　of　Judah；　born　here。　What　wouldst　thou　with　me？〃

〃Stay　and　fight。〃

〃Singly？〃

〃As　thou　wilt！〃

Ben…Hur　laughed　derisively。

〃O　brave　Roman！　Worthy　son　of　the　bastard　Roman　Jove！　I　have　no　arms。〃

〃Thou　shalt　have　mine；〃　the　centurion　answered。　〃I　will　borrow　of　the　guard　here。〃

The　people　in　hearing　of　the　colloquy　became　silent；　and　from　them　the　hush　spread　afar。　But　lately　Ben…Hur　had　beaten　a　Roman　under　the　eyes　of　Antioch　and　the　Farther　East；　now；　could　he　beat　another　one　under　the　eyes　of　Jerusalem；　the　honor　might　be　vastly　profitable　to　the　cause　of　the　New　King。　He　did　not　hesitate。　Going　frankly　to　the　centurion；　he　said；　〃I　am　willing。　Lend　me　thy　sword　and　shield。〃

〃And　the　helm　and　breastplate？〃　asked　the　Roman。

〃Keep　them。　They　might　not　fit　me。〃

The　arms　were　as　frankly　delivered；　and　directly　the　centurion　was　ready。　All　this　time　the　soldiers　in　rank　close　by　the　gate　never　moved；　they　simply　listened。　As　to　the　multitude；　only　when　the　combatants　advanced　to　begin　the　fight　the　question　sped　from　mouth　to　mouth；　〃Who　is　he？〃　And　no　one　knew。

Now　the　Roman　supremacy　in　arms　lay　in　three　thingssubmission　to　discipline；　the　legionary　formation　of　battle；　and　a　peculiar　use　of　the　short　sword。　In　combat；　they　never　struck　or　cut；　from　first　to　last　they　thrustthey　advanced　thrusting；　they　retired　thrusting；　and　generally　their　aim　was　at　the　foeman's　face。　All　this　was　well　known　to　Ben…Hur。　As　they　were　about　to　engage　he　said；

〃I　told　thee　I　was　a　son　of　Judah；　but　I　did　not　tell　that　I　am　lanista…taught。　Defend　thyself！〃

At　the　last　word　Ben…Hur　closed　with　his　antagonist。　A　moment；　standing　foot　to　foot；　they　glared　at　each　other　over　the　rims　of　their　embossed　shields；　then　the　Roman　pushed　forward　and　feinted　an　under…thrust。　The　Jew　laughed　at　him。　A　thrust　at　the　face　followed。　The　Jew　stepped　lightly　to　the　left；　quick　as　the　thrust　was；　the　step　was　quicker。　Under　the　lifted　arm　of　the　foe　he　slid　his　shield；　advancing　it　until　the　sword　and　sword…arm　were　both　caught　on　its　upper　surface；　another　step；　this　time　forward　and　left；　and　the　man's　whole　right　side　was　offered　to　the　point。　The　centurion　fell　heavily　on　his　breast；　clanging　the　pavement；　and　Ben…Hur　had　won。　With　his　foot　upon　his　enemy's　back；　he　raised　his　shield　overhead　after　a　gladiatorial　custom；　and　saluted　the　imperturbable　soldiers　by　the　gate。

When　the　people　realized　the　victory　they　behaved　like　mad。　On　the　houses　far　as　the　Xystus；　fast　as　the　word　could　fly；　they　waved　their　shawls　and　handkerchiefs　and　shouted；　and　if　he　had　consented；　the　Galileans　would　have　carried　Ben…Hur　off　upon　their　shoulders。

To　a　petty　officer　who　then　advanced　from　the　gate　he　said；　〃Thy　comrade　died　like　a　soldier。　I　leave　him　undespoiled。　Only　his　sword　and　shield　are　mine。〃

With　that；　he　walked　away。　Off　a　little　he　spoke　to　the　Galileans。

〃Brethren；　you　have　behaved　well。　Let　us　now　separate；　lest　we　be　pursued。　Meet　me　to…night　at　the　khan　in　Bethany。　I　have　something　to　propose　to　you　of　great　interest　to　Israel。〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　they　asked　him。

〃A　son　of　Judah；〃　he　answered；　simply。

A　throng　eager　to　see　him　surged　around　the　party。

〃Will　you　come　to　Bethany？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　we　will　come。〃

〃Then　bring　with　you　this　sword　and　shield　that　I　may　know　you。〃

Pushing　brusquely　through　the　increasing　crowd；　he　speedily　disappeared。

At　the　instance　of　Pilate；　the　people　went　up　from　the　city；　and　carried　off　their　dead　and　wounded；　and　there　was　much　mourning　for　them；　but　the　grief　was　greatly　lightened　by　the　victory　of　the　unknown　champion；　who　was　everywhere　sought；　and　by　every　one　extolled。　The　fainting　spirit　of　the　nation　was　revived　by　the　brave　deed；　insomuch　that　in　the　streets　and　up　in　the　Temple　even；　amidst　the　solemnities　of　the　feast；　old　tales　of　the　Maccabees　were　told　again；　and　thousands　shook　their　heads　whispering　wisely；

〃A　little　longer；　only　a　little　longer；　brethren；　and　Israel　will　come　to　her　own。　Let　there　be　faith　in　the　Lord；　and　patience。〃

In　such　manner　Ben…Hur　obtained　hold　on　Galilee；　and　paved　the　way　to　greater　services　in　the　cause　of　the　King　Who　Was　Coming。

And　with　what　result　we　shall　see。





BOOK　SEVENTH

〃And；　waking；　I　beheld　her　there　Sea…dreaming　in　the　moted　air；　A　siren　lithe　and　debonair；　With　wristlets　woven　of　scarlet　weeds；　And　oblong　lucent　amber　beads　Of　sea…kelp　shining　in　her　hair。〃

THOMAS　BAILEY　ALDRICH。




CHAPTER　I



The　meeting　took　place　in　the　khan　of　Bethany　as　appointed。　Thence　Ben…Hur　went　with　the　Galileans　into　their　country；　where　his　exploits　up　in　the　old　Market…place　gave　him　fame　and　influence。　Before　the　winter　was　gone　he　raised　three　legions；　and　organized　them　after　the　Roman　pattern。　He　could　have　had　as　many　more；　for　the　martial　spirit　of　that　gallant　people　never　slept。　The　proceeding；　however；　required　careful　guarding　as　against　both　Rome　and　Herod　Antipas。　Contenting　himself　for　the　present　with　the　three；　he　strove　to　train　and　educate　them　for　systematic　action。　For　that　purpose　he　carried　the　officers　over　into　the　lava…beds　of　Trachonitis；　and　taught　them　the　use　of　arms；　particularly　the　javelin　and　sword；　and　the　manoeuvering　peculiar　to　the　legionary　formation；　after　which　he　sent　them　home　as　teachers。　And　soon　the　training　became　a　pastime　of　the　people。

As　may　be　thought；　the　task　called　for　patience；　skill；　zeal；　faith；　and　devotion　on　his　partqualities　into　which　the　power　of　inspiring　others　in　matters　of　difficulty　is　always　resolvable；　and　never　man　possessed　them　in　greater　degree　or　used　them　to　better　effect。　How　he　labored！　And　with　utter　denial　of　self！　Yet　withal　he　would　have　failed　but　for　the　support　he　had　from　Simonides；　who　furnished　him　arms　and　money；　and　from　Ilderim；　who　kept　watch　and　brought　him　supplies。　And　still　he　would　have　failed　but　for　the　genius　of　the　Galileans。

Under　that　name　were　comprehended　the　four　tribesAsher；　Zebulon；　Issachar；　and　Naphthaliand　the　districts　originally　set　apart　to　them。　The　Jew　born　in　sight　of　the　Temple　despised　these　brethren　of　the　north；　but　the　Talmud　itself　has　said；　〃The　Galilean　loves　honor；　and　the　Jew　money。〃

Hating　Rome　fervidly　as　they　loved　their　own　country；　in　every　revolt　they　were　first　in　the　field　and　last　to　leave　it。　One　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　Galilean　youths　perished　in　the　final　war　with　Rome。　For　the　great　festal　days；　they　went　up　to　Jerusalem　marching　and　camping　like　armies；　yet　they　were　liberal　in　sentiment；　and　even　tolerant　to　heathenism。　In　Herod's　beautiful　cities；　which　were　Roman　in　all　things；　in　Sepphoris　and　Tiberias　especially；　they　took　pride；　and　in　the　building　them　gave　loyal　support。　They　had　for　fellow…citizens　men　from　the　outside　world　everywhere；　and　lived　in　peace　with　them。　To　the　glory　of　the　Hebrew　name　they　contributed　poets　like　the　singer　of　the　Song　of　Songs　and　prophets　like　Hosea。

Upon　such　a　people；　so　quick；　so　proud；　so　brave；　so　devoted；　so　imaginative；　a　tale　like　that　of　the　coming　of　the　King　was　all…powerful。　That　he　was　coming　to　put　Rome　down　would　have　been　sufficient　to　enlist　them　in　the　scheme　proposed　by　Ben…Hur；　but　when；　besides；　they　were　assured　he　was　to　rule　the　world；　more　mighty　than　Caesar；　more　magnificent　than　Solomon；　and　that　the　rule　was　to　last　forever；　the　appeal　was　irresistible；　and　they　vowed　themselves　to　the　cause　body　and　soul。　They　asked　Ben…Hur　his　authority　for　the　sayings；　and　he　quoted　the　prophets；　and　told　them　of　Balthasar　in　waiting　over　in　Antioch；　and　they　were　satisfied；　for　it　was　the　old　much…loved　legend　of　the　Messiah；　familiar　to　them　almost　as　the　name　of　the　Lord；　the　long…cherished　dream　with　a　time　fixed　for　its　realization。　The　King　was　not　merely　coming　now；　he　was　at　hand。

So　with　Ben…Hur　the　winter　months　rolled　by；　and　spring　came；　with　gladdening　showers　blown　over　from　the　summering　sea　in　the　west；　and　by　that　time　so　earnestly　and　successfully　had　he　toiled　that　he　could　say　to　himself　and　his　followers；　〃Let　the