ben-hur-第88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！


ue　is　there　yet。

〃But　what　is　the　after…life　he　thus　secured？　Only　a　recollection　by　mena　glory　unsubstantial　as　moonshine　on　the　brow　of　the　great　bust；　a　story　in　stonenothing　more。　Meantime　what　has　become　of　the　king？　There　is　an　embalmed　body　up　in　the　royal　tombs　which　once　was　hisan　effigy　not　so　fair　to　look　at　as　the　other　out　in　the　Desert。　But　where；　O　son　of　Hur；　where　is　the　king　himself？　Is　he　fallen　into　nothingness？　Two　thousand　years　have　gone　since　he　was　a　man　alive　as　you　and　I　are。　Was　his　last　breath　the　end　of　him？

〃To　say　yes　would　be　to　accuse　God；　let　us　rather　accept　his　better　plan　of　attaining　life　after　death　for　usactual　life；　I　meanthe　something　more　than　a　place　in　mortal　memory；　life　with　going　and　coming；　with　sensation；　with　knowledge；　with　power　and　all　appreciation；　life　eternal　in　term　though　it　may　be　with　changes　of　condition。

〃Ask　you　what　God's　plan　is？　The　gift　of　a　Soul　to　each　of　us　at　birth；　with　this　simple　lawthere　shall　be　no　immortality　except　through　the　Soul。　In　that　law　see　the　necessity　of　which　I　spoke。

〃Let　us　turn　from　the　necessity　now。　A　word　as　to　the　pleasure　there　is　in　the　thought　of　a　Soul　in　each　of　us。　In　the　first　place；　it　robs　death　of　its　terrors　by　making　dying　a　change　for　the　better；　and　burial　but　the　planting　of　a　seed　from　which　there　will　spring　a　new　life。　In　the　next　place；　behold　me　as　I　amweak；　weary；　old；　shrunken　in　body；　and　graceless；　look　at　my　wrinkled　face；　think　of　my　failing　senses；　listen　to　my　shrilled　voice。　Ah！　what　happiness　to　me　in　the　promise　that　when　the　tomb　opens；　as　soon　it　will；　to　receive　the　worn…out　husk　I　call　myself；　the　now　viewless　doors　of　the　universe；　which　is　but　the　palace　of　God；　will　swing　wide　ajar　to　receive　me；　a　liberated　immortal　Soul！

〃I　would　I　could　tell　the　ecstasy　there　must　be　in　that　life　to　come！　Do　not　say　I　know　nothing　about　it。　This　much　I　know；　and　it　is　enough　for　methe　being　a　Soul　implies　conditions　of　divine　superiority。　In　such　a　being　there　is　no　dust；　nor　any　gross　thing；　it　must　be　finer　than　air；　more　impalpable　than　light；　purer　than　essenceit　is　life　in　absolute　purity。

〃What　now；　O　son　of　Hur？　Knowing　so　much；　shall　I　dispute　with　myself　or　you　about　the　unnecessariesabout　the　form　of　my　soul？　Or　where　it　is　to　abide？　Or　whether　it　eats　and　drinks？　Or　is　winged；　or　wears　this　or　that？　No。　It　is　more　becoming　to　trust　in　God。　The　beautiful　in　this　world　is　all　from　his　hand　declaring　the　perfection　of　taste；　he　is　the　author　of　all　form；　he　clothes　the　lily；　he　colors　the　rose；　he　distils　the　dew…drop；　he　makes　the　music　of　nature；　in　a　word；　he　organized　us　for　this　life；　and　imposed　its　conditions；　and　they　are　such　guaranty　to　me　that；　trustful　as　a　little　child；　I　leave　to　him　the　organization　of　my　Soul；　and　every　arrangement　for　the　life　after　death。　I　know　he　loves　me。〃

The　good　man　stopped　and　drank；　and　the　hand　carrying　the　cup　to　his　lips　trembled；　and　both　Iras　and　Ben…Hur　shared　his　emotion　and　remained　silent。　Upon　the　latter　a　light　was　breaking。　He　was　beginning　to　see；　as　never　before；　that　there　might　be　a　spiritual　kingdom　of　more　import　to　men　than　any　earthly　empire；　and　that　after　all　a　Saviour　would　indeed　be　a　more　godly　gift　than　the　greatest　king。

〃I　might　ask　you　now；〃　said　Balthasar；　continuing；　〃whether　this　human　life；　so　troubled　and　brief；　is　preferable　to　the　perfect　and　everlasting　life　designed　for　the　Soul？　But　take　the　question；　and　think　of　it　for　yourself；　formulating　thus：　Supposing　both　to　be　equally　happy；　is　one　hour　more　desirable　than　one　year？　From　that　then　advance　to　the　final　inquiry；　what　are　threescore　and　ten　years　on　earth　to　all　eternity　with　God？　By…and…by；　son　of　Hur；　thinking　in　such　manner；　you　will　be　filled　with　the　meaning　of　the　fact　I　present　you　next；　to　me　the　most　amazing　of　all　events；　and　in　its　effects　the　most　sorrowful；　it　is　that　the　very　idea　of　life　as　a　Soul　is　a　light　almost　gone　out　in　the　world。　Here　and　there；　to　be　sure；　a　philosopher　may　be　found　who　will　talk　to　you　of　a　Soul；　likening　it　to　a　principle；　but　because　philosophers　take　nothing　upon　faith；　they　will　not　go　the　length　of　admitting　a　Soul　to　be　a　being；　and　on　that　account　its　purpose　is　compressed　darkness　to　them。

〃Everything　animate　has　a　mind　measurable　by　its　wants。　Is　there　to　you　no　meaning　in　the　singularity　that　power　in　full　degree　to　speculate　upon　the　future　was　given　to　man　alone？　By　the　sign　as　I　see　it；　God　meant　to　make　us　know　ourselves　created　for　another　and　a　better　life；　such　being　in　fact　the　greatest　need　of　our　nature。　But；　alas！　into　what　a　habit　the　nations　have　fallen！　They　live　for　the　day；　as　if　the　present　were　the　all　in　all；　and　go　about　saying；　'There　is　no　to…morrow　after　death；　or　if　there　be；　since　we　know　nothing　about　it；　be　it　a　care　unto　itself。'　So　when　Death　calls　them；　'Come；'　they　may　not　enter　into　enjoyment　of　the　glorious　after…life　because　of　their　unfitness。　That　is　to　say；　the　ultimate　happiness　of　man　was　everlasting　life　in　the　society　of　God。　Alas；　O　son　of　Hur；　that　I　should　say　it！　but　as　well　yon　sleeping　camel　constant　in　such　society　as　the　holiest　priests　this　day　serving　the　highest　altars　in　the　most　renowned　temples。　So　much　are　men　given　to　this　lower　earthly　life！　So　nearly　have　they　forgotten　that　other　which　is　to　come！

〃See　now；　I　pray　you；　that　which　is　to　be　saved　to　us。

〃For　my　part；　speaking　with　the　holiness　of　truth；　I　would　not　give　one　hour　of　life　as　a　Soul　for　a　thousand　years　of　life　as　a　man。〃

Here　the　Egyptian　seemed　to　become　unconscious　of　companionship　and　fall　away　into　abstraction。

〃This　life　has　its　problems；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　are　men　who　spend　their　days　trying　to　solve　them；　but　what　are　they　to　the　problems　of　the　hereafter？　What　is　there　like　knowing　God？　Not　a　scroll　of　the　mysteries；　but　the　mysteries　themselves　would　for　that　hour　at　least　lie　before　me　revealed；　even　the　innermost　and　most　awfulthe　power　which　now　we　shrink　from　thought　ofwhich　rimmed　the　void　with　shores；　and　lighted　the　darkness；　and　out　of　nothing　appointed　the　universe。　All　places　would　be　opened。　I　would　be　filled　with　divine　knowledge；　I　would　see　all　glories；　taste　all　delights；　I　would　revel　in　being。　And　if；　at　the　end　of　the　hour；　it　should　please　God　to　tell　me；　'I　take　thee　into　my　service　forever；'　the　furthest　limit　of　desire　would　be　passed；　after　which　the　attainable　ambitions　of　life；　and　its　joys　of　whatever　kind；　would　not　be　so　much　as　the　tinkling　of　little　bells。〃

Balthasar　paused　as　if　to　recover　from　very　ecstasy　of　feeling；　and　to　Ben…Hur　it　seemed　the　speech　had　been　the　delivery　of　a　Soul　speaking　for　itself。

〃I　pray　pardon；　son　of　Hur；〃　the　good　man　continued；　with　a　bow　the　gravity　of　which　was　relieved　by　the　tender　look　that　followed　it；　〃I　meant　to　leave　the　life　of　a　Soul；　its　conditions；　pleasures；　superiority；　to　your　own　reflection　and　finding　out。　The　joy　of　the　thought　has　betrayed　me　into　much　speech。　I　set　out　to　show；　though　ever　so　faintly；　the　reason　of　my　faith。　It　grieves　me　that　words　are　so　weak。　But　help　yourself　to　truth。　Consider　first　the　excellence　of　the　existence　which　was　reserved　for　us　after　death；　and　give　heed　to　the　feelings　and　impulses　the　thought　is　sure　to　awaken　in　youheed　them；　I　say；　because　they　are　your　own　Soul　astir；　doing　what　it　can　to　urge　you　in　the　right　way。　Consider　next　that　the　afterlife　has　become　so　obscured　as　to　justify　calling　it　a　lost　light。　If　you　find　it；　rejoice；　O　son　of　Hurrejoice　as　I　do；　though　in　beggary　of　words。　For　then；　besides　the　great　gift　which　is　to　be　saved　to　us；　you　will　have　found　the　need　of　a　Saviour　so　infinitely　greater　than　the　need　of　a　king；　and　he　we　are　going　to　meet　will　not　longer　hold　place　in　your　hope　a　warrior　with　a　sword　or　a　monarch　with　a　crown。

〃A　practical　question　presents　itselfHow　shall　we　know　him　at　sight？　If　you　continue　in　your　belief　as　to　his　characterthat　he　is　to　be　a　king　as　Herod　wasof　course　you　will　keep　on　until　you　meet　a　man　clothed　in　purple　and　with　a　sceptre。　On　the　other　hand；　he　I　look　for　will　be　one　poor；　humble；　undistinguisheda　man　in　appearance　as　other　men；　and　the　sign　by　which　I　will　know　him　will　be　never　so　simple。　He　will　offer　to　show　me　and　all　mankind　the　way　to　the　eternal　life；　the　beautiful　pure　Life　of　the　Soul。〃

The　company　sat　a　moment　in　silence　which　was　broken　by　Balthasar。

〃Let　us　arise　now；〃　he　said〃let　us　arise　and　set　forward　again。　What　I　have　said　has　caused　a　return　of　impatience　to　see　him　who　is　ever　in　my　thought；　and　if　I　seem　to　hurry　you；　O　son　of　Hurand　you；　my　daughterbe　that　my　excuse。〃

At　his　signal　the　slave　brought　them　wine　in　a　skin　bottle；　and　they　poured　and　drank；　and　shaking　the　lap…cloths　out　arose。

While　the　slave　restored　the　tent　and　wares　to　the　box　under　the　houdah；　and　the　Arab　brought　up　the　horses；　the　three　principals　laved　themselves　in　the　pool。

In　a　little　while　they　were　retracing　their　steps　back　through　the　wady；　intending　to　overtake　the　caravan　if　it　had　passed　them　by。




CHAPTER　IV



The　caravan；　stretched　out　upon　the　Desert；　was　very　picturesque；　in　motion；　however；　it　was　like　a　lazy　serpent。　By…and…by　its　stubborn　dragging　became　intolerably　irksome　to　Balthasar；　patient　as　he　was；　so；　at　his　suggestion；　the　party　determined　to　go　on　by　themselves。

If　the　reader　be　young；　or　if　he　has　yet　a　sympathetic　recollection　of　the　romanticisms　of　his　youth；　he　will　relish　the　pleasure　with　which　Ben…Hur；　riding　near　the　camel　of　the　Egyptians；　gave　a　last　look　at　the　head　of　the　straggling　column　almost　out　of　sight　on　the　shimmering　plain。

To　be　definite　as　may　be；　and　perfectly　confidential；　Ben…Hur　found　a　certain　charm　in　Iras's　presence。　If　she　looked　down　upon　him　from　her　high　place；　he　made　haste　to　get　near　her；　if　she　spoke　to　him；　his　heart　beat　out　of　its　usual　time。　The　desire　to　be　agreeable　to　her　was　a　constant　impulse。　Objects　on　the　way；　though　ever　so　common；　became　interesting　the　moment　she　called　attention　to　them；　a　black　swallow　in　the　air　pursued　by　her　pointing　finger　went　off　in　a　halo；　if　a　bit　of　quartz　or　a　flake　of　mica　was　seen　to　sparkle　in　the　drab　sand　under　kissing　of