ben-hur- 第97部分

〃Suffer　me　first　to　serve　you。〃

With　that　Ben…Hur　filled　the　goblet；　and　gave　it　to　Balthasar；　who　lifted　his　eyes　in　thanksgiving。

Immediately　the　slave　brought　napkins；　and　after　laving　their　hands　and　drying　them；　the　three　seated　themselves　in　Eastern　style　under　the　tent　which　years　before　had　served　the　Wise　Men　at　the　meeting　in　the　Desert。　And　they　ate　heartily　of　the　good　things　taken　from　the　camel's　pack。




CHAPTER　III



The　tent　was　cosily　pitched　beneath　a　tree　where　the　gurgle　of　the　stream　was　constantly　in　ear。　Overhead　the　broad　leaves　hung　motionless　on　their　stems；　the　delicate　reed…stalks　off　in　the　pearly　haze　stood　up　arrowy…straight；　occasionally　a　home…returning　bee　shot　humming　athwart　the　shade；　and　a　partridge　creeping　from　the　sedge　drank；　whistled　to　his　mate；　and　ran　away。　The　restfulness　of　the　vale；　the　freshness　of　the　air；　the　garden　beauty；　the　Sabbath　stillness；　seemed　to　have　affected　the　spirits　of　the　elder　Egyptian；　his　voice；　gestures；　and　whole　manner　were　unusually　gentle；　and　often　as　he　bent　his　eyes　upon　Ben…Hur　conversing　with　Iras；　they　softened　with　pity。

〃When　we　overtook　you；　son　of　Hur；〃　he　said；　at　the　conclusion　of　the　repast；　〃it　seemed　your　face　was　also　turned　towards　Jerusalem。　May　I　ask；　without　offence；　if　you　are　going　so　far？〃

〃I　am　going　to　the　Holy　City。〃

〃For　the　great　need　I　have　to　spare　myself　prolonged　toil；　I　will　further　ask　you；　Is　there　a　shorter　road　than　that　by　Rabbath…Ammon？〃

〃A　rougher　route；　but　shorter；　lies　by　Gerasa　and　Rabbath…Gilead。　It　is　the　one　I　design　taking。〃

〃I　am　impatient；〃　said　Balthasar。　〃Latterly　my　sleep　has　been　visited　by　dreamsor　rather　by　the　same　dream　in　repetition。　A　voiceit　is　nothing　morecomes　and　tells　me；　'Hastearise！　He　whom　thou　hast　so　long　awaited　is　at　hand。'〃

〃You　mean　he　that　is　to　be　King　of　the　JewsY'　Ben…Hur　asked；　gazing　at　the　Egyptian　in　wonder。

〃Even　so。〃

〃Then　you　have　heard　nothing　of　him？〃

〃Nothing；　except　the　words　of　the　voice　in　the　dream。〃

〃Here；　then；　are　tidings　to　make　you　glad　as　they　made　me。〃

From　his　gown　Ben…Hur　drew　the　letter　received　from　Malluch。　The　hand　the　Egyptian　held　out　trembled　violently。　He　read　aloud；　and　as　he　read　his　feelings　increased；　the　limp　veins　in　his　neck　swelled　and　throbbed。　At　the　conclusion　he　raised　his　suffused　eyes　in　thanksgiving　and　prayer。　He　asked　no　questions；　yet　had　no　doubts。

〃Thou　hast　been　very　good　to　me；　O　God；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me；　I　pray　thee；　to　see　the　Saviour　again；　and　worship　him；　and　thy　servant　will　be　ready　to　go　in　peace。〃

The　words；　the　manner；　the　singular　personality　of　the　simple　prayer；　touched　Ben…Hur　with　a　sensation　new　and　abiding。　God　never　seemed　so　actual　and　so　near　by；　it　was　as　if　he　were　there　bending　over　them　or　sitting　at　their　sidea　Friend　whose　favors　were　to　be　had　by　the　most　unceremonious　askinga　Father　to　whom　all　his　children　were　alike　in　loveFather；　not　more　of　the　Jew　than　of　the　Gentilethe　Universal　Father；　who　needed　no　intermediates；　no　rabbis；　no　priests；　no　teachers。　The　idea　that　such　a　God　might　send　mankind　a　Saviour　instead　of　a　king　appeared　to　Ben…Hur　in　a　light　not　merely　new；　but　so　plain　that　he　could　almost　discern　both　the　greater　want　of　such　a　gift　and　its　greater　consistency　with　the　nature　of　such　a　Deity。　So　he　could　not　resist　asking；

〃Now　that　he　has　come；　O　Balthasar；　you　still　think　he　is　to　be　a　Saviour；　and　not　a　king？〃

Balthasar　gave　him　a　look　thoughtful　as　it　was　tender。

〃How　shall　I　understand　you？〃　he　asked；　in　return。　〃The　Spirit；　which　was　the　Star　that　was　my　guide　of　old；　has　not　appeared　to　me　since　I　met　you　in　the　tent　of　the　good　sheik；　that　is　to　say；　I　have　not　seen　or　heard　it　as　formerly。　I　believe　the　voice　that　spoke　to　me　in　my　dreams　was　it；　but　other　than　that　I　have　no　revelation。〃

〃I　will　recall　the　difference　between　us；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　with　deference。　〃You　were　of　opinion　that　he　would　be　a　king；　but　not　as　Caesar　is；　you　thought　his　sovereignty　would　be　spiritual；　not　of　the　world。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　the　Egyptian　answered；　〃and　I　am　of　the　same　opinion　now。　I　see　the　divergence　in　our　faith。　You　are　going　to　meet　a　king　of　men；　I　a　Saviour　of　souls。〃

He　paused　with　the　look　often　seen　when　people　are　struggling；　with　introverted　effort；　to　disentangle　a　thought　which　is　either　too　high　for　quick　discernment　or　too　subtle　for　simple　expression。

〃Let　me　try；　O　son　of　Hur；〃　he　said；　directly；　〃and　help　you　to　a　clear　understanding　of　my　belief；　then　it　may　be；　seeing　how　the　spiritual　kingdom　I　expect　him　to　set　up　can　be　more　excellent　in　every　sense　than　anything　of　mere　Caesarean　splendor；　you　will　better　understand　the　reason　of　the　interest　I　take　in　the　mysterious　person　we　are　going　to　welcome。

〃I　cannot　tell　you　when　the　idea　of　a　Soul　in　every　man　had　its　origin。　Most　likely　the　first　parents　brought　it　with　them　out　of　the　garden　in　which　they　had　their　first　dwelling。　We　all　do　know；　however；　that　it　has　never　perished　entirely　out　of　mind。　By　some　peoples　it　was　lost；　but　not　by　all；　in　some　ages　it　dulled　and　faded；　in　others　it　was　overwhelmed　with　doubts；　but；　in　great　goodness；　God　kept　sending　us　at　intervals　mighty　intellects　to　argue　it　back　to　faith　and　hope。

〃Why　should　there　be　a　Soul　in　every　man？　Look；　O　son　of　Hurfor　one　moment　look　at　the　necessity　of　such　a　device。　To　lie　down　and　die；　and　be　no　moreno　more　forevertime　never　was　when　man　wished　for　such　an　end；　nor　has　the　man　ever　been　who　did　not　in　his　heart　promise　himself　something　better。　The　monuments　of　the　nations　are　all　protests　against　nothingness　after　death；　so　are　statues　and　inscriptions；　so　is　history。　The　greatest　of　our　Egyptian　kings　had　his　effigy　cut…out　of　a　hill　of　solid　rock。　Day　after　day　he　went　with　a　host　in　chariots　to　see　the　work；　at　last　it　was　finished；　never　effigy　so　grand；　so　enduring：　it　looked　like　himthe　features　were　his；　faithful　even　in　expression。　Now　may　we　not　think　of　him　saying　in　that　moment　of　pride；　'Let　Death　come；　there　is　an　after…life　for　me！'　He　had　his　wish。　The　statue　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　king