ben-hur-第61章

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The　remark　had　the　effect　of　a　signal：　twenty　voices　took　it　up。

〃True；　true！　His　eyeshis　face；〃　they　cried。

〃What！〃　answered　one；　disgusted。　〃Messala　is　a　Roman；　Arrius　is　a　Jew。〃

〃Thou　sayest　right；〃　a　third　exclaimed。　〃He　is　a　Jew；　or　Momus　lent　his　mother　the　wrong　mask。〃

There　was　promise　of　a　dispute；　seeing　which；　Messala　interposed。　〃The　wine　is　not　come；　my　Drusus；　and；　as　thou　seest；　I　have　the　freckled　Pythias　as　they　were　dogs　in　leash。　As　to　Arrius；　I　will　accept　thy　opinion　of　him；　so　thou　tell　me　more　about　him。〃

〃Well；　be　he　Jew　or　Romanand；　by　the　great　god　Pan；　I　say　it　not　in　disrespect　of　thy　feelings；　my　Messala！this　Arrius　is　handsome　and　brave　and　shrewd。　The　emperor　offered　him　favor　and　patronage；　which　he　refused。　He　came　up　through　mystery；　and　keepeth　distance　as　if　he　felt　himself　better　or　knew　himself　worse　than　the　rest　of　us。　In　the　palaestrae　he　was　unmatched；　he　played　with　the　blue…eyed　giants　from　the　Rhine　and　the　hornless　bulls　of　Sarmatia　as　they　were　willow　wisps。　The　duumvir　left　him　vastly　rich。　He　has　a　passion　for　arms；　and　thinks　of　nothing　but　war。　Maxentius　admitted　him　into　his　family；　and　he　was　to　have　taken　ship　with　us；　but　we　lost　him　at　Ravenna。　Nevertheless　he　arrived　safely。　We　heard　of　him　this　morning。　Perpol！　Instead　of　coming　to　the　palace　or　going　to　the　citadel；　he　dropped　his　baggage　at　the　khan；　and　hath　disappeared　again。〃

At　the　beginning　of　the　speech　Messala　listened　with　polite　indifference；　as　it　proceeded；　he　became　more　attentive；　at　the　conclusion；　he　took　his　hand　from　the　dice…box；　and　called　out；　〃Ho；　my　Caius！　Dost　thou　hear？〃

A　youth　at　his　elbowhis　Myrtilus；　or　comrade；　in　the　day's　chariot　practiceanswered；　much　pleased　with　the　attention；　〃Did　I　not；　my　Messala；　I　were　not　thy　friend。〃

〃Dost　thou　remember　the　man　who　gave　thee　the　fall　to…day？〃

〃By　the　love…locks　of　Bacchus；　have　I　not　a　bruised　shoulder　to　help　me　keep　it　in　mind？〃　and　he　seconded　the　words　with　a　shrug　that　submerged　his　ears。

〃Well；　be　thou　grateful　to　the　FatesI　have　found　thy　enemy。　Listen。〃

Thereupon　Messala　turned　to　Drusus。

〃Tell　us　more　of　himperpol！of　him　who　is　both　Jew　and　Roman　by　Phoebus；　a　combination　to　make　a　Centaur　lovely！　What　garments　cloth　he　affect；　my　Drusus？〃

〃Those　of　the　Jews。〃

〃Hearest　thou；　Caius？〃　said　Messala。　〃The　fellow　is　youngone；　he　hath　the　visage　of　a　Romantwo；　he　loveth　best　the　garb　of　a　Jewthree；　and　in　the　palaestrae　fame　and　fortune　come　of　arms　to　throw　a　horse　or　tilt　a　chariot；　as　the　necessity　may　orderfour。　And；　Drusus；　help　thou　my　friend　again。　Doubtless　this　Arrius　hath　tricks　of　language；　otherwise　he　could　not　so　confound　himself；　to…day　a　Jew；　to…morrow　a　Roman；　but　of　the　rich　tongue　of　Athenediscourseth　he　in　that　as　well？〃

〃With　such　purity；　Messala；　he　might　have　been　a　contestant　in　the　Isthmia。〃

〃Art　thou　listening；　Caius？〃　said　Messala。　〃The　fellow　is　qualified　to　salute　a　womanfor　that　matter　Aristomache　herselfin　the　Greek；　and　as　I　keep　the　count；　that　is　five。　What　sayest　thou？〃

〃Thou　hast　found　him；　my　Messala；〃　Caius　answered；　〃or　I　am　not　myself。〃

〃Thy　pardon；　Drususand　pardon　of　allfor　speaking　in　riddles　thus；〃　Messala　said；　in　his　winsome　way。　〃By　all　the　decent　gods；　I　would　not　strain　thy　courtesy　to　the　point　of　breaking；　but　now　help　thou　me。　See！〃he　put　his　hand　on　the　dice…box　again；　laughing〃See　how　close　I　hold　the　Pythias　and　their　secret！　Thou　didst　speak；　I　think；　of　mystery　in　connection　with　the　coming　of　the　son　of　Arrius。　Tell　me　of　that。〃

〃'Tis　nothing；　Messala；　nothing；〃　Drusus　replied；　〃a　child's　story。　When　Arrius；　the　father；　sailed　in　pursuit　of　the　pirates；　he　was　without　wife　or　family；　he　returned　with　a　boyhim　of　whom　we　speakand　next　day　adopted　him。〃

〃Adopted　him？〃　Messala　repeated。　〃By　the　gods；　Drusus；　thou　dost；　indeed；　interest　me！　Where　did　the　duumvir　find　the　boy？　And　who　was　he？〃

〃Who　shall　answer　thee　that；　Messala？　who　but　the　young　Arrius　himself？　Perpol！　in　the　fight　the　duumvirthen　but　a　tribunelost　his　galley。　A　returning　vessel　found　him　and　one　otherall　of　the　crew　who　survivedafloat　upon　the　same　plank。　I　give　you　now　the　story　of　the　rescuers；　which　hath　this　excellence　at　leastit　hath　never　been　contradicted。　They　say；　the　duumvir's　companion　on　the　plank　was　a　Jew〃

〃A　Jew！〃　echoed　Messala。

〃And　a　slave。〃

〃How　Drusus？　A　slave？〃

〃When　the　two　were　lifted　to　the　deck；　the　duumvir　was　in　his　tribune's　armor；　and　the　other　in　the　vesture　of　a　rower。〃

Messala　rose　from　leaning　against　the　table。

〃A　galley〃he　checked　the　debasing　word；　and　looked　around；　for　once　in　his　life　at　loss。　Just　then　a　procession　of　slaves　filed　into　the　room；　some　with　great　jars　of　wine；　others　with　baskets　of　fruits　and　confections；　others　again　with　cups　and　flagons；　mostly　silver。　There　was　inspiration　in　the　sight。　Instantly　Messala　climbed　upon　a　stool。

〃Men　of　the　Tiber；〃　he　said；　in　a　clear　voice；　〃let　us　turn　this　waiting　for　our　chief　into　a　feast　of　Bacchus。　Whom　choose　ye　for　master？〃

Drusus　arose。

〃Who　shall　be　master　but　the　giver　of　the　feast？〃　he　said。　〃Answer；　Romans。〃

They　gave　their　reply　in　a　shout。

Messala　took　the　chaplet　from　his　head；　gave　it　to　Drusus；　who　climbed　upon　the　table；　and；　in　the　view　of　all；　solemnly　replaced　it；　making　Messala　master　of　the　night。

〃There　came　with　me　into　the　room；〃　he　said；　〃some　friends　just　risen　from　table。　That　our　feast　may　have　the　approval　of　sacred　custom；　bring　hither　that　one　of　them　most　overcome　by　wine。〃

A　din　of　voices　answered；　〃Here　he　is；　here　he　is！〃

And　from　the　floor　where　he　had　fallen；　a　youth　was　brought　forward；　so　effeminately　beautiful　he　might　have　passed　for　the　drinking…god　himselfonly　the　crown　would　have　dropped　from　his　head；　and　the　thyrsus　from　his　hand。

〃Lift　him　upon　the　table；〃　the　master　said。

It　was　found　he　could　not　sit。

〃Help　him；　Drusus；　as　the　fair　Nyone　may　yet　help　thee。〃

Drusus　took　the　inebriate　in　his　arms。

Then　addressing　the　limp　figure；　Messala　said；　amidst　profound　silence；　〃O　Bacchus！　greatest　of　the　gods；　be　thou　propitious　to…night。　And　for　myself；　and　these　thy　votaries；　I　vow　this　chaplet〃and　from　his　head　he　raised　it　reverently〃I　vow　this　chaplet　to　thy　altar　in　the　Grove　of　Daphne。〃

He　bowed；　replaced　the　crown　upon　his　locks；　then　stooped　and　uncovered　the　dice；　saying；　with　a　laugh；　〃See；　my　Drusus；　by　the　ass　of　Silenus；　the　denarius　is　mine！〃

There　was　a　shout　that　set　the　floor　to　quaking；　and　the　grim　Atlantes　to　dancing；　and　the　orgies　began。




CHAPTER　XIII



Sheik　Ilderim　was　a　man　of　too　much　importance　to　go　about　with　a　small　establishment。　He　had　a　reputation　to　keep　with　his　tribe；　such　as　became　a　prince　and　patriarch　of　the　greatest　following　in　all　the　Desert　east　of　Syria；　with　the　people　of　the　cities　he　had　another　reputation；　which　was　that　of　one　of　the　richest　personages　not　a　king　in　all　the　East；　and；　being　rich　in　factin　money　as　well　as　in　servants；　camels；　horses；　and　flocks　of　all　kindshe　took　pleasure　in　a　certain　state；　which；　besides　magnifying　his　dignity　with　strangers；　contributed　to　his　personal　pride　and　comfort。　Wherefore　the　reader　must　not　be　misled　by　the　frequent　reference　to　his　tent　in　the　Orchard　of　Palms。　He　had　there　really　a　respectable　dowar；　that　is　to　say；　he　had　there　three　large　tentsone　for　himself；　one　for　visitors；　one　for　his　favorite　wife　and　her　women；　and　six　or　eight　lesser　ones；　occupied　by　his　servants　and　such　tribal　retainers　as　he　had　chosen　to　bring　with　him　as　a　body…guardstrong　men　of　approved　courage；　and　skillful　with　bow；　spear；　and　horses。

To　be　sure；　his　property　of　whatever　kind　was　in　no　danger　at　the　Orchard；　yet　as　the　habits　of　a　man　go　with　him　to　town　not　less　than　the　country；　and　as　it　is　never　wise　to　slip　the　bands　of　discipline；　the　interior　of　the　dowar　was　devoted　to　his　cows；　camels；　goats；　and　such　property　in　general　as　might　tempt　a　lion　or　a　thief。

To　do　him　full　justice；　Ilderim　kept　well　all　the　customs　of　his　people；　abating　none；　not　even　the　smallest；　in　consequence　his　life　at　the　Orchard　was　a　continuation　of　his　life　in　the　Desert；　nor　that　alo