Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ

by Lew Wallace

  CHAPTER VI

  The morning of the first day of the seventh month--Tishri in theHebrew, October in English--Ben-Hur arose from his couch in thekhan ill satisfied with the whole world.

  Little time had been lost in consultation upon the arrival ofMalluch. The latter began the search at the Tower of Antonia,and began it boldly, by a direct inquiry of the tribune commanding.He gave the officer a history of the Hurs, and all the particularsof the accident to Gratus, describing the affair as wholly withoutcriminality. The object of the quest now, he said, was if any ofthe unhappy family were discovered alive to carry a petition tothe feet of Caesar, praying restitution of the estate and return totheir civil rights. Such a petition, he had no doubt, would resultin an investigation by the imperial order, a proceeding of whichthe friends of the family had no fear.

  In reply the tribune stated circumstantially the discovery of thewomen in the Tower, and permitted a reading of the memorandum hehad taken of their account of themselves; when leave to copy itwas prayed, he even permitted that.

  Malluch thereupon hurried to Ben-Hur.

  It were useless to attempt description of the effect the terriblestory had upon the young man. The pain was not relieved by tearsor passionate outcries; it was too deep for any expression. He satstill a long time, with pallid face and laboring heart. Now and then,as if to show the thoughts which were most poignant, he muttered,

  "Lepers, lepers! They--my mother and Tirzah--they lepers! How long,how long, O Lord!"

  One moment he was torn by a virtuous rage of sorrow, next by alonging for vengeance which, it must be admitted, was scarcelyless virtuous.

  At length he arose.

  "I must look for them. They may be dying."

  "Where will you look?" asked Malluch.

  "There is but one place for them to go."

  Malluch interposed, and finally prevailed so far as to have themanagement of the further attempt intrusted to him. Together theywent to the gate over on the side opposite the Hill of Evil Counsel,immemorially the lepers' begging-ground. There they stayed allday, giving alms, asking for the two women, and offering richrewards for their discovery. So they did in repetition day afterday through the remainder of the fifth month, and all the sixth.There was diligent scouring of the dread city on the hill by lepersto whom the rewards offered were mighty incentives, for they wereonly dead in law. Over and over again the gaping tomb down by thewell was invaded, and its tenants subjected to inquiry; but theykept their secret fast. The result was failure. And now, the morningof the first day of the seventh month, the extent of the additionalinformation gained was that not long before two leprous women had beenstoned from the Fish Gate by the authorities. A little pressing ofthe clew, together with some shrewd comparison of dates, led to thesad assurance that the sufferers were the Hurs, and left the oldquestions darker than ever. Where were they? And what had becomeof them?

  "It was not enough that my people should be made lepers," said theson, over and over again, with what intensity of bitterness thereader may imagine; "that was not enough. Oh no! They must be stonedfrom their native city! My mother is dead! she has wandered to thewilderness! she is dead! Tirzah is dead! I alone am left. And forwhat? How long, O God, thou Lord God of my fathers, how long shallthis Rome endure?"

  Angry, hopeless, vengeful, he entered the court of the khan, andfound it crowded with people come in during the night. While heate his breakfast, he listened to some of them. To one party hewas specially attracted. They were mostly young, stout, active,hardy men, in manner and speech provincial. In their look, the certainindefinable air, the pose of the head, glance of the eye, there wasa spirit which did not, as a rule, belong to the outward seemingof the lower orders of Jerusalem; the spirit thought by some tobe a peculiarity of life in mountainous districts, but which maybe more surely traced to a life of healthful freedom. In a shorttime he ascertained they were Galileans, in the city for variouspurposes, but chiefly to take part in the Feast of Trumpets, set forthat day. They became to him at once objects of interest, as hailingfrom the region in which he hoped to find readiest support in thework he was shortly to set about.

  While observing them, his mind running ahead in thought ofachievements possible to a legion of such spirits disciplinedafter the severe Roman style, a man came into the court, his facemuch flushed, his eyes bright with excitement.

  "Why are you here?" he said to the Galileans. "The rabbis andelders are going from the Temple to see Pilate. Come, make haste,and let us go with them."

  They surrounded him in a moment.

  "To see Pilate! For what?"

  "They have discovered a conspiracy. Pilate's new aqueduct is tobe paid for with money of the Temple."

  "What, with the sacred treasure?"

  They repeated the question to each other with flashing eyes.

  "It is Corban--money of God. Let him touch a shekel of it if hedare!"

  "Come," cried the messenger. "The procession is by this time acrossthe bridge. The whole city is pouring after. We may be needed.Make haste!"

  As if the thought and the act were one, there was quick puttingaway of useless garments, and the party stood forth bareheaded,and in the short sleeveless under-tunics they were used to wearingas reapers in the field and boatmen on the lake--the garb in whichthey climbed the hills following the herds, and plucked the ripenedvintage, careless of the sun. Lingering only to tighten their girdles,they said, "We are ready."

  Then Ben-Hur spoke to them.

  "Men of Galilee," he said, "I am a son of Judah. Will you take mein your company?"

  "We may have to fight," they replied.

  "Oh, then, I will not be first to run away!"

  They took the retort in good humor, and the messenger said,"You seem stout enough. Come along."

  Ben-Hur put off his outer garments.

  "You think there may be fighting?" he asked, quietly, as hetightened his girdle.

  "Yes."

  "With whom?"

  "The guard."

  "Legionaries?"

  "Whom else can a Roman trust?"

  "What have you to fight with?"

  They looked at him silently.

  "Well," he continued, "we will have to do the best we can; but hadwe not better choose a leader? The legionaries always have one,and so are able to act with one mind."

  The Galileans stared more curiously, as if the idea were new tothem.

  "Let us at least agree to stay together," he said. "Now I am ready,if you are."

  "Yes, let us go."

  The khan, it should not be forgotten, was in Bezetha, the newtown; and to get to the Praetorium, as the Romans resonantlystyled the palace of Herod on Mount Zion, the party had to crossthe lowlands north and west of the Temple. By streets--if they maybe so called--trending north and south, with intersections hardlyup to the dignity of alleys, they passed rapidly round the Akradistrict to the Tower of Mariamne, from which the way was shortto the grand gate of the walled heights. In going, they overtook,or were overtaken by, people like themselves stirred to wrath bynews of the proposed desecration. When, at length, they reachedthe gate of the Praetorium, the procession of elders and rabbishad passed in with a great following, leaving a greater crowdclamoring outside.

  A centurion kept the entrance with a guard drawn up full armedunder the beautiful marble battlements. The sun struck the soldiersfervidly on helm and shield; but they kept their ranks indifferentalike to its dazzle and to the mouthings of the rabble. Through theopen bronze gates a current of citizens poured in, while a muchlesser one poured out.

  "What is going on?" one of the Galileans asked an outcomer.

  "Nothing," was the reply. "The rabbis are before the door of thepalace asking to see Pilate. He has refused to come out. They havesent one to tell him they will not go away till he has heard them.They are waiting."

  "Let us go in," said Ben-Hur, in his quiet way, seeing what hiscompanions probably did not, that there was not only a disagreementbetween the suitors and the governor
, but an issue joined, and aserious question as to who should have his will.

  Inside the gate there was a row of trees in leaf, with seats underthem. The people, whether going or coming, carefully avoided theshade cast gratefully upon the white, clean-swept pavement; for,strange as it may seem, a rabbinical ordinance, alleged to have beenderived from the law, permitted no green thing to be grown withinthe walls of Jerusalem. Even the wise king, it was said, wanting agarden for his Egyptian bride, was constrained to found it down inthe meeting-place of the valleys above En-rogel.

  Through the tree-tops shone the outer fronts of the palace.Turning to the right, the party proceeded a short distance to aspacious square, on the west side of which stood the residence ofthe governor. An excited multitude filled the square. Every facewas directed towards a portico built over a broad doorway whichwas closed. Under the portico there was another array of legionaries.

  The throng was so close the friends could not well have advancedif such had been their desire; they remained therefore in the rear,observers of what was going on. About the portico they could see thehigh turbans of the rabbis, whose impatience communicated at timesto the mass behind them; a cry was frequent to the effect "Pilate,if thou be a governor, come forth, come forth!"

  Once a man coming out pushed through the crowd, his face red withanger.

  "Israel is of no account here," he said, in a loud voice. "On thisholy ground we are no better than dogs of Rome."

  "Will he not come out, think you?"

  "Come? Has he not thrice refused?"

  "What will the rabbis do?"

  "As at Caesarea--camp here till he gives them ear."

  "He will not dare touch the treasure, will he?" asked one of theGalileans.

  "Who can say? Did not a Roman profane the Holy of Holies? Is thereanything sacred from Romans?"

  An hour passed, and though Pilate deigned them no answer, the rabbisand crowd remained. Noon came, bringing a shower from the west,but no change in the situation, except that the multitude waslarger and much noisier, and the feeling more decidedly angry.The shouting was almost continuous, Come forth, come forth! The crywas sometimes with disrespectful variations. Meanwhile Ben-Hur heldhis Galilean friends together. He judged the pride of the Romanwould eventually get the better of his discretion, and that theend could not be far off. Pilate was but waiting for the peopleto furnish him an excuse for resort to violence.

  And at last the end came. In the midst of the assemblage therewas heard the sound of blows, succeeded instantly by yells ofpain and rage, and a most furious commotion. The venerable menin front of the portico faced about aghast. The common people inthe rear at first pushed forward; in the centre, the effort wasto get out; and for a short time the pressure of opposing forceswas terrible. A thousand voices made inquiry, raised all at once;as no one had time to answer, the surprise speedily became a panic.

  Ben-Hur kept his senses.

  "You cannot see?" he said to one of the Galileans.

  "No."

  "I will raise you up."

  He caught the man about the middle, and lifted him bodily.

  "What is it?"

  "I see now," said the man. "There are some armed with clubs, and theyare beating the people. They are dressed like Jews."

  "Who are they?"

  "Romans, as the Lord liveth! Romans in disguise. Their clubs flylike flails! There, I saw a rabbi struck down--an old man! Theyspare nobody!"

  Ben-Hur let the man down.

  "Men of Galilee," he said, "it is a trick of Pilate's. Now, will youdo what I say, we will get even with the club-men."

  The Galilean spirit arose.

  "Yes, yes!" they answered.

  "Let us go back to the trees by the gate, and we may find theplanting of Herod, though unlawful, has some good in it afterall. Come!"

  They ran back all of them fast as they could; and, by throwingtheir united weight upon the limbs, tore them from the trunks.In a brief time they, too, were armed. Returning, at the corner ofthe square they met the crowd rushing madly for the gate. Behind,the clamor continued--a medley of shrieks, groans, and execrations.

  "To the wall!" Ben-Hur shouted. "To the wall!--and let the herdgo by!"

  So, clinging to the masonry at their right hand, they escaped themight of the rush, and little by little made headway until, at last,the square was reached.

  "Keep together now, and follow me!"

  By this time Ben-Hur's leadership was perfect; and as he pushedinto the seething mob his party closed after him in a body.And when the Romans, clubbing the people and making merry asthey struck them down, came hand to hand with the Galileans,lithe of limb, eager for the fray, and equally armed, they werein turn surprised. Then the shouting was close and fierce; thecrash of sticks rapid and deadly; the advance furious as hatecould make it. No one performed his part as well as Ben-Hur,whose training served him admirably; for, not merely he knew tostrike and guard; his long arm, perfect action, and incomparablestrength helped him, also, to success in every encounter. He wasat the same time fighting-man and leader. The club he wielded was ofgoodly 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 wasmost needed. In his fighting cry there were inspiration for hisparty and alarm for his enemies. Thus surprised and equally matched,the Romans at first retired, but finally turned their backs and fledto the portico. The impetuous Galileans would have pursued them tothe steps, but Ben-Hur wisely restrained them.

  "Stay, my men!" he said. "The centurion yonder is coming withthe guard. They have swords and shields; we cannot fight them.We have done well; let us get back and out of the gate whilewe may."

  They obeyed him, though slowly; for they had frequently to step overtheir countrymen lying where they had been felled; some writhing andgroaning, some praying help, others mute as the dead. But the fallenwere not all Jews. In that there was consolation.

  The centurion shouted to them as they went off; Ben-Hur laughedat 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-Hurhad never seen, not even in the circus at Antioch. The house-tops,the streets, the slope of the hill, appeared densely covered withpeople wailing and praying. The air was filled with their criesand imprecations.

  The party were permitted to pass without challenge by the outerguard. But hardly were they out before the centurion in chargeat 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 wouldstthou 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 noarms."

  "Thou shalt have mine," the centurion answered. "I will borrow ofthe guard here."

  The people in hearing of the colloquy became silent; and from themthe hush spread afar. But lately Ben-Hur had beaten a Roman underthe eyes of Antioch and the Farther East; now, could he beat anotherone under the eyes of Jerusalem, the honor might be vastly profitableto the cause of the New King. He did not hesitate. Going frankly tothe 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 centurionwas ready. All this time the soldiers in rank close by the gatenever moved; they simply listened. As to the multitude, only whenthe combatants advanced to begin the fight the question sped frommouth to mouth, "Who is he?" And no one knew.

  Now the Roman supremacy in arms lay in three things--submission todiscipline, the legionary formation of battle, and a pecul
iar useof the short sword. In combat, they never struck or cut; from firstto last they thrust--they advanced thrusting, they retired thrusting;and generally their aim was at the foeman's face. All this was well knownto 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 amlanista-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 rimsof their embossed shields; then the Roman pushed forward andfeinted an under-thrust. The Jew laughed at him. A thrust at theface followed. The Jew stepped lightly to the left; quick as thethrust was, the step was quicker. Under the lifted arm of the foehe slid his shield, advancing it until the sword and sword-arm wereboth caught on its upper surface; another step, this time forwardand 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 raisedhis shield overhead after a gladiatorial custom, and saluted theimperturbable 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 hehad consented, the Galileans would have carried Ben-Hur off upontheir shoulders.

  To a petty officer who then advanced from the gate he said, "Thycomrade died like a soldier. I leave him undespoiled. Only hissword 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 bepursued. Meet me to-night at the khan in Bethany. I have somethingto 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 speedilydisappeared.

  At the instance of Pilate, the people went up from the city, andcarried off their dead and wounded, and there was much mourningfor them; but the grief was greatly lightened by the victory ofthe unknown champion, who was everywhere sought, and by everyone extolled. The fainting spirit of the nation was revivedby the brave deed; insomuch that in the streets and up in theTemple even, amidst the solemnities of the feast, old tales ofthe Maccabees were told again, and thousands shook their headswhispering wisely,

  "A little longer, only a little longer, brethren, and Israel willcome to her own. Let there be faith in the Lord, and patience."

  In such manner Ben-Hur obtained hold on Galilee, and paved theway 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.