ben-hur-第65节

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！


ndsuch　was　the　impression　she　made　upon　him　translated　into　words。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　observing　him　stop；　〃come；　or　I　shall　think　you　a　poor　sailor。〃

The　red　of　his　cheek　deepened。　Did　she　know　anything　of　his　life　upon　the　sea？　He　descended　to　the　platform　at　once。

〃I　was　afraid；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　the　vacant　seat　before　her。

〃Of　what？〃

〃Of　sinking　the　boat；〃　he　replied；　smiling。

〃Wait　until　we　are　in　deeper　water；〃　she　said；　giving　a　signal　to　the　black；　who　dipped　the　oars；　and　they　were　off。

If　love　and　Ben…Hur　were　enemies；　the　latter　was　never　more　at　mercy。　The　Egyptian　sat　where　he　could　not　but　see　her；　she；　whom　he　had　already　engrossed　in　memory　as　his　ideal　of　the　Shulamite。　With　her　eyes　giving　light　to　his；　the　stars　might　come　out；　and　he　not　see　them；　and　so　they　did。　The　night　might　fall　with　unrelieved　darkness　everywhere　else；　her　look　would　make　illumination　for　him。　And　then；　as　everybody　knows；　given　youth　and　such　companionship；　there　is　no　situation　in　which　the　fancy　takes　such　complete　control　as　upon　tranquil　waters　under　a　calm　night　sky；　warm　with　summer。　It　is　so　easy　at　such　time　to　glide　imperceptibly　out　of　the　commonplace　into　the　ideal。

〃Give　me　the　rudder；〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃that　were　to　reverse　the　relation。　Did　I　not　ask　you　to　ride　with　me？　I　am　indebted　to　you；　and　would　begin　payment。　You　may　talk　and　I　will　listen；　or　I　will　talk　and　you　will　listen：　that　choice　is　yours；　but　it　shall　be　mine　to　choose　where　we　go；　and　the　way　thither。〃

〃And　where　may　that　be？〃

〃You　are　alarmed　again。〃

〃O　fair　Egyptian；　I　but　asked　you　the　first　question　of　every　captive。〃

〃Call　me　Egypt。〃

〃I　would　rather　call　you　Iras。〃

〃You　may　think　of　me　by　that　name；　but　call　me　Egypt。〃

〃Egypt　is　a　country；　and　means　many　people。〃

〃Yes；　yes！　And　such　a　country！〃

〃I　see；　it　is　to　Egypt　we　are　going。〃

〃Would　we　were！　I　would　be　so　glad。〃

She　sighed　as　she　spoke。

〃You　have　no　care　for　me；　then；〃　he　said。

〃Ah；　by　that　I　know　you　were　never　there。〃

〃I　never　was。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　the　land　where　there　are　no　unhappy　people；　the　desired　of　all　the　rest　of　the　earth；　the　mother　of　all　the　gods；　and　therefore　supremely　blest。　There；　O　son　of　Arrius；　there　the　happy　find　increase　of　happiness；　and　the　wretched；　going；　drink　once　of　the　sweet　water　of　the　sacred　river；　and　laugh　and　sing；　rejoicing　like　children。〃

〃Are　not　the　very　poor　with　you　there　as　elsewhere？〃

〃The　very　poor　in　Egypt　are　the　very　simple　in　wants　and　ways；〃　she　replied。　〃They　have　no　wish　beyond　enough；　and　how　little　that　is；　a　Greek　or　a　Roman　cannot　know。〃

〃But　I　am　neither　Greek　nor　Roman。〃

She　laughed。

〃I　have　a　garden　of　roses；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　is　a　tree；　and　its　bloom　is　the　richest　of　all。　Whence　came　it；　think　you？〃

〃From　Persia；　the　home　of　the　rose。〃

〃No。〃

〃From　India；　then。〃

〃No。〃

〃Ah！　one　of　the　isles　of　Greece。〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　she　said：　〃a　traveller　found　it　perishing　by　the　roadside　on　the　plain　of　Rephaim。〃

〃Oh；　in　Judea！〃

〃I　put　it　in　the　earth　left　bare　by　the　receding　Nile；　and　the　soft　south　wind　blew　over　the　desert　and　nursed　it；　and　the　sun　kissed　it　in　pity；　after　which　it　could　not　else　than　grow　and　flourish。　I　stand　in　its　shade　now；　and　it　thanks　me　with　much　perfume。　As　with　the　roses；　so　with　the　men　of　Israel。　Where　shall　they　reach　perfection　but　in　Egypt？〃

〃Moses　was　but　one　of　millions。〃

〃Nay；　there　was　a　reader　of　dreams。　Will　you　forget　him？〃

〃The　friendly　Pharaohs　are　dead。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　The　river　by　which　they　dwelt　sings　to　them　in　their　tombs；　yet　the　same　sun　tempers　the　same　air　to　the　same　people。〃

〃Alexandria　is　but　a　Roman　town。〃

〃She　has　but　exchanged　sceptres。　Caesar　took　from　her　that　of　the　sword；　and　in　its　place　left　that　of　learning。　Go　with　me　to　the　Brucheium；　and　I　will　show　you　the　college　of　nations；　to　the　Serapeion；　and　see　the　perfection　of　architecture；　to　the　Library；　and　read　the　immortals；　to　the　theatre；　and　hear　the　heroics　of　the　Greeks　and　Hindoos；　to　the　quay；　and　count　the　triumphs　of　commerce；　descend　with　me　into　the　streets；　O　son　of　Arrius；　and；　when　the　philosophers　have　dispersed；　and　taken　with　them　the　masters　of　all　the　arts；　and　all　the　gods　have　home　their　votaries；　and　nothing　remains　of　the　day　but　its　pleasures；　you　shall　hear　the　stories　that　have　amused　men　from　the　beginning；　and　the　songs　which　will　never；　never　die。〃

As　he　listened；　Ben…Hur　was　carried　back　to　the　night　when；　in　the　summer…house　in　Jerusalem；　his　mother；　in　much　the　same　poetry　of　patriotism；　declaimed　the　departed　glories　of　Israel。

〃I　see　now　why　you　wish　to　be　called　Egypt。　Will　you　sing　me　a　song　if　I　call　you　by　that　name？　I　heard　you　last　night。〃

〃That　was　a　hymn　of　the　Nile；〃　she　answered；　〃a　lament　which　I　sing　when　I　would　fancy　I　smell　the　breath　of　the　desert；　and　hear　the　surge　of　the　dear　old　river；　let　me　rather　give　you　a　piece　of　the　Indian　mind。　When　we　get　to　Alexandria；　I　will　take　you　to　the　corner　of　the　street　where　you　can　hear　it　from　the　daughter　of　the　Ganga；　who　taught　it　to　me。　Kapila；　you　should　know；　was　one　of　the　most　revered　of　the　Hindoo　sages。〃

Then；　as　if　it　were　a　natural　mode　of　expression；　she　began　the　song。


KAPILA。

I。

〃Kapila；　Kapila；　so　young　and　true；　　　I　yearn　for　a　glory　like　thine；　And　hail　thee　from　battle　to　ask　anew；　　　Can　ever　thy　Valor　be　mine？

〃Kapila　sat　on　his　charger　dun；　　　A　hero　never　so　grave：　'Who　loveth　all　things　hath　fear　of　none；　　'Tis　love　that　maketh　me　brave。　A　woman　gave　me　her　soul　one　day；　The　soul　of　my　soul　to　be　alway；　　　　Thence　came　my　Valor　to　me；　　　Go　try　ittry　itand　see。'


II。

〃Kapila；　Kapila；　so　old　and　gray；　　　The　queen　is　calling　for　me；　But　ere　I　go　hence；　I　wish　thou　wouldst　say；　　　How　Wisdom　first　came　to　thee。

〃Kapila　stood　in　his　temple　door；　　　A　priest　in　eremite　guise：　'It　did　not　come　as　men　get　their　lore；　　　'Tis　faith　that　maketh　me　wise。　A　woman　gave　me　her　heart　one　day；　The　heart　of　my　heart　to　be　alway；　　　Thence　came　my　Wisdom　to　me；　　　Go　try　ittry　itand　see。'〃


Ben…Hur　had　not　time　to　express　his　thanks　for　the　song　before　the　keel　of　the　boat　grated　upon　the　underlying　sand；　and；　next　moment；　the　bow　ran　upon　the　shore。

〃A　quick　voyage；　O　Egypt！〃　he　cried。

〃And　a　briefer　stay！〃　she　replied；　as；　with　a　strong　push；　the　black　sent　them　shooting　into　the　open　water　again。

〃You　will　give　me　the　rudder　now。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　she；　laughing。　〃To　you；　the　chariot；　to　me；　the　boat。　We　are　merely　at　the　lake's　end；　and　the　lesson　is　that　I　must　not　sing　any　more。　Having　been　to　Egypt；　let　us　now　to　the　Grove　of　Daphne。〃

〃Without　a　song　on　the　way？〃　he　said；　in　deprecation。

〃Tell　me　something　of　the　Roman　from　whom　you　saved　us　to…day；〃　she　asked。

The　request　struck　Ben…Hur　unpleasantly。

〃I　wish　this　were　the　Nile；〃　he　said；　evasively。　〃The　kings　and　queens；　having　slept　so　long；　might　come　down　from　their　tombs；　and　ride　with　us。〃

〃They　were　of　the　colossi；　and　would　sink　our　boat。　The　pygmies　would　be　preferable。　But　tell　me　of　the　Roman。　He　is　very　wicked；　is　he　not？〃

〃I　cannot　say。〃

〃Is　he　of　noble　family；　and　rich？〃

〃I　cannot　speak　of　his　riches。〃

〃How　beautiful　his　horses　were！　and　the　bed　of　his　chariot　was　gold；　and　the　wheels　ivory。　And　his　audacity！　The　bystanders　laughed　as　he　rode　away；　they；　who　were　so　nearly　under　his　wheels！〃

She　laughed　at　the　recollection。

〃They　were　rabble；〃　said　Ben…Hur；　bitterly。

〃He　must　be　one　of　the　monsters　who　are　said　to　be　growing　up　in　RomeApollos　ravenous　as　Cerberus。　Does　he　reside　in　Antioch？〃

〃He　is　of　the　East　somewhere。〃

〃Egypt　would　suit　him　better　than　Syria。〃

〃Hardly；〃　Ben…Hur　replied。　〃Cleopatra　is　dead。〃

That　instant　the　lamps　burning　before　the　door　of　the　tent　came　into　view。

〃The　dowar！〃　she　cried。

〃Ah；　then；　we　have　not　been　to　Egypt。　I　have　not　seen　Karnak　or　Philae　or　Abydos。　This　is　not　the　Nile。　I　have　but　heard　a　song　of　India；　and　been　boating　in　a　dream。〃

〃PhilaeKarnak。　Mourn　rather　that　you　have　not　seen　the　Rameses　at　Aboo　Simbel；　looking　at　which　makes　it　so　easy　to　think　of　God；　the　maker　of　the　heavens　and　earth。　Or　why　should　you　mourn　at　all？　Let　us　go　on　to　the　river；　and　if　I　cannot　sing〃she　laughed〃because　I　have　said　I　would　not；　yet　I　can　tell　you　stories　of　Egypt。〃

〃Go　on！　Ay；　till　morning　comes；　and　the　evening；　and　the　next　morning！〃　he　said；　vehemently。

〃Of　what　shall　my　stories　be？　Of　the　mathematicians？〃

〃Oh　no。〃

〃Of　the　philosophers？〃

〃No；　no。〃

〃Of　the　magicians　and　genii？〃

〃If　you　will。〃

〃Of　war？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Of　love？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　a　cure　for　love。　It　is　the　story　of　a　queen。　Listen　reverently。　The　papyrus　from　which　it　was　taken　by　the　priests　of　Philae　was　wrested　from　the　hand　of　the　heroine　herself。　It　is　correct　in　form；　and　must　be　true：


NE…NE…HOFRA。

I。

〃There　is　no　parallelism　in　human　lives。

〃No　life　runs　a　straight　line。

〃The　most　perfect　life　develops　as　a　circle；　and　terminates　in　its　beginning；　making　it　impossible　to　say；　This　is　the　commencement；　that　the　end。

〃Perfect　lives　are　the　treasures　of　God；　of　great　days　he　wears