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Not a ripple broke upon the shore. The old stars of the old East were all out, each in its accustomed place; and there was summer everywhere on land, on lake, in the sky. Ben-Hur's imagination was heated, his feelings aroused, his will all unsettled.
A little later he found that expression habitual. "This is he, O Balthasar," said the sheik, laying his hand on Ben-Hur's arm, "who will break bread with us this evening." The Egyptian glanced at the young man, and looked again surprised and doubting; seeing which the sheik continued, "I have promised him my horses for trial to-morrow; and if all goes well, he will drive them in the Circus."
She looked at the package as she turned, paused, looked at it a second time more closely than at first; and the blood rose reddening her cheeks the seal was Ben-Hur's. With quickened steps she hastened on. Simonides held the package a moment while he also inspected the seal. Breaking it open, he gave her the roll it contained. "Read," he said.
The second watch was Ben-Hur's; and he was standing, spear in hand, within arm-reach of the dozing camel, looking awhile at the stars, then over the veiled land.
In that way I became somewhat intimate with Sheik Ilderim." For a moment Ben-Hur's attention wandered. Before his mind's eye there arose the image, pure, gentle, and appealing, of Esther, the merchant's daughter.
While replying, Malluch observed the thoughtful look on Ben-Hur's face give place to one of satisfaction. "One thing more now, O Malluch. When will the celebration be?" "Ah! your pardon," the other answered. "To-morrow and the next day," he said, counting aloud, "then, to speak in the Roman style, if the sea-gods be propitious, the consul arrives. Yes, the sixth day from this we have the games."
Amrah, Egyptian, keeping the palace in Jerusalem. 2. Simonides, the steward, in Antioch. 3. Esther, daughter of Simonides." Now, in all his thoughts of Simonides, not once had it entered Ben-Hur's mind that, by the law, a daughter followed the parent's condition. In all his visions of her, the sweet-faced Esther had figured as the rival of the Egyptian, and an object of possible love.
The day I meet him, help me, thou good God of my people! help me to some fitting special vengeance! And now the meeting was at hand. Perhaps, if he had found Messala poor and suffering, Ben-Hur's feeling had been different; but it was not so. He found him more than prosperous; in the prosperity there was a dash and glitter gleam of sun on gilt of gold.
And still Ben-Hur's eyes climbed on and up up over the roof of the Temple, to the hill Zion, consecrated to sacred memories, inseparable from the anointed kings.
The very vastness of the attendance in and about the city brought with it a seeming guaranty of safety. And yet, to say truth, Ben-Hur's confidence rested most certainly upon the miraculous power of the Christ.
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