Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/107

Rh myself—a day of separation, and therefore a dreadful day to you. Let us be brave and serious. I will be your hero, but you must put me in the way. You know the law-every son of Israel must have some occupation. I am not exempt, and ask now, shall I tend the herds? or till the soil? or drive the saw? or be a clerk or a lawyer? What shall I be? Dear, good mother, help me to an answer.&quot;

&quot;Gamaliel has been lecturing to-day,&quot; she said, thoughtfully.

&quot;If so, I did not hear him.&quot;

&quot;Then you have been walking with Simeon, who, they tell me, inherits the genius of his family."

&quot;No, I have not seen him. I have been up on the Market-place, not to the Temple. I visited the young Messala.&quot;

A certain change in his voice attracted the mother's attention. A presentiment quickened the beating of her heart; the fan became motionless again.

&quot;The Messala!&quot; she said. &quot;What could he say to so trouble you?&quot;

&quot;He is very much changed.&quot;

&quot;You mean he has come back a Roman.&quot;

&quot;Yes.&quot;

&quot;Roman!&quot; she continued, half to herself. &quot;To all the world the word means master. How long has he been away?&quot;

&quot;Five years.&quot;

She raised her head, and looked off into the night.

&quot;The airs of the Via Sacra are well enough in the streets of the Egyptian and in Babylon; but in Jerusalem—our Jerusalem—the covenant abides.&quot;

And, full of the thought, she settled back into her easy place. He was first to speak.

&quot;What Messala said, my mother, was sharp enough in itself; but, taken with the manner, some of the sayings were intolerable.&quot;

&quot;I think I understand you. Rome, her poets, orators, senators, courtiers, are mad with affectation of what they call satire.&quot;

&quot;I suppose all great peoples are proud,&quot; he went on, scarcely noticing the interruption; "but the pride of that