Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/174

Rh ; they may put thee to the oar again; but they will not kill thee. On the other hand, I—&quot;

The tribune faltered.

&quot;Perpol!&quot; he continued, resolutely. &quot;I am too old to submit to dishonor. In Rome, let them tell how Quintus Arrius, as became a Roman tribune, went down with his ship in the midst of the foe. This is what I would have thee do. If the galley prove a pirate, push me from the plank and drown me. Dost thou hear? Swear thou wilt do it.&quot;

&quot;I will not swear,&quot; said Ben-Hur, firmly; &quot;neither will I do the deed. The Law, which is to me most binding, O tribune, would make me answerable for thy life. Take back the ring&quot;—he took the seal from his finger—&quot;take it back, and all thy promises of favor in the event of delivery from this peril. The judgment which sent me to the oar for life made me a slave, yet I am not a slave; no more am I thy freedman. I am a son of Israel, and this moment, at least, my own master. Take back the ring.&quot; Arrius remained passive.

&quot;Thou wilt not?&quot; Judah continued. &quot;Not in anger, then, nor in any despite, but to free myself from a hateful obligation, I will give thy gift to the sea. See, O tribune!&quot;

He tossed the ring away. Arrius heard the splash where it struck and sank, though he did not look. &quot;Thou hast done a foolish thing,&quot; he said; &quot;foolish for one placed as thou art. I am not dependent upon thee for death. Life is a thread I can break without thy help; and, if I do, what will become of thee? Men determined on death prefer it at the hands of others, for the reason that the soul which Plato giveth us is rebellious at the thought of self-destruction; that is all. If the ship be a pirate, I will escape from the world. My mind is fixed. I am a Roman. Success and honor are all in all. Yet I would have served thee; thou wouldst not. The ring was the only witness of my will available in this situation. We are both lost. I will die regretting the victory and glory wrested from me; thou wilt live to die a little later, mourning the pious duties undone because of this folly. I pity thee.&quot;