Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/280

Rh before that day, two questions presented themselves to him as centring all it was at that moment further desirable to know:

Where was the Child then?

And what was his mission?

With apologies for the interruptions, he proceeded to draw out the opinions of Balthasar, who was in nowise loath to speak.

&quot; I could answer you,&quot; Balthasar said, in his simple, earnest, devout way—&quot;oh, if I knew where he is, how quickly I would go to him! The seas should not stay me, nor the mountains.&quot;

&quot;You have tried to find him, then?&quot; asked Ben-Hur.

A smile flitted across the face of the Egyptian.

&quot;The first task I charged myself with after leaving the shelter given me in the desert&quot;—Balthasar cast a grateful look at Ilderim—&quot;was to learn what became of the Child. But a year had passed, and I dared not go up to Judea in person, for Herod still held the throne bloody-minded as ever. In Egypt, upon my return, there were a few friends to believe the wonderful things I told them of what I had seen and heard—a few who rejoiced with me that a Redeemer was born—a few who never tired of the story. Some of them came up for me looking after the Child. They went first to Bethlehem, and found there the khan and the cave; but the steward—he who sat at the gate the night of the birth, and the night we came following the star—was gone. The king had taken him away, and he was no more seen.&quot;

&quot;But they found some proofs, surely,&quot; said Ben-Hur, eagerly.

&quot;Yes, proofs written in blood—a village in mourning; mothers yet crying for their little ones. You must know, when Herod heard of our flight, he sent down and slew the youngest-born of the children of Bethlehem. Not one escaped. The faith of my messengers was confirmed; but