Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/366

Rh &quot;And how splendid his chariot!&quot; replies a neighbor, of the same proclivities. &quot;It is all ivory and gold. Jupiter grant he wins!&quot;

The notes on the bench behind them were entirely different.

&quot;A hundred shekels on the Jew!&quot;

The voice is high and shrill.

&quot;Nay, be thou not rash,&quot; whispers a moderating friend to the speaker. &quot;The children of Jacob are not much given to Gentile sports, which are too often accursed in the sight of the Lord.&quot;

&quot;True, but saw you ever one more cool and assured? And what an arm he has!&quot;

&quot;And what horses!&quot; says a third.

&quot;And for that,&quot; a fourth one adds, &quot;they say he has all the tricks of the Romans.&quot;

A woman completes the eulogium:

&quot;Yes, and he is even handsomer than the Roman.&quot;

Thus encouraged, the enthusiast shrieks again, &quot;A hundred shekels on the Jew!&quot;

&quot;Thou fool!&quot; answers an Antiochian, from a bench well forward on the balcony. &quot;Knowest thou not there are fifty talents laid against him, six to one, on Messala? Put up thy shekels, lest Abraham rise and smite thee.&quot;

&quot;Ha, ha! thou ass of Antioch! Cease thy bray. Knowest thou not it was Messala betting on himself?&quot;

Such the reply.

And so ran the controversy, not always good-natured.

When at length the march was ended and the Porta Pompæ received back the procession, Ben-Hur knew he had his prayer.

The eyes of the East were upon his contest with Messala.

three o clock, speaking in modern style, the programme was concluded except the chariot-race. The editor, wisely considerate of the comfort of the people, chose that time for a recess. At once the vomitoria were thrown