Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/424

Rh And Tirzah, after a look, caught her mother's hand, and leaned upon her heavily, sobbing, but silent.

&quot;Let us go on, my child, because&quot;—the mother hesitated and trembled; then, with an effort to be calm, continued—&quot;because when morning comes they will put us out of the gate of the city to—return no more.&quot;

Tirzah sank almost to the stones.

&quot;Ah, yes!&quot; she said, between sobs; &quot;I forgot. I had the feeling of going home. But we are lepers, and have no homes; we belong to the dead!&quot;

The mother stooped and raised her tenderly, saying, &quot;We have nothing to fear. Let us go on.&quot;

Indeed, lifting their empty hands, they could have run upon a legion and put it to flight.

And, creeping in close to the rough wall, they glided on, like two ghosts, till they came to the gate, before which they also paused. Seeing the board, they stepped upon the stone in the scarce cold tracks of Ben-Hur, and read the inscription &quot;—This is the Property of the Emperor.&quot;

Then the mother clasped her hands, and, with upraised eyes, moaned in unutterable anguish.

&quot;What now, mother? You scare me!&quot;

And the answer was, presently, &quot; Oh, Tirzah, the poor are dead! He is dead!&quot;

&quot;Who, mother?&quot;

&quot;Your brother! They took everything from him everything—even this house!&quot;

&quot;Poor!&quot; said Tirzah, vacantly.

&quot;He will never be able to help us.&quot;

&quot;And then, mother?&quot;

&quot;To-morrow—to-morrow, my child, we must find a seat by the wayside, and beg alms as the lepers do; beg, or—&quot;

Tirzah leaned upon her again, and said, whispering, &quot;Let us—let us die!&quot;

&quot;No!&quot; the mother said, firmly. &quot;The Lord has appointed our times, and we are believers in the Lord. We will wait on him even in this. Come away!&quot;

She caught Tirzah’s hand as she spoke, and hastened to the west corner of the house, keeping close to the wall. No one being in sight there, they kept on to the next corner,