Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/541

Rh These were the many, but they were not all.

Borne along with the stream were thousands not Jews—thousands hating and despising them—Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Syrians, Africans, Egyptians, Easterns. So that, studying the mass, it seemed the whole world was to be represented, and, in that sense, present at the crucifixion.

The going was singularly quiet. A hoof-stroke upon a rock, the glide and rattle of revolving wheels, voices in conversation, and now and then a calling voice, were all the sounds heard above the rustle of the mighty movement. Yet was there upon every countenance the look with which men make haste to see some dreadful sight, some sudden wreck, or ruin, or calamity of war. And by such signs Ben-Hur judged that these were the strangers in the city come up to the Passover, who had had no part in the trial of the Nazarene, and might be his friends.

At length, from the direction of the great towers, Ben-Hur heard, at first faint in the distance, a shouting of many men.

&quot;Hark! they are coming now,&quot; said one of his friends.

The people in the street halted to hear; but as the cry rang on over their heads, they looked at each other, and in shuddering silence moved along.

The shouting drew nearer each moment; and the air was already full of it and trembling, when Ben-Hur saw the servants of Simonides coming with their master in his chair, and Esther walking by his side; a covered litter was next behind them.

&quot;Peace to you, O Simonides—and to you, Esther,&quot; said Ben-Hur, meeting them. &quot;If you are for Golgotha, stay until the procession passes; I will then go with you. There is room to turn in by the house here.&quot;

The merchant’s large head rested heavily upon his breast; rousing himself, he answered, &quot;Speak to Balthasar; his pleasure will be mine. He is in the litter.&quot;

Ben-Hur hastened to draw aside the curtain. The Egyptian was lying within, his wan face so pinched as to appear like a dead man’s. The proposal was submitted to him.

&quot;Can we see him?&quot; he inquired, faintly.

&quot;The Nazarene? yes; he must pass within a few feet of us.&quot;