Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/73

Rh three great white piles Phasælus, Mariamne, and Hippicus for Zion, tallest of the hills, crowned with marble palaces, and never so beautiful; for the glittering terraces of the temple on Moriah, admittedly one of the wonders of the earth; for the regal mountains rimming the sacred city round about until it seemed in the hollow of a mighty bowl.

They came, at length, to a tower of great height and strength, overlooking the gate which, at that time, answered to the present Damascus Gate, and marked the meeting-place of the three roads from Shechem, Jericho, and Gibeon. A Roman guard kept the passage-way. By this time the people following the camels formed a train sufficient to draw the idlers hanging about the portal; so that when Balthasar stopped to speak to the sentinel, the three became instantly the centre of a close circle eager to hear all that passed.

&quot;I give you peace,&quot; the Egyptian said, in a clear voice.

The sentinel made no reply.

&quot;We have come great distances in search of one who is born King of the Jews. Can you tell us where he is?&quot;

The soldier raised the visor of his helmet, and called loudly. From an apartment at the right of the passage an officer appeared.

&quot;Give way,&quot; he cried, to the crowd which now pressed closer in; and as they seemed slow to obey, he advanced twirling his javelin vigorously, now right, now left; and so he gained room.

&quot;What would you?&quot; he asked of Balthasar, speaking in the idiom of the city.

And Balthasar answered in the same,

&quot;Where is he that is born King of the Jews?&quot;

&quot;Herod?&quot; asked the officer, confounded.

&quot;Herod's kingship is from Cæsar; not Herod.&quot;

&quot;There is no other King of the Jews.&quot;

&quot;But we have seen the star of him we seek, and come to worship him.&quot;

The Roman was perplexed.

&quot;Go farther,&quot; he said, at last. &quot;Go farther. I am not a Jew. Carry the question to the doctors in the Temple, or to Hannas the priest, or, better still, to Herod himself. If there be another King of the Jews, he will find him.&quot;