Ben-Hur walked the floor in pain of impotent wish.
“I was rich before,” he said, stopping suddenly. “I was rich with the gifts of the generous Arrius; now comes this greater fortune, and the mind which achieved it.
Is there not a purpose of God in it all?
Counsel me, O Simonides!
Help me to see the right and do it.
Help me to be worthy my name, and what thou art in law to me, that will I be to thee in fact and deed. I will be thy servant forever.”
Simonides’ face actually glowed.
“O son of my dead master!
I will do better than help; I will serve thee with all my might of mind and heart.
Body, I have not; it perished in thy cause; but with mind and heart I will serve thee.
I swear it, by the altar of our God, and the gifts upon the altar!
Only make me formally what I have assumed to be.”
“Name it,” said Ben-Hur, eagerly.
“As steward the care of the property will be mine.”
“Count thyself steward now; or wilt thou have it in writing?”
“Thy word simply is enough; it was so with the father, and I will not more from the son.
And now, if the understanding be perfect”— Simonides paused.
“It is with me,” said Ben-Hur.
“And thou, daughter of Rachel, speak!” said Simonides, lifting her arm from his shoulder.
Esther, left thus alone, stood a moment abashed, her color coming and going; then she went to Ben-Hur, and said, with a womanliness singularly sweet,
“I am not better than my mother was; and, as she is gone, I pray you, O my master, let me care for my father.”
Ben-Hur took her hand, and led her back to the chair, saying,
“Thou art a good child.
Have thy will.”
Simonides replaced her arm upon his neck, and there was silence for a time in the room.
Chapter 8
Simonides looked up, none the less a master.
“Esther,” he said, quietly, “the night is going fast; and, lest we become too weary for that which is before us, let the refreshments be brought.”
She rang a bell.
A servant answered with wine and bread, which she bore round.
“The understanding, good my master,” continued Simonides, when all were served, “is not perfect in my sight.
Henceforth our lives will run on together like rivers which have met and joined their waters.
I think their flowing will be better if every cloud is blown from the sky above them.
You left my door the other day with what seemed a denial of the claims which I have just allowed in the broadest terms; but it was not so, indeed it was not.
Esther is witness that I recognized you; and that I did not abandon you, let Malluch say.”
“Malluch!” exclaimed Ben-Hur.
“One bound to a chair, like me, must have many hands far-reaching, if he would move the world from which he is so cruelly barred.
I have many such, and Malluch is one of the best of them.
And, sometimes”— he cast a grateful glance at the sheik— “sometimes I borrow from others good of heart, like Ilderim the Generous—good and brave.
Let him say if I either denied or forgot you.”
Ben-Hur looked at the Arab.
“This is he, good Ilderim, this is he who told you of me?”
Ilderim’s eyes twinkled as he nodded his answer.
“How, O my master,” said Simonides, “may we without trial tell what a man is?
I knew you; I saw your father in you; but the kind of man you were I did not know.
There are people to whom fortune is a curse in disguise.
Were you of them?
I sent Malluch to find out for me, and in the service he was my eyes and ears.
Do not blame him.
He brought me report of you which was all good.”