“Judas,” said the Nazarene, mildly, “betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Wherefore art thou come?”
Receiving no reply, the Master spoke to the crowd again.
“Whom seek ye?”
“Jesus of Nazareth.”
“I have told you that I am he.
If, therefore, you seek me, let these go their way.”
At these words of entreaty the rabbis advanced upon him; and, seeing their intent, some of the disciples for whom he interceded drew nearer; one of them cut off a man’s ear, but without saving the Master from being taken.
And yet Ben-Hur stood still!
Nay, while the officers were making ready with their ropes the Nazarene was doing his greatest charity— not the greatest in deed, but the very greatest in illustration of his forbearance, so far surpassing that of men.
“Suffer ye thus far,” he said to the wounded man, and healed him with a touch.
Both friends and enemies were confounded— one side that he could do such a thing, the other that he would do it under the circumstances.
“Surely he will not allow them to bind him!”
Thus thought Ben-Hur.
“Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” From the offending follower, the Nazarene turned to his captors.
“Are you come out as against a thief, with swords and staves to take me?
I was daily with you in the Temple, and you took me not; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
The posse plucked up courage and closed about him; and when Ben-Hur looked for the faithful they were gone— not one of them remained.
The crowd about the deserted man seemed very busy with tongue, hand, and foot.
Over their heads, between the torch-sticks, through the smoke, sometimes in openings between the restless men, Ben-Hur caught momentary glimpses of the prisoner.
Never had anything struck him as so piteous, so unfriended, so forsaken!
Yet, he thought, the man could have defended himself— he could have slain his enemies with a breath, but he would not.
What was the cup his father had given him to drink?
And who was the father to be so obeyed?
Mystery upon mystery— not one, but many.
Directly the mob started in return to the city, the soldiers in the lead.
Ben-Hur became anxious; he was not satisfied with himself.
Where the torches were in the midst of the rabble he knew the Nazarene was to be found. Suddenly he resolved to see him again. He would ask him one question.
Taking off his long outer garment and the handkerchief from his head, he threw them upon the orchard wall, and started after the posse, which he boldly joined.
Through the stragglers he made way, and by littles at length reached the man who carried the ends of the rope with which the prisoner was bound.
The Nazarene was walking slowly, his head down, his hands bound behind him; the hair fell thickly over his face, and he stooped more than usual; apparently he was oblivious to all going on around him.
In advance a few steps were priests and elders talking and occasionally looking back.
When, at length, they were all near the bridge in the gorge, Ben-Hur took the rope from the servant who had it, and stepped past him.
“Master, master!” he said, hurriedly, speaking close to the Nazarene’s ear. “Dost thou hear, master?
A word— one word.
Tell me— ”
The fellow from whom he had taken the rope now claimed it.
“Tell me,” Ben-Hur continued, “goest thou with these of thine own accord?”
The people were come up now, and in his own ears asking angrily,
“Who art thou, man?”
“O master,” Ben-Hur made haste to say, his voice sharp with anxiety, “I am thy friend and lover.
Tell me, I pray thee, if I bring rescue, wilt thou accept it?”
The Nazarene never so much as looked up or allowed the slightest sign of recognition; yet the something which when we are suffering is always telling it to such as look at us, though they be strangers, failed not now.
“Let him alone,” it seemed to say; “he has been abandoned by his friends; the world has denied him; in bitterness of spirit, he has taken farewell of men; he is going he knows not where, and he cares not.
Let him alone.”
And to that Ben-Hur was now driven.
A dozen hands were upon him, and from all sides there was shouting,
“He is one of them.
Bring him along; club him— kill him!”
With a gust of passion which gave him many times his ordinary force, Ben-Hur raised himself, turned once about with arms outstretched, shook the hands off, and rushed through the circle which was fast hemming him in.