-Hur. "Doubtless they too are here."

The dimness went on deepening into obscurity, and that into
positive darkness, but without deterring the bolder spirits upon
the knoll. One after the other the thieves were raised on their
crosses, and the crosses planted. The guard was then withdrawn,
and the people set free closed in upon the height, and surged
up it, like a converging wave. A man might take a look, when a
new-comer would push him on, and take his place, to be in turn
pushed on--and there were laughter and ribaldry and revilements,
all for the Nazarene.

"Ha, ha! If thou be King of the Jews, save thyself," a soldier
shouted.

"Ay," said a priest, "if he will come down to us now, we will
believe in him."

Others wagged their heads wisely, saying, "He would destroy the
Temple, and rebuild it in three days, but cannot save himself."

Others still: "He called himself the Son of God; let us see if
God will have him."

What all there is in prejudice no one has ever said. The Nazarene
had never harmed the people; far the greater part of them had
never seen him except in this his hour of calamity; yet--singular
contrariety!--they loaded him with their curses, and gave their
sympathy to the thieves.

The supernatural night, dropped thus from the heavens, affected
Esther as it began to affect thousands of others braver and stronger.

"Let us go home," she prayed--twice, three times--saying, "It is
the frown of God, father. What other dreadful things may happen,
who can tell? I am afraid."

Simonides was obstinate. He said little, but was plainly under
great excitement. Observing, about the end of the first hour,
that the violence of the crowding up on the knoll was somewhat
abated, at his suggestion the party advanced to take position
nearer the crosses. Ben-Hur gave his arm to Balthasar; yet the
Egyptian made the ascent with difficulty. From their new stand,
the Nazarene was imperfectly visible, appearing to them not more
than a dark suspended figure. They could hear him, however--hear
his sighing, which showed an endurance or exhaustion greater than
that of his fellow-sufferers; for they filled every lull in the
noises with their groans and entreaties.

The second hour after the suspension passed like the first one.
To the Nazarene they were hours of insult, provocation, and slow
dying. He spoke but once in the time. Some women came and knelt
at the foot of his cross. Among them he recognized his mother
wi