l
done; it might have been for Ben-Hur without reference to himself.

"And there is nothing," he added, dropping his voice, but not his
eyes--"there is nothing now thou mayst not do."

The moment was one of absorbing interest to all present. Simonides
crossed his hands upon his breast again; Esther was anxious;
Ilderim nervous. A man is never so on trial as in the moment
of excessive good-fortune.

Taking the roll, Ben-Hur arose, struggling with emotion.

"All this is to me as a light from heaven, sent to drive away a
night which has been so long I feared it would never end, and so
dark I had lost the hope of seeing," he said, with a husky voice.
"I give first thanks to the Lord, who has not abandoned me,
and my next to thee, O Simonides. Thy faithfulness outweighs
the cruelty of others, and redeems our human nature. 'There is
nothing I cannot do:' be it so. Shall any man in this my hour
of such mighty privilege be more generous than I? Serve me as a
witness now, Sheik Ilderim. Hear thou my words as I shall speak
them--hear and remember. And thou, Esther, good angel of this
good man! hear thou also."

He stretched his hand with the roll to Simonides.

"The things these papers take into account--all of them: ships,
houses, goods, camels, horses, money; the least as well as the
greatest--give I back to thee, O Simonides, making them all thine,
and sealing them to thee and thine forever."

Esther smiled through her tears; Ilderim pulled his beard with
rapid motion, his eyes glistening like beads of jet. Simonides alone
was calm.

"Sealing them to thee and thine forever," Ben-Hur continued,
with better control of himself, "with one exception, and upon
one condition."

The breath of the listeners waited upon his words.

"The hundred and twenty talents which were my father's thou shalt
return to me."

Ilderim's countenance brightened.

"And thou shalt join me in search of my mother and sister, holding all
thine subject to the expense of discovery, even as I will hold mine."

Simonides was much affected. Stretching out his hand, he said,
"I see thy spirit, son of Hur, and I am grateful to the Lord that
he hath sent thee to me such as thou art. If I served well thy father
in life, and his memory afterwards, be not afraid of default to thee;
yet must I say the exception cannot stand."

Exhibiting, then, the reserved sheet, he continued,

"Thou hast not all the account. Take this and read--read aloud."

Ben