went with him as a guard against the mob, who sometimes, nevertheless, broke through, and struck him with sticks, and spit upon him. Yet no sound escaped him, neither remonstrance nor groan; nor did he look up until he was nearly in front of the house sheltering Ben-Hur and his friends, all of whom were moved with quick compassion. Esther clung to her father; and he, strong of will as he was, trembled. Balthasar fell down speechless. Even Ben-Hur cried out, "O my God! my God!" Then, as if he divined their feelings or heard the exclamation, the Nazarene turned his wan face towards the party, and looked at them each one, so they carried the look in memory through life. They could see he was thinking of them, not himself, and the dying eyes gave them the blessing he was not permitted to speak.
"Where are thy legions, son of Hur?" asked Simonides, aroused.
"Hannas can tell thee better than I."
"What, faithless?"
"All but these two."
"Then all is lost, and this good man must die!"
The face of the merchant knit convulsively as he spoke, and his head sank upon his breast. He had borne his part in Ben-Hur’s labors well, and he had been inspired by the same hopes, now blown out never to be rekindled.
Two other men succeeded the Nazarene bearing crossbeams.
"Who are these?" Ben-Hur asked of the Galileans.
"Thieves appointed to die with the Nazarene," they replied.
Next in the procession stalked a mitred figure clad all in the golden vestments of the high-priest. Policemen from the Temple curtained him round about; and after him, in order, strode the sanhedrim, and a long array of priests, the latter in their plain white garments overwrapped by abnets of many folds and gorgeous colors.
"The son-in-law of Hannas," said Ben-Hur, in a low voice.
"Caiaphas! I have seen him," Simonides replied, add-
