CHAPTER I.
"Esther--Esther! Speak to the servant below that he may bring me a cup of water." "Would you not rather have wine, father ?" "Let him bring both." This was in the summer-house upon the roof of the old palace of the Hurs in Jerusalem.

From the parapet overlooking the court-yard Esther called to a man in waiting there; at the same moment another man-servant came up the steps and saluted respectfully.
"A package for the master," he said, giving her a letter enclosed in linen cloth, tied and sealed.
For the satisfaction of the reader, we stop to say that it is the twenty-first day of March, nearly three years after the annunciation of the Christ at Bethabara.
In the meanwhile, Malluch, acting for Ben-Hur, who could not longer endure the emptiness and decay of his father's house, had bought it from Pontius Pilate; and, in process of repair, gates, courts, lewens, stairways, terraces, rooms, and roof had been cleansed and thoroughly restored; not only was there no reminder left of the tragic circumstances so ruinous to the family, but the refurnishment was in a style richer than before.

At every point, indeed, a visitor was met by evidences of the higher tastes acquired by the young proprietor during his years of residence in the villa by Misenum and in the Roman capital.
Now it should not be inferred from this explanation that Ben-Hur had publicly assumed ownership of the property.

In his opinion, the hour for that was not yet come.

Neither had he yet taken his proper name.