The man to whose security he had devoted himself, and upon whose life he had been building so largely, was in personal peril; yet he stood still.

Such contradictions are there in human nature! To say truth, O reader, he was not entirely recovered from the picture of the Christ before the Gate Beautiful as it had been given by the Egyptian; and, besides that, the very calmness with which the mysterious person confronted the mob held him in restraint by suggesting the possession of a power in reserve more than sufficient for the peril.

Peace and good-will, and love and non-resistance, had been the burden of the Nazarene's teaching; would he put his preaching into practice?
He was master of life; he could restore it when lost; he could take it at pleasure.

What use would he make of the power now?
Defend himself?
And how?
A word--a breath--a thought were sufficient.

That there would be some signal exhibition of astonishing force beyond the natural Ben-Hur believed, and in that faith waited.