"The kingdom cannot be of this world.

Yon witness saith the King is but going to his kingdom; and, in effect, I heard the same in my dream." "Hush!" said Simonides, more imperiously than ever before in speech to Ben-Hur.

"Hush, I pray thee! If the Nazarene should answer--" And as he spoke the Nazarene did answer, in a clear voice, full of confidence: "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise!" Simonides waited to hear if that were all; then he folded his hands and said, "No more, no more, Lord! The darkness is gone; I see with other eyes--even as Balthasar, I see with eyes of perfect faith." The faithful servant had at last his fitting reward.

His broken body might never be restored; nor was there riddance of the recollection of his sufferings, or recall of the years embittered by them; but suddenly a new life was shown him, with assurance that it was for him--a new life lying just beyond this one--and its name was Paradise.

There he would find the Kingdom of which he had been dreaming, and the King.