\ I -, Chapter .! • J By Victor Stafford Reid cas t about ·s body; and the younr men l aid hold on him: and he l e f t the linen oa and f l ed t'rom them • • • /L -rv PJr cnuGtfT H11>)• .I! e,:;:r 1-:, t"'itr 1, m, "tHc But ~•rtu■ , who oo manded the Compmy which held ,r, extended line on v.., 1,1-1 8 G/lDwL. • the edge of GethsMiAne , fac ing t he oity, / stayed his squadll~ ' s he.nd ;,rU,J E g 1. w #0 we.· rt artus . Lful1 of pride in the glittering recor d ot the fir s t cohort of the Ler,ion " ~o of Ravens , waa, uking mad at this pol ice wor k . That t 1e job to bring: in a wild Nazarene should h ve been wished on his bel oTed First Cap t a i n . mAde Ouartus ngry rt 11 ... -1- a_ Gll-Rf<».SlnM ,SE7"7'1A/~ IJ/P,S£J,J:9 nil 7}16i indeed . Let th e Abram go , he J?l"OWl ed ~ • nl:11f:"/.J,Q OSebJ~½ <::;!!._N '171f!f .::.n.,.., "J SPEefllAJti,, 'I\&11 p~ the aquadman shifte~~~ ri.P,A the flexors in hia upper arm c ., sed to quiv er , and John Mark was no t ts a· h , , ~ S/tPcLY lef t to fl eAdown the steep er tj lt of e mot.mt of Olives . The Kedron gurg ) ed between t he rocks just t,hesd of' him . He 1 ee:ped the brook in s. flurry of ifi:gxp,:~ {e awun h i s glimce up the hillock and Sl!I.W th th:,;; /96/hN ll6 Pou,'J~ch., fr om the gardcm. "-• .p d s • %:[, · • , labouring up the slope ,. f''Jlz 1!1113111111 ~ n= ~• •n.aJ~--11:,. m, UWI L ibr ari es 3 # fl/ would make for tha Shepherd ' ,,•ato . Fe h-, ~ to ~et into the c ity to vnir n ~ /+.i.( (T),::r111€L nd he would use th e ~epherd 's G te. ~e-ph 0rd ' s Ga t e l Shepherd's Gate? "S""EHovfh-/__) 0, ., what a joke •. ~~~t his moth or aside, r-md t , O, God , whet a joke. D l-/1r.h No-r /lJ <.!I • ea/\ ~ once, st~dinr on the mount of OliTes end l ookin g s oross t h e _Kedron, declar ed t at his aheep knew his voice and would f ol l OW' him thr ough • - ..-- -- th e Shepherd ' s Ge.te? That had been a mornine jn t½e J~te aprinr . l ~st year, Md an undul ating flow of woolly whi t e b cks had been p our inr; up ttie hilJ and t hr ough the Ge.te, pa t th e for tress of Antonia and thr ough t.h ei court of t,he Gentiles to the sheep market . And , J ohn r. ~r k. f'o -:_1r·bl! n then and hesdful of dreams of intrigue and conquest , h d h e rd a hidden me . ning in the words t My he ,p lm.o 1 my vofo .... ; they will oome W"' en I eall For wh t else cou d the "az"ren~ h"'v~ me";nt but t hl'\ t at hi s hout, t . e wanderinF neoJ') l es of Isr ,e > r; ther r-d ~s they were gath nr i ng now for the Pase- <> over se&son. woul d pour into the ~itv behind him and turn their swords on the Roman ..,, 'Ihat was w·~at e . !\ .. be i~vor! , . yePr (3V~~Y~lfiN~ Hn~ ~R.i~H~~ . ,l,{A,cl ~ ".go• And /less t h9.n n hour ago . fBv·f )ICWi ... " l~1J'b1~ '!!!l:J 9 /,i,hvr the Romans wou db li,a ing hi1:_! the shorn aheepJL...t hrough t he Shepherd' s Gate . John 1ark vio l entl y shook his he,ad . • He threw himself' into t.he t 11 grus which pr P.W' beside th e r oad . A. pl t oon of sol di ~rs hurried dovm +h road from t h A oi ty, br eastpla +,es :angl ing <1nd theil· rough I tin soundinp- ueer '°l.nd mor.., forP-ign t an ever t o him . He loo ed up aftAr ·they had pMs ert . TTe was ne9 r enough to t;he g t 0 to sea t. A. t th gue.rd-poat h!l.d b er>n UWI L ibr ari es 4 rtoubl d . fi e guessed ~Jud:; the ~0 1d i r s vrr o h a.cl j ust p ssod we:•,., r einforoeJnt"JDts for UWI L ibr ari es 5 spi8s. ~·he rP~:r"!!li:>i:1t· l!P:'-' WAS f✓i\. Ss ing , : d he ,i sDemed undersir,eid ~md .skil.11·y . i>J, A 'J'li~ "bny sli· -e,d f r om the sh,..dor, s.r..d got behi.ml:.,1rh- enem, , ~ t t--i"' TT11-Ln must bt\ve seen him f r om the corner of h i e e-ye • .or r. t) tur ed 'l'Ti t h I!,. g r u it of st~rprise • .Tenn Th~ JX: spy 1vore P g:r""qsy clo ri ic of some r 0 1r-:h m ,terii,il.. Srrtr+:l~r)' he- '71,P A/ worked the olo!lk: off the i n~rt :m.an. ~ h'9 ~- 11\p ped _ .it: ,s.bou r; hirri!J~1f , nrl put up tl-te hClod to e hi e ld h is f ace . He s t r a i ghtened Gt ± to t i t and 'brok..,, into a fp s l; t r o+. t0 ct1·h,h v"'P wl ~h the- others before they shoul d pass throdgh i:.ho ~,it ,s . Be wished hA had his own olo k . '!his one smellenus r""~".r-ded.,,. shr u ~,... d sn• l look,..,d '\'Pl?..Y ~ .,u~ .. - , f or vour P,., r,ci1.,_1 so~son . <:;A.,ldnr, n.::1 rmknOW'Tl :o: tr-ffnr;er ·.n .Jor us,t l"\t' duri..ng the ' eye .. You ·know t "'. -"-t .. " on- in i'·mt -3 .·n·men O U~ cf 0 ... or. Tue h~i.nd ho din~ -:-:h z:i J ,:1.k sl10 0 k ns i. "' p ,]g .fp.d . 11 It wi! : not b ,, 3 di ~fl1c 11Jt " ""'jC i;_ ini q!;-:in ~, Fi A , i: c ,.., 11 1'-;·"'! ;·n t 'I ri r: ri.P.d b l· ,::1 ~ , . , .I 7 ~ rr1 f:\t ~h cc1dier . which h nv ~ corre to • .rut h in your h,--.ndsome fa.ce , ~ . wh e· thici •:: r:. cc-· cf tit (: I s ubmit • 0'0 on l " ..;,.- UWI L ibr ari es ~ld>,.. M/n:d,,; ,;u-,.Jt/ • .)... ~Jfl, ~M # /./ i> S if f-0 i J .. 'tµplfJ . 10 Hi gh Priest wa"' r i sld n~ th " r,i-i ·,.l1j_o anirer o f' a Firs t Ci .p k in. Cl ar rl:v , t h en, -u le o i' h i.dcl.en W O!-\J)Ons • .And unti l I-h e hie.den a.rs en~ 1 ua.s e::rpos0 Priest. :r ·t-11 ·n!'-' 13 ld~El!maat t o t :1 £' .fo r t r-c,ss of Ante nin . Ho s t.co d .f or a mc,men t on the ~i r eligi-- t p; l owi n f; on thoir cari-co ourod robes . A ff t rl'>ko o :i n ck., it 1vas • that h ia s earch wovl r! h ;:i n on e; t 11. e 'l..iP l'lr c Jiits i,; e3 , F.md no t th es • Other-1•11. s o, tho ol d prov erb o f t h e c l J r: t"':ken f rom ·h sir· own book o f Inwa - well~ A,'mas m ows J:1 nu r, •· t t i p find r c:· ch1 d fo r his offi ce r 's rod . _.Ffo .f']ic lce d. i ·;; b ck e.nd w.r·'w, ,. b r h :.p- t o A.nn cis , c :r his ::i on.- i n-law, Ca i uphas , the t i n iest wo r d , a di s join t e d UWI L ibr ari es I -12- broto: d "ln brir,1 nd-f rAe for 'heir tr!'ldf' . ti ~b~ ' So the p e '-0 01: Rom.'!: :•,L J. ife i s f :" n e f or tt,_,..:rn . ·• t>" 5.r of'/\~.._. f~Y r; , n °u._.rtm" f~.u e,. ,,. ut t.i...e, c1 :ls n bigger •·Ly., rr.,, u 6} 3r "d ,~,n .. fi r•· J~: t c -~}>is 0 :,., 0. !.~.21.it ''/l:y c os c i:,e fo r th~ d r ·':.y?" ari rn oT· -f; ~ t-11.:-\-'J •Jj tP • 11J"!e~~ t t~ I; r i ,;h 1 r .;!,.. wHo in 'J-i i oi t;v +;oni ;•l1 ~ 1 ,f' i; ' l . :· no J. i n A, /''U \ ~'7, T! l, ,; ' :-•i ::i(1 h i;n r ,:d'U Y"l'l n o1~n n f" -~- 0ven J. r j_ t UWI L ibr ari es 13 .c' j nn .. nn a open .,ia- .. or d ,,WP. ,( ·'r o 1:1 ' ,li e co lumn a f t er ent ,,1·iT1f i.hA oi :;y . Now he W,-Jf-l ,j 11ng ~ !IJ course wh i ch 1--.roulrl s -t~er hi.m ~:!ear of ·bho Temp1 b y r>- wide berth and br i ng hin i n t·o ~vi d Str,,~:,> t" rho hip.: hons "' -f1-1 s 1nir,·y :i.. ng to i1.::ir . The ni!"nt 1c:: wor k of' -1),i:- ~pies would h.or-Jly be ov,,r with ~et her I out of' lhe h ou:-H:' ou:ickly. S1 (~ Yrnu ld no t. lie,.v ,) kncwn fu. ,..t 1 :, 0 r;i\7.!',r e:ae had been a::•·eui~t--d ,. 3;,e wou d he wal t L1f: i nside th::; l:.r)U -· • b ., r b:row unwo rried 13.nd. t.:1 e f-lH2.EZ. l ighi., n :; \,he ba cJ:- c;' her. oyes 11 , 'u¥'-• &&eh;1-t · 'ilia woul:l s rdle a t: h~n. as he ' LJ.inkr, ... ,. 1 -6 c r1~...ie h ims e lf vp by h is arms and d5.d a fast rel] Acros s th o i-nil t.o t he l nnding. Th e ' '-;f£ ' ~ -rti~~~~. oo~ '.'J!:\ S no ; 10~1<: d .. _ne ~ fro-wn,.,,d.;i,{'· ·-t s~ ~o h ('lr a;:,out i t . t,~.J:;;. r;,s 1! al : ~4..:;:;>s.~V:1'z:::,h~ ~~ ~.ffl'S:U?c~ a~ l';';t now· on, he nust door 0n a11 :::.nc j_pped irwi a 1-;. '-It.~/. ~'I-" 0 l--ctl i '42:.l!P ' .ifl co_otJ ed t ile$ and tL~re ~·rn1 e polishad 'bench es bhe j! 1,rnd inp- of th e tmper f l oor . Inoo'llirig g1 1:1e t:s, sa.t on th~ benches an. hRd UWI L ibr ari es "IP John ? John ?11 } ova f' ~ . . . ... .1.. W!lR ,, . r r.· p,-,a v:i t.,, 1 ~.na h:ls pr~ de ,r,IP{tNG l,JW'f? 7He' f:J'Jl}ltl 0 1-- 7'1/5 /-IJ(.{f6J f "TI\ o n U"t l NJk o ctr st::;:;.:tJ.v at ;, r l ' , •rl' , ,_! C 1J . t. . . .. ,·, ,. I ";rchnr;y· ~ 7 y~t&:e@ • • ; " ~P ·1 tt .rc 1: , tic ~ ~ he vm,; net· ) i Jn.,,, .somo 'l"oth e,rs h e knrw. She Jookec .., t ~.rou nn<' kn<>> .YO" l , 0 d s c othin ,.- ',o . tell oi,_d~ ce ; t .,,. ,,· for you. Yuv n o ,,r ,a? t o f"fr ~ ~ ~~~t ~;~~~:..J,e~:r "b. ub1 ~r in +h.,- t•!Tor + \{ , J-r::J k 0 ~ t.:~~i- ~ l;e wns 6D. 5.n<' h cii.391 =2t1 J.O("i t<, :- ] .'.:'()l" n :l.s c, ,t1.~ l ,e i ; r, t,1, :,:me, i; i ~;.,,~ ) J .r '\'!1l8!t 3],e "'8.cV ~ .. • +} , " l , n .. , Lh ,.. k l ff'1 .., ..., . ~ ', ... r · c . ... ,... r! '"" , ~ ,.~ -~ + I"' ~ ,: :-ir11 -V,-J. • -~ 1A J: i' ,tr · o P. U-.1., · ·,.., _,i t-reF 1 "0 ! 1 "' ·c. , n.. ~"> ... l' .. i ... ,1.c:€1.. s · _ , 1 _J so~ - ..J .• V:-" •• nn rb • ~ I ~ t l-i ey h~,re ~ t.1,q_ hi.ni t " 11 Yf>3 • yes ; T hear d you , John . Tllat fs :a;ihy v,9 :.nu t go t o Cous in Derr* ! Re will ~ ow how to h e:1p him. " /bo'fte,,I lJol'IW.S • "But - its Ewe must t h ink of ncnrfJ...And ' cousin ~ ~ar.no t help :roul" For suddenl y, h e M.'1 . r,1A5-n1: .-ts ' fit had bci~r wdtt &, out for h im. that WO vi..b krJo,{tJlll{;tl',iif I/IS ct Anruvs 'k_pi.cc 1,ttts b h .. •e li,,!U Iha l1 111'.t how De1T,7/ h; d gon i;; vritr. t r. em t h t n.i gh3, ·~o t he Nag-.r~1ne ' s er.imp on t re mo1.m.~ of 011.v es. "'J> c p.,uJ Wt'1/d as a tok l'm of good i ntmt to -fib.a Romc w-:i th his mother t o listen to the debate, JJ,tr)bt511,v..I) IJrW being v ery pro·.i b eCElme cold !tnd dead . S/,VlfJl'f ~1 ~ti ~ , • >IIJ ;/I/);. ~, he he.d ~ the eeus e. )?5,r9,i bid Pe b ag, clN1JJ'e.~ ... . . ,, . • ~1 ~ ••en the hote ~ t he • Yb• or Ann•• ••1~ the pries t ros o.{and UWI L ibr ari es ( ; ,,. • 17 gl a red down who follow this / oa_rpe!l-1::er • s wie l ded by t c sle.ires . Ris moth to,r' ~ hand tj ~h t on him and her brea t h drawn in a r,ony. And Urnn it had ocme--9 c::, 1d I . hf!/1 come, b r e~ ~ n r; a s ilence t,hat h Ad been ready t o pounce on you . ~ d !;~ .J.'tle ~ lilt nf lnugh ter from thl\ti Roman oapt!'lin whose frequent ,Ti·si ts to tw.cb J>~ I-In}> NM their rio1~s eA ""-' 1l1:!!J net 0 1 hJ iked. ... • . " By the gods, Hi gh Priest." he c huckled, "no such orator aa Nioodemua could h~ ve com.e ou t of t h e i gnor Qnt fudx Galileans 111 ' .J/lil!> 0~ t hen ; A.n..-;as h .sh~d tc pieoes w:i th fury, but not daring t o pit himself a ge.l rnd; t h.13 ower from Rom"'• For ,J-,_nus was First C~ptain to the garrison at Jerusalem, second. only +--" the ohi lia.roh who commanded, P. nd vras tha t day repre­ Pov-rHJ>- f11,-A..,.G> eenti n~ the r,over no¼ ~t t he s~nhedrin. And Anna• had abruptly gathered his ·= s robee e. ·,out him ., st .1ked from t h e "nd swept out of the room. hi~ tv RR-(I{ wr igi; 1.np; b'2'h inn him <1nri sam.,gthin r, t o J8.ur,h "·t• • .tl{l was c lutch i n g both her e.rma f:.nd he knt:f;,r he w&s hurtinr, h er by the. *G t ri.v.5Hf5b pa in i n his f ingers .. ,Sh,e '!Jm.S looking s tAadlly H t h i m and · ho •Dtt:,lt with (J.11,,\.d. shaine a s ha relf.l:iis6d her. She looked e..Y{'ay a•nll!l:y., fuen ba~k a.t him_; hut -not at -rlP.f brushing .. his f\1.ce hut a t "'1i,~ her fin{;ar.A ligh t l y lltllU±.tlr; _.hb s houlder. • ~ i, :;f.PW> .£:,~ . n . ~ ,1 , ..J .. . r~ .ftN?l38y· 7'tl- 1 "Your olos.k, Johnny! ~w,s;.:l&~ • clo:1.k'? ('where in Jf!l'/try would she b e 8afe f rom ttie Temple UWI L ibr ari es _, Ukd.l.-h~1-0> wolTes ! :Met !!Ten .,_ +, hous~ J f or ho t oo mun t be on the list and would Uidt ( _ perh.l\ r a soon need ~iavlnr himself. And the nom~n of f'ia er would ne t ' s av e ~~t~ • '1116 Hlii::.' I eitl eir, sincfi l':he wou l d not be ther e to smile her tha1.1ks . tq him, 1 s ~ a d6y i n the Sanhedrin. O, he knew all tt bout ~• ~ .1 s. sy ot; i :1 his '\~Pod• ~ 11~'1 And ~ bou !:hen, wh en the idea had al.most s t ole:n }'Jast· h ;..n, h~ 411', discovered it. Janus Aurelius could do it. Ha was First Cap t ,0 in, second only to the commander of the garrison nd kin -to the governor . 2.'hor e w, s power encug1:. in him t o scare of'f a High Priest . Without an instant 's de a y , ho ·:/\'n~l d fJ!lek his ·mother's friend, the First C ptain, Janus Aurelius • '- UWI L ibr ari es • Chap t er 4 19 BOOK 2 llie old soldi er who was conoee eionru.tire f or. the o f fio ers 1 ~~vern 5n Fort Antonia , fill ed the gobl ets a.gain . Sil~nt ly, he ~uekod in his mou th w 1-l e the ,d_ne ran out of' t1:~ ,,.oe.tskin be. r, . fte out the fl~ w "::;J-> ~ f i ngers i1,i'l~n 1-he • goblets were fi 11 ed~ wl.:lpp9d 1:he b~g 1x> upl-igh t without spil 1:lng wa lked away, hips r oll ing under the apron atrings . drop . _Ile Max Seneca wh i s per ed ma icinuslys "'Jhe old ro oster. is ga:tn,.ng wet ght on inaotivi t y and lees . n I e bent his face to +.he goblet to draw of'f t he bee.d e 11,:i looked up f:V,a i n , smacking h is lipe. 11Ri ch e.s a J•bynow, thr..t fa t Rome.n is ." Gui sepp& Zellini grinned wolfishly. He ht1.d not dr unkt,n so much f or 1. _ l ong tir1e now. The grin changed t o e. snarl. St inld.nr; rich , ~11 th l'rs ~ J f!'li's Ar·e • ~ I . . " . • -13 he s a i d vicious ly. 1'Rich and mean ~ Hear they onl y offer ed t hi r ty pi sees of iilver "'~ .. for i:he fe llow. Si).ver, not gol d . " Max Seneca gaTe him a long . 3lOW' look, said idl y a "But ol d Pilate ·w1.1J. ge·b ~ skin.f'ul. "11.t,J;j .w,ll IJDf l:u., S:711'1Gf w 1/J, httJ,,/' <. ,f.J. it tJeJi-> -- -,f;j" ~ A t/,Ji/~; /,1{11, ~ he gave them what they asked f or ~ a Firs t C~pta i nfJ ~ • ~ /06~ () ~ whis:o=zr::tG &-n~u,,tJ /, pJ- /J.,et,,.,, 'f!NA9 l"td. t-.of Pi&i.~ ·rr aut , ~ ,rr/ ._\cf"alV'ilhO.Jof"\ .,..,_.,_,_,.,._ t O jeered,~. - 'In ey both believed Janus Aurelius too big for h is 'b9ots/ and thoir mutual he:tr ed end M.t is f c t ion rried e t h em 110\"I' i n to strange bodfel .ows • Guis eppo Zellin1 was a t. the fo ot ot' 1.11 0 schelon. a beefy. roaring midd leaged ma n who ha d ~ t aksn half a lifetime t,o push up fran t h e r nlcs . Arrived e;t t b.r., of f icerD cla·s. h(!l WHS now puzzled and bedn-illed w:i th ba f f ling :tnferi ri·;;y • a l th ouzh he still ltFio l ooks preaer v ~<1 t ho roar . M"ailC ieillea 1;)10Yg?i%1s~ like a steor i n t.r ,3 :fir s t w,.. "Jks of being a steer " lhfr~ <;i_1.J6 ell ONU" htJ'.tl,/!./ 8eb {tr/JI .. • J Maximus Seneca was Second C~ptain in the ~hort . I f Jan\18 was ]q.cked • UWI L ibr ari es • 20 !)ff1 ~ ~the 1 dder . he wo ul d be next an up. So i t made him very pl~ased to learn tlie.t Je..nus was worrie• softened th e ugly ise.c,;~ for e. mom nt before +l1 e socm l returned • . "After they bocome g~ner3.ls , " he muttered bad hmr,o uredly . CHt1<.1 ~Helf t#6'j Gui-seppe hoped his s r ug h d t.h e airy none a lanoa th,it lllhrugs~ wert giTen by ~a:x and ·'he other offi cers . H~ moved .w y from fue po1.n t . "Guess they'll pu t up t e l azarene," he Haid. "AJ."fly ' p , " We.x s~id che.-rf'l1lly. "'~oy ' 11 use t h ti nai l s." "Wish i t were, th e r~pos • 'I:h e Nar.r,rene i s a. c) nTAr oh AP•" M :r.: s hook h.13 h e11d. "Ua:Hs re botter. Ropt!$ tt\ke too long. " He::= i& " 1 1'"A4-.f !s 1-JI-//J.., I ~N/' G,n~·ePPe .tn,1> w, -,11 11 CP-()·d'- GP.11/ , UWI L ibr ari es .. 21 ~ff;(. Mflf/1? ;f ome wi n9, l eaned ov~ nd s pew·ed some f rom t he aide of his mouth. It apattered ne ~r u foot of Guiaeppe bu t Guiaeppe didn't s y nything . He drew in his foot after Max had strai ghtened. in Ma.x s=.id : 11 own I s t a o ful of Isaacs/for the ssover. Seethin g by Sf-,: brdsy-Sunci Y• Would be i'oolish -':; o t ie up thirty- for ·cy men s tanding aromid wa.itine f or him to die . 1JXIll N"ai ls are quicker. " . "You t 0 1k lie a First a lready/' Guia~ )r e ~rowled. 11 I s"J.y +:he -:--opo. vtl/-11./7 /.16 tJ A Al ' • • I would ike to hear h:iin t , lkLup on th e oross~~ ~e's a c l ever Nazarene." 6 · • sePPff ' I 'o/ , ,,r s an e:cpert on crucifixions . !tax shrngged . " Cl ever?7"-&i t1P/ co ok him like a ohicken." lTe li f' t 1 "' finger ni:; th e b rma.n . Guiseppe r:,i<,.w th'3 f'in;!;er ~:nd hs IN tingled h~ppily inside. Wine gurgled out of -the goatskin~ a v,Jj_y to r el!lember tomorrow nd all the o '"'. er thi rsty t omorrows . " isten to t. i s one ! ' Guise pe tr1.:rmpeted h ppily. 'Then he would h Vt't b i.t t e i t off, b t Ma~ h~d s t r ung e. pair of' l azily keen ('tyes on his face·: ·. e went on vllhappily : "l!!r- - well - one day a coupl~ o f hig~ up I1.1u laCt, co nered the N z t· 1e b-v -the fo r t ;•·ess walls • I - I - was behi nd ttre wel) - by µo-r 1/IAT I t../1<8 SP 1,vC. ar r e.ngem ent -w-itl th.e It? ~acs . c u know h ow i t is, Ma~ - ha ha • .An~rwPy, the Isaacs snid to him: ' l ook, Leader , we kno:v you to be fea lesa - and sincere. Mot like t o e f e lsi, farms vi o appe r every now nd then. All of us here i n Jeru.. s"' l em a.re r M dy to r· ·e ·,m enever you :10.7 . But since yo~ a.r(.) sent by our God t o -... l ead us, why shou]' re pay our t xes t o Caesnrf Surely you could u e th e money to emd the mes a go to JewE: s ca t ·-~r d a l l over ih e ·pirer• rt u 1 !Ul"'d orward i n t ?·e ::; tedly. Guisep e warmed to his story , his beady eyes r li stened. Nazarene " You know \UH1t the cJ over Irnl.l.XlliD did? You know what he did? Usti,n,. Fi. -rst, he took a p nn f r or'l one o f -them. Wouldn ' t even use his own money. see? Ve v 01tld 2..ns vrer t'h .. , i n t h eir mm ooin - h ; ha. . He t ook this penny ·and said, 'ltlose head do you ■ ee on this penny, Minef Or_ Caesar 's?'" UWI L ibr ari es .. 22 Max nodded gravf"ly,. "'T'hev ~PW his h r,d of eo1:1rs e. TTe ' s e c l vor N .z ri,ne . 11 • ~ v-1 td; l>J nx, 'Fol'. 'k., "t>u. Ul/6 H,rn . "They did not!'' Guis· pPe saidJ •,u=t;trt-M:lqa. " They -S ,. 'T.'- C' a(v~ir 's head . )J. ,re(E' They s id1 •Caes~~'s hee.d . [ Ca.~s 1:1 r 1 s hell ., §nd he is id: "Wi 1 ) • give it to " " :> '.:).) Ca.es~r. It's his .' Just like th~t. Ien •t he c l"-,,.,,r,~IVC ,-r -ro CR-etn/4., /,>..s His. Max dropP,ed his he d upon his fo-eal'"l'!', el bows res t:l.rl on. , e te b h. e l en,d up at Guis oppe th r ough "l ,fo.n f hi s spr d finger:3 . "'l'h~• J US 6 t ·.e na.ils . Bo cant be elev· r ,'Ii th the n1'ils." "'.I.hat's 111! t I s e.id111 Guiaeppe eried . "H~ 'd t -,Jk a l ot if •t: , e used tho .ropes . We put up a fell c;,w once, a.t Ca-pua , with t he ro,:,es, nd .e was aliTe for six dayu unt il we li t a .slow f ire under 1:lilU him --" e stopped. ro-wd -the ] ip of his tongue briefly oirer his Ups. "Which reminds me. I'm goin~ to roast Barabbas." "Who's B rabbas? 11 !(ax asked curi.ously. ".Anot..11.er of their poli t~oians ffllO would fr" t h.em o~ Rome - ho. ha ." Max aa.id slowly, di'sgustedly: "Alrigr) t, pig. Mow t s lk." G'.lisoppe ' i b ow contre.cted, a1. terre t el~ ros e <1:tld f'el like signals. His mo xt.li. went s lack in stonishment . , 'Ma.."C esid cold -y: "You 'v.e .ad ,t l ·i e liquor ' you w:U J. et ou of me \, tonicht. Now I want to hear. Wlu1.t•s going n i1 t -th" Temol~?f\l H'1 /.i JOA!VS W() ll..f).Jel)~ . . ~ e-r ~1..eb a1u5uJ Guise pe ' s brows r~~ ~l'ld hi:, eyesJ\..ourJ1i ng• z •'• TJe shru r ed -his :fat neck lO'IV'er i nside his oolJal:" end sJfread his hands on. the t i:i.ble. Re }i r,, ('l br oa d hunds t d thick f ingers . />,~~ G LR/J.61::> Ir, 1-fJA a '"· G u 1.ss€P£ • "You e.r e closer to t."1.e Temple than fle&s to doe.,~ You piok up blood money fr om. t e pri sts . trApPinp; a few l ousy sedi t.io,:iers • ·You nre th i r ma for · scourgi gs nd erucif ixions aill!IRC Yet , Ann s f ixes it toni ht with the goTernor so the closed F' rst C"'pt in 18 assigned to him. Whyt" _ i,~ - /J i_ , ~. Aw_.:~ . /I bared · .- - ~-""""" (,,VVVV~,,,dle., Gubeppe ECHD his tee~ ttf{I. sna.r l t,d in h is +.hro t '!he bi~ hands ~I»> slo,rly, lifted, remm ed ~ ~~ t he t ~ble. "Lis t en - you -1" roared Guiaeope. Max leaned nearer to him. lfu is eyes held no passion in them as he UWI L ibr ari es 23 • looked into nui3ep'1e 's , onJ y '.'l hright curiousi ty. "Tnlk - or I'll have you broken. yPU peasant. For 8. Roman officer, you 're too close to the Temple. You even know how much they arranged to pay for the Nazaren.~ .. You O'll~ht to be back in -the r Phks where you could mix with th.Air mobsters to your pig's heart content." J-1/Jfi/)(5/',./ Guiseppe often had it/4.in bad dreams. He was t oo old for anything like th~t to happen to him. He had tried 1x>o hard . He felt he could cry. Re dug his fingernails int o the t9ble and spoke woodenly. ''Annas wants to ge t at· Janus - girl. She's• cousin t o Nicodemus . Annas and l'ii cod emus • He' 11 ao so through t he ~ P11-Jl1J11t!f'a knows the Nazarene hadAaupper at her house with his fe llmrs • I went ther- e with some of my men, but they had a l ready \ left for Gethsamane. 1¥hen I r nturned to t he Temple , Annas tol d me t o s-tny out of itp Fe h~d e plan - for Janus." Max lau~hed silently, looking a t him. Guiaeppe. a lit ,l e lost by the J.L;s~ .. Fi1-1£ /t/nb JI(; µ/lb ~ -~~-qt~.=~ - . -l.we:n -5.f' :;dj: z;:,J,e ~ ; ~---!._ ...:.~ t --~ atlfSW,y s~J_ ea-. 7- , • linked and moved his heavy shoul dors . "'/}1\/NirS. 1S /9 rCl()J.. , nFool," M&x ge, i d softly. j He wont be able to v."Ork it. Janus is "'(po cl ose to the ~overnor • " Gubeppe moved ar.;a in. '.'!.e wil l work it. 11 ·he mutt6red . "I <:Jrr will he work it1'1 Scowlin~ unhappily, Gui~eppe told him in detail . Max lifted his f inger end the old soldier shuff18d f orward on fall e:n arches. Max saids 11 lrink hearty, friend Guiseppe. Then you a n t ools / stackod for use . , ?)v-r'lcS Jo.n s ~ J ·I.fonder d vrhet}· r • jn viavr of t he pac linr /l~ lilt c::?IV) 1.-&S.S F'°ORn-, ~ t- l/.Jll?i T~ .- 8 /? ~ he w~ s :ending h •~ h"' ~ 011 1 1x a :f.ttle no e f uld do th€ s r•· troiL1 no good to unb nd, He -t-· 1 t ed h ·· a lie, d a'ck . Tris eyes be ame un sl1 thed sw-ords und r th e • "Your • ission to ni t s t c find a rnan - a, n:e·br e-.v ." he ssid. " I --.J#,x lfant him found toni •. t . " o pP.us-ed. A queer fe ling of uno so h d om_,ntarily pBssod over him . --;;,)4~1< TT.e strove o en :-hor hit min • 1.is eyes . ~ and piercing; beside t h e high- bridged_ ri.ose . fllckor )d ~ e li:10 of f sces. In e. l ul 1 o.f the wind • .the . fJ.imes bul·n t st:::- " sunk home. ~ eold win~ would ~]behind th e doors of Isr el on this ftNv ~/,. • , JI • night ·or WRI"lll hearths !llld welcome.~ cauae of &n unscrunulous priest, and an ambitious First Captain who ffll. " watch ing his footing lest he sl~p again. /./6 4e//Jcm.e~ 71re;-J>a-v . . 'ffi~~~ in the Sanhedrin. Tie had been moved by impulse. And, impulse, ;to his profession and breedin~, w~s a foolish quality . He sh ould h Te withdrawn , &01n /]'.A.I /?,t>£c, Tue: int o . the shell of disdai n that was by tradition thekonquerors' role. Rather t an h ATe blundered like an 811.o t ioru,.l plebeian between Nicodemus and the High Prie s t . But a woman h ad looked pleadingly towards him and he had shrugged of'f f/17. t he Roman toga ~-Had sprun,;, de f enceless as a mouse, tunong th bi g_C8.t priests . ·#A--t ~ A deed, by t h e goda, Jworthy of the rawest no'Vioe. ~~ ~ - ~ It s e 81l~ no19j that Pilate must have b een told about i t since his. ft,{!,TlV½,, 70 Jerusalem from Caesaraa1 an~ that putt inf" a Firs t Cap't ain a t t h e ' . . ) - beck and call of .~ t h~. T.~ple was by way dr punis:ttnent. But he would -see the governor. Righ t early. With Pilate's reputed - oontempt for ihe Jen, it WAS strange the. t his own kin should b e - yes, hUlliil_i ated was t he word - bef ore - t he s e - -these - robed tra desmen. Mut ely. Janus uncorked his anger • . He h ad w n t ed nothing of t h ED. Yet _his c r eer was a t . st.ke because of this people o f a - a - muscled int ellect. Who could conceive no o-ther gods but a single, uns een deity. To whom t hey daily grovel l ed behind the locked doors of their synagogues. iliose omnipotence lay only in hi1 power to bow thei~ necks for the heels of • , humbled 1n arms, ~ rious conquerors• Who/r aked go ld in e-yery oi t y o f' t h e world, while other men bled and endured. A people with none of 1he graces • . He wheele.d · abruptly, destroying; t h e picture of the woman that had /// ,, --rt1Jf'e a~. entered his mind. "Q.iartus1" he rapped oTer his ~houlder, ~ "4 ,t Q:lartu1 awiTelled his shoulder .in a stiff-armed s a lut e until Janus , had re-entered his quart0rs. 'Ihen he turned to gx faoe the squad. \ UWI L ibr ari es • 26 ~artus. who had been a note.ble thief befo~ hie tw-elf'th birthday. / had been well schooled in the art of f ace reading in places where failur s were swiftly compensated. He had unerringly noted Janus' hesitation in' choosing -the manner he should adopt with the men. Taking his oue trom the abrupt handing oTer or the squad, Quartus had no hesitation. He would hRTe liked to hsve known wh At sudden thought had mott led his chief''• face with anger. One -thing he mew, t nere c ould be no failure tonight. He relaxed his shoulders, brought -the javelin around and grounded ' the butt . He folded his arms about the sha ft and ph.ced hh cheek against the weapon and grimed like a f allen angel. "Alright. rabble, gAther around." he murmured dreamily. The men grinned nnd broke re.nks. Still dreamily smiling, Quartus s a ids "An initial was stitch ed into the hem of this myst rious Hebrff's cloak. Must st nd for something. So, the Chief wants you gutter spawn to bring in ~ ery Abr!lhem you can find whose handle corresponds w1 th the initial." He paused, and his nose seemed to sharpen. "But - e.n~ pay close . attention, , you scum of the Ravens - we h F1ve r-eason to believe the Isaac we are seekin~. ia a lily. One of the world's gentlemen. Wealthy as sin. Keeps t alented women, one of whom may have sewn the 9!1deilce into t he cloak by which we shall crucify him. So, my dear· ruffians, you should confine your search to the bett er class Jacobs. Some of th ~m are a1 snooty as the 1enators ~ ~s5> back home. ~ you may kiok in . the f e.oe. since you are working or the Temple tonight. ·Mor eo'Ter, al though to look a t yourselves you wouldn't believe it. you are the Roman conquerors." He looked round at their grinning fa.ces and he lost his smile. "One more thinp;. My pal, _Janus, the First Captain' baok th.ere, he says to tell you the galleys are Always open to c qreless legionnaires. So, he s ays to tell you, you should f ind thie Hebrew." UWI L ibr ari es ., -'· 27 Chapter 6 Pil8.te was bei:\Utif'ully bonhomie an d his face misty with goochrp1, ao ~ ' ·-~ be summoned in his pah.oe., f(tf ~~ this 1 te hour., by an imp ti ent First Capt~in, was a pleasure • • "Janus 1" he cried delightedly. e turned side t h e f ormal s a lute wi t h a wave t hAt w~s in p&f.t 8 benediction. "My dear JenusS" He repeated the name in a n a f ectionate lower register., gi v in~ Janus the outrageous f eeling th t those f a t hA?lds wr>re s t roking him. "How awf ul of me - not seeing you since we a r rived from Caesarea dear Jan1" Jan was t h e familiar name from Rome. It r ang strangel y on Janus' . ear, stirring manories of other days in t he capital, in this p al ace of an eastern potentate occupied now by a Roman governor. He slip ed the chinstr ap and pla ced tl-J e helmet under his a rm as the heavy curtains settled behind t he governor and he walked into ih e room. Pilate touch ed h is shoul d er in a paternal gestur e , went p s t him to the couch at one end of t e ro an an d bent over th e cus hions. Turnini; ro mid a.nd a inking down., he indicated where Janus shoul d si t . He looked up and met the cap t in's eyes And smiled a. t h im. with "Aad/what gree t affairs of st~t wiJl you now harass your poor !!;OT rnort" So. No asking after /-tc ~µ Wf- Jerusal em. ~ why I ~ ' • my hi,a l th ., or how I ron en _j oyi.n~ my n ew post to ,+1¾116 come t o see ~ /f/11> . Pilate had heap~ the cus hions jJito a .aoft ,,ihron.,,. Jan:~s w s engaged '.• .. '. ' •'i~ • . i n s s t rup-gle to ' mainta in his dignity., perched on this 'unmanly throne. e fel t lik e a pi eon, stu f fed and mounted. He wondered if this c rice of Pila te, pl acing him on n absurdedly h igh pile of cushions, wa~ alto~ t er uns tudied. He pl nted his f eet firmly on the ~round., his soldierly form erect • • ... UWI L ibr ari es .. 28 "I have pursued your orders• sir ,, concernin the Tem,ple ," h e reported. "As they were r a -ti1er ,, unusu 1. and urgent. I acted at one~, resol ving to take an e r ly opportunity- of' se ing ~ou t o f'ind out whether t he re 'were any nngles you wished t o instruct me about - personally. " Pil te rubbed his h nds t o ether and :Jmiled ag in1 lookin down at his wel ke t fingers. "Ah,, y~•,, the 4r r es ·t of the. t f l low - I h ave fo r otten his name. Our friendg at thet Templ e ser,med ver. keen to i:1pprehend him. I learn you succeeded ve·ry wel l , yes?" J nus thought the eyes r e rdin him were soft w: ere the hoa'V,'.f lids shadowed them, hardening towards the centres. Gr!'!.tifi ct'.tion ·at his s 1J c cess in capturing ·the pris.oner ,was all bout the faee , but at th centr .s of the eyes , it oame to full stop. 'lhe· ~> CBl uletion beg n . Jnnus allowed a discreet smile to a ppe"' r on his lips. "Guiseppe Zellini, om~ c i,te.in at the •r~pla, 'id. I'm immensely relieved . " is eyes dropped t ough t :f'ully t -0 the f loor. J nus stole a lo ok this faoe . lllen you looked lonr, and cnref'ul ) y enou~h . you could aee the_ruthles s lines i n the f'l eshy fe. ce, deep. from e base of his nose , downward,, pas t the corners of hia nose. A careless gl nee would easi y s lide over the b l and me.ak. Every inflection oi' his modul ted voice ,, e E1.ch motion of wom,i.n1y grace ,, rllsproved the· rumours of his grim rul.e in Juden. But J a_ us thought that i f you- made a blade of your eye and probed b,m.eath these appearances , you ickecl up the .nrd under­ tones, the feline lust for power , the app lling d struction of ?1hich the man W"l8 capable. "Jan? How old are you?" Pil te asked suddenly. UWI L ibr ari es 29 tre wh:hns • wt j,. h d m_de +-.he gcwn·nor porch h im on a h:lrht pile of ushions. like n stuffed bird to shoot s.r rowr, flt • 1v1:ui now pncsed. ,rin .• wel l ind00( ! Fir t C61p ," in · n t t, irti_r-nne - vm ,, you n ".ya be chilie.r ch of the 'fwol ftb o ,i on of TI.even w:;11 be f.'ore ~7"> •re ort. • OOJmnanding the whdle of' Jerusaleml" That His inc l e- in-lo.-r c uld nut ell of' h i s un ,lushing soul n+.o his mo•t deceitful ·sp~eo' c~, J n E; knsw v er:y vteli_,. rre shr ur,: .., ed unc·E,rta.inly s.t t he compliment. " ur aunt nnd I run. proud of :fC\U, J anus . It Tri 1 mean a c;n :a t deal ~o t he Div f a.mi l y -tf t '!'ui promisf! :ln yo1 proeeeds , 1-·ts lo- ical course and :tern go i;o the Senate. I wns a jtmio~ officer, A Atz~~" at your age1 Tery junior indeed. N..ark my word , you will _ end R SenR tor." " ' ou r e e, , gni.N.oiont old i' O .,.ue., In trro breaths you've iokad Jllt? Tht~ t w . S lVh .t have lik ,,d to s • P..tlt . s id 1 t on l y· in hfa mind . yo wi_ • • I dep an..'ls o " c o:u·::;-~ solely r n yournslf. !3tt on your ooord, I beliuvfl! I'u: j u tifi.ed . A s ol i er li!S ~,ourself h s but to obey his orders, with all bhe 5. t 111g .. c e I'\ his c0r/ll'.l te.1 d." M . Ifo wo ld f:1 T,'J ·1::,1· t an f'1~ 1.s t ; n ue t o • ..,_ o it, but it * n lrflndy ~ said. IIo a.skod i imself wh:1. t i' d· como ov~r him . Wi s hi tour of dut y in • ,h dusty UWI L ibr ari es 25 him, r egardi~g him from the s i des of his eyes . "Old .Annas rates you high - indeed, as highly as I do . Getting hold of this newest prophet before the Passo-ver season commenoes, is very important to Annas and me. You know . ~ ~ ":r ·tt:..a+ ~ ~ th at.'l\,ee.eh Fe.ssover/ we .-r,{ einforce the garrison &@1'.ins,t any disorders,A.~ I must J leave my b elove d Caesaree. to be here in case these Je,rs need lessons in behaviour . 4-' I --rttll'1' mus t sa.y/lt.. your aunt does not care for thes e trips at all. 11 J anus had an idea how expressive his redoubt.able Aunt Claudie. would be if she did not Hu care tor these trips at all. He repressed a grin r~felt better that he h~d thought of grinning. "Lately, now, some of my detractors at home . in Rome. have been reAched by some of my enemies i n Judea o There has been some talk that my administration has been unnecessarily harsh . Mind you. I am not complaining . Your Aunt Claudia says I should complain more. But i t i s the lot of us poor public servants . You are sent to govern . You govern . Then. they blame you for governing . Perhaps. they even recall you - and I do not know, my dear boy. whether you've ever seen a provincial governor in retirsnent. I dont mean the clever ones who he.ve - laid aside their pension. I mean the others . Pi tie. ble oases. Very pitiable oases•" /J11,.ft1'€ • ,1played wi th situations like a cat with a mouse until he was ready to gobble ~ • Pilate '1/l.y,µts, was bendi ng baokwar~ for goodwil:j ,9 ,SC:.,~$ :i'{-)A)/).S. received from Rome • If wondered 1')1{!_ l if he shoul d t ell him ~ that Annas he.d no evidence e.~ainst l'\'ilt.tdr prophe t . ~ 116 He had e. fl eet ing impression know what too far meant . cMii Hwe 1'11' "I t ake it . then. that Anrn1s especially requested me, sirT" It was a slow- nod . we.tohing Janus all t ~e time . "Especially ...... . He told me you ~t:£.d ~ t /v 1'/IC!' fnN U-~)JRIN had impressed him while you !!til±trtii'd ...tW,,46di8t!:rffl~ t he chilie.roh /las t yel'lr•" I... Anna.s '!here 1 t was ., Annas had not forgotten . ~ bided his time until the s tars were propitious. If he failed the assignment , he had noA UWI L ibr ari es what Pila~e would do . He would be sacrificed to the Temple surely as were those lambs whos e slit gullets r eddened the altar of burnt offerings each morning when the Hebrews sounded their gongs. He thought of the queer mission on which he had sent his men tonight. As if he , had seen the thought passing through the cmturion •s head , Pilate asked : "What of this discarded c ao ? Have you discovered the owner?" He we.s elated t o find that , far from perturbing him, the ques tion had the effect of a · quaff of wine. .Annas evident ly meant busi;;:ess-:-f"The Temple was moving wi ~ admirable ) ,,.,..-- -\ - speed . Very well . He could also show a turn of s peed. He had done so through that welter of intr igues and pitfalls known as an army career. Pilate was giving him a searching l ook. Janus had not moved since he had spoken the question. He frowned a lit t le on Janus , but quickly regained his expression. "Come,my boy, why the~, pre-occupation ? Are you having difficulty ther e ?" )l "~o, si:t. Not yet . My men are seeking him now. " A)f)v/ lhere was a. lilt in his repl y . He could foresee hew, far Pilate intended to go ~ /\. Very well. He was not in the mood to be burnt this week and he would so show Annas - Pi.late , too • ("' -But the or was looking strangely at him. "Vthat - did - you - say? ....:, I '1 Ja s returne a qiliz-ical stare. "I s • we are still seeking- Kim." ... Pil ate dropped his eyes for an instant , then lifted them again . He nodded. "Put your bes t men on t o it . We mus t have - er , him before morning . " He patted back a yawn. "Soa re nobody , scour the ci ty" Spare nobody, sweet Janus . " uanus gave th e hors es their heads when he left Herod's palace . The army trap flew through the streets , da.ncing around corners and 'Pllipping dow:i 1:he stra ights with only a touch on t he r eins f or guidance . The whee l s beat a frantic rhythm on the cobbles . At the corner where the theatre stood , a right-ha,;1d turn wo uld take him past the Temple to the Fortress .Antonia . He bore down on the left rein and wheeled the horses t oward David Street . UWI L ibr ari es 27 Chapter f A hl)_ndful of dates scooped out of a dish in passing and a · - • ·1 shoved into his mouth so his cheeks bu l ged and h is j aws worked in slow r hythm as it sought room fo r h is molars _,. -) a t-1 A, (YI I} p. IC • t,Lf-M 'l I proceeded a t a fast wa l k _ the passage to t he door , slipped his feet into sandals lying ~ 11, eased the door open and peer ed into the I street . Her hand rested a p~r ting touch on h i s s hou l der and s h e whisper ed something before the l atch clicked shut behind him . But he did not s tay to listen, fo r he was a Quarry. 1Yhen you are a Quarry, your ear s prick b,=ick and for th and your ey es slew left and right - not for familiar sounds and sigh ts , .but for t hose moves from the hunter s which will 1 ~~--~ ~ revea fl ~ .if.I'-_' - ~ He dropped li~htly from the top of th e steps straight to the p~vement . It Wl'IS a deep drop, but he handled it well - as befitted a man who would early tomor row morning be taking the Order ~ fue --...a...__.if:...s ...... ~ 'tJt O ouched :ta6\'II" in the recess bes ide th e steps while he -M•~ l oO'ped the thongs of the s ,,nda ls , is mind ,,; went a.head a fmv hours when he would be bucking th e worst yet "11> u 0 t" e thet Saul had laid fo r him . Sau l , the". ~~ from Tarsus , was founder and president of the o{fJvl J../4' Order He ma.de the rules . In the dar k of the morning , by the Jaf fa Gate , a rope you knew for fear f would be coilinf: l'l nd uncoiling in your b el1y . Then , although you could not s e e him, vou Yroul d know the crooked smi l e was on his thin lips and tha.t his eyes were wetly £:/11Al1A. ) Vf' fl/,L /1)0"{ I -~~ · : as he listened for the break in your voice . But most ~ could keep your eyes from It . # 'fKJ l'htrhl.l!,s-. f -k t11 t( John Mark forced his mind back to the ~ 1l t rouble enough , l¾liii~~;,,,fili,e!~ , • He must seek ~/.:i«/a,.fz.tl}, d r tit.> ~•J6/!f /l71T;'/-161 fortress of Antonia or r:'1?1,..'- ~ Pl'J,~;ts;l~i@'l:l.4 per haps her life , vrou l forfeit . Terror wou l d .-.-,J-.~ on her from t he frJU.>'t Temple ; if Janus <1iil!!· ~~~ ~ OF 1-.JtJ/1/lr:A pr otect her f rom the priests . He knevr thRt }lt,-.el!ll• •lllijti outside the stood Jiiiii ci..o~C ,o c ity wall wher e the two rough pyramids of s tones,.(the post wi t h its s hackles and ominous 9 stains. nomen had b een stoned to death JUI IJlfii befor e . Re had not changed from the nondescript cloa.k whi ch he ha d _taken from the spy. In such 16N01t.lf HJJn • a garment, passers- by ,vou ld believe h im t o be a bed l ess tramp and • Street was 1.aJiliJlli'llll(-i1f.18flfllil@iflllll.!l8- saved from g loom by the light diffused on UWI L ibr ari es 29 bruising 'Ihere were mouth- lNHl'.111 callouses in the pa lm suddenly clamped over h is mouth . 'Ihe hand and th e voice a t his ear roup:hly demanding silence would belong to James, the big and .. fe,'1,.1, i ir,,; Peter , ~ s tronp.; , • quick and fie rce; i , who had cuffed Pus/J-~ p 1~1t1b wt1£cblEP tflS w/11/ ~ him years ago wh en first he had ~~ through the crowd to the Nazaren~ but7\h a d abruptly 1-I/!: ff:{£,./(£ .fro;-,, 12"-f day, ffE w/J,: . About.wheeled and approved with a ''Right , Coxswa.i~ you stay around·' . ),.0 , he knew them all a.nd h ad been properly fooled - until tonight . ,, --rt18 (p f'dl)//.f N "'fO '1fL .Rt1~'r~ fi£fl/i/L/JIC)/ f) Ali> '"1'µ 5 &-r'"fle IJ.s. Wffr: w l'J ~"1> Kl, He worked his mouth open under the pressure of James Boanerges ' hand and sunk is // , ~{ ~~-:Z.I) teeth into :tt. "" wrenched his shoulder f ree /it the m,.n's yelp , J::ucked t he blow he sensed , ~ . r a t her th an saw, coming, lowered his head and charged t hrough the ring of men . He pelted back up the a lley t o David Street and paused a t the corner when he was sure ther e would be no pursuit . I he shrilled . '' 00 back to your pens t You to ,juµ e th e t wel ve trib s o f Isra el - se,, I spit1 You, t he light of th e wor l d - then ,,,,. • .t. Ae' jE"1>1 J=!.~ s om1:,· n111Ju 111..~G He- 1rm:. ,Nfn " ' Jl/1-rz.~t< d NG s11 . Mikey 1 2-,.. I amL b lind t'bDidn' t ~~~-:":""'~ _ou l d have no fear? Th a t~~~~~~~~~~~ s of a;gels , w v111., 'D Al! c.ftt.1-.-:'lJ 'J:J owJ./ .ti~ Pr0,;,1S/L 1 /\to h e lp you ? Then why dont yo u go into old Annas ~ and remindA im -<- . . . • y do you skul k her e while the old fox worries your leader? Answer - you gulls - \ ·' ~ · 1 He ba cked on his heels a s he s aw a sha pe mov( forwArd behind an angry bellow . He RfJtJ. ye lled a f ina l ins u lt before he turned A.nd ~~• He slowed a fter awh ile , feeling better thAn he had f elt since h e ha d r un f rom Geth s amane . Take that , he thought , toss i n g the tJ1ought bA ck over h i s shoulder . Th en he c los ed his mind to .it . He resolutely closed his mind to it ~#_ CPJ,.e...Q/u,,th t) and s tubbor nly wou ld not think of ~ Annas ' palage . Instead, he rfl.n his mind down the H~llel , testing if he had corr ectly memor ized ; ..,,, "'f'Hl:!f' )v6AbS rt4P..tr ·-r ~ ,ff., · ~ fi, ~~ ,V! t f., i 1 :iL.clJv.M~ 6 S.a ,.,1... I. d · • it.~ ''thin a few hours , he would need3ll'his brain and sinew~ to conf ound Saul ,, L,,5! -e.tde~,1.., a - ~ !:J-l A -r-rell eb outwit t h e sentries on duty over the Jaffa Gate . A. high s cream ~ ~ is thoughts . and He was opnosite Cousin Derrany's house and t he scream had come f r om there. A party of soldiers issued from t he door . He turned and bolted the way he had come . UWI L ibr ari es I , 30 . "5. ., \.. Chapter~ St ephen Mark was a false holy man.B ■: A shaggy dog on the outside, bounding s~raight and lovably along, David Street , Stephen was a nosing a t no strange doorways , once he stepped indoors at Ft>R i+I<; yo iJ • 1.hOv\l:, {!)P112'{,) 7 /-IE T G/>'IP,fl-"T1(Y-I IN'llS 1'o curly wolf. • ,?l OW' to pieces t he reputation for saintline~ whi oh his aunts and female cousins would not allow to be buried with him 1 bad b-en , J;o II • ~ t-1r: ,-£ mP rrt,10 I\} ~ ¥ .li{~~~1>ta,l t _,,I.-r. She resisted "'- by seeing __. the humour ctf ~ //.J TH€' s.r-n..J r>---rto/v. years Stephen had been more than twice her bl!"r£1.1 11 r>,FJP.,, NG..,.. ' Al T/1€ H~p,-,r . he i\.~a:e.Ji_JM~ t::i· Lr;;in:~lf!-ll:e,!!:D, . She ~ wh_:r:_ _they were married . For Jbi!LO#.l ten e;Nia o ,--.,ta l a t his bidding} ate, unoom- ;u:i!I" , S,tt,cx:> -r'// flS Su d E A the.t coasted past his hardened pa l ateAbut wrung t ears from her with i t s pungency. He would shoot up one spars e eyebrow at her hair- tf';:'F°t'~ rs s tyle__;,or clutch his beard at her decoJ l ete; he bad struck down her ~ at conversation and so nurtured her inhibitions that when finally they wrapped him in expensive brocades and laid him in the family tomb , she was quite lost. The Family mistook it for mourning and took quite kindly to her . The aunts at Jeru­ -rlil'/7 se.l em and Ce.:pernaum thought of t his end tha5 and agreed ?f their young - kinsman. Nico­ Wo lJt')J fiJ flk€ II Goob Jlt,S f3 fft1)1:J Folt ;~rrR 4}19-£1/, demus1/\ And even when , in def iance of tradition and 'lhe Family, Mary had put down a well turn( \ 1 bcP OF m 111-2.R y ll'J6 . ;J, c o.>:iE /J) u 5;, fo ~t on the ~ that personable, and really likeable , young oouncill ori ·the Fami l y was /\- .s-r1u.- ~ fj-tS.. k11lJCJk,J , -::flt E yet smugl y cont ent that. indeed, Stephen's wasAa holy memory ~•~ truth was b~ -;;:-- V - 'l ,..--- -~~~ for Mary, enough was enough. But. a morning came when one of the Capernaum aunts , on a visit to her mourning in-law1 un9Xpectedly pushed open a door - and recoiled in horror. •. There, before a bust of Stephen on a cabi net , was Mary, a wrap about her night-robe, posturing and deo laiming i "'Whither shall ~ ~ f rom thy spirit, Or whither shall .! flee f r om thy presence, If .!. ascend~ heaven, ~!!:_!there . Make~~ in hell and~ art there - •" ---- -· vtlen Mary broke off :lit- and whirled/ at the strangled cry behind her , th e Capernaum. aunt was al ready f l eeing the house of blasphemy. Mary had gl e.noed dc:,wm at the floor , a thoughtful smile pl aying about her mouth . Then, careful l y, she picked up Stephen and pulling out the bottom dr awer of the cabinet, buried him deep behind her shirts . That day, sh UWI L ibr ari es took young John and a lunch basket to Jilll'l"~ the trees beyond the brook where she hi tched her skirt and taught the boy how to knock off ground doves from cover. An hour mus t have passed since she had locked the door behind him. He had been very serious, almos t severe, about t he door being kept locked. It should be opened only a t his special rap, John had told her -- a double and a single,- ~ rap. Mind, listen for that AajJ, (;)C 'j :$ ~ • He had been deadly serious, no matter that he had invested it with a••• love a wry pride in the for drama.tics. There was•• .. ••lWIIM•r;: • ·•111 smile with which she acknowledged that it was quick of him t o understand so readily the sort of fire his mo t her had been playing with. F}_~.f'!j,~ f!'ft-1 ~ ~ __,,. 1-1v6~tf.14 11a 13()'1> -1u;. r1nv., s,46 But she was frightened. ~~#f ~~~-~ -~Pll~-~ -:la~~~-· l'l'Si~ ~~~~ ~:::til4~4'JI~ a • Q~~ - halted at ~ ~ sound outside in Ib,vid Street. SM 1 8W( ld J • ¢Fil~ i ~ ,_.--, ~~t-;-,{an across the room ~#Ellll!9fiieJd?> ~Mt1 the half closed blinds. A platoon of soldiers was tramping up the terraced slope/ of the street. 'l'hey gave her a spell o~ acute worry, but a moment's ~ reflection convinced her that no marching legio• naires, crumping over the cobbles on nail-studded sandals, could surprise and capture John l!ark. ~e watched them melt into the darker end of the street and was turning away from the window when she G JI · ;nts saw something else which held her s t ill. It was a shadow detaching itself from the deeper shadows of the wall across the street; then it turned into a figure, a man, a soldier whose bronze helmet and shoulder pieces glittered once before he passed out of her line of vis ion somewhere irrmediately below the window. Holding her robe close about her, she ran ~ out of the room) - down the stairs to the door. 'l'he chain at in e door was a little difficult because of her trembling fingers, but • ,ft- .. ~{ she had it undone soon after he had whisDered her name be,_lffl the closed r:>e.nels • He relocked th e door himself and i:ttrned to face her. He said: "You heard?" His fists were rested on his hips and the O!Ml:.,e~ bracelets at his wrists arrogant~ pronounc ed his rank. Her eyes moved slowly up ttle brown and sinewy forearms, past the short-sleeved jerkin arrl lifted to his face. They looked at each other. "Yes, Janus," she said calmly. "I heard." '.l"hey looked at each other, guardedly, while the seconds fell away. Nearing a. full UWI L ibr ari es O G ~~'- minute, Janus shrugged, ~ his fis t s ~ ~ am dropped them at his s ide. "I am not ble.ming you,'' Mary s aid quietly as before. He f rowned and stared he.rd a t her. "Not blaming me for what ?" She t urned and moved away . "For not lett ing me know he would be arr ested t onight. You are right , I would have warned him." He was a t her side in a stride when t hey entered the int imate litt le r oom i nto which she l ed him. I t was her work- and f avourite r oom and t here were sewing baskets and bits of mat erials pegged out on easels or s t rewn on chairs, and paint pots wi t h camel's hair brushes stuck in th em. He had r emoved h is helme t when he entered t he r o om, tore i t savagely from h is head . His face was pa le under th e •·tiillt11■ rump led h a i r. He turned h er roughly t o him. "You little f ool - do you realise t he risk you would have taken? The Temple is going all the way this t ime\ Even now, you are not ou t of danger\" She wa i ted, unf1inch i ng, unti l he be came aware of the strength of his grip on her wris t . He releas ed her quickl y , mumb ling ■ a confused apo logy. 11 I am not wor ri ed a bout myself, Je.nus," she said gently . He jerked his head oo. ck in e. shor t laugh, empty of humour. " Go on. Be brave. Say you would do it again. 11 "No ." She shoo k her he ad • "Not i f I knew I would be endangering - others•" sourly: He sa i d ■lmtffll? "Like your prec ious cousi n?" !I v 1 i II ,1,0u ar e entire y right. He is my cous n and he .!!_ precious. "O:>nt be a fool, 11 h e snapped. "Nicodemus might have been tolerant - up t o e. point . But are you forgetting he is a member of the Sanhedrin? Where do you th i nk he stands now ... ~ -r tl//2 E'lv since - when was it? Two days ago? - since t hat crazy Nazarene had his crew m ·IW(the money changers f rom the ~ample? n, you th i nk it is l ove for your god which wi l l make old ";1""c:~c..~ Annas hound t hi~ ~ t o the cross ? 11 He Widl' s uc c eeded i n fri gh t eni ng her ,. • Jrer hands leaped to h er cheeks, h er eyes (~ - s earch ed his f ac e in horror. ) " The - cross? But - but - Annas has no power to do this fn ~ ~ - . He stepped abrupt l y away from her and fiddled wi t h one of 'the bru shes in 'the ooreel a in pot . Hi s eyes were moody e.s he ■111 from th e bristles be.ck into the pot, .,, r aised the brush and watch ed th~ ~ Paint f l ow . Y /../:1v6Tt/c Nltl6 cut, and plop., a gain i n~~ , ~ falls. He spoke . . \ UWI L ibr ari es "He is chAr ged with sedition, not with a breach of any religious law. Annas has ar ranged i t so he will be sentenced by a Roman court. Under our law, his associates at the time the f elony was committed will be equally guilty. 'lh•t may come to mean - anyone." She understood him. It was so clear and simple. '?he panic of a moment s.g°/. was for­ -ro /)laa, /# Sl1Pl?TY ~it/1}1/ gotten. Forward , now, there awaited two, perhaps three, lives to untanglet~ h from her own. "Where is John?" she asked suddenly. It took a little while for JAnus' mind to cl ear. "John! o, I haven't seen him . Why?" But she had gone pas t him . "They have lodged him i n the for tress !" Janus opened his mouth s tupidly. "Whe. -?" 'lhen he shouted angrily: "Whom are you talking about?" Mary wrinkled her forehead. "Jesus , o f course. I asked you qui t e distinctly whether he was lodged in Antonia. 'l'h.ere is no need to shout ~ •" Janus shook his head [111111 ,rearily. Women really~• 'lhey ~• "I took him to Annas' palace . Governor's orders," he said shortly. Her head went back . 'nle shock of it drained her face of colour and me.de her tumble t..JPJ. , for words . "You - you - no, no? 11 She pressed her fingers to herAtellftBililti,r,. He nodded gloomi ly. "! took in your Prophet . He t hreatened t o queer old .Anne.a' .~ WlW revenue by s caring off his money changers. But ~-- the wrong time to do it - while thA Governor' s in Jerusa lEl!l for the Passover and when my gent le uncle needs the goodwill of the Temple. So .!. am put in to save t h e Republic." seen spare I Her ayes were hurt. She shook: her head bewildered ly. "But - you ! 11 He dropped the l evity from his t one and s poke quietly to her: "I had hardly e..-er even ,'a ~1't'. You cannot expect me to fee l as you do . I love you , Mary. You know ii at. I would • I~?.~ any pain, but I am a 1 . ft/ s D1SC1pu;3· soldier . I made it as easy as I could for • -~ even t o allowing f.J ft 1~ i;t.-l-C~ F/1.Olh t o escape after one of th em had used his sword on a acM &RJI\. tJJ the Temple." She s tared at him dazed» , as if what he to ld h er was beyond her comprehension • .) Janus spoke sharply, f!oii!:t'ft~~~~~~~:;iie!iij~ 11.Pu Jl yourself together, Vary. Its all over and done with ." ".A.11 over and done with 111 So it is . he thought. 'l'hat part of it, anyway • .And please be sensible, Mary. "So i t is J and I run not altogether sorry . '!he dangers you have been cour ting f'rom UWI L ibr ari es 34 those scheming priests) by your as soc i ation with those reckless fools1 have been of some con­ cern to me. Be thankful :vou are safely out of it." Sh e had r ecovered to the extent that she smiled and reached for his hand on the paint brush. Gently. she disengaged his hold and replaced the brush in the pot. "You will be getting red daubs all over your uniform if you continue playing with this t hing," sh e said . She cleared I\ place on the couch for both ot them. "Sit down, Janus . Its e. 11 over and done e.nd I am thankful I am safe•" ao -k, ~at-~ He looked at h er suspiciously#~••• "I dont like your t one. 11 he growled "You didn't mean what you said. :11a.t do you rea lly meanT" She laughed lightly. "Tell me again you love me . Tel1 me of wonderful Rome ~md the places you will take me when we are married. Tel l me of the Circus and the forests of marble columns in t he Forum, the music, dancing, the beautiful women - " she broke otf, her eyes sanbre . She said contritely: "Forgive me, Janus. Or rather, forgive me this mood - I - I - " she stopped and bit her Hp. "What is it , Mary7" he asked gently. Her eyes were starr ed with tears A but he knew she would not permit them to well over. 1/)r ~,ll&-D She was ga llant and lovely and he ~ ) her. But she was also understanding and she kn81'1' what his career meant to him and his family. She knew how unwise i t would be for him to (,, ~ /.!,l?.i=,ltt< marry a Jewes s without permission from Rome. I t would ~ ~his promotion and c~at him out to some obscure post for disappoini:ment ~nd squalor to break his heart. by A generation ago, his family had been caught up• one of t hose maelstrom of intrigue& rJ:L i."-. :, which, from time to time, in Imperie.1 courts , suck/down to oblivion one college of nobles and sp~ another . His, had managed to save themselves at the edgea but their withdrawal /J-uf)mPLJ ~116)) • /,/,.$' FfJP'IIJ..Y ~ f}::At(i.ft6El> IA to firm ground was not yet~ Vulgarly, Janus thought, they were1..._stulJ-.....ilif • 8J _. ~ hasty backward scramble. "They a J 1 had supper here tonight," l,!ary said quietly. "Before it was ended , one of i)Z'R.y RcaEUIOUSv f!Jv,- HE them - Judas , the youngest one, with the fair hair, you remember him? Jt used to take John to hunt coneys whenever t he band was in Jerusalem. It's strange, Janus , very strange. Strange it should be Judas~ Anyway, he l eft and, soon after, Jesus and the others also went . cormnsnded But scar cely t en minutes later , Judas returned with some soldiers, - by that horrible Gui - Gui -" UWI L ibr ari es (!!) "Ouiaeppe Zellini?" - ¾ ~us said, leaning forward, his eyes keen on her face. "Yea, ~uiseppe Zellini. Ot course, they wer en't here. But Judas kn9W' - knew where :hey have been sleeping each night since the Temple assumed open hoatili ty. How _ why _ how you come to - to-?" She left the ques tion hanging but Janus did not enlighten her. His eyes had hardened . Zellini thought. He -ns thinking of' Zellinia otficia lly, • was the centurion assigned to the mtpl• by the garrison commander. He was trying to reca ll something about Guiseppe Zellini. ' n • • • '!'hen John - returned and told me. He thinlc.w we are in for trouble, so he ft to look for you . Where !!_ he?" she asked sharply. Janus came out of his brown study . •111 f What's t hatf lllere is whdm?" isn't he "John - my son," Mary s aid impatiently. "Where is he ? Why be / with you?" Janus stared blankly at her. "Why should he - w1 th me!" " found He left to f i nd you. I t hought he had .... you ." He shook his head "No - I drove here . frOJn the Governor••• I left . / the vehicle at the corner as i::txw.111x:iJ!ix1I.• usual. Too hard on the animals an the woodwork to negotiate your peculiar stre et of' steps." ~JIXXJO(XJDiJUlDG(DDXl:XJtt10C~~Xl(~ Sl!(.Jf:XlaOO{ It was not rtas usual " at all. He had come in :furtively, not as usual. O, Janusyou too t You are a Roman and it seems t ha t a mong the pagans , pride comes before love . As for me , I would go with you to the :furthest corner of' the world , even to - wha t was the name of that cold island wh ich Janus had said was being d i scuss ed £Mx in Rome as the next place to conquer? "S ome fool with more wealth x:illx than Ksense was wi t h Jesus in t h e garden t onight. He left a claok in our hands when he ran away. None of the d iscip les woul d have afforded such a cloak . Anyway , to make conver sa t ion, I told Annas, showed him the cloak . The old fellow seemed to p ounce on it. I have no idea why he is so anxious but t he joke a: has b een turned back on me. It seems the only role I have in J erusalem for the foreseeable future is to :find the Dtl:M fellow to whom the cloak belongs. " He thought awhile . "II i m, or my neck . An- nas is calling down heavy forces." He . looked seriously at her . "Lis ­ ten, tonight , keep your doors locked. I am sending quartus to stay h ere . He will see you are not annoyed by th e search part ies ." Bri t annia, she thought triumphantly. l'hat was t h e name of' t he dreary little island Rome was getting ready to subdue. Janus had t old her about it. Said he could be sent ~ i.x there with the c olonising army~ She was sorr y _for Janu~ . She knew he loved her but he was a solaier , a p agan sold ier . K~XJC1£XMXJCXNl( Shou ld she t rust him? "Please send John back to me. He will be at t he fortress , most likely. Wherever the excitement is . " Quartus or no, she had to contact icodemus . Un der the Jewish law , Jes u s woul d be exam i ned by the Sanhedr in. UWI L ibr ari es 36 CHAPTER 6 'lliey s quatted in the same rough circle on the cobble~ in the chair- court where John ~ar.k had left them . Simon Peter's sword rested in his lap and he gripned the hilt in both hands until his knuckles whitened . 11.-4 R..t. J ~ rllft,vt-/.. IC~ "Th eJ will se.y he has failed them, " Thomas said flatly . SN oP..1c'iJ , -r'HN>tll-S > ~ Simon Peter,\hi l 11 fne-lWffl :tl~••• ~ ~ shrugged and went on . "They will say that within a week, he has failed them . 'lliey will say that only a week ago, t hey had led the crowd across the Kedron to meet him) and led the hosannas as they returned with him riding ihe donkey into the city. And yet, within a week , he has f ailed "He i s your own kinsman. Will leave him t here on t he hook?" fvl ft.r;, ~ lips were taut and the words lie: separat ely~ L..jaafis(? you leave him there, on the hook?\ Do you want_ us to Thomas drew his cloak about him and calmly spat on the cobbles. "They will say he came in under fa lse pretences . 'Ibey will s ay he had led them to think he would t ake ~-. ,, 4-ntl ;ft.at ~ k~ • ~ ~Cf!!Al6eo ., 7111'/ r Tl/Ree Jerusalem f rom the Romans and ~ .. ~ • \ I.I ~ days ago , e • ,Jlflp A V\ ·- . I\.. told th em instead they should pay taxes to Caesar . That day before yesterday, h~ told IJBC~ l'Niy .. l~ ; t hem i ns t ead t hat their God loved all men alike, Roman or Jew. And A1!1111it,~ nly yesterday he pred i c t ed t o t hem that Jerusalem would be destroyed! ~ Jerusalem, the holy city of the nati on! They will say all these • .And t hey will be speaking the truth . 11 Peter's bi g body jerked and the hilt of' the swo~ d at the mouth of' its scabbard . "Should I ram this sword down your throat ~ ~ t me to pin your gill;;y "I am only telling you wha t th-e Z~alots wi ll s;;, " Thomas replied , unshak;;w am t ell ing you t he Zealots wont hel. Judas was a Zealot . That's why he did what he did . " ~ Phillip asked quietly: "What do you think, Simon? You think the Zealots will help? " A "How do I know whether they will help.?" Peter shouted back a. t him. "I say t here i s a chance l I say we should take the ch~ncel" "A cha.nee such as a snowba ll might have in hell," Thomas said grimly. "Your u ..... .....,. 1-,., i ... h,,,.,.,;,,"' the roA.d bA.ck to Bethsaide.• UWI L ibr ari es 37 Peter tur ned furiously on him . "Why a.int you on vour way too ?11 he s~outed. "Why dont you scuttle back to Capernaum? You're his blood cousin , a.int you? That makes you another qu i tter , dont i t ? You ' d say Put E.E_ the sword like he did tonight , ·oul dn ' t you? " \ \ Big J ohn Boan erge s reared backward , twisted his head to one side and howled towards the ground : "Shut up ! Shut up 1 You make my head- ache \ 11 l 'lhey hid approached the plan wi th / >.11.. f t. y; ~~ • ,,- idt' r-:ca f3 c1i & Al . - ... ~- .. - . - . . .. " ,.. . . . . . ~ resentment , driven there by Simon/{I pasl1on~ . 11 ;]l I g As a consequence , the . \ plan w s unti y . ' / $ "I t ~ a lousy p l an . A pla.n without a p lan . It makes my head ache too , J oh;-;y, " James said to his brother . He said i t in a naked voice . Old Fhillip watched &,+/1th . <[ft~.! \ "You have a better p lan , .,,_ Bo~erges?" Simon Peter roared . "You have a better one?" Ma tthew glanced at old Phillip and then he wa tched Simon Peter . The old anta- f e·-r13~, [ fl"1a ~,IJ, ~ H,J ~ (}.Alb Ye.,. So DP-r5/J -ro<,o Tli~R - . goni~ts , Matthew thought . A Now they will smoke up; then they will· flame up ; then they 8(1~"1 1'- SJvAR/,, IAJG ftJJ"b "P,;.. ~ IL,/ ,J(!; ~ w·11 r oar and ~ at each other wi th word~ ~~" ~ Jes us had kept them fair l y sweet had got him, for the thre e years the band had been together . But e,Ah ·-mo10 wfJ r R 1~11v6 the ~• in them, Matthew thought . now that the priests "Stop b~ing children, 11 Matthew said harshly . ''If I know the Temp l e , whatever we do must be done quickly. 11 Fhillip caught his eye and winked . "Little children , " Phillip wheezed . 'Ihe ascension through the heat and dust of the lake plains to the chillier J erusa lem ~ nights had wakened his asthma . 1 Litt l e children --- he always called us that , young as he wa.s . He wgs a .rea l Rabbi , young as he wa.s . Little chi ldren , l ove ~~ another - " - - ----"Shut up I say111 John howled at the ground i n a strangled voice , his h ead si de to s ide . "Shut _ shut shut ~ ~ ~" 'Ihoma s stared a t Phillip . Sta.red har d , the pupi l s of his eyes widening . "Good as God l II he eja.culated softly. "Al r eady we speak of ~ i n the past - as one ~dead~" John • tr• [ft Boanerges held his head and groa:µed . f!'1mon? 11 Matthew ca lled UWI L ibr ari es 38 ~ lou a.1 if he knew of no crisis and had never heard of one . "Simon Peter? Who ·'1"°G\Mf£ or that fool Thomas) or me , Simon Pe r . Six of us left . Five are --- x a on the roads running away from Jerusalem . One is rich with ~ his blood money and skulking somewhere out of our reach . Six of us left and all of us ~ ...... -1 ( ~ ~ wanting _to run too - excepting , perhaps , old Fhillip whom his asthma will kill soon anyway; and perhaps this Matth ew who couldn't return to Galilee since he would be in :,, ~ 'reach of Herod - and Herod would not forget how he had absconded his s erv~ce as a good revenue runner to /Jj.,?~~ 1 ~he N13 zarene's party. ~ "',,, S ·-1/ t llv,u'beRe/[ !;)~ A /IJ f. .... .._,e~, . mocki1ily. .J"l•·, IN!,, "Ask James 'ftt.a:$1:s:lif" Simon Peter returned . J Jli '~-~:Dl~arf has a better pl an ;' o r ~ brothers INC.J.Jei) . A brushing/\~ their clothing when th• / ee, ~oo . J . l)I.J Hlg P/#l'T FhillipA?eard the whisper of the clothing and knew the brothers ' violence wa~ being A~@ a r,ainst Peter . He guessed t hat James would go for Peter . And that would make John 5:.M.JP HftVIJC.H65 Of/JG f'oa Pcwa OR.. ltl+oEVPP-Gor /}J --r11c Wy _ ~ forward from his +.tie~ fo r the brothers were like that .. '4nd then :M..atthew woul d G /iJG. f1 PIJ.. '/JR't:, -, L 11 be ~ ~oo , reaching for John . Because it we.s110t that Matthew had more love for Peter , ~ IIIH /J'r.Pcc,nuy but1Matthew had been a government man and knew the lunacy of civil · strifeJ when your Wf7/l-k.llcl-s J,J/JS 6 f 0.¢i>,. I!; Y 1/11}1' fl£ ~l>tJ·r ·7'11-e i!JfiJ)}, /5cJJ.J6 r;~y IH#FAlflY fJReKtJ vP. if!.#liil ~ ~ AThen there would be four of them at each other ' s throat , leaving 'lhomas and himself. before morning ; for And Thomas and himself would be no ;:-vAJIJY 1 11om11s.., good for what was to be done flt/)/s;eu:, ll'!fpm(5~ on~ ~ as onl y a _. good j oker and the othe5 .,, too o ld and afraid . J f> /rl/:!S I~ 11 ! agree with you, Simon . ~•' s ~ is the right man , 11 Fhillip sai d l oud l y . .f, 6 ~ the man,-_ But t h ~ questi_on is: Will she l et him i n? " bl.p ()'It) t!.D I-ft£ C/.l)S5/l i O Old FhiYk.tti ~ head 1Jjlit ~ the lantern at an angle where his eyes . • ,) n ShlflU. uAJ,P.UT'I-/, would show sly and leer~ artd devoutly hoped that God would forgive M.atthEIIV S'l.W him , and a grim smile touched his lips as he sat back on his haunches . Old Phil was in there alright . He watched John's head swing towards Old Fhil , foll owed more sl°'vly by h is brother's and Simon's . He sensed the quick sear ching of their minds and their puzzle ~ UWI L ibr ari es \ ,. \ "Whom are you talking a.bout , Fhil ?" Ma tth.ew asked loudly • • i'< Alo w //.J6 bl Fhillip chuckled ~ and agi:dn did a quick prayer . "Leah - that black- eyed beauty from .Antioch who answer• the door at .Annas' palace . She has been vis iting old R. er(.) R ti/'€ J:,. Zebedee's SJIJ -r .I11t stall in the fish- market twice a day since we ffl!!ll"I&!! •ar?QliJc to 39 ':TIJ,lh/f',> Jerusalem. I know it couldn't be old Zeb she comes to see , so I guess i t must be if!" or ZJ ohnny.; 11 He a.ushed and chuckled • ~ ~·1...1P Simon swore rudely. ,-,- ~ your ki lick and get on with . what you are saying . " Fhillip cocked a mildly innocent eye in his direction. "You figured that while we wel' srmaking contact with t he Zealots you would endeavour .to find out what's going on at ' '°irr? But now you figur e that Jim's the right man .Annas' pa.la e. ill.,_,.-,q,;J ;;,ru:hw.:atp ■rz•■eit g • an111t to gain entr ance , eh? Well , # 11 ( ould you?' He turned his head quickly to James . {:i;u ld I - what?" countered James softly. Fhilli learnt , a li t tle late , that he had suc ceeded in turning James ' anger to himself . He hoped that Matthew woul d see that he had turned James' anger to himself . "He's a lonely man tonight , " .Matthew said suddenl y . "Jesus is the loneliest man i J 1 t i ht II QPw1,..1.1p WA.S 6Llfi> TH/1'1' l!)O-rrli0tl 1-i~J. /3El!!JJ ~l/1111. p flJIJ~-,,,JlfhJ ;JI!!; n erusa em on g • - IY) Rlnt take it with you. alchus might recognize it as the on e which nibbled Wi'1-~ h is e&r in the Gqrden tonig t . ' P; GJ..-f James put the sword ins i de the .... at his waist GC..:ot,J/• on Thomas • "You are unimportant , " he said,'!.. ' Go and turned a light -~~ - pair of eyes ft Thomas shook his head nd looked at Na.tthew. "Matt , " he said , "I am as popular as a revenue runner . We ought to b e by ourselves some other place . '1 UWI L ibr ari es \ :\t ~ \Jl.ol~ter said hoarsely, "Everybody kn~ hat to do, before morning . " 40 We'll meet again, ~ere. They all stood. Fhillip las t of all for his ches t ached . 'Ihey looked at each quickly. furtively, and looked away again. woul d come after me . le t him take up his cross and walk out of the oi ty wi th me . " ~ - - -- Ma. t thew did •t know why this had come out. It wasn't as before when he had stirred John for old Phil . So rnRIJY ot '.Tesvs.; l-\>O AD~ pf!.8 C,,.()-h11tJ(, ou, IONl6H1,, /)s 1F He I>~ /Jt.~by_ 'bf;°fl-b • tl-6 s:#1116REu , • v 5lft.f;SJ 'I Fhi1lip held up his hand a.nd said: 11 lease , Matthew•, :• then let i t fall '\IJl!iF a« /tr Ill$ Si'hi:, ,__...etrtting off his breath an s traightened again with a sigh . . . "Cant someone brin~ me Judas?" he groaned . his a ms turne U'1Ward . "Cant .someone give Judas to me?" James reached around behind M tthew an rested his han on his brother ' s shoul der. F.JrJb .S. /,,.J p Pcb ._ ,r, I Suddenly Simon Peter ihirledA.to the entr ance of the court and Matthew swiftly -~Hey 11€/J/2}.. C-1 ()(fa ~ .. '(lleY ducked the lantern beneath his c oak • . ~ ~~e*.~~eatle-<;intO,,~ Simo1}\t IZS r:P :'80 ;;;;£ga be .s tfowt3b ·-rm; l--JG tl-r ff61J1J.J, "Its alright. .;, 1'6-re-12- .r Btb , lads~ ~l ts the Coxswain . Good God , Cox. aint you tired of this same old game?" UWI L ibr ari es 41 C'11 apter 7 I,,• The,_ grip on his u ft 7 s oulder MM"""tQ unnecessary., for John Mark walked quie t l y enoug~~o- the group . However , his f eet did drag a little and his fa c e was su l en . Thomas grinned and said : "I dont believe my eyes . Let me see if its really he . " He punched him lightly in the s tomA.ch . The boy licked his lips and said: "Youtd better dim that l antern . There ar e soldiers in David Street . 11 John Boanerges asked quickl y : "Why a~e they s earching for us in this neighbourhood? Dont they know none of us could be living i n this posh district?" nrts not - " John [ark stopped . He added sull enly: "You ' d better dim that light. 11 eflJ/J'JESI ~ e.s t he Cox says , lad, 11 Simon Peter broke in . "He's ta lking sense . ' you go to the corner and see where they're heading . If they turn in here , we'll scatter and ::;,.., M l u 2'.,-,un for it . " :::::-.,~es s lipped from the courtyard . Peter said : "Alright, Cox . Now tel us V1rhy you' ve come ere we e you hee.ding for when. you pushed off s o fast?" F uA-r{J.e,SS 'I was going to AAntonia ., ' the boy grumbled . "Antonia ?11 they exclaimed . ~- --~~ I I . f,Jf1cobit/Jt ~, ; • ✓ John Mar k had olted in panic wh en he s aw the soldiers a t his cous in~4!111!Gi'J1!Jr-. fie Wtb p'lff'b J:t.R.Am~ LIN6 RuAJj P/!&1,,./,J(; house . ~ /f P the street , ~11'1i Alike a. beetle which had strayed into or- P'owt.!; • ~~~ -rr111 T a barnyard"- He could not escape t he line of hardAueaks ~ were . closing in on him. Then he had remembered his one time friends . eil!AGW<"ln~~;.,:QIJ.il!!fi~the birth of CB~& . i , an idea " But he had to .pl ay it careful '?! . Simon Peter shook his head . "I cant cope with you , Cox. Honest , I cant . I'm ust 5, 0 an i gnorant fisherman . If I'm '15cared to go into Annas pa. lace , like ly I'd die of fright f ftfS . if I had to ~ , .Antoni a. . Why were you ~i~~ to tho Fbrtress ?" • "I was - " John tti.a.rk began . QuS ify~thew t~ok the l antern ;rom under his cloak and soddenly pour ed i ts brilliance on John Mark ' s face . The boy blinked and became angr y . Then ., remembering that his p l ans called not for anger , but for a seeming r e luctance , he scowled suspicious­ l y and gl owered aroun at them f'rom under his l owered eye l ids . Matthew repl aced tho lantern unde~ his cloak and Phillip laughed silently under cover of the dark . He thought he saw throug the tax-coll ector 's nimble mind . UWI L ibr ari es 42 "I was -- what?" promoted John Th,e bo,. spoke slowly after a short pause . "I was going to see t he J:.r::arta..l"Mlll • Janus Aurelius • " m /Jll. "'e'b A lapping and a gurgling in a nearby aqueduct ~ the puzzled silence. Then: "Hey -\ He would turn us a ll in t. " 'lhomas cried in mock alarm. "He' s going t o finish the job for his f r ierid Judas t. " "Bend a knot in that l ong tongue of yours , " Simon Peter told h i m rudely. Gently. ~~ I , he asked the boy s "What for? Why were you going t o the us I ~ ~"' ~ R~R.£1.,w..S. ( 1 11u • *fl B r IL z:l.l••~•~ John Mark cried•t••r•m I *• He hoped it She - why should I tell you ?" ha sounde res entf u l enougr . "Because your mother -ha s b e en patron a to us and we dont aim to see a }} FJ1j> . """·· ~ad headed boy bring no trouble on he:r;, 'IkiG-.:•~ 'I Now, ta lk. She - what?" - my mother thinks he will help, " John Mark s aid relucta tly. "And so she senasfrou - a boy. " c r ack the walls of Rome . " ~ VLY, Matthew remarkedl\. "A small hammer with which to "A small hammer • but. by God , she has _ taken up a hammer , " John Boanerges grated . "Why did not she go herself?" SiM9n Peter asked . "o. big and stu id Gal~lleanL" f lashed John Mark . "Can a lone woman walk the streets of Jerusalem after dark? Is she a ha r lot from the theatres of Antioch?" "Cox. 11 Fhillip said behind a wheezing chuckle, "he . said he could not cope with P,a.~, OIP:,-81,,µ h= tonight . Tell me . though , your mother knows thisAa1rt1mi*..., well ?" John grunt ed. 'Ihe fish- stand kept by his father was also a good clearing house go s sip . "Both she and Nicodemus , her cousin, are his friends . But I dont s ee any help coming from that quarter . " ----------------::::-; ;._ _ ___ _.;;.,_~ ..,.-~---- --...__ I Once, Simon Pe t er .would have soundly cracked John Mark ' s head for his rudeness . f Between them , i ~ had a ways been the large mastiff and the playful puppy , ever since the ·7 1+1! ti_ 17 ~Me:N"t: ~ 0 a_ wr-re,t-t,~6 fir iu,fo W/1".J day when ~ had rebuked him ~ ~ l!e~ the boy rdf a t tempting • -- r ,1 • 1 Ba.e-r HP-ffJJ ~s~ , , "'I f:::~ f!/,A7-xtaRGM9.. '{J'fed.i ;.. /' ' 1 o lhtn • iAJ#t /tlf fl/lJ Y ~ had said h e, ~hould be the leader if anything 98r" happened, wl• .. But,!\._..~ 6DO~ ~~ If ()~ /; h ~oip --r#l~ dfl K/JJ·' t.f1ih/r;H lw,1,s ~.ed· riJ,Rlibi ! d J. . t ( i eaaer. O, wna.-c at,4SV·il!PJ ') eader e was l\ A ea er W1 a . ouse up m n ., "IHla s rAF¼tJ/J/J, .coulcfnJ t t hink ..,. r.w_..,.,. He was /\ to hau l nets • 'lllat~ all . Allli1~ 81ii,,-=!!11-N_li_l!l:_F::_"4_1111_!!!!:_:llll_111_"_:_l!!'I_'!"_~•....,~ UWI L ibr ari es 43 "Blow it to ~-,-el<.. • . .WY helU" '!' sworeJ uth:., "I'll take help from any quarter . Jonn.., Thunder . CQ;ie. we ' 11 get your mother through to the for t ress . Maybe - mayb e she can help . " ohn Y.ar k jerked his head up . They cou d not see hovr his eyes shone . "Who will -,) take her through? ~ he queri ed quickly. "Beggars are n9t choosers , my grub y li ttl e friend , " Thomas said . II ant Fhillip t o ake her , " John Mark said defiantly. "Phillip must take her . " "You' 11 get your Fhillip , " Simon said curtly. ~,, Phillip gave ,t wheezinf( chuckle . 11But it shall not be Fhillip. ' he said dryly. 11 yone cs.n hear me coming a mile away. I strongly reconnnend my friend N,atthew- to you , John Mark . He's entir e l y trustworthy. " .. "Yes , John Mark. ' Thomas put in . "You ask ol d Herod about his Matthew. He'll give you l etters . " "For God s sake - stop hau l ing your bilgeJ " John ·-rJ,,o~IV' • yelled a t ~ "Let's o what we have to do . Matthew can ta e her he wont be missed anyway1 11 :Mat thew moved forward t o t he boy. "I won be missed ..... John is right j" he said . "m R1/~"tr -rHe ~ Zealots would not listen to an ol d gove mnent man tel l ing them t o rescue a prisoner from t he authorities.! hut I can pret ty well get his mother to Antonia without being . seen by the soldiers . 11 • '1·l3e off hen . 11 John ;fM C ["'9 growled unrepentantly. John Mark was twisting his. head about in !llgry indecision. He had hoped old Philip would have been chos en. He could have hand l ed old illip . But this Matthew was an unknown quantity. He smel le of I.aw and the Tern le , no matt er that he was now one of t he Twe ve . J!le f!i'llil "Hew lte was not o l d Thillip . Old Philli would do what he was to l d when they reached .Antonia . Suppos e this one ~oula):i~t i But he had no time for protest f or Matthew had ta.ken his arm and was urging him out of the cour t . T.l:t!$ pusui.,.Jw •• ◄ .• t!i~Vs , a t:W:97tch at th e :cxaoP and enBetea iioid 9'ti1ir& t . He s ouched t9e ~ a long behin t o come to them . N ,vertheless , he grunte Matthew, thinki ng su lenly he had been a fo ol moved a grudging admi ration for the way ilatthew • .-1 like a ghost . If, tomorrow morning on the Wal , h e coul be a ghost ike Matthew. that Ir f/ 1.. l/ J UWI L ibr ari es 45 is, until it was time to spring up and set all 1:ha garrison on the Wall by the ears, l'l?ld ${?;- all the priests welcoming the new day with t heir brMs horns by the ears, and11all the chairmen and the hucksters down below by the ears, and put his life into the keeping of fllt; z p- li?Tin1usc l es and .-.a lungs andt< good use of' his brain when required - ' llidd!,l> fl.ab wwwm VAJ--r'Jl, ·-rHIJ, !1JO{iif.;/J~ /JS lf)l)T,Jl(SH -r E S'hlfM .. "1"' "171. t.:oue~/l w/JS, if he could be a ghos \ il&.': Hai:P OE a I 1• Cl.I&;,. then he would well be on the way to beatj the sneering Saul. Right at this moment, crossing the pavement before Ben-Rasha's house, who kept plUJllf cats and was rumoured to eat them, and had three coal black sisters from Phoenicia to ser his person and there were rumours s.bout them too - right at this moment , by the stoop that of bald, . old Ben-Rasha's house, there was nothing he wanted more than to best• sneeri~ Saul. No. He shook his hee.d angrily. Ee bulged his cheeks with air/ for emphasis 1 blew it out like a grampus and shook his hee.d again. Must not think about Saul. TomorrOlf is a million years away. Must think about mother. AQQl&=-:t:titm~ ~ t::i• ~ !lll~ li&-•~~ ~~r!i~ And another thing. How would he break the news to his mother that Jenus was not what as they issued from Demmy's house, they'd hoped! For, despite the light at• their backs/ he was sure he'd reco~ised th&t it was Quartus, Janus' man, who led the raiding party which was at this moment, hunting the members of his family. UWI L ibr ari es 46 CHAPTER 8 Annas was taking it badly. The interrogation was not going as well as he - - expected. He had met stubborn prisoners before. It was easy to understand that men who I openly opposed a government , could never, never be weaklings . Particularly a govermnent with enough scope to arrange for your finality • .And right now, his government had such ccope. 0 It was true that under Roman la:w, Pontius Pilate ruled all of Judea. But ~tius Pilate had overreachod himself; end, for the present at least, he was forced to allow J lot of scope to the wily old priest. While he gle.red at the stubborn prisoner, Annas docketed ..., in his head, some • cohorts of the reasons why he was allowed such scope. Pilate had marched his 71 Ill m Mii t:1.ypJG ~ ~ through the city with their standard;i°~ in contempt of the injunction against graven -A. forcefully im~ges in Jerusalem. And Rome heard • . Pilate had ••z fib drawn on the Temple treasury for the upkeep of his magnificient palace , when he should have kept within the allowance gr anted him by the Senate. And Rome heard. Pilate had pushed Jerusalem near to rebellion, when, ins tead of punishing the f anatica l Zealots only, he had turned an insensate out- • burst of fur y age.inst the whole city. Rome took off icial cognizance of the complaints and r apped the unlucky ~overnor across the knuckles with a stiff note of censure. ex,Pa tria te Pilate discovered t hen that the rich and influential/Jews who lived in Rome regardeo. Jerusalem. as their s piritual home. He was therefore allowing the TEmple a lot of scope until he could regain favour at home. None of this was hidden ma tter. So Annas had no doubt that this prisoner knew his power. Now he passed his bony hand over his tight lips and wondered whether it was a congenital stupidity which made his prisoner so silent and serene. Re nodded. Sometimes God made the stupid ones like that. Sometimes , He may have put a luminosity just under their skins so their faces glowed. But - no . These eyes resting directly on him seemed · to be ful l of - pity. I t was without logic to think so, but it - seemed so. It battered at his mind . You - pitying - me1 The blood rushed into his head. - ~ - His lips whi tenet° "f ¥thinned and the cords at his neck stretched ,r /1 u·,t-y UWI L ibr ari es ,. ., . ~•~ until, startingly, his head swayed widely. - I/ f't::()'-> "You 4f9 t ~ the High Priest said and it was as if the hate was lifting a roof from his voice. "You should have ranai ,, among the fishermen at Galilee. You should not have come to Jerusalem. You should have stayed with your disciple•~-J/' where are they now?" ~ If he ha~cd, humbly, Annas belie-red he would have ordeed that his wrists 47 be untied. The .._ frame, flanked by a couple of burly temple guards and the officer, _ I\.. - ~ elf 11s w 115 ,1-Jc Ji,e,.c ~ Malchus, seemed incapable or ~ res_istancef\suggested by the bound hands. But ~ did not reply. Anna.s wanted to laugh. For a moment, he craved wildly for the unbounded opening of the mouth and the filmy exudation of moisture to slick the e~balls which he noticed was what happened to other men when they laughed. But all he succeeded in obtaining was a sideways twitching of his mobile, sensitive mouth and he knew his eyes were dry . I remember they told me he spoke to butts of water an:i they became full of' wine, he thought. And that at a word from him, swine leapt over a cliff, he thought. And that he walked on the sea. And, that, at Bethany a body conmencing to pus was , given back life by him. ~ / Suoh a man could not be stupid. Even if those he fooled were bumpkins of low int elligence, such a man could not be stupid. He was cunning. What he did was to prey on gullibilityi, h~ . Annas leaned forward on his elbows and stared unwink:ingly at the prisoner. "Tell me," he said softly, "something of your doctrine. I know almost nothing of your doctrine - or is it a secret doctrine, only for your disciples - Teacher?" The title had slipped out of him. He had not meant to call this young upstart by any such title. But he dismissed his annoyance when he observed how the men grinned at what they believed was his irony • .And perhaps it was just as well. For -the Nazarene seemed to be contemplating a reply. "Hidden. High P!-1estT No, not hidden." -r -16 f!',fl.()) ~i;.er 1/l)JCc /;£it) 0 ~1)/J/Ary IJI.JF/}P>,t,t!Jf_ I() §,JNl)S, tHl: flu/U.,/TY to fl.S AJi>r $ 0 C-O tnma!l/1.wG· fJs -r#n-r rr J../;)J .. B_NN/tS PovAJt, r/11}(:'etF UB- t/116 PR..Y{IJR.:J> ON Hii c llfhR., UWI L ibr ari es V t;, r,r Ill'/ V4/'t:~ l 'f !Wb ~PeN'l?b 1/IS /JN'°Gtl.---:> ~ jf/)/l181,1& c:. , ~ d • His face~ • •• 48 ''I spoke openly to al 1 the world , in the market place, on t e carav'3n roads , on m untain tops , in boats on the water , in all the synagogues by which I pas sed , in your great Temp e , here , in Jerusalem . 1 erever Jews have gathered , they have heard my words. ~These are your witnesses , High Priest . Ca l l your witnesses and ask t em . " e blow from Malchus l anded on his mouth and his head j erked under it . "You dare to speak thus to the Hi gh Priest ?" Ma. lchus cri ed in rage a t h i m. Jesus turned and looked at Malchus. thin lips . N~Malchus will r eally hit him. nas waited , the unlikely smi le twi s t ing his But as the seconds drev, out , a puzz e frown narrowed the High Pries t's eyes . I have seen orisoners b l uster or cringe when <':liV~ l'Ia l chus . it to them . This one - It An my i g, he.rd Ma chus , who wields the MIiie stoutest hAn that ever butt of a courge, is discomfited . The oaf is shuffl·ng his feet . "Look at me , Nazarene!" t e High Priest snarle . fool ook at Ma chus? Has he no hear of the power in me? That to ignore me is to flirt with his tomb? As if he is trouble at my servant's lapse , but I am ') a beast whose moods he knew/ , · o to l him is eyes could afford to be gent e , when I -- am a.bout to destroy him/ e hopes to move me to pity? - ~ SPl}c~-- He remem ered , , deca es ago , when he had been a. young priest and ordered to hi irst a.orifice . He had a.in awake most of the night , pri ckl y with apprehension, worrying w ether his hand would be true on the knife . He ha risen i n the grey of the morning and had gone sh i y forth , moving through t e ancient ceremonials wit he other scores of pr i ests; istening to the ch~nt from the pinnacle of the Temple which announcec MT~ hl•JPJJ / iv 6 HA'!> LCln6.1 1 J rr-r /Jl(l; -rJ//i!I H€ WA! INTO J./IS ~ -r,ES , " the sky lit up as far as Hebro~; searching t e run fo r lemishes and g · ving it a rink ' " - ~ivn~ "- from the golden cup; slipping its hea thro gh the 11•11(1111 ring of gol d wit its eyef turned westward; waiting for the signal from the s i lver trumpets when he would use the knife ~ when ~H~~1.,.. He~had the animal's gu l et under his hand and the knife held fo the upthrust , MIJ1 By reason of some vagr ant wind the a tar fames l eaned from vertical• and in the nE'fv'I t) UWI L ibr ari es 49 ight , the eyes of the sacrif "ce looked gent y at him. The ade , a l ready on its way, tremb ed and s l ed . But even e.s i t slowed , he he. remembered the duty he owed to the pri es thood behind him and the millions o Israel who re uire the blood , and th e knife •••• , went in . in It w nt in, unyieldingly, near l y .. ._ rui ning the throat _.. his t horoughness. , '! /n() l/'Tlf '1.r/J-.S 11'>/Jl flt,Hl)LG;, ·f>i/-e- 11/0'>&" p t 'IG • ~~~ - J I.JCH-"fi-0 ' ~ He eape to his • c.hedo HO'" swayed on his feet . His eyes were Pain ully wide. 110/rfl '13 <--1../- "'j'u ~ -r "Ta. e im out and w ip him, Malchus 111 r ibbons tH he wh i spered"f "Scourge him Alir&-4 short of servent entere· t e room and bobbe nervously unti Annas turned to him . "Th~. spy c / led th e Rodent , Hi hnes s . He has come in . " L-,1/J.S .Annas wiped the wet from is b.;liP i -I P lrt with the a.ck of his han • I t took him a littl e 1 "i•••• =zrmhn w, time to remember that he had been i mpati ent l y· enqu iring the Rodent since some hours ago . He dro ppe back t o his seat rod nodde . 21 UWI L ibr ari es Chapter 9 m(}\/G.b I~ atthew had .gr,a i.• "tt,t front and his mother had fallen oF l)\ v~ 50 c__ /,Jf.J m AJ6 t or-r ;;.s If b£&0.. > in behind Matthe3 ~ if she did this every nigh!, qnd it had me.de him proud . Proud.( >1'S:-1 .; +,1 I w 2 ?1 ill \J ehiftd - t?, t he way she turn d her hea for the similar quick l ook wi th which Matthew and oP l he swept the street} and ,t_ how she }Jlll'illl' walked.> ~ on her hee s , not silly as how ~ some women would have done it , walking f orward on their toes , not knowing that the suri st way to stumble an make a noise was to try walking on your t oes when you needed silence . She was a mother to be proud of ; and after this she could go coney- hunting with ' hbn anytime . Anytime at all she wanted to . '!hey made good progress through the ..... dark street and they took precaution~ Pvm~c, 01.rr /tlS ;.ut::,::, against surprises.,, . atttrew~ ehind him t o touch his mother s hand and R,f;,l)(.,/14J" ...... p~ t ,v ~ HIA/h Pea. 1-/6' ft ..J'OtO'.f !'I µ . .) she in turn !»'~ • . n en they stood still , listening . A "ll- "The so ldiers of Rome are touchy, ;Lady. 'lhey dont mind you staring at them when they march past in cohorts with banners flying . But if they catch you sly y peeking f}~ at them when they are only two or three of them, they wi 1 reckon you "-_ contemplating s l~pping e. blade between their ribs - and r ightly so , " he ended dryly. "Between the fourth and fifth rib , 11 a voice said with relish . "That's where t hey die easy. You jus t - push it in. " . .,--- :., @ AA--rt.l?D -,-,11.i.,;Bi> ~ Gt-t?Mt:os 1ta00,v'f> P.,v1 llfl{3/U:i /Jc> ~ ti /}IBl ,r I\. Mar y S!il Ali1{_ puzzled•~• ~ llset1l t •• •i•~ there ~§1@'!£.''lii'(: ~ )t50/Jl.f;1 ·0,-0~ ·r. . '/!!!!!!!!B , - ~es.. it\~ 1 , e. onl,F1lu 118WS ·@ lis s'1$~- "Heh , heh , two inches inward a t the back of the neck . '.!:hey kick amus i n gly b efore they are stil l . " Her gown fl ew out as she whirled at t he new voice behind her . Matthew's hand at her e lbow steadi ed her . She frowned, angry at hevelf t at t e Panic had been hers a. l one) for John Mark haafa.~ ~ moved/ tL • trlu-Ic.-t-E"1 "'lhree. Three inches for some and two f or other s . 'lhree for fa t Pilate with his well covered n eck. Two for the tiger I s whelp , Janus Aurelius • " --r11-t;y It was too much f or Mary. The voices were disembodied5 ~ seemed to come out of the ground . "V'h - who is there?" she whispered. - "Heh , h eh , " the cackl e came again . 'We are Legion , lady. Legion 11 'Be quiet1" Matthew ¼.Odiiats threw out in a stern whisper . h e r son calmly ta lking . r:,' Mary swallowed ca·reful ly. Beside her , she heard • L "fflia t about Janus Aure lius? Has h e passed here?" --It, ~c{ .. Mary tightened her l i ps . She had heard about thes e cr azy jokers ho called themse ve. uigion. With the pas sing of h er a a.rm , her maternal instinct was a gain uppermost and it disturbed her t o dis cmver that John Mark seemed quite at ease in a noisome passage which RIJ-D. ski rted the despised court of Gentiles , ~ n the middle of the night . She had failed with UWI L ibr ari es 52 the boy , s omehow, s omewhere . She could almo s t s ee the Capernaum a tmts shrugging as they e.ccepted er fai ure . St'ephen 's widow would be j ust the sort of widow who woul d make St ephen' s son be at h ome in a nasty a l ey with • 11 sorts of nasty people. We had said it a ll along, hadn't we ? "What about Janus ?" Mark a sked again , an edge of anger in his voi ce this t in1,e . heh , what about Janus ?" a voice mimicked h im. them~ a t l a s t . They squatt ed in the corners and two or thr ee crawled about on a l l f ours reaching out s kinny hands t o her frock , altogether under ten of them she thought . 'lhey had come without sound, like piders . She fe l t s i ck at them and wished she coul d put her h e e l to t hem l ike spider s . "Purveyors of fil th , " John R. r k s aid quietl y con t emptuous , 'ans~er me . " Mary looked and lis t ene , a li t t e daze a t i t a ll . Sur e l y she coul d not be standing ~n t hi s ugl y l ace an thi s could not be h er s on emp l oying the l angua ge of cha i r - men with an e se she ha d associated on] y wit chai r - men . "For noth ing, the young Lor d asks a question l II came from t h e ground i n mocking wonder . n o will answerf the young Lor d f or nothin g? You , Demas • Le gion? Nae.man Legion? You , Joshua legion? Jehu Legion? John ,egion? Abram Legion ? ' L 'fie..1< LG AAJS~Et<.f?A , A chorus of I\~ :ca,] i oti/',. Y.ary fel t a ·sti r f rom Matthew at her side . Some thing tinkl ed on the r ough stones and t h e e was a scurry among th e Legions . Soon t he s e t t led back . W.atthew spoke . " 'lher e is a compani on to that one - when you have answer ed th e young mas t er . " "My t hum has gone over t he i nscription, 11 the voice she now r ecognized as t he J..'h C,()/t-/ leader s aid from the ground , "and I swear y a l l the oaths the. r .. i s J/s f rom the l and of King Her od • '' sa id " Your thumb spea s ,:i str e.i~t er l anguage t han your tongu e , Legion, " Matthew 11 o/!_11 .J ti->~ l"JtM¥l ~ ~ f tn'f?-;,{Jtl~ ~ ~s- §'f5'1lut (.-/3 • curtl y . lfNow tha t you 've i ad your '5.aifgh , t ell us wha t we want to know . " ~ 'King Herod ?'' echoed on e of thos e on the ground . "Nov.r who woul d have ace s s to the t reasury of Ki ng Herod?' "Perhaps the ke ep er of the Treas ury . " "Or his assistan • " "Or the ss is tant t o the a s sistant . " UWI L ibr ari es 53 'Or on e of" t he tax gatherers .' "The tax gatherers of the synagogoues ?" '' erhaps of the toll- gates on the caravan roads . " ~ I This one sme l ls of - fish , II the leader said ending the swif ound of conunents -z~ Matthew chuckled and Mary r ealised with astonishment that he was· really amused . ~ ,,.n.:1' 'frlfrl:lJJirlJ ~'£8 711,,.t~ "ijr/2Cfhfl,Jl? r,f::rS~ JOJ' 0 "Yes • we know each other ----rr was t ere the day the • star cured yo'!, > 'ut now th t . II P,SJ./ffl> /;. it seems a seven greAter devils have enter ed into you . /.Jell.CO✓S ,:::,. '~ burning brand Wm c:r .... 'And now the tax-gatherer of - Gal i l e e runs like a cat with a • Ben • attached under his tai l . 11 - said heatlessly. ' John Mark broke in with an impatient exclamation. "But what about ■ Janus? I want to hear about Janus Aureliusl' Ben . Le_gion TS · rooked up at the. boy . He s aid carelessly : " Perhaps the young Lord coul be told . 1iir:8fegion. " One of the shadows detached itself from the wal and crawled quickly f orward . Before the boy could draw away, he ha d clutched his c l oak and w s jer king i t gently. 11 erhaps the lord of Rome is gone into t he High Pr iest. young ord . Perhaps lord Janus is not well paid as a soldier and sells smuggled goods to the High Priest . Such as the fine linen of the fine cloak you are wear ing now . Such a fine material as the fine cloak you have on ould fetch.a good price from the Hi gh Priest . Perhaps lord Janus will procure even an unblemished lamb - like you. so the High Pri est could wrap the • unblemished lamb i nside this fine l inen c l oak and ready him for the sacrifice. eh young Lora ? Perhaps - John Mark wrenched himse l f away . "Let go - you mad foo U" they weren't • Matthew stepped forward . "look here --l II bu t he stopped when he saw 9111 ild1111Dllllll there . They had pea.red up the innumera e narrow openings which r oe in 11nd out between the buildings. Mary rubbed her temnl es with her fingers . The bruise of her fingers a ~inst the skin made s·ense to her . Nothing else did. ~tthew c l ared his throat , rough l y . demanding something . John <\rk shuffled his fee tf and said: " el , then. 11 and stopped. Matthew said : "Janus is gone to the Hi Priest ' s pa ace . 11 He aimed UWI L ibr ari es 54 the staternentf at John Mark. 'lhe boy said : " o, " stubborn y , as if he would turn the point away. 11 No , " he said agai n , his voice q'!,licker , trone CA.nnot elieve what the Legions say. One knows t ey are liars . Janus is in the fortress •" Mat+,hew r ised his eyebrows and bit the end of his long must che . I f!f!=!&l-e';t~·a!!!!!!l!!l' tt~SMe'!'een J-/G ~ wlh.@::hg:ee.?knOM .. ft had come to WHI¾, /J Oit) 'r fl" yt) · "J conclusion. H!!! said: "Wel 1 , l{anus is in the fortress , A aM Je.e be J hd A~d C7fffiiP John :Mark talk to himsel f under his breath . They had co spired to hurt him. I t should all have mount ed so quickly, so smoothly. He would have to d them he was going into the fortr ess to s ee Janus and then persuaded Phillip , it should have been Fhillip, would be no t to wait here for him but to push on out of the city since to wai t here /lJJ't> ' dangerous for his mother-~ not to wait outside the walls either but to f!:J ;?rH/IN'f W-/1! C,lp~fi /WJ> <::tJFe'.. 116 l\Jt)uL.b /.flJl/6 /Jllt)t111I ~l) .? Bethany. gwitiit tiesa» &W &:&«oJu~Q)j& ;w...("~:,.:r~, __....al I 1 )J•df§iihi push on to fo PJP.t#y 2!!14~ •@!iii• Sut he would Janus after t h em with a light carriage of some sort, ~a]d J a o a~ not have br ou~ht a.long Janus, ~Me would hav.e turned back into the city, ,,:;, tl)at sure now that his mother was s fe ...- and/ all he would need to do _,, was to think of /So; ....::J., (l ;_ S ft V/.,, the a 1 an • the morning \ and how t o beat the sneering jwa1f!ICl!ljlii~=' of Tarsus . But J v~ ~ 'JI} CD4[C'fl)/L al this had broken down) nd now that ~1.ever4l\fu.tthew was aiting to trip him up . He hated them. - • IJlll 't'f/lflti°W\ -/:,'/fO ~Pt1KE '%,o S1W:V1/lfS.; He hated them a l l , the Legions who had t ke to his mother who was standi ng So th 6 --r f///11' ---------- t Ill rt:. l?· . there too quietly If ,Mi~~(;. •~~ burst {~ , Get r I"- ... , ..... . ''Go on 1 ~ out of the ci tyl Take her to Bethany, I ell you 1 Take her to Bethany --- they ar e after her .~" He was howling it at Mat thew; f lailing his hartds and hopping from foot to foo t . , He he P. rd his mothers "John~~ out of gasp , ~ ~tthew ~£i.~ quietly: "Nobo~•s going to Bethany. " H,s rnc--r111:,n... ~11,~ IN your mind? ~ • ~i0/11!.fH l't/ rJJ,/ , _ It hadn 't been her idea o come to Antomia . John Mark had rushed breathlessly into t he house telling her the band was hoping she would go to see Janus and ask his help. 1hat they ha sent ,8 tthew to guide her . She hadn't thought it useful or even worthwhi l e , knowing what was Janus ' stand, ut she had gone on what slim hope there was . Now, it was evident it had been John's ide alone. ~~ ()Jfl£ rt:fR.. "How will it help ~ ,..~ , go to B~thany?" atthew asked . UWI L ibr ari es could see their faces now, blued and veined with age but ut~erly tmfeeble around the was mouths. The flesh a t the mouths .... hard and wrinkled like D]I) tb heated wax put out ~ 6y . . ·· - ~o cool, ~ a film of f ine do,m 1 and Rachel's had a large bla ck mole at one corner which Mary thought marked her as the Oldest of the formidable sisters and the main des- 111. -rHP e at aimed. troyer of j J2 b I J - ■ ■ 11) whom the sisters ••••• their hatchets. 'lhe service was over and they were standing in fue colonnade; the sisters, Stephen and she. And she had asked them who was the young man who had given the sermon. · In the manner of the provinces, when there was no rabbi especially attached to the synagogue, ~ a me.le worshipper ,fJII(/ read from the Prophets and expomided the theme. Ra chel, at the question, put forth a snort that, by itself, s.poke volumes. But the RQCl.f€"l, sisters had fixed Cil!t wiih their piercing black eyes and their beaklike mouths . "\ • brinf!'. to da te w tight, si.lently commanding her to go ahead and W the two visitors IQ8 I JP: ~ ,.,J.e, ~: fM/tl BILE, L-J)<[; nu 19~ » Only Rachel's thin lips moved,{__ the rest of her face was as £n&1 ?"1 I t):,,.. /td11J,f}?.s, other drawn "'Ihe.t - carpenter! He says the most horrid lies abou·t; his betters 1 It makes one -;_ o)./ afraid to sleep lest he eggs ~the ruffians into murdering us in our bedsl He calls us hypocrites, whitened U:1 ·11 d Jr sepulchres full of dead bones, blind, robbers of widows and orphans, stiff-necked - anythin~ which comes to his~ tongue!" w lfb Stephen had dutifully scowled a.cross the colonnade at the personable young man ~ ,"rt' -r11//1 mom6rM &n,efZU?b 1 ~ Hilo /-f$" sro~l> 13y 11 p ,1-1.,f}RJ e forehea of a reamer and ~ resolute mouth,~•• e.¼-~~ ½:t• ~ ~~~ 9Zllf talking to a group of soberly dressed men and women around them. - . H~ -rffG lt/lS~0/1'1 /}tullY FlltJ'>} "I hope he -M ~ ei\9 ~ to stay ~ ff Jerusaleni with that kind of talk," Stephen said j ·"'•'-'" g_~ f, ~ ,~ So €~-lfa But !v ary had looked with interest on th• di, t ~ who had spoken ~ 9 ~rds which exactly described 'lhe Family as she saw them. "But he is going! 11 the sisters spat rapidly out in tm.ison, their bony frames t rembling in their eagerness to acquRint Stephen with the terrible news. Rachel s a id, "He is supposed to be a worker of miracles. You know how gullible the lower orders are. I daresay _they support him well for the so-called miracles, but he is looking farther afield. No doubt he believes he will earn mo r e in Jerusalem. 11 "But I thought you said he was a carpenter.lhesn't he work at his trade?" UWI L ibr ari es / / t ourselves, we are good women, 11 Rachel simpered. She looked .·., yes shiny. "We spoke to the men of the village and they went up again , her beady after him. They caught him and took him to the edge of a precipice to throw him down for his blasphemy - but he escaped. 11 Her voice rose. "How he did, we do not know - as gentle bred persons we did not go, you understand, for I hear it can be horrible - but he esca ped, for , there h e isl 11 ~ looked ) across at the C #"-cf"~ 1i 1 Jesus,_ leeke c}.: up lit -tia H :lea u;Jjng of?;: ""'""l-Oh _:g;. j lllldod • Cflni6 7 {!) .s::r-w,cF - ' L later that year, he i..ta e,;;e to Jerusalem. Stephen had died quite suddenly and she was in mourning. She did not know how John, her son, had discovered the Nazarene. John collect friends like .-.v•~e pebbles on "¼ - shore. AJ. 1 sizes and shapes and stripes. At John's persuasion, plus her own intriguing memories of the fine shock s this unconventiona l t;r had given the detested C~pernaum atmts, she he.d gone with him to hear the Nazaren~ preach outside the city. And then a strange thing har:, pened. She remembered she had been standing on the outskirts of the crowd. The Nazarene, as was his custom she afterwards learnt, had • .l been passing up and down through the crowd after his s ermon . Suddenly the people bef ore her had parted and there he • stood, looking at her. She could no t recall having any emotions when their eyes met. herf surroundings, f' .. - ....ruo It was as ·i f everything, time, emotions, IIHUJ I PR; suspended. I/ I "Is this you r mother, John?" the Nazarene said. ~ ),(ourning'?'1 f!:, O'/ The ~ beside her said something. She remembered now how she had looked at his hands running the tassels of his robes through his fingers and thinking what fine hands he had for a ca rpenter. Then the Nazarene had spoken direc t ly a t her. r;;.:;,,,, '."'.;;f, ~ .... ~ the dead bury their d .. d,. --11',_ ,,;I{_ '{f!mf/'f, aihtJ.nr0 , L ___, @ {:I) C5 - 'lber e was nothing she could do now.aait fi. ease be senaible,Mary. Th.at was what <=-- ---- .._ J~nus had se.id. Je.nus was right. A friend goes away and ther ·s a sense of loss; as i}Wl~:/~l) ---~ --7\'. ~ favourit~ • from chair from a corner, a piece of tapestry• a wan , jut not this UWI L ibr ari es #w1ts tJ . . of flesh ~ 'rn fr om our l e\h an ,the pain rising to it and lingering there when ~ ..,,., ;-I£ i t was gone . The remembere voice. the gestur es reca led1/4~ bea.t of precepts , hard to 57 /k.C,ZPJ' 5.0 vAZ@:.GN'DJNC, --.;,v' "fft'V F~c,e ~1\ but coming at you11str a i ght}as a swor ~ •r.i air,tl\.., • Tu l iints J QWl of your • y()W) . . I t1CCEPteC> . am.ty or your mo esty orLposit1on..,. oill c.t>;i.E? ~/10 BiS61)ii/ ... ~ - -:, • heed~ the murm~ ~ /4whicn)i• ~ fi,t:, . -;,,1 ~ \ THtn ();J ·-n;P CF e.vc-Ry•nf1N6 1JflN6El~ an: UIS 7 I I\ hear him . fie had •"• - i~ when he heard how t hey had nearly wrecked the Nazarene's /(6,JoiQ.fflJ..., tlYflDc1<1-ras first r te the place at tat- in:_puta.tion that they werei\ .. of"-the oldest c i vili ~ ation on earth . ~ill f al l • hi s own/\ea 1, Janus had se.id. -¥~ f,!W21JP-6NB '.S YtJJ<'$ ns , rr r 'f' H(U, 8/f&I /YJ/Jbe 8y }fl$ ()WN cRP.P6tV7iill's ~(2_.;; - ~ he had accepted the,\...,, - d■I _pr t1 15 a ◄· ! Jlf• zta,11Dit1 ea, & FB:,satSP ' in~ 5',0 ~ po,gr "-.ner . , ~she had r emained serene through i t al /~1~•·-,►and/Janus --=, vNf)(:;~~ #el<. $ had :dllfi been ~ o understand 1'r sereni ty.,,._£ L -_ Unab l e to understand that OiJG I> -Tewrfl/6 o ·rH6/.l, fl /201>1RN: ~Ot-1)/'f;I!,.> the -paths which had led t em both,'to the s ame roac;, ,& i )Mi sz At Eiii'Pif"i~v Ii g?'-A.!..-a • D~ w/JS ,:11, ~JJ- .. .... , , . Rs Loi/€. ~ , .' - lluCS, had noth;J,ng to do i t h eith er II their wil ls , but .. 1 r 'I LP • .-, 11,i-ea tl • g 2 wn-s KJJCVi~ i3 "71-~r M bc Yo u o F'25EJ) " It Ii' .,~,.. ou coul moun ~ win gs / f)s. €f!tSti£S, ' ,- ~ --~_, ~Ky Pl?Nrc!Ctf l Then , if tt I , s u so , why ~ you running pa!i'3;itby ·a:around~inside, /4._as poor -:foif11 1h RllK ,- -rHc r,.·-,-,qe-crJ 1 , 1 ~ 4illllat •111 ~ runni ng1\.tonight ? Th ? ~ r _aps you weren ' t as free as you thought . IJ /,J / LL '{() ,J ·r/J/(t; 7 /;~ ~ me to my cousin, icodemus , " she ~ sudden Y• a,-t ./f.v,. ~. Matthew ad been very quiet . He halted c .. t::fl .. ,. 1l½~ "l dont get t e principle , " he said . She smiled a i ttl e at hi_s Gali ean tal k . "Ther e i s no - principle , Matth ew. I w t to go to my cousin I s . ' You know the way -- - et any rl'lte , I can sho you . 1 lie resumed his wa k . He had b e en very qui et . He said : "Tell me , the c loak your son ~Of· ,. ,,.,. ,.,, ✓.1 -r1' ,,, ~ , ,Mt -. ·D1i."f • r; :"RE Po '51v Px didn ' t like ~ faces . A f ew Gr eeks glittered their eyes on him, indifferent W "'s his . He should know they were citizens of Rome, like him , even if t hey were here for a Passover . He hated f]~S ;J mr£JJ Greeks . They ~ too big . He ould like to have a Greek to himself one day. He would . 11 Is our friend tll here'?" he asked Guis eppe l ike an i nsu t . Guiseppe Ze - ini ii' squinted around the r oom through a thin smoke from th e brazier -~h.!3-Y had brought i n to warm it . Guiseppe had a sense of wellbeing. He was among Jews . At the fortress , he was Guiseppe the Butt, the Bore , the Crude , th e Reach-me-d~vn Gent eman • .Among t he ews , he was Somebody. He gr i nned an r ubbe a hand down his forearm . He nodded here and nodde t here . Her e and there , a few burnoused heads moved faint ly . Guisep e caught e eryone of them and could have reeled off their names and ancestries just now, or anytime at all . fY/ U( r/ He w s very A'-t home . •~ "' t,l?V:i'iH w.pf1 TflOJV 1~ , NG. falchus . . "We a e no onger interes t ed· in t h e woman , " m iPi sa id . 11 '1he c l oak belongs t o h er . . ..-rL 1 1. ; ,,J o ~ -.r. {.~ .J-1--..J»J~r-P- (nr r,1-Jt:,S wcllo ti~R-S. ' 1 son . We are trying to f i nd the boy . ~AIV '(/f_i~ P,,,'. Max Seneca' s eyebrows J.ift e • 1 ere oes this l eave Janus Aure l ius? ' he demanded . Malchus 1,.otP1<6!) filJ,,pvlJ'J:> ((J_ft -J:,~ • • shr ugge • M x .i .!It; a- 8i; ■,.re- .,,,,(uui s epp;:1~2111'-ik "Show yours elf , you f a t f oo l . What a u t Janus? i 1 t h i s leave him in the c lei:i.r? 11 officer ' s from b ehind the Hebr ewlll/shoulder . " I didn ' t know 'J;:,;.i) "How Jl9 you lmow abou t t e UWI L ibr ari es 61 boy?" "Our man who he.d been on t he l ookout for her in the Garden ha s only just et come in . e had no evidence_,except Judas ' , that the band had been p l otting toget her in her &0 w,-rd house under the guise of holding a Passover . so we hoped she would ~ them to the Garden. But our man was' struck down was who told us that the cloak your outs ide the city - by a thief1 we presUJned~He it _s•qp-r~11v First ·•· • Jh brought in was seized from the boy 's shoulder . " "But how wi ll that affect Janus ?" Max snapped irritably. 1·.au-:.:i1¥"i,_. _., Mal chus "That is not my concern. " JU 1ft said coldl y. He also .conveyed contempt . "I car ry . 5,il/lVG(;tt'o l},vb • • Ef • out the orders of the High Pri es t . " ffe..;J11.~~tic-..'l~~~~~---1r:--i~M ., . fM"{ A, ~'-L , H€ KNows -nJG Jv{)lh/l'N 1.-dve:s # IPL .. oAJ , ' 1 • Max Seneca whee ed awav. Guiseppe s t ar ed after him. - Ytt29 e:,narr~.e& Iii' lh:12ttl . - . . m~~ hcll-\lafS.t DMC !IL JIJ , ► The tunic lay flat a l ong ..,\ back . The studs in his footgear H1-r 7/fl "i1t£5 .if1JIH..i- ~ - Malchus .. • ~ in~ exp l osions , ~ ~a-.. Guis eppe looked unhappi ly back at k The • fJ Cto.sEb Hebrew ' s face was .-,..11'1&...it ook. Guiseppe moved off in a shambling wa l k behind the Secon l Ht>~r/ They came out of the palace and Max headed towards the fortress . He t ook ...., short- 17tt9T 1,1/,0 StU:5/1/'(..tf'• tempered strides 18 warned Gui seppe ~ . Max had absorbed th e liquor into his system now. He had used up al. l th e h ilarity. Now ., all that he was capable of, Janus would know soon enough . His hate was unco i l~ng and crawl ing towards Janus and i t would pass under or over everyflll obstacle until it reached him. Max f e l t strong and well ab l e . the His brain was clear and - blood sang high . · They took the short pass through the court of Gentiles . Max smiled and aimed down for t he stray cooking pots which had spil l ed over from the rows of pi lgrims ' camps into the alley l eft opened between them. He strode deliberatel y on an earthenware bowl and ,plintered it . He saw something else down there and his eyes sparkle ,vi th fun . He brqught down the iron- studded sandals and the fingers yie l ded under them. The body of the care l ess sleeper arced ,, then f l opped and a l ong howl of anguish , ~--'• w.ax showed al l his teeth . His .eyes gl eamed when he saw how the now a lerted campers hurriedly pulJed arms and l egs out of his way. 'P fJNDf3ti.f?l:> Guiseppe , steppi ng more carefully behin him.J~• • o1ea how soon bef ore one of their 'patrols would dlllfll one moz:-ni ng discover Max Seneca in the gutter with a knife in his back. / UWI L ibr ari es 62 Chapter 11 John Mark braked bruptly. He did i t by throwing his shoulders back and ig­ gi ng his heels against the edges of the cob las . He coul d do i t fine . It s ent a jar up through his body an urs t it against his sku l l. The better you did it , the harder the burst . He looked back over his shou der . He was c lear of the TeJ;11ple area now . A He ha d no more ideas for the night . Now t hat everything w s al right with her , all he d t o do was keep out of people ' s way. If he kept out of ... peopl e ' s way, he would . not make such a foo l of imself . Whenever he tried t o do anything for grown-ups , he made a fool of himse f . It was because they never seeme to think ahead as he id . They were p~culiar . heard H wa lked on/ turning into s treets at _whim. tie felt very free am untrammelled. He a natrol of so diers apnroaching long before they came in s i ght and would have ducke out i nstinctive l y . Buther mem ered in time that he had heard they weren't after is family at all . e stuck hist umbs into t he band at his waist and swa.~gere a little as they c _me nearer . He whist led thinl y under his breath a~une ~e didn ' t recognize , he was so wary. But they passed and didn ' t l ook at h im. He whistled l ouder wh en they wee on ll&A6 Ne IJ&J -:fc11J.1 P711~l pll, cr--:voc0 .!...- ,,,, pa tro 1 > r.t L., 'Ihefjhad been searching for hours without success. They had forced their way into several likely looking houses, putting their questions with fists and elb01'8 and knees but ttle owner of the cloak had eluded them. 'Ole section of the city with which they had been charged, had been worked t hrough. Now they were on their way back to barrack to report failure to Q.lartus. &ch of the four fervently hoped that another of -the patrols would bring better news. None of them had forgotten how Quartus had joked of the galleys. '!hey swung al ongside the Hebrew boy and the • 9$@ [Jl them reached for him. patrol corporal who led young doesn't "Halt, men," he growled. "Let's have a look at this brave/Isaac who fflflAltP take off for the woods when he sees us coming." As he talked, he was roughly turning the boy to him, waiting for _, one of the men to uncover the lantern. · John Mark made his face stony. He wanted the light to find him that way when it flashed on his face. He blinked once when it came on, then stared steadily at the beam. "Well - I'll be hung up," exclaimed the eorporalo "Boy --- what are you doing UWI L ibr ari es 64 out here?" husky voice soldierl as ed : " o is he?' 'lhe man with the l antern chuckl ed . "Young Johnny ark - the young colt from the paddock where Janus has een casting his loop . ' They all laughed exc. pt the corpora l; and the man with the husky voice l eane~ his w1,.ftl.,J Ail,.,._ C1,,:Jt11,q tl!S i~ __ ,\ face nearer ;o him and sai • The short one dr ew· out of the r ing with a how / uae la•□ 1 W~!'i,ift about/\. ·stomping 1 • • - , ,J?4' He burrowed his head in between them aga i n and "ft-l tCK /I rj/6 /<()UG,}fi5r.T OF lh€ if8P-e talke in his face . Thee was beef and wine ~on his breath *~~•_,,,. __ ll ;v-- PPS-rs AS '1e/J.u,.rt'-,5rn . l,,,;:,w1>,:, _RV1'G' /1tf~JJ,t tvtl "&v11':o ~~!-'f:::~i!!IF!~~~~-4!-~ ~~iiii==?ttik~•~•-.!l,..,..~~'liiiliJPB_,ia:::-~ k:-itf· a, .Cs3i;:: I :::;,.Si~iti. oMs.te /fnf.t) _ • 01-l)N-r6el<, ~ b c12..110P1'.j:UJfJ.$. Fol!, -rrfli '>Rt, had ~ ne something like this to himJ except that they hadl\sni gered i nstead of l aughed - when they spo e of his mothez:, and they had held his arms just li e this when he 'woul d UWI L ibr ari es 65 he.v gone for Se.u • " ~ 4'41i,;~7;r. ·1J ao ~Mz .i; ;i.. tfkO;CHtt ~ ti'! ~ f!tc .. ePIF/41;; . 'Jr ~ ii'm ·t) · T ll~~~ I J.lf!ig,f ~~'es ~~~[ I!;lz~S'l!J:~ ~ ~~J'!kt~~•rrat,~et.rts !t ~ 1 Alright - - knock it off. 11 rapped the corporal giving his hea a half turn . "Now, come on He we.s h ting you , 11 he said to John Mark . "VVhat ' s go;ing on out h ere?" ll"J)t)t..,t again . He had hated ,.11 Wtf.pilp:iae awhiJ..e a.go back in the alley .. .8.nd he hadn t felt good and sure of himself ag"in unti io lieRt , counting the cost . But he had to be free of th""' I t could never be sweet- 8 ga i n if he S. "TfJ 4$ Wfl S was not free of them . The smell of l eather a.nd1: wine ~ µ18""18 too much.,~ ' \ 9 flL-t .tie ha 1i ad the sme . 1 of Peter and the othe s . They smelled of - wind/ and 8 sea . " 'was going for my uncle My mother is not well . 11 vants? y didn ' t she send on e of Ibnt you know our customs ? Aren't the ? , t them . :Rillfl ,iaUI ~ s ervants at ~ 11 stunid Roman i ~ Passover?" He eceived a clout for that. He wrenched his arms wild l y , and stopped . He knew it ,vas due him . He a ways became angrier as he increased his untruths . If d R II t You should be taught early not to be rue to a oman, coroo al said . If Ge1' OFF wr1H yo . P"5 C 8@s"1i An remem er It to be civi if you run into another patrol. II OW, Their holds were loosening , iN ut he· wrenched himself free ~ defiance . He hopned UWI L ibr ari es , J ackwar on one eg out of t he circle , oaused to url 6 WfllAl..£i.:, a short yell at t em, then 4illllfll Rfl-N PfJR. -r11e and ~ea id¥ ... a l ey . There laughter f o l owed him stopped and fl and he/yel Jed efi nt l y at them c..~ mov&. age i .arc I - I t1ti? But t hen he c~~ For ther e wer e hands c l os i ng f..1 ~ his a.nk es . lie "He h eh , 11 someo e laughed s oftly s omewhere nea r him . "You • i ke a true • • If legion . is trem ing cease . ' V r min , ' h e said qui etly, 'what do you want with me? " Ben Legion's "Th i s " 'Ihe cloa , young ord , 11 CI DdlDP II voic e spo~e at his ear .... be utiful c l oak of soft inen whi ch you wee r . 1 e are your s r vants . We wi l wash i t free of the smell of spy it now ca r ies . II little John ~ark stood ve y s i 1. He was being afr aid . H knew i t by the a · J pain in the region of his belly. Su denly a hand was ~ over his mouth and other a nns pulled hi into a recess, 1M. 1 r d 't l!me ,M z;eo •tl 1t1® • Th e alley wa s dee. th l y s t i ll . He did not s truggle . Somethi n~ warned i m that he shoul d not strugg l e . A hand t ur n ed his h ead so he face e a] ey. entl y 'Ill 1l f ,_,. HJ Ji C i Someth i ng wh ich was only a dee er shadow went pa.st th e opening . A moment l ater , anothe r pas sed . Nothing else moved . The h nd was removed from hi s mout and he worked ■rz lflJ "s.,~,ui~ his i s and spat . "Those were th e s pi s from the Templ e , young lor 1f They want your nic e linen Ben c _ too , " ... Legi 9n to d him . 'How - how - ?" "How id they know? Simple . One of th em, very famous , very, - IJT7~' e et e ~ he had not wanted to wor s . These c,rr or remember since he .,. stum ed ~ Geths amane . "Devil Annas hAs decreed t at since you ' e too young to crucif y, the spies s ou d .,.,..,.· 1ind you and stage an - ccident . ey ' ve en to your hous e a l ready." I t went into him c lean 'and fa.st like nothing at all . • i n on) y when he brPa.thed did he know the pa.in was there . His lips wer e stiff and the words had to force themse ves Ben out. .._ Legion e.n wered the two words . ? f.¼- ·~ n, -r11eA.. ~ !; /1£ HIIS /Jeri' //NU-(£ "Your mother ,A,i s sA.fe . ~ !V~J.gone back to your house . She is at your" Nico- f( l ~'/}f3mtt.S 1$ II "demus•IMt- ),._the night l ooming camomile whom as wants to pl uck . " We l J , alright . e was ]right. He would go to her at Cous i n mmy ' s . o thes e fh. j,. fi 8& 1 J) £ "1 /ff/ Legion even knmv{ how he had got ~ e ous i n t:_o visit th e Na ze. ene t et ni ght? rell , alright . 1 Annas had found out too . ell he was a. r ight., i nd now thPt he lmew the spies wee after him, e would sho them . He was not afraid , even ,-r 'i>1r::P, u .. T t'o ~ ~~.....,_ swa. J ow- . s ilfh<,1.1C. ,, His knees were ~aJ, ½"!JIS fii even wen he ran the foot- race a.t . schoo l ,which he ha won eve y year exce t once when he was second becaus e au had put uo 5/fOOk. oy to j ostle him on the bend , his knees alt) ~ just before the s tart . "You r e b ave, boy? ' I t was funny that j ust /;11..t: = ~ ow they were taking him ()P --rHctn 1'6"/J t£G•ofl tl/>,b His COf>tPIUJ1cwS two hour s afo he had thought ~ foo s and ha l f -witted) knew ~ a 1/\ha him i n in charge . Although the /n VC. /1 charge . I t wa.7'. as when he w others hadn ' t se.id anything , he younger and in a crowd wi th i s mot er , ~e e neve had to say anything but vou felt s e had you in c a.rge ,, f ometh i ng ·- coming out of her and bui ding itsel f a.round you so that no harm could come to you . I t woul dn ' t e like this on all , int e morni ng . The sun woul d be up and you would see what you were f ighti ng and how to duck a.nd r un and turn be.ck i n yonr tracks h. ,:,N -rH/i q_R. 011~ and go again, swif t ~ ~d you woul not b e sweating s o much as hos e own thereAwou d ~"'bW/Jfty S''f/U£fi ·r- be sweating for youo Tonight you saw she. ows ;and/\cor ners yiel ded up f inger s f or your ~' "We are ta.king you to the on y ace nas and i s sPi es wi 1 not l ook for you . Pt1'ii/J, imon~nd the ~ one ca l e John Boanerges ar e the e . They will l ook after you • 11 UWI L ibr ari es 68,/J CHAPT~ 12 . r -.. ~J OFCfl.l/EP Nicodemus could understand hard grief; the kin~ which found its own clay and fire- hardened i t and walled up the doors and windows a.n~tay. ed inside. He would have. understood, other T if not have welcomed, the ...,. kind which took no shape but turned like water, willingly, i o whatever friendly hands there were to cup it. But while~e expected and~ there m\isye grief in Me.ry 'Mark over the arrest of Jesus, all the evidence was suggesting that ~ - grief 'sU£ u)l9S / {UT ()F {.f)ufl$&, e'~v1..-r,11~ 13 r Stle WAS iEX.1-1/l/;fl.ltttOi - t~- was being like wine to her. A.It ma.de him queerly worriea. "I dont know wha t wes your hope in him, Mary. Mine was whatev r is created in a curioui mind. I hav~ , perhaps I cannot~place it. Perhaps he merely intrigued me. Whatever it was, I - I admired his courage in putting forward a quite new theory in a society danger­ ously opPosed to new theories. He should be a Greek; you know how absolutely devoted they I are ~o new theories. I am - sorry for him,my dear." Her smile was as alive and vivid as ever. "Dont look so worr ied, Demmy, please. And; do, stop explaining yourself. I ha.vfDt come to ask you to get i trouble with old Annas again. As to what hope I had in him'? . None, I guess. I did not believe, as my Johnny did, that he would be coming to Je:rusalem with an army at his swords. 'lhey were made to heal the sick; to comfort the weren't built for '1_~~-11 Re looked thoughtfully down at the floor. He said slowly: "To tell the truth, that y oofl { o NJ was why I went wi thAJohnilf, that night .to see him. I had heard of these mi r aculous hee,lings OVER .... he has been perfor.ming all t_t!lllillllfllt the country. And when this theory of his came to my hearing - " he looked up at her "- the one about everlasting lU'e, it made me curious to see whether the fellow had discovered some method of at least prolonging life. I must confess he- disappointed me." She laughed with whe.t seemed to be real ~musement. "Why, Demmy1 That solmds as if Rllf! you h ad hoped to bott le some of whatever he had and get in early on the trade1 You/.....,. a I law.yer by profession but a tradesman at heart1 How Janus would love to hear this. He says we are a nation of tradespeople -- even to our priests who - change .. moneys for pil grims into Temple currency and sel) lambs for the sacrifice in the courts. 11 He looked a trifle annoyed. "Here, let me take your cloak now. Sit down, Mary, you must be tired. 11 ,/ , "No - yes, Demn'y, thanks. But I am not tired, not rea,l ly •" UWI L ibr ari es /}I.I .----, .fo k She ' smiled; not brightl'l_. with~effort, but_. with thanks and 'that she liked him •• He took the cl'oak .:.A(i'lif from her shoulders and folded th e folds in• symmetry and went across the room and draped it over the stand. He returned, his face e:xpression­ l~ss. He stopped before her, his hands cl~sped together at his back. She had always distinguished. Like the heads on those busts of Roman senators - carved for them by the Greek artists and looking outrageously like Grecian heads. c· " y solemn ,Demmy,'' she said, smiling up at him, "you look, standing there, • like the soul of rectitude. I know you are dying to ask me where am I coming from and with whom did I come and why have I come." It did not confuse hlilm. He was never confused by her. Mary suspected that he knew er more than she knew herself. Sometimes she thought th at this was probably why she had never been in love with him. The man whom she loved mus t leave her secrets lying deep and undisturbed. Then in her own time a nd way, she would portion them out to him, and watch him discover- her. Love WlllJIIB:i wither$/and di81in the cold, pure••••• air of great knowledge. "Yes , 11 he said, smiling gently . "From where, why and with whom?" She .t old him. "Yet you. did not come to me at first?" he chided her gently. "I am your only kinsm13,n. in Jerusalem, Mar y ." Her eyes went past his head. "I did not think it a moment to seek - kinsmen, Demmy . I thought it a moment to s eek powerful friends." "I also have some power," he reminded her. "Only the Hi gh F'ries tsfe.mong our people possess • the power to do wha t I want dori.e." "You mean, to release - him?" "so," she agreed -.S in sudden brusqueness. C,:!.. !l e1£s w~-rG/J:ii "Would he have?" F f} Nil-TIO/II, 'TilE R£1l!O/.IIAJC. C,f' "1€°).{ Wllo • f)R,€ Cfltl£6 -ro t:dl! f/1(.51/ P~ ,errr :;ii. ~ , UWI L ibr ari es ...,, 'So , you see . " 11 1:b you , too -,. ':Ile. 'J> "I know. "Janus I f a ile the e too .~fLa. \ ~ is ome, Mary. Rome . -- you understand what that means?" 69 "I am in love wit him, my cousin . Do you understand? You get the principle - as Matthew woul say? " DF' S'1<111-c.ol/G.f}G't, The room was suggesting a large ig and ma.sculin~ ..- • wide / couches a.nd du -polished tab es :, I\. Roor,, h andedness she foun restful . Stephen's"'ha.d never been l ike th i s , .. · ·-~ The scrub ed floor was a ways too well scrubbed, and th shiny bi ts had gleamed to the point where they repelle you . After Stephen had come Nicodemus~ and she would no 'llllr have thought she we,s bt 1 I l II in o e m th him had she not met Janus . ere Stephen ha d been A a_ self-indulgent and mean , Dennnywe.s . thoughtfu l ~ ""9 honest man.S e could fit none of I\ ) these neat labe s to Janus . the ".Annas gave orders for - whipping a hour or two ago . I I\ S e covered her ace wit ~er hands . "But it is dr eadful , mmy, 11 she whispered . It is done to nearly all prisoners of the Temple . I t seems dreadful to you because you perhaps never heard of it . I have ordered it to be done be· ore . " ·,ost of the time , she thought of men as children , noisy, often grubby, sometimes trying, children . And when th e i~on in them showe , for any nurpose , it shook her a ittle. to emember they weren't chil ren. She pulled her hands from her ace and stared at him. 11 at ar e you going to do t o him?" she guestione harshly. "Let me ,hear it from you . the oman, I have heard it f r om Janus ,!but I want to hear t from you , a fe ow H brew and ane of the Sanhedrin. Are ou going t o murder him for the truth ?' His face ost its immobi ity an descended into decide ly stern lines . He has ascended the bench , s e said to herself cruell y. He will pass judgment now . their ' en aren't murdered for the truth , Mary, ' he said g t l y . "1'hey die so t11111t J>li! 1,(,1/'TN -rHclh OIJ (!-r /!,, ..,.,11,; j."1'/mRTlE re.s--r OP --mvrfl, beliefs mayl\grow out of them . JiA seed must be ut into the ground before a t r ee will grow out of i t . " "And you are one of the willing fq,rm ers , " sh e said , but not really bitter. UWI L ibr ari es 70 " 1r hi s beliefs are contrary to the law which I have sworn- to uphold e.nd if I am called in to give judgment , I shall judge according to the law, Mary. " "Spoken like a man, Demmy. " Her mood ha. returned and now she teased him. "Janus on one si e and you on the other , i t is a triumph for law and order all the way. Tell ,me , if I had b een brought before t e judgment seat , would you judge according to the law?" She had hurt him . "tont break the rules , ary. I am p laying fair . " • jud_ge "to you think Janus would? I mean , /a.ccord:i,ng to th e R, 011.,. ~> Hold 011 , Demmy. 1 !_ am n~ .s~ e ~ I_) o~ - ~ s • " I\. (l.{:-fc){J. J./tll • He took e. turn about the room. He • • ~ to her . l aw. ' nr un erstand as . Good or ad , the things he is uphol ding are the things settle d by thousands of yea.rs of t rial efore his time . From A r8.Ill own to us . e are prone to think we know more than the a.ncients . are the great Just Nows . The know-it Some l a.ugh at their precepts as oldfashioned • . e IV r there 11 mo erns . )flll ria...1 • Pt not men ike Annas - permanent, inunovable - iA.ry, theworld_would go to pieces . ou will therefore undeEstand th e pain it is to him to know tat I , a. ruler among the ~ le , had gone to hear this new octrine . ether I ,be ieved or not was aside the poin • I had gone . " whether he e l ieved , nobody was sure , not ven himself . It had seemed at first someth i ng of the mumbo jumbo c l aptrap which sprang up faster than thorns a ll a society as re igious through ~-Illini b r UJ tllHISJfsn a • 1Q as the Hebrewt . To recei ve what .! have to offer , you must ~ born again . And he h a d come out nights for safety over at Olives , and to which the of th e cave whee the beJid stayed at '/l>WJG excited . Johmtr had led him , unsure A. whether to la gh or e angry. Unsure of anything . . . .. 'Iha.t had been the strength · o the man . He made you unsure o anything . "But did you elieve , nnny? '· irri tab e He shook his h ad ike a man ••• because he was unsure . "That is not the ·70 Htr>i point, I tel you . " That answer did not seem ~ ike tr e right one , ~ He threw hims e r own on a couch . UWI L ibr ari es 71 this L I-I ' t -.., wa.s an inept way out of • t , using the (:"L.E t"I G,V-7 t ra_;inwd and ·•/.A • ·a• ~ to avo • / perfect y feasible ~••in1 which were therv ready in yo?r head for ~ just these situations . I t reminded h mo the iggest failure i n his life - when he had eft the cave of th e Nazarene with hi s tail between his egs. with All the fine arguments he could have used to bury that l one sil ly metaphor/which the '. Nazarene had routed ilJI } You must be born a a.i n . Instead , he ha. een ui te VtJS v/H:N€$5°. as inane . C n I nter my mother ' s wom a.gain? The ~ ~ a smt~-~ ~~ ~e "'9tl!IJ,,... • ~ ... IfiJ:!tii~Wi tt!Pts'"' ti had gone into the ·'J'e.r(/.s fl Sanhedrin and attempted to usti y i<\ls LE iWr and had onl y been saved rom disgrace by ~"');,Jc-A. the oblique hum.our of a om n~r,,rho had , no doubt , be n laugh ing 'h e e is Janus nor.r ?11 W!!~~W!t-::::Jllllili-Alilel:&3~~~-!11:t manfully I think we can be sure he is somewhere/i oing his duty, ~ I • elieve there is some sea.re on a.bout a rich He rew who was in the Garden and who r an fS¢U-O aw Y;• the wise A• ~ leaving his c l oak behin . They have the cl oak now, but Janus secretly thinks the I~ searchl\hope ess . 11 I i J"t9 /JV ~ ~ has sev ra.l rich fr~ds , 11 he said su kily. '~tfe ~Y ffflS, ~ £.ilJ-{Jtt{/}.m,Q~£ /t ;/fm_ tie ,s -::t,-w11.s R66l,-IU:, 1 I, among them . Say it .A fi e me. ~ ha.S no ~ for a reli(!.;ion that could breed such men as your .Annas nd my ate Stephen. 11 vf' ~!IE 11/J~ ~fol*~ ~'(p-........--l~,___.,.,..•~ e 4'~ • • ~ ' ~ ill ~ ._ ~ - $e ._, - deN ~ ~ ~~ QAsl;., • e was St-Jc wFJS 13 1:r1u-r,ru 1- tf:JR. 'MtJ'-'S., more beautiful than when with Stepha ~ r when he had thoughts e was with h im. ~He 'wanted I Htrll. h/o,.rr";., ..,,,S ----. 19s sm. ~'Y,1 to throw back bitter words t her . A».vQ ff'a-... enticing ~ a.t Jike a • bow J S:jJ!iill i/:JJ -r{}u7 /l7 .. _ .,,... J.tlJl1ilJ" <.f344ng v~ th e a.!:!ow...!/~JJ1"~/\~• tu ..-.t . . • -r l)J/ &'171eA.. 7t/1Nt!, t Nit-o'i>c ,,.,u.s 1£. ~ -~ t hink -'~~~ How does on think • .Wile-. a inker. thinker I , L 1~ :: ri,1e t.flw in the law. Not in ~ tt,~77d.!, o r /_Ir£ fhv~ 1,;ove. -~VJ '1.!J!'lf6 /\IOI t,..JFE O R. t..ovc. -o: 'f:::,L(,£J)~{)R G£A/EtLll 7'Eb Ht1-re,. £,yG r-oR.. fJJt eyc,...,-1/e t.A~ ,~ veA1-6cP1..'l- e A.vb -rHt.5;0F' C..OvRS~~­ He spoke oo enly. "Reii gion does not breed men . en reed t!'leir re igionJ', Then .. ,J.~ /Vl!h~~~B,vtr thev direct their curses at it when they stumble against it . Y~ ~,.&f!~ ~wi not e murder f o his trut , as you put it, but for his untimelines s . e went too fa.st and he crune up ngPinst his own re i gion. A wiser man would have backed away and waited . He wa.nte to tear ~~ j\/1CDl>€l11.i)S, ,s lJJ.fJSfJIE1'11 '-f , 1 ,-11J · -« UWI L ibr ari es / 'own Sh II DJ -rtl E t;,/Jh>E 7}::,n /Jt..t Temp ~~ which ht° wa.s allowed to preac wei ted to see if he w tlt;~L,L..'f you~ elieve wha.t vou his doctrines . s jo~ing. He was not smiling . re saying?l)t' i./OU1 Q.--~ fovr, ,u? t nas is annoye . "I do not wa.i t to believe wh t I say. I say i t first , t en believe. 11 "Dem.my, 11 she sa.i slowly, groping , "you are IIIMWnr - you e.re dishonest." • "So is everyone wh~ hi n s , " h e said coldly . He rose . 'So is he . He sets you the 72 im ossi le and say,'Here is my standard . DJ this , and everything ·s yours . tJKvE ycvJl,cJJE/1-JiES, " Hore AGeAI In another man , there wou Jf passion ~ to mate the pain i n him; for I am aware that I a e hurt him, as he was hurt by the Nazar ene . . "A teacher's task is to set ste.n ards , Demmy. Ours , to reach one for them . 11 ~ He turned a out to ~ wal , turned quic ly, guiltily back to ace her , min ful of his me.nners . I/cf{~ rvE LL. P,.rr .tg 1.r r 1110, Al£le~J~/<.1L'f ~1Gn , . "I am not satisfie that ·s right . I am nots ti fied with being to d trcr t p .,.,.,.trr /lly GM$P t!lF§o'i:, bE-PeNM tJ;J N0iH1 /JC, mcRc. "'Tr:Jl,J(,1!3i.£ ilf/JN fitll fJ8J-rfl~ T Of /-f)fl7clJ.. IJ11):, S.P1R. ~moe(G; ~l"'!8!' ._. _, ~ He must o better t an tha.t , if e Hf} S {If}) BIT/&,J~t.lUill. --n-111T -rJ s ·TA OIV6'.~ w_ en to we.sh our hands .l. He WAS a lea er w o ed , Jfbf71CP1711 !IMjliiflAI Sl.lc:/f As 'l..A.IAJRS Pl(.1=~,zs -r'tfE , ~~ OF (!) csEs ?11 I "But you ave cut o f' his am i tions . ~ d enly, 11 she murmure • He shrugged . "Tha t is a ha.zar of the game . I hear he had a. cous·n , one Jon wiih simi a.r a.m itions. Seems it runs in the fa.mi Y• Hero cut of his head a~~_,g;ave it to his -~M~~ har lot ~ on a. si ver pla tter ~fter "Demmy, you are cruel she had charmed him in a dance . shou d have been warn ~!'" a.nd *'19 £ ft " I must keep my "As I must b e to live in this jungle1 IMF £ MY head to keep my head Q- or it wi 1 go to the priests for a keepsake l AB you should do , were you not so reckless\ You risk your neck a.s you do your reputa.tion1 You not only choose to a low them your house for their so-called Passover tonight - although you a.re awe.re the Temp e bel·eves they plot with t: Zealots to start a rebellion n t e city - but you wander through the streets with this iatthew a.n then come here a one\ Is there no sense in the.t pretty h a of yours . kn whAt they ay a.bout you a.lrea y? ou- a.nd Janus? Whatever - • '' nt you But he never knew atever. She ha. never seen him so worke up . He used to hod il,q i-& kAIDCI<. Cf¾/11( 11-r -rHc £x)ofl.. 1-itU'b ME /rJ{) ve.1 ·ri; iu/.Vl. D> , ,. emotlions on ea.sh. Now as 4 ~ r•s f.!tffi!'lffl!'l • .A~.~m;i!!!!ll~lla:rit;:::4PPRXS .. ~!'..:ilil!2itt .-IJwi:dt~ UWI L ibr ari es • . . .· ~ ~ ... . 73 Ht~ IH:/11)h wfJJ: 8~e~: lj,s Stf61v1-o£RS J;...oo/dit) lltJu....ow. ~ ~~rl-kec'.l mar: w1 y . He spoke in a. l ow voice to whoever was at the door . Then , h ~ ack • .. ~ e came bac ,./2ri th the r ge of his nose p erspiring and a. r i ng of white e.r oun his reache d own an gripped her eyeballs • e &tttlf!J.Bil!IWIMI iU • shou ers and 'ft!M ~IJ r hoe.rs e y to her : nWhere i s John ? Where is {l" i 1;7 ? fted her to her feet . He whis per ere i s h e ?" It w s pecul i ar how terror leaped in her t oo , as · f it ha d been there a. 1 the time ~~-wa.i t ing f or a touch . - "I - ont - kn t ' she stammere • He swallowed . The finger eased on her shoul ders . He said quieter : ··• nYou mus t s t ay here . I will go to Davi treat f or him . ou mustn't worry ." ' But h e is no t at David t r eet \ . I ont know where h i s ~ Te 1 me what is wrong t" The ring, around his eyes widened C rq•1 some mor e . "Not at - Good God t 11 Strength f owed i nto them s i mu l taneously. _ ~ "Mary, " he said qu etly , "one o my own men who has e en at Anna s ' has j ust brought .... -:-- . . m.e ...a:-,:'l" eport . as ' s pies ha e been given or er s t o - to get ho ld o John . They have s- covere th t he was i n the Garden with the Naza ene . They have his c l oak . " Se l earnt al about it at that moment ; the queer ords of :t}le mad ol k a ed the r/egions ; tthew ' s ques t i ons concerni ng the c l oak . e t old Nicod mus . e was busy bef or she was through . He was out of the room and quickl y back, dr essed for the str eet . "Y u must it her e , Mary. My men and I will find him befor e they can get to h i m." ~--6 11 ·f+r "-, a9e. 1 tz., llfr "lh~ ~, but .d,-fl B. D Sh e could see h im now . He s l onel y little b~ y;iw l king ~ the dark as he.medl I\. ½ '"' :'-7\ J unaware of his danger . Her li s were dr Y, ~ihe mo i stened t hem wi th the tip of her t ongu, "You must , Demmy, " she whispered. " You must , 0 , you must ~" UWI L ibr ari es ,. . ·, ~ ) ·._,,. • j ·, 4 CRAFTER I .. ' · · • •• z£./ILOUS Thew;~·.,- s soree.d ,wi th /(! Jf&l furtiveness , that - - ~ ',( Caia he.s' pa e Somet imes those w o spread it, gave the route t oo : by way of Simeon's out of Tom , thy s But it was given to you like/a pot of gold , o ed out j ea l us ly . You • oul'1"'n' ,t get it f you were not a good one. You ad to e electe y their eyes . I ·- ) °l:x)WN ANA -~ .:,.. . Those ho spree. the wor , looked you up e.nd(_si eways , "•~ :ei ref'ld1 y.a, . thei r eyes icking gently ad carefu Jy al ng your f ac e to se i f you were a good one • .And then, after tat, they drop pe their ea and spoke it to you from under their armpits . I~, ma.de you feel fi ne , the ay they gave it t o you , as i f only ~ would be to ld • .And if you took it as if it was no concern of yours and went be.ck to stroking your beard or back to whatever you had been doing , they went away from you . But if you ~~ ),i t lt it your y ~ going hot and sounds m~king in your throat , then it was known that something ... . _, -,,u; -:f'vRY, had gone home and, thereaf ter , the mark was on you . Yov wetJ.£.J 1w P'nc.:, r_: ~) The .. . . ) •'17J'-b was odent was smart . He SIIRi • nas that he illD sure i the word was careful y I\ spre'ad, the Nazarene's friends woul d try a rescue . But the temp l e guar would be waiting f0r them and th ey would a 1 be w pe out . The idea apuealed to Annas . Simon Peter and John Becrll!mae he.a the mark put on them because John, when the ·rH111" Ptt..~ei:, oice spoke at his ear , could not hold back the gro n ,-US •••'-I his mouth~~-- Peter ~ touched his shou der to quiet him. ~ The brazier sput tered in the room and there wer e sneezes and coughs . A few old ...,. pilgrims/ spoke the psa s of the Hallel over and over as if they spun cocoons for their isolation . The guards around the antechamber rested their backs against the walls and had no emotion at the spies s 1 pping iz'.Wf -rr about the big room , dropping t heir poisoned bai t1 of information. 'lhe two Roman officers crash ed across the room an the guards winked at ~ No.,-,,/£1> Guiseppe and ~ >j>'~ the concern on hi s face . 1hey ignored ax Seneca . imon Peter an John~--~~ left soon after t he officers . They told him to t ake off his sandals ecause e/ est sanaal woulds ap just when you didn t want it to and he could see how silent l y they wore san als . He wou d have protes ted, but one of the Legions travtlle for they never l (:f"iRA8Bfi.b ... simp.~y.'~ ud t II s t UWI L ibr ari es 76 The hand was st·11 clampe on the bf!ck of his neck , ~ . Angri y , he endeavoured to knock the grip away but it on y became firmer an shook him a llW:r:i, ike a puppy. It to l him he was not yet good enough to be on his own and he should be gui de by the pack. ohn Mark muttered vexed l y to himself and he was shaken again to be quiet . - kJJ,)t,c'b They a 1 ~ while Ben Legi on went up ahead , for here , they must cross a wide street . The str eets were ecoming wi er as they neared the pa ace and thee we~e much ' stoppings while Ben ~ went ahead to see that al was clear . ince thee w s no sh~king the grip , he s ullen y gave himse f up to i t . e to d himse fit was their affair if they were caught. They would be properly sorry when they saw him CA.ught by the spies . o were they not to a ccept him -.. hen they could see he kn 1-{ow ·, o Go A60UT rr? . •a.t fioill a 8= •~~Jilltl? asn I t he crossing these wider cobb l es • an inch a t a t ime ._fac e down • A R..l e.'_O •• - ·to the dirty stones , doing i t vri th fingers and t oes and body s.NKed upward, . so his clo thes lht- CR1£.P TO rr,f)t<(; wouldn 't swish over t e co es? And even though W D his muse es av:<-.: MDII a • V ~ quick run of it, instead of this slin ing , inch by inch , wAsn't he doing i t f~~ ½_ 0 V -~ _j /./ fJ /1.{p ~ O, this ~ at his neck! Very well . They could go on doing all the thinking for h im. ore trouble to them. He was very gl he had no thinking to do . His think ·ng we at an end . Peter und Matthew and James and the rest of them would have to do some powerful in ing i f they hope t o stay a ead of the priests . As for the pan the Legions had for him, he woul d see to that . Putting him with the ignorRnt Peter ad the crazy John indeed t moment , the soldie s my e unting them en , at tis very ~'which made im think of the sol i rs. I t was funny e ha not seen any so diers ate, wo d have een y. Only a few ~ spies. d it w s making him angr y again . It/_.. nice in a shud ery sort of way to know that soldiers of om e ha been hunting you . He knew they ha not been hunting im for they had caught him an then let him go . He wished they had not ut ha mare ed him to tonia with th eir 11111111 studded sanda ls eras ingj back and go, of him and their javelins clicking in th e rests at their bel t s. Perhaps, someone would have seen him. Then, tomorrow. when the sneer i ng Saul l ooked up at the all an· saw he was not --r}I-GtR_ there , and turned to his cronies to ~~ howl-Alaughter at his cow rdice , someone -:fo i-J /U fY)fJ/2.t::. COI/J-.J;N ' 7 T>i'iMJ >'1'" you ff61t,'< stEtnding neer would say, 0 , ~ -;Ne Dc8f be her e today . ~ """ he is in Antoni a ?'/If arrested by the Roman/_S.Ol b lollS ~ UWI L ibr ari es 'i •• They came to the wide street.., ~pz I $ ) Ben ~ had gone e.head "- 'M1tJ IP& g'ta'A!! ~ wfJS Ben e.t M~,~• tiiltft lying motionless on his belly) e,///11/l peering 11 left and right into the .,.,.If O Ro vG1-IJ31.!1£J-? street. He knew the place: wh ere three ~••k~1ee1~•111118!1113tMll4!'11=s11S into a huge concourse in front of the theatre . It was big enough to take a Governor's escort wheeling into it an .... ~e retT¼embered he had more than once seen the horses curving and prancing in it when King ierod visited t h e city and they held an enterta inment for him in the theatr e . Cousin Demmy 'h ad s a id - was i t yesterday? - thA.t King Herod would be in for the Pe.ssover . Mother ha f,.J l"Ttf /i J:IEc_ (.}. eT olooked back at him, a hq lf smile like a boy .. /\playing on her mouth . Cousin Demmy had s aid 1 • IN 7:!t;/1.us/J 1-e,,, :;we .s m 11 .. &1:> STILi.. Nazar.ene had bett er be warned no t to show his fa c e , until Herod had l eft . A ,.__ O, but it had seemed like fun then . Only aftel"Wards ~i • [gal l and wormwood . He shoo /Jo vs€ tH-INt<-JNC his head hard•~ of i t. Head down, he went out into t he concourse, inchin~ a l on ~~ like the l e gions . ~S:. fh /~o9c.ouRS~---..i.;; ON THe ~tMWy P-1-ooR . ...-f'( ~ t1onless_. '#i ar of theA'Di 1 l SI g,@D· u• c,ennrts..., d2aJD,,.i.em ~hey• were almost - w 1-16/.I across/\. they saw th~ squad of Temple police enterM!f from • ls•• one of the stree 'lhey did th e rest of the way in a swift but noiseless wri ggJ e without being seen and cover in the first available place, a small chair-coi rt . 1-r -rv/1.,1v/;JJ Ou, -re, Be .fl 71Zf/P. '.lh ere was no way out of t he court but thef way they had entered. _. John Mar k felt t h ,nvS'I Jft1-'116" FJ.1,.1y 'n-1-J/t/G. , He wou i-'J> ~ LIK.G" TH 13 grip eased at his neck . TheyL t hought he would not risk \n;--1 g nhued h!F I] T lffp!a paliee. ,nt.(r; His c:.HflAJcE AT B e,,.16'-- fl ,JMt,-':-0() It 5 + SC - t 7 JC ,..,,,,,.J,,i• 'h,r .,,.,,...,. haa,Mr- f'nn+a~ 'T'_.,.,..,, o ,..,,.,,-4,...,_ ir .. ,,..,.~.,.,,.., UWI L ibr ari es 0 '. l "P/)12 ""THB £q7/J,l}A)(__E , • ( ~ ,S -.e- 2 >G4,J(.7 ~O>iW-\ ~ '•:W:: he leapt~~• lE._Y ___ :_ _ _S,,> 78 By • He dodged a clutching hand.I\ throwin g himself feet fori.ve.rd into a beautiful ly control] !Ii I NIIIH'IA skid which took him under it, twisted awe.y from another., ..-. a precise timing ,1111a - 1A I MM fh./n~-, />'IIJ'l£j, as CZ 5 --~-r,.¥JJ .·lt d f :r:,t .,,.-his cloak past the fingers and bit: I y:'il •e J(vhe street -. 11 ~ -1 r ca ta.pll e rom/T ___ ~ - ' 6/J crouch into which h e had fallen to watch the oncoming squad~ ~ got him about the waist. M j own they went, with Ben rolJing sideways 1 1r 0 1 9 Qt) 1 -fg \ 1H ti p : s.sr••--••t • tbllo~o!FIJlll!&ll!!&ifilr~hl!hi:!n.i. ~ Ben was up in a moment l--1 t Ba>J, - ~i:£13-r ~ ·- ~ Jori!\ 1'- Is h u :t·d t h e clatter . of +J.., ::37lll!I on the concourse_, approaching the t:;i'6me ()VT IWD ee (b€/Jt'1 PlebC' 11U)f1te '· 11-1.Jb AIZ ibt/Jr',h'f;J)f 1' l,Jlf{.SPel!e}) 8ettf. court, - · • . , Jolin §121 C-:foFHJ /J'Jf!-11.k. cooLi> FJlr>:itJs, ~e "'T?'lti ~ • tr: isl:: ·Wflf knocked knees and bow legs under the skirt of the# short tunics i ... 41 elbows back and the short thrusting .) ~ •=•~-~--~•• •• swords held a t the ready. the J:£.1<. ..,-,IN:f A~.r, 77mB: tic wl}-S skin of their fac es taut and shiny with cruelty. ~ really scared, iw:l,ix$ ftAlai4f]~I //G saw the s quad enter the court. /}Nb If€ ..!'A-l,\J 77:l~ln C)[{3"-, Legions laugh. They laughed softly ground , like apparitions, they work~ the blades they had snatched out of their clothing . They struck upward , from the ground, and their soft laugh ter sounded peculiar underneath t bAbbling shriekt which each man made as he received the blade. The Legions allowed them to 1H6N '/Hf5Y live while they stood, holding their unders ides and shriekin~ ~~ finished them off when their knees gave way and t hey slid to the ground~ ~J{)f:-//v /l71Jtf,;c r/}1AJr€~ .. UWI L ibr ari es 79 CFAPT 14 The n ew matter took hold of them i n a way that w s good . They oked it an nro ed it and iloun be]ieve that by a. qui ck , hard slas t e y cou cut through it . James had a.lreadv reported failure with the Zealots . to .. ld th~ "We wil get no help from the Zea. l ots , " a.mes - Aswif'tl y . "They rP out of it. '/(v.,,,,,,,,.-.,.,,... ey say they mounte th e wrong orse w en they sounded off or • They a.re going back t o BAra.bha.s . So we will have to do it ourse l ves qn I for one say, glory be to God our guts wil e sh ing soon . '' ,, en , " hi s brother, Jo n sa i d , bi ting it off , his li s stif wi th passion . Thomas l ook llround , his row crease i nto lad ers of hi ari ty. " ne fanfare , pl eas , men , then all say after me : ' He il to the brothers of the g or i ous guts!' t1 - - ~ ~ eter sai rudely) Go awa.v . s..ad, o knows t is Simeon' s Tom we l l ?" 11 know the route b ·ndfo ded , " John I t • J-. "Al l we need • s one quick rus and we can get him away from them . That ' s a ll we need . ne quick rush - 11 11 Into eternity, 11 M<1 tt ew sai , "un es s we P an wel J • t1 ¢/& ~ ... m:., ·Ill 1t-rrt-J-E'V , John leaped up~ , his face worki ;;_g ~:/\1 ' o let him in ?" he cri e d nitched thin an • a • e , .i:.i! 1t PtJ,;t. b /\,' fni!. r ~ o 8 ff key. " o et inJturncoa.t tax co J lee tor to gt so gZ> • J(C .cie, TAke fJ,;'F /'flY fkk._ ~ - '.~ ■P •LJ~~ .. - ! " i m PLvJ.JG His brother ¾iii@;' li{ . TC. a.n Arm Ill! a.round his shoulder.., ~~ 2 ~ - Matthew ;8'i)ii&~.r # turned to Simon Peter. ' imon, " e said angri y , ' r u l e against this oo l . Or ru e for h i m, but r ule . " "Nob o v ~ ru es{ or me ." "And who rules ohn shouted . -w~ /t.£ .5iVPIPPt;-b, !::s,mOA/ ere anywe.y?' ~~ ' . o says Ru e , Si mon eter l" ~a.tthew storme to his feet . "Ru e , or by God t II - . James whippe h is jaw Aroun in a snar l tax coJ l ector . " Matthew . "We s13.y there' l l e no rul e , Peter slappe his hands t o th e wa l l a.th is ba ck And heav e d to his feet . He was t,VeA.fl G6 c. 1-ut"Si tA 11 er t han ~ ~ tlUlll. and b road in the ~ t o suit . e we.A r a. dy f o r v i o ence. fl,t o vcR '7["6;M) ~ ~ mes ~ WAS wri t t en all - him , .ai!t -!he brother% shou d er ed t og e t h er ., fli@ . \ - ------_:__ ey felt that tog e t er they cou d bre k him and they we e wi l i ng ~ i-~ ·· UWI L ibr ari es "Thou art · Pe ter, " old Phillip said Old Phil l ip, who had sat unmoved, said from Thou art Peter. Ibes f,/0/}Jf)b, ' I, /\ .1 remember?" v ~ Thomas bowed his face into his hands . Fhill i p did not look at them. He looked into < the light from the l antern and his face was old ~ • lllflffl in the light . His lips moved . '14, :Bol,#G ' - -----::-~~ k,,,b " . "Ih.2.Y ~ ~ , ~ , ~ And upon this Rock I will build 11/f . ;, ., ( .J ,0 ct ff.&t."t wot;,. let~ -6~t' 41) ~ ? JI - ~~ d,; / , .· ' He rose ~ he ended, stepped to the entrance of the court and stood there S#"tfl(!~~ ~ ~- M.1-lf/?Ji4JI> c. c..' , ' , with ~is back to them. Their minds A•biN>i..-C,..u~i• [,il erstanding. 811111t • 1/ PIW!e,,.,µ -S • • • - .iN~Gb"~ -.:>EsER--r n"'.;:;, 3En _,Gf.ll:"£ T t1 • ~ . . ./~~· ~~~' u)l't'H C v I!:. _; N--r AW Y WI TH <;-r"Ni3S Bv -t PG):, IN ·11te WtJ..'i.6/lJ.JE~. SMIJr.11~FIJe8bi,. 'f' [!nomas took his hands from. his face~ He looked up at John ~ and his ey . _ _ ______ R- lht thl?,l5J!.e0 Ho burned painfully in his h ea.d • HIJJJ B£cN Ft5~ IN -n,15 Wi{...i,e;JJE.«; w TH F ooi, fbt1b '4Ji1 "We coul.d use that ' Amen' now, Johnilt'," he whis pered hoarsely • . "Say it aga in , .;,}y'¼"6i Johnny Thunder. 11 /Jflc1l)b"l, g"IJCI/ • 0 1Jle-'1>S eyes • t.C i.J~ /1 7 Th~y turned t heir heads awe. ~, from each other, nobody a ·)inf his nei ghbour's face . Then John sa t down and aft erwards his brother sat too . Simon Peter moved away from the wall "Get up, Johnny," he ._. commanded . "You know the way. You will guide us to this It was a strong walk from 1\9.vid Street to Simeon ' s Tomb . uch of it lay through street s bounding the Temple area and they made it long er by choosing a route which would ~f?./)U t,Jb w e l.J-r l,V .$1JJGL.E P't t.f:. 1 take them ~ the area . They,... ... 1 ~ v< .. 7' keeping close to the sides of the street, halting at the slightest sound/ , their heads twitching nervously. They were not afraid . But it was a long walk and there was time for thinking; and the .matter that had taken so good a hold of them, was not so good ~gain . It was remembered in each he1:1.d that there was aut a single sword among them., ~ As pn,q:-ry ~ ~ .!pi\an assault A"'' ~omas thought they weren't worth spit . A loose awning over a sweetmeat stall somewhere up ~~ e street flap ped loudly and they froze to the wal l . It flapped again and they got it . Ee.ch man let go his breath very quietl y and careful ly and old Ihil l ip saw the hum.our and chuckled . "Simon," he sa i d, "if your Cox ever saw us tonight, we would never live it down." UWI L ibr ari es Matthew s e.id : " e should keen our eyes o pen f or t he boy. We may reach him before the~ Temple does." '' O, pl ug your whistle 111 J ohn ~ snapped irritably. "Hasn't his mother tre whole garrison a. t Antonia to draw on if she wants to find him ?'1 Peter·had been peering around the angle of the doorway in t o which -they had drawn f or cover. He drew in his head. "Dont malign t he woman," he said. "She did us a good turn tonight." n said ~~u1H-y,. "# Yes. She took the cave-dwellers into her fine house a.n d gave us a fine room to eat the fine supper which our Judas had prepared for us, 11 John jeered. not "That the scriptures might/be fulfilled," Thomas murmured. "we ate and were un-merry. Yet, tomorrow we die. 11 ' ,t . ~ ~ , .......... ..,.,...~.. . "Listenl\our j ovial Job, 11 James e-runted. '~p: . " Thi s must be how it is to b e young, Fhillip thought. Weep one minute, laugh the next. Block the channels of memory with anyth ing , ,no matter how unseemly. jlllillil He • ()'UJJJ.. IP '7116& t? ¥-0uNfi_ tn ctV drew a br 8ath deep and his ~ est ached. Suddenly~ had no pity • ..._ needed to b e hit. OufJ. J.,..GR,'D , JG.S vS > . ' / ~ "I wonder how ~ knew she would take us in?" he _... ASU8:b /AJIV& CE/1)·-rt:...y _ "He knows people," Thomas said. rtm. away from s a id quietly. "He said we wouldl\ti PIK if . him if "God strike you," James said softly to his back. a !'111< we . J' .• ow f ar away is the Tomb?" Matthew asked. 1>1'}:) ~ L-[)A/ 1 / A.I UC Nobody answered and they ~NtZ })behind old Phillip. I._ UWI L ibr ari es CHAPT R I 'lhe old soldier who ra.n the tavern for officers wa.s almost a.sleep on his feet . But he knew- Ma.ximus Seneca. and so he hurried over with a. new skinful when Ma.x hoisted another finger . Gui seppe Zellini clasped his fingers over his belly and l ooked plea.sadly a.t the new wine . It gur gled beautifully into the goblets . 'lh~ night was good a.gain . "Your man turned out to be a fool after all , Stup i d," Max said . Guiseppe nodded three times , very f ast . He was anxious to agree with .ax . Max said: "You know why he is a foo l ? You know why? .. Guiseppe shook his head, looking at him . "No, Max , I dont know why." He t hought it was a lright to call Ma.) Max . Max was drinking with him again because it had turned out alright . "Because he wanted to start a. revo l ution on a ... shoestr ing . 'lha.t ' s why. Nobody likes to start anyt ing on a shoes tring . He's cheap . " . The wine wa s good , no tas t e of lees at all . Guiseppe thought how, whenever he came in a. lone , his wine a.lwa.ys tasted of lees . It was good to come in here with ~ax . Especb.1- ly a s how Max would be First now. yet he wants to start a "No swords , no spears , no nothing," Max said . ".And revolution So wh at does he get? He gets put up . Ha. , ha - how do you like that ,• Guiseppe? He gets put upt" "He gets put up high t" Guiseppe trumpeted happily at the laughing wax- fruit face . "He ' s going out in the morning - going out and up ~" "And who will be out -there to put him up? " Max ,,sked ~ "Who will be out there nailing him up?" .sA-r Hirt.b UP HI..$ Gt:>8t.E'7' /Al n"'To l?ST'. Guiseppe ....,rt b ack on the wooden form and ~1z1 fghist h♦P i rt d fie te -d ao M 1"1: ~ • " The First," he said . "The b l oody Fir st t!!·~}rfa.th yrr C o vz:: o F 7He:- wtrx-PRv1, ~l)cl:- '!'IJ~~~~~~,e::,t.e--:;:s:i~l:>b~;;wi~b:F~!\Qr:.:_ax ' s eyes b l azedA~.-.fann "Say, t he former First," he whispered venomously . ".!. will be the First .I And you , you f at ex- crucifier , you will get pushed up a rung. " made It - a grand noise in Guiseppe ' s heado .!. will get pushed up !. rung . UWI L ibr ari es Guiseppe looked coyly down at his th i ck fingers , happiness swelling .inside him. It was good . He dived for the goblet and dr ained it at a guaff . ax Seneca watched him, his lips curled in a sneered . nYou , going up a rungf You fat hog . " ~ Guis eppe grinned a t him . "How did you work iti Max, " he breathed . "How did you?" [ax grinned and leaned oo.ck , admiration for himself running out of him . "Fasy . I went to the chief and pointed out t o him t hat everyone knew that the woman had had the azarene at her house las t night and that since the cloak was a rich somebody in. her househol d . one , it must belong t o ... But tha t our Janus coul d not be expected to prosecute the llND matter t oo stoutly, since . / stopped there . Just -- - ~ince . See? Then I shrugged and said Janus is the governor 's nephew and perhaps the wis est course would_ b e to te l l the governor so he could speak with his erring. nephew. I hinted that , done that way, the gover nor couldn ' t be mad at anyone in Fort .Antonia for hauling his nephew over the didn ' t ,,/ coals . The poor chief swal~j it, hook , line and sinker . He I RE a know ~ old --l... ~ ,.Jl.>IU,, carcass . " Pilate will - to s ~ve his own f a t · flSG _ _... .. ...,_ ... ,) "JMH" «$~~, ~l.Cl:it - old Pont go ggled ' \ Guiseppe J II PZ at ldlll e "You h ad ' em ! " h~ breathed hoarsely. "You had 'em alH 11 ascended his eallli Max gave a short , barking chuckle . The heavy lids slyly eyes and he looked at t he barman . The old soldier hurried over with a nffi'r skinful , his he vy hips jerking and fl at feet slappin_g the f l oor . "You need a whipping to put s ome s peed into you," ax t old him softly. "And you r eckon Janus wont find the boy, ax?" Guiseppe as ked . ·uI think he will not, he ' s a gentle an," Max sneered . UWI L ibr ari es Pi ate sent f or Janus . ure ius and awaited him in a bare ante- r oom . anus noted . ,~ a brief scrutiny that no r no couch ul of heaping rinsed c ean cushionsrwai ted his comfor t . The r om was swift l y ., thAt th e raught of physic i s as a whistle and ' t went i nto him , uncle ha spoken of, was about to be handed t o him. He sa ut ed sti ff l y. Nothing s howed on his face . But his unc le ' s fleshy f ace had hardened and hi s mouth was arrogant end puni shing . ines of crue l ty extende own an way f r om hi s nos tri l s ; ma.de h i s nose Lfai Fir.! Si' C,/,1 MfJJ/1/, pinpo ints di r ected at the ~ He pi nched 1 met Janus standing . Rnve. Hi s face wast at o a man rea y to r ave . He did not1\ Hi s wor s were r ound and soft as fruit . As poisoned fruit . "You poor foo , ' he said • .. i anus had s een l egionnaires eing whippe ; big ., strong fe lows thro bing wi t h the l ust o i fe and pas ion and a certain rough- hewe pr i de., ta.King t e l ash on eir b~cks i~out f inchi ng;and ying 111.flWtiUIII oz · if U •••·•••K only in thei r eyes . He fe t n as he supposed they must have Pilate ' s fat an feline ody did a strange movement under his r obes . "Your lus t s lead you to this . our stupid us tf for a Jewish woman h s l ed you into etraying your t rust . l ear n . aid it sternly to the ildnes s ins i de him. you to your 'I gave you the str ongPst hint possible ton'ght. I l aid own a specific thing f or - not her but him - o . When you to l d me tonight that your men iere seeking hi~ I took i t for I\ 1\ oldierlycaution . But , I went urther . t old you , specifically , to scour the city and sp~re no ody. Now , l earn from your commanding of fi cer that you hnve not arrested er himsel f even a though the High Priest/ showed you her fami l y i nitia l s stitched into the cl oak . you know at thi s eans? 1 ~ it , Janus . Q.l'et down ., man . But she co l dn •t h ve bee i n the Garden? She w s r eckless , but not that reek ess? "lt i no us ·"ff/RT your p ea.ding_, iJ!lllt now i t h i:i.s been dis covere~ ~ t was her so who ore UWI L ibr ari es 84 f/tV'6 SO the cloa.kl\, you a.re freed of responsibili ty. Your duty w s to • arrest her . You ha.v not done so . I suppose you know the penalty. " o. I icked ~l.b /<1&7' nd -•fl f urtively along his lips , as i f i tJ~ "1o 13£ · 10.te s tongue crept out 'noeai., - •.f5iir , • • "You will be I\ .s€:'€N. roken, " he said softl y . "You will be broken an sent back :i!-.b@R~ " rn;t A1v~ J w,,._"'" Pf<(J7Ec.-r t?ifSct. f . to . ome . Its either you or ~ for th e Templ e, Ja.nus 11 'Ihere is just one cha.nee. I t i s f r (h{J you to fin th boy before • Annas m n get to him . I ts either you or J.. ' e.nd I have no inl.ention of l etting those Hebrew swine get the better of me 1" iNDt fl.J,,.1 /JG __, .f f}fJ(-E- lJllcfli YtJ RcfV/4/J' E !J Tl> ~o~e rt-1 or.re,Rnce~-rt1ey µ_u · we ;..My qll •~ took you up the Jllllr A pia.n Way .. _, ! hey me.de you walk l rom the time you oF - '' //Jo JltJR.!€ 8Rc.k. Foll -rH6 e,t2f)KB11,1 oF rlc6d. , ' \ ia entered the ga.te. AYou a. ked between doub e ranks of,mm~8~19'!5-IIM legi onnaires flanking you ; r Aw;~E c5a~PT F-,;R. •-;-111:; ~/i Y &,c ... ..,, curs who seemed to know you were now one o them, slipp"'JJ be een the legs of 1µ_(; the soldie sand yelp,f t your heels. TI1e manacles at your ris ts rub ed sore ith th e yanks the soldiers gave tot em/ and the eg irons jangled on the aving stones . Every­ bea~ urne out to see you march in, for it was an event , for en..u'll'cnavi were seldom rought as such an occasion) tha.t even the l a ies turned out on the balconies laughed every time you stum led because of the leg irons , a.nd others were sorry for you. ' ich w s orse . For you would begin t o be sorry for yourself a.nd -{n the. t way-, '-n it •? y' to s ee you 1 and some {3(;/1,/ e;, show it ; and the rabble who like nothing etter than to I.J!6.,iiJ,, Sflf.Jtt,tmt,.._tp.,;;;i:...,. s...,(1'5@,r;;a.,~....t;;.a_- 11tllilttU 111!1170it _· · • · PT 1 ~ 11 ou s ouldn ' t h ve run , " Benfegion sai , shaking him • . 11 ou shouldn't have run , boy, and t ose gentlemen wou d ea ive. Yo u kiJ ed them, boy. You didn't ought t ki 1 them. Its Romans we went , not e r ews 1 • e ourse ves . y di you kiJ them, boy?" c i rc l e 'Ihe ine had r awn up i nto i ts e f end now th ere was a .., about him. Tl di y you kil J them, oy? " y id you kill the poor f ellows , boy?" 11 -'i rs t , up ; t hen , down - skeeyah . That's ho the ~ went . " He could not s tand it any longer . 11 top l Stop i t l I ki led nobody t ' e silence cosed in at the end o his shrie and he could hear th eir breat i ng . He sat up and felt dizzy at fi rs at the ef art , ut s tr ength af terwar s crent un his l egs and down h" s Ben Legions You se.w us i n sin tonight . 11 e shoo i s he t o clear it . au are with us for sure , oy. We can never et you go agq in . UWI L ibr ari es 6 I I J I Hew s not vaguely, as t o do I I sui e t hat sin meant . But he was sure it meant no good . He kn~~ of it , ~odg . But it was not exactl y that . You could be quite wrong and e quite b ave at the same t ime . AJJ he would e a ter when he went t o the Wa ll and had al 1 k)Ro,w; "111~ t:J/JE, S.,wPU1.- 1,cJO;; fiNt>r11C4, s t Aring up at him and fearing for him.~ He had an idea you coul d those faces .,... elow, f!:6- not be sinful and~brave At t he same t ime . I{ l en Legion chuckled . Judas - the memory was not felicitous . Felicitous was a wor Other peo l e had spoken of s in . Annas , at whose memory e could spi t . He spat and of • Ben-Rasha ' s . Everything as f elici tous or not f elicitous for Ben-Rasha . People s aid Ben-Rasha wqs a sinner and Ben-Rasha was old and dirty And hi s beard was mean. SRul , t oo. Saul said his m th er WAS living in sin an he had wondered what Saul meant . Saul said it , with his eyeba ls glanc i ng upward un r the lids and Saul's big- boy friends had grinned . And he hadn't be n certa n whether they grinned ecaus e of the things Saul could 'it do with his eyeballs or whether it was becaus e s e lived in sin. So , afterwards , he ha ✓-u...d.£M . -~ ,1 ___ , c/_ , t~ ~cl.. J ~ • asked Judas when the and was in Jertlsalem for a feast day. ~~ e~ ,tJ:~ -~ " Su lr Ju~as had no-t b-e~ speaking the truth . t the Nazar ne come to his house for :b:l.e , ~-t come to the th stupt i ty of Saul n Juda$~~ --;­ en € pit when ne ' "T "Spi t on your own feet ., half of a f oo l , " Ben Legion growled at his ear . "How do you sin?" John Mar as ed quickl y . "How do you sin , Legion'?n Every ody sto ped chuckling •-•flltlf~t. then and he # cou d hear the crickets ·n the wal , so si ent it was , and h is head felt heavy. He felt as if they had pressed a hot thing t o i t and were pull i ng his teeth with pincers . Such s the s ilence . Ben Legi on nu ged him r oughly nd grumb ed : "Come along . No more of your games . " He went along with the back of his neck in the grip again . He stra i ne his neck up t o keep his bruised cheek f rom be i ng l aid open y the rough pavement . He thumped th e pavement suddenl y • with his fist and shook his heed stub ornl y . One of the Legions knuckle him on the sid e of hi heA f or that , but he was uncaring . He knew he was right . He WAS right . He had thought it out . w,n --fin:!' "T1/ 1N6 -r;.,fh" udas had sinned only in bringi ng the Tempe i nto i t . That Ahad th irty in it and was t erefore sinful . Judas shoul d have gone ac to the Zealots an left t e stupid fi shermen to stew. Then he wou d have gone with him. But he had t o ate J udas . for he had rought the emple into UWI L ibr ari es i t . He .was sorr y (or u as but e could not be with him . He was sure th~t whe it was a 1 over , Judas oul be b~ck, wanting t o be f r ien s arai n . He, John !.ark, woul have to be firm and say no . Hewes finished with the Nazarene' s men . He was finished A.t::,vL-,$ with t e Zee.lo s too . ~ needed ooki ng after v ry turn of e way. They screeche1 too much an few b i nd li e the bats a ove his head now, beating thei r wings a ~ai nst the wa l . H was too busy about his own business to be looking after th m. Because o them, he wear ing was her e wo rk i ng for not hing tonight and •M II& himsel f o t . earnestl y , -/!!__"1,~l1,lG, No , he sai .& ·p J fanning at a .Ji-·· bat , I em finished with the fishennen . had been fl • I f the Legions - ~l ess given to crawl i ng through fi thy al l eys , he may have given them t e enefi t of his ••• h ff) .,,(I.¼ ._; but, as it was , he w0 s age.ins t them too . In f ct, he was ~lone. Even 1 though he was being ragge a l ong y the sme y Cra ers . In fact , if he really wante to , he could f ox t hem r i ght now. He fe l t ver y cunning and grinned~his bruised f ace painfu ••Zt Thy coul d not lmow that he only ent with them because i t ~uited his purpose unt i he was rea y for the all . The Legions knew a 1 the secret p aces arid he cou d h i de with ?t mii unti l the time crone . Th n e would show them whether they could hod him . He was no heavy- f ooted Tempe po ice . In the morning, aft er he was t hr ou h wi th the Wa 1 , he would collect h i s mother an ave Janus gi ve them safe conduct out of the c·t . He wou d be safe rom the p iests in aylight . The Temple had not dared to touch t he a zar ne in day- l i ght . Not event ~t the ess i ah . o, ot to re.memb r ',,Alf/E N e stupidities of t 1at dayA O, hail ng h i m as - ) -. ,._ tC 1,,/ a& , A l;J~111ZeNE fl/11> c o/11£ ! 77 1£ /.JI, o f op a l ong etern~l ly, as a turtl e, as he was doing now . To hide int e dark . To burrow forever i n this st'nking spy' s cloak and not even to raise your h eAd for foo • .-rus, at a run e had made that mornin t a llow on your shame and remanber what a run I\_ you ha made the mor ning ...... you awoke and 1 arnt f r om your mo ther that the zarene had returne to Jerusalem, ~ s waiting just outs i de the ci ty whi le h e s ent to bor r ow the1't ,,. -r>!€ /Vh-~Rll&uc spl endid grey Jack . ot er times; '1,_ had come in afoot . 1 y wasn't he Because Judas had . een rig t , you s a i d . An you wer e coming in af oot out of the out of b ed and "i, .. . t Ml - 1P • --r"~ house an f l as i ng your h ee s lie a raci ng goat across the Kedr on and up~Olivet . now? A thousand years f r om now, when h e was re~overed from his shame, he would tell it 11 to his mother . Even i f h e on v l ooked at her . she woul d understand . Sh e was 1 ke that. UWI L ibr ari es 88 fl Ll. But h would tell i t "' to her ti he wa.s empty and could come out o the dark . fL..1££.1' I £ a_ w ;C319ZiJM1ii, ---.,,.,.. ~sn~ n if the Nazarene -,p a J rusa l em ~ at ti e, out o feaOfl o emp s ,. to the cave near t e Betheny road where they a lvre.ys stayed when they were at Jerus a lem . 'lhat Cous i n i the p ace to wh ich I too --- D6nmy that night when I thought he would have made a good Pllft/£ fl>J..Ac.£ liflellt Nazarene would soon be f orming . 'lhe•A the fisher-officer for the r,J flme:» Judas and e.rmy which/I thought th men sil::a• •• l me Coxswain and me.de me sit with th em while the Nazarene talked . And then V\J IU,.. ~ my nostril ~ b e free of the sme 1 of au • •1Hf3 NFt'2ftP.ENG Hl1..b ii' ,A ta l ked of the legions he wou l d g ther for his army and the k ingdom he would fo • And I believed shouted the. t the: i m. All of us believed him. We believed him and the fishermen/ · l P IS IJ would ie for him and I shouted too . But SOI!letimes the tings he said about his kingdan wee not very p lain and then Judas would sit silent and unmovin~ while the othe staked among themselves and quar relled about what he meant • .4nd I would sit an think how Sau l would turn green with envy when he sa me m re ing in with the Nazarene ' army; and a.it until afterwa ds wen J udas would te me ~~~'t, 11' •"•• ·rHc -r1,.,,,. -me N'n:,-Olf/£,1.b ;v,i-; 1?€°Tl)/l,t, ,o 7et1.:1'Sllt,. VNTl i... /-0,UG A~wfi~bs , Hin, " e wi come back wi th a big a y ,. Coxswa i n , 11 Judas said to ~ on the le.st ay when It!'" cou.ec:.-rc.b '1 went to hunt co eys . Ju as WP&flil"2.,¥ food for the band and h e onl y bought when he co 1 not hunt . He WPS great hunter and he co d knock a ..-..a; coney from under a rock better than ~ even C us in Dermny. ( You r emember the morning they came back, • mother • .... _ She wou r ember and perhaps h e would not have to tell her . But he ould remember or a t ousand years • how h e had raced through the city and out of th e gate and own the roa then up and cross the viaduct ,. running ou t there on the s tony trac w·th won er wide in his he a t the multitude o peep e runn ng along with· im . He h been a ittle frightened a t th mu titude of people , al t . ler the.n e , and h e running close A /?;Dvllfj) to the ground with the mount~inous bodies heaving and swaying WM»:"' him; e bows bruising is c e ,,,,,,.. the ends of r obes whipping a.cro s s is ace J -TPG:/ /1.6/J-cNlf.iJ --r.#$. The runs owe to a w q_ k whe~ -- steep of the hil .,lll\ l sd: ~ • t ey slowe i., ft"T ~ -:i>lll $~Nii /1., $wrc,/l•ti I\ whisper of song{ had risen ~ rapi l y..,-,;- to a storm. They h sung h e greAt national h i s UWI L ibr ari es songs / from the Book of Psalms _, e.nd he ha 11\ twe s 1 89 ooked up into t e f~ces a.round him#-M th e / bee.rd d ones ~n the smo oth,ta 1 bro en up in p s sion . -r;/1: ,.IJCG'S. J he had we. ked with h is .. face turned up l oo ing i n o ~ e.nd stum l ed i nto a bearded Zea. l ot . He recognized the J man, Hakuk , a iend o Ju as . Hauk be owed e. le.ugh ash straig tene the boy n ush 8R/iNCII e. ~ of o ive '>ts,Jlf into his hand e.n s oute a ove the din : " ing, e. ! Or burst your thr oat with how in if li e me you ave no voice l " He r membered how he had gaped f ooli sh ·y at Ha.k h.e. never not ·ced b fo r e that one of Ha uk ' s eyes and had thought it queer that he 1 s br awn an the other b l ue an Ha.kuk he.d sapped him on the b~ck an mutt er ed so er l y : ~trr t11.t tVe-v.1 11,tt1,um w,u- Be e, come a. l ong l ad . He sai dJ.....of such chi l dren as you ,~--~!Sst=s•t~tl!lllg~atlli: No doubt he the meant i t will take t ime t o kill !lll th e Romans/ and,{old ones like me may not b e her e ,t o see the fi;1is • 1/bJc" •r/Ji>/ 1t._ lfb ri11k 1t.EA1let✓(JN ·1Iri1i- -rAJ:E.S w£~ 7PPJ . e - s oat of n grass wee en an very green . He cou d re e t oo that the ol h yin the ep eted stacks , no l onger fres mown, were yel ow and .- sweetl y moul y and after you ha. ro in • it~it cl ung o your .._ cl othes and your hair and t e gir s stood st· 1 while you picked the h y out of thei r h i r a.nd fr m own 11 " "" • ~1£'1 we R~ ; the a.cks of thei froc s an you fe l t ~ w rm k:._n ~ eir eyes wen they looked at you v,r r e V ry y an thei r faces serious and you yours lf hot , then col d, then hot an co ld 'l. ain l\nd you l e t th e quickly . And Sau l wou d l oo Fl you l e!'lvi ng t ere quick y and woulds y som thing to one of e igg r gi r l s and b~ck her had wou d go until • you (1 j,.L. o, ;,([fl{ saw her A.throat ~ 1 • t ll' end out the l a.ug t r woul d come to f ush hotly through -~- 1'1,,AA/c. c.7V"'1«LI~ UWI L ibr ari es 90 Her mE!ll ~rd t e ~right stnlight and the green grass nd the smelJ o the sun in old cut e.y and he £e t craw y insi e - P#ll!lif&i .. a.t Ben gion and he c.. R.ll-'lv J. ~ lJ l)N' others who ~ Pb aiha " ' t s imy stones i e li z .rds e,tthe ottom of a well and took him a.long nit them . Bu he bit back his nger and went stubbo nly along with them. thin ing with satisfac ion thet e could eave them anytime he wante • .Anytime at all . He ha. it a worked out now and they cou n' t 1 rs 7 l catch im as before . Hew ul bound up and e a.way before th~t craw y hand on the a.ck of his neck kn tit w s a. out . Meanwhi e , it wasn't ad to be a CUarry. later , wen he went to +.he all , he would even ea bigger arry. He wondered how Ju as was feeing , now .that e w s a arry too,. Judas . • H had not seen Ju a at first , that morning . He had stood there ,.. the head of the mu titu e· w en they halted SU en y n 4r th crest oft e hill . Had stood the e ursting with pride at the wr:,y the ban ha ork d it . He cou d ave tol the gap i ng faces round him that ~ S on eter \.\rou have made t e f mi iar gestu e , closing the Twelve ar ound the Naze.ran toke p the press of the c owd rom him. twas through sue a circle h had slippe he ay when Simon Peter had cuffed im on the he d and the quiet voice ha re uke th rough fisherman . But this morning there was nothing ut pride in • him when big imon ma e the BANl:J gesture and the.A~ closed in around the Nazarene . But the Nazarene stood on higher ¢!! ~ ground than they and he wa pla in" •A~ne crowa, ,tid he had heard the whispers ar un him • ts him -·-- the one with the uncut bee. d ~ /Jri fr m the doubtfu ones~ He ' s t oo voung to ssiah ; i nd from some women ... of Capernaum. who giggled and spoke louder so that th e J rusa l em women ~e{"'T uo1<11u. •':f ou d know they knew ,,the family well: He I s ep of Mary' s sons . /Jp'lJ fJAJcrHEA .S/11(.'(J,lfEO N, ~l)IA)A/ OND ~ S"AI~ 11Jb "T"Ht 2,flJGri~ST 7'UJ, /IE 1(,/~$ RERbi#G pu'l, '!f._G4JJIJ(i aer-alU B~-11)/ ·1'~1/PJ/. I/ But not even they could e as roud as ~ for ' f he wa~\oastful , he cou d have turne to them all and say ~ - he wears the blue cloak my mother sent him - the b ue linen • th-it is brother to this one I 1.·vear . Tae N zarene ha not coked at them . heads ~~ OU Ud: •nf lem and he had een a Th.er wa rothing there l itt e eeve that the His eyes were roaming a out over their . to see but the towers an the domes of J rusa- Nazarene wou not look at them so that h could wave at him a.nd show all the-se 1;1. oun that he knew him best of a • But since the Naza. ene w uld not ook at him so th8t he coul d wave t o him, he had commenced s ea.re ing he ban UWI L ibr ari es 91 His ha.nd w s held ha fway up , ready t o wave the ins tant h e c ught an eye , ut he had caught no eye a after awhile his hand connr.enced making tiny li°ttle gestures as if he was lying among the buttercups et the side of the road hunting butterflies a a.nd still , awfu lly, none looked his way and then l i ke an earthquake he discover ed what his hand was doing and shame flush e him to th e roots o his hair and crawl ed about his s ca l p a s he drew back the he.nd and h id it away i nside his c oak . He l ooked a.way, swallowing his itter urt ; an then h e ha seen Judas . Judas was ot in t he c i rc le about the Nazarene . He had drawn aside and his eyes were John Nark flared fixed on the Nazar ene ' s fac e . • ,{orgo t his shame. Eiccitement r · n■ t up inside hiJn . He knew now why the N zarene wa5fooki ng at the ci t y . He was ■MPW IP- Qt! r: a • l ooking for the s oftest spots where he could throw his a rmy. Judas h~d said i t . No dou t there w s an army at his ack , overt e row of the hi • He looked quick y a.ck a t Juda an s w that t he Zea l ot , Hakuk, w o , ad given him e branch t o wave , ha gone over to Ju as ' side . iftly, pair . Jo n Mark broke from the crowd and Rrte to the ate 11:ll ·•11• 1 a: He was there in t ·me to h ear Hakuk say: ''Well - ?" the question i n hi voice . " ill "" e - r An Ju as shrugr ed nd sai nothing but stare ~t the la~arene 's face . Hakuk asked aga ·n , impati ently this time : "Will he?': Stil noth i ng from Jud as . d didn't he see who stood by his side? so he mus t tug at i s elbow ·and say angr ily: 'Has the I shee.riot lo~ his tongue?" d Hakuk whir l ed a.t t h e sound of his voic Pnd dr ew ack an e.rm a.s o cuf i m but Judas ha.I tad him ri th a. sharp word • en , "He lo , C x , '' he sa id in the -- voice ich a l ways seeme to hold a note in it, br i ttle ·as a p i ece of sate . d he had knovm times when the slate cra~ked and he wanted to go uick y as when he was introduced to a stre.nger. But n ow there was no crack . 'Hello , Cox , s.:twe ' re back as I told you . " [tfJc;,~11.t,7 He' ilA:,Y 8tr!,v,V Wt,lf 71/G ti(i,1c<;7'~$/.IS~ ~~~• Fl+ ~ ere did you go • ? Where did you travel? Through a.11 of G?i .ilee, I'll betL" • The smile of Judas with many teeth t? i t , the qu "ck l ook at the Zea l ot st nding gr im r;;: firs and si ent . L.,Ga. i l ee . boy?" and a hand rough i ng ~ h ir. "Galilee ? That's a Sa.b ath Dly ' s ·ourney l What wou d you say if I t o d y u we went clear to the bor ers of Tyre and Sidon i 11 Your mouth a.gape lik whiti ng caught in a net , whi e all the names you h d heard in UWI L ibr ari es .. school r ose in your head an s ook ems e l ves fr:ee of dust and st· 11 you could he,rdl eek n the cities and the towns they a p ssed through for a hundre and mor e mi les lay etween er usalem and the order country . Byte time you ha wa ened your mind to spe k from you again, you cou d see thPt he had gone away/ ag~in alt hough he stood beside you . For his eyes had retur ned to the Nazarene whos e hands were now upheld • 2 UWI L ibr ari es I .· j t I J 1 I l,j ..J c H N ft] IJ lh<. 93 '\ knew they w re ne r the e le when the;v al ted . For he could hear the tiny gongs )which marked the hours ., going off like a stick _. r an a long the iron grid of a window which they so-netime used to do a+ Ben-R sha 's house when Sauls i let 's istur ~ Ben-Rasha who must be min ,ling ith his Fhoenioians . He never kn v wh t Saul meant ., althou ~ the old r boys aughe • But it was fun t o see ol Ben- Rasha•s hea in the red skul ~ cap pop from t he w· ndow and issue curses at th • d Saul could curse him back . aul did it wi h many Gree words which ifted an struck like things alive and they mA. e o Ben-Rasha. pop ack uickl y . au was a champion . A ig champion . But he woul beat iJn, in th morning . He fe tit strugg e and stand up in his elly :..._ He wou d beat im in the - morning . - 'Jhey were near the amp e for e cou d smell i t . Ther , was a sme 1 or the Temp e into and a sme for sc oo and a sm 11 for h is house . Take him a any of th ese b indfo ded and he wou d know ere he i'1as . o he was ne,., the Temp e . H • did not like to be near the emple . The ma era lers had crawled their way through the alleys ad the f i thy oassages and their crazy min s ha r ought ih em right back to the Temple . H fought to e off his lbows and knees and t o w:1 r a.ck e way t y ha come . 'Place a knee in the sma 1 of his ba.c ., as Legion., 11 Ben s vo i ce sai calm Y• "'I"ne young - lord is determi ned to e roaste on a the They had him . ey had him fixe i 1 111 t1 I lllilb q up h igher . " bram Legi on chuckl ed . "He will go up high all r ' ght. " "How high up do they go ?" J shue. Legion asked . "- ybo y ever m a.sured it?" "I never mea sured it ut ear the le.w is ten feet up , ' Abram Legion said . "To the crossp • ec e? Or to the top?" "To where they put your nrunep a te , you dunce . , t the top where they nail your - • amount of mon ey you sto e . " amented name and thP, •••• z •ht4121a1ruJ-ldtdiliml'l.-±r-■riar:::: A - • . "If ts se i t ion , they put the things you said . 11 " t m st e fun to e crucified . " Jos ue. Legion whispere dreamily . "Better fun to watch • t , " A ram Legion se.i ~e.ppi ly. "But think what you cou d do to your crucifier ' s hea.d when h e bends to see that the foot ropes ':lre h d ing ta.ut , " Joshua Legion pointed out • • roe.re Ben Legion s l apped is pe. he.rd to t e stones . "Put it up , a.l of you! '' h e 1 su < enly /, H could pt them e. 11 out of hi min . He felt the sickness in his elly a.gA · n and he locke his lips J.- toget her . He c ou d put them e. l out of his ~ind by remembering other things . - - - - ..... --- ..l - ·- • -- .: , -- ..J l....: - --.-1- UWI L ibr ari es up lift ed over them . _. had ~~ As .at Jude.s , h ~turned f 95 -his hee.d and watched <-;'the Na z ene . "'--"' ~~~~:-, The h of ta lk went doWrJ ad$ ~ 78 • • so you could hear the whirr of the wings # " "' pounding .... .,..,. dipning into the valley. He could hear the - of his own heart . And when he (/) tl>"Tl -t<- ~' e:... heard the creak of leather , loud e.s anything , he twisted his head and saw it wes the lea~ ~~- l> z . . ~ -" C _ band which H.a.kuk wore to support his water bott le S lff!Rf)t..y N _. CC~..._ ..,f, ► creaking every time the f a t Zea lot br e~~~'t4 - ·; ~ Re could smell the lea ther A.nd he fe lt ••,i• the thou~ht of He.kuk 's - leather belt descendin g on his sh oulder . Then he stopped that thinking with a discomfitted grin as he remember ed he WRS not Hakuk ' s son and turned back to watch the Nazarene. He was sure now 'Ihe boy the Nazarene would s peak . leaned forward from his hips , his eyes shining and some thing ready to open in him •-lf.a_AJ ~WL,-/!af._4ai.tf,, /JJ'I)> hJ/2. HE s·Po1vJ... WltC: Vall( Gc,Oi> -.,,JtTf( W*t!; s which the bazaar talkers us ed e.t thei r rus ty old me eti ngs . ~ J l!Al!d.,_;;:] fig ft~~ _ .:::::.:t:. ::: ::Jt119l fP 1 • :;1w:..r.:/ 111Hb~= ~ ~U,6 ~ ~ tv " ~ • 13£ A SC/llSI! , ~llyll>e II F'~R. He , ___. le ... I I r HIJ'b PJen- ,~M i1111t.. il-r --m~ 'iP.t.t. '"1>1:~w J..1€ w ~11/,,j;. ~l!.y -~ /6ellr rl,l>'I ns II sdl,~~. ~ tfr<; f"/J(f5 SEA...t.; -i lrt l;.beoz,at @S t i)§ 1 I t d 61622 ~ C Pj!!fi~ UWI L ibr ari es 96 w1broken colt from our stable, so wild t h.at DIii even I was not yet a llowed to rid e h i m. But t h e azarene mounted .him and he was gentle as a dov e , ears unpainted, flanks quiet , face satisfied as if' h e had just finished eating from a mound of hay taller than t h e Joppa Gate . And t h i s reminds me tha t I wi l l say to the azarene t hat the Joppa Gate is softer to breach centurion who guards it is always in wine and so it is softer t o breach . And a lthourh this wil l not be real l y true , yet I must have him to pass through the Joppa gate for that way he · • Ntf2h/teNC'S must pass th e schoolj so I wi l l see the green in Saul's r~ce when I march by with thek rmy • ._-____. ·rP.vl.. /tl>Jft~/1./- IW1l w,,;~~P(Jj,,. 1¥11- Rw11Yfi._ IN HI~ /1111./'b_, He ;/~'!) 1()1/.NE'b -ro / But d th the • • • • -"Judas To JNr:IA.. Y>\ "'T'//6/h OF His PJ.ftJIV.- .,,-,;e ~fU:}f'Petl\J~/'f/el,J·f IIN'J) ff/lJ6e'A., and Ha.kuk~ And then as h e saw wha t passed bevneen their eyes , 1he had lmown for sure . The lie 1m';::, m1sf(;I) -n;e wc11.'bs ~v-r rr wf.)S PL./JI/J JN1'- -r11e ;;yes of' J',i:bfl> A~ Hfl1t.vk. Nazarene would not ~ht ./\There was no army hidden beyond the brow of the hill. A litt le sob 9t broken from him before he could hold it back . He turned away from and t here, walking stiff-legged until he was clear of the crowd , then broke into a wild run._ ?rstpr;.ed into t he yellow sunligh t._ .f'Pfl C- V 'J;;,Ptll,;.(t;~ SffAf>OhJ wfls me LEa,oN /J.c/111!./wp'f_::. '.Pl,c ~ h• 1 s 'sat a e.t-)iinto the passage~ ae ~ ilxam:t.m. Unerringly, he brushed past down beside the other s and · flopped/• Ben Legion . He was breathless . But he mumbled it swiftly enough . '''lhey a re removing the Nazarene to Caiaphas' palace. They figure the Nazar ene's men rescue him on the way will try to ''where and then they will wipe them out . 11 FislllfA.,f>,/UI > is the biP°J\Simon?" Ren Legion asked quickly . "He is gone . I hee.r t hey tried to get the Zealots to he l p them rescue the Nazarene, but the Zealots will have nothing to do with it . So they will try it by themse1lves . " 'Il1.ere were moments of silence . Then Ben legion laughed softly in the darimess . "Brothers . " he sa id , "tonight. I promise you, you shall whet your b lades as never you have whetted t hem before . Listen . " John Mark heard too. e heard it with his boy ' s mind trying to run away from the impending horror . He remembered the work those same blades had done in the alley. '' And what of the young lord to whom I kneel although he is beneath me?" Dem~s . legion asked / 'bRy '-y, "vvhy, Demas Legion, br_ing him along, 11 Ben said . '1 '1here is too much promise in the lad not to teach himi ~~~ can. '1 '9 12-vwM ~ ~ @b;\wel BROl<6N-Too-rrl€~ f/J,.i- yau J-IIIV6.,;....___':'.,..,.L.E u~J II~ ~.,. UWI L ibr ari es 97 CHAP~ 18 ~yPTtfl/11 Ni codemus had put down thickf\carpets on the ti l es ••- oP and there wer e smal l po ts wvwe•a:ii:ai:z::::aat=1•l~•F pa lms al ong hi s c orr idor s t h r ough ef'l~B?t··c:;q~~ .:i.°-za;·;;;· tlll::i;:t QlillZOm:::::.ilil.lAll;i;~ - ·Ill'=;:; lil&!!!!'l!!IS a.Alt al ... the hous e like sentinels . Janus Aur e l ius , striding the corr idor, could no t hear the sound of his own footfe.11 and , be i ng angry s t r a.i ght thr ough , he wanted to hear his foot h i .t the t iles and ... jarrings right up i nside fee l the j ti ,-IJ!LIJ■J-· "" h is head . And th e po t t ed palms offended him with ~ ther e no their sheen of domes t ici tyJ put WI 1T rt ,( loub t by an end of cloth dipped in ~ oil and a lit;1.e . rubbed on the leaves. Th er e was am •11. Jf light at the b o t t om of a closed do or a t the end of the corridor and he s t r ode on towards it, h i s f a c e cold and set . He pushed throu gh the heavy door a s i f i t was not there and she did no t know how he s e "lmed had found her, but s he ..... gl d to s e e him. A.. have "Janus -Janus, 0 Janus, you .... come to help mo!" she cried, running towA.rds him .• Nicodemus he.d no t returned and she was alone in the house and had begun to fear for /,IJ Hell. /l]l//1) her sanity. For pictures had begun to come alive in her mind. She had begun to seeR he . .SONc broken ••• body of her ~ h: I?>. She knew the brutality of the Temple guards. She had seen it at work in the court of the Gentiles where their rule was absolute. But now fhs. 111;1 .. rtf&i J;::-~ HI.S Hfhll v,JflS ~µmPt..Ep . S11ti Janus had come and he W!\S a mighty man., ~-+,!; I lii&i< ·:tai~ f o c,tr?f4.llaj e-e-- aJ>Li 6~e W/95 GLfll> -r;; see Him ., "Janus 0 Janus - I - I II :M.ary Mar k ha1 ted her rush. She he.d been running across the room_, scared as R fawn a t the ugly pictures she was leavinl!: behind and we.nting ~ a "1 • d, to • •1 II #_I • bring up • iu~~ . against his hard body and have his arms firw/ 'iirlf-ll!§ JP !ft.I\ ~ ut the eyes regarding her from ~nderneath the peak of the metal cap wer e the eyes of a stranger. "Wh - what is the matter with you, Janus? You - look so strange - your eyes 74J1J.A- "11Vhere is he?" the stranger barked. vt ~ ltltt1M=il~He - he is out with his men-!" Surprise and questioI:!$\vere in her eyes. "I mean the boyl Where is he'? 11 '" -. The mRn WRS bellowing as if he was on the parade ground. He had never treated her like this before. The eyes were blazlng out of a face like stone. Was this the a■~• 7 • a red-haired temper she had heard of among the Romans? Then it was time it met with the black Her palms tingled to 2...,:lt :We h ~ired one of the Jews. He .. q,s daring to use a whip on her. 01 ·111 I rt1r1t1- 111 RhitU t _r...,, f A A. UWI L ibr ari es 98 St-AP H, ;s. F"l1Cl:f. ~o~M:k:d§t'~I _::;g ~ CA:':R SF? ill!'tt~'.::~il~llliil&!l!!~@lifi~@!!!!~l&Yitlilliiii!iFiii!if" p ,.,._)a!!'$.s«Je ~ ~ ,£tdt~; Tit hli'w PP I "Are yo1:r"'drunk?" she asked in quick hope t ~ : ,.,, rt i a u riU:f;i:30~ She had never seen him drl.ll'lk . But she had seen Roman soldiers drunk during their • vJ{)IJ.~€ {BRl).C~v6 T/f!1t:,_'rJflS . ,v,tr heathen festivals and they were .._ i 8 •(!anusA now. v.W.re ~~Q!lliz. Theyr turned carts and broke windows and howled sad songs in high tenors • .And then they wept . When they were in their cups they wept 1 for they remembered Rome and how Rome had for- Vvslf6b -r11ePi ou-r ,t.1-ro ...,-1-11; ,,, f'~D V1A1ce.S w1-1,,M --r11c G,O~ rM6o-r~ All)t> FoRGo,T€N..:> gotten ~hem ~ But she could see that he was not drunk. , Ho J WM g, inning e.i; )\ et Ff,. ~IIJ~ ,F£3 • t .-etiflff J;.,;., aAt%11Z 1 gl ee to p,w 1 .i. b,,b u~, 28:11 ~ 1 ; Of h:ts:h , , 1/e:,e V "You are like all your race," he said through ae teeth ... hEL L l.w-'c lever ." Her eyes opened wide until he could see the whites and then she slapped his face . Somehow, so swiftly she hardly sew him move, he had imprisoned her wrists . "That was clever too ," he said bleakly, "your pr etence . " He would expect her to struggle or to plead now that he hurted her wrists . But she would not give him that satisfaction. She would s~and there in that awkw~rd position until he saw how ridiculous he looked holding her wris ts, an~ then releas e her, he would , blushing like a fool . O, she would htnnble him at every move . "You would use anyone for your own ends , wouldn't you ....;_ J ewess ?" UWI L ibr ari es masked his face. His grip opened .. amd. hdl ltamto J&h . 99 WDLIL.°b NIIT warn ~ 1 You knew all along what the priests were after, but you~ - f\me, '4Jould you? How do you know? Perhaps I could have found a way out for all of us, /Jtif I have / v Fl-1.,lai}tE, some ~ But you preferred to have me kicked back to Rome, stripped, beheaded, anything, so long as your son was safe." She was coming a.part . She felt all of her falling apart . She had to hold on. "But it will not be so,~ Stop shaking your head and hear me. I shall find him. Then you and your tribe can sing psalms for him, if I know old .Annas." She was dead. Yet he kept on killing her . Couldn't he see she was dead? Her head moved weakly. "Janus, 11 she said wearily, 11 ! never knew until - " His thin lips twitched with contempt. "Save your case for the Sanhedrin. Your cousin, Nicodemus wil J argue it for you. I suppose he is hiding the boy tonight so he can get him ,.,~ out of the city tomorrow. Tel l him ·-·~.aBMa•t hopeless. There are double guards at the gates looking out for him • . ~ ~#? I/ shall J have, him ~ before 17 morning." She put her hands up and touched her face like a child; took them down again and st~red at her fingers. She looked up at him. 'Ihis was a stranger. 'Ihe mouth was too thin and t he nostrils flared and· the eyes were ~knives . She stared and shook her head, -her lips working . The tea.rs ._ were welling up now and . they blurred her sight. "Janus - 0 Janus - dont you see - I - I - " She couldn' t stop t hem from fil Jing up and overpouring down her cheeks. He laughed without mirth, his lips a.way from his teeth . "Your history books recall another Jewess. D3lilah. Remember her? Elcc_ept, my dear, that~ wont take~ to the shearers. I will find your lost lamb and hand him over to Shepherd .Annas." c.0 1.,,-1> -rt1R()v6rl She waited for him to go. A~wind blew~the - ashes~ inside of her. UWI L ibr ari es • i 100 CHAPTER 19 He was quite lost. They had gone around corners and through passages and up and heed ess of caution, in a manner down stairs, · Hu■• dlll I I 7 I I ~ • they had never dispb.yed before • 'Ihere was no t alking among them now. ...Q... Ben IJl;ion, roving ahead like a driving wind, hurried them on with clucks of his tongue. Demas Legion had let go of. the boy's neck but kept firm hold of his hand. John Mark was glad they were walking upright now. by He knew why they had come upright; Ben Legion had said that/now the priests would disposed have called off the search for him while they L u- • • of the other matter. John Mark ,l'\. knew what the other matter was. It was what Ben Legion had laughed about back there. Buth would be stone dead before he would make them know he was sick. He was bruised and beginning to be wearyJ but he would be stone dead before he woul make Demas Legion know he was tired. He would be stone dead but he would show them. He pl.lnped along in a laboured trot tha t kept him close to Demas Legion's long lope. He knew Simeon's Tomb. It was an old brick tomb in a narrow street with a rounded top and two gnarled old almonds which almost met over the roof. He would be up in the almonds, lying out on a branch. All Ben Legion's men would be up there lying • along the had branches. Ben Ler ion said they would be up there until the Temple police finished off the Nazarene's men. Then they would drop .down among the Temple police. 'rtNIS/f ?:!!§!!!. oFr7 There was ar.■IJ g empty place in his head a.nd a smal l pain somewhere in his bowels that made his knees wohble as he pushed on behind Demas. He stumbled and Demas kept him upright, . .... ~1'E • s ::bkaltze We kept his lips stubbornly shut, '-'~ He would be stone dead/ ht.ftw h ,1,\1,,./_,e ~ ~ ) ~ ~ ~- =tt/1.uJ.. He squeezed his eyes shut for an instant and shook his head to free it of such If£- /,(3 fl?REl!E1 W~N H I.S matters. He should not be thinking a.bou t stone dead. ~ uncle, his father's brot her, .. died in Capernatnn and he had gone down there with his mother for the funer ~l. He had wan- kJ!!lRtT $DA, OF $ IF HeEbei -,0 IMve Ills Bl¾~ Ct.CSE i2> It kl.,,. .. . were close ~ the wal J) • • 1 - HZ fixed there. He spoke carefully/ AP a& 1 ! LS: j-J,s vo,ce Lo~ PH1u.,P '1Jl)Nb',;R£i, tF •,fl€ S 'mON(; 7'1m8c/l- Hfl'b 1 11R,() Fii IQ Sl9~b~T. h)tts ~ ,-. Rt ec:rE ~, T ri€ R ock I clb.J m fo l.J~ ? ~ w it by the Tomb where they must thin out to pass. When they thin out, we rush I UWI L ibr ari es • J • t ""' d 'em. 1mrny Tqun er o'f the silent wall ~ GP.AR> -me {JI~ and me ~ and make a run J . ~ a.gain. 102 for it." He stopped, a p1rt dbl[ "'.Lhen - what? ;; Thoma s a sked, an odd triumph in his voice. savagely. "Then we release you among them, you louse, and you make them scratchl" ·John said / "Then we keep them engaged as long as we can," Ma tthew said. "Righ t l" 'Ihomas exclaimed. "Three of us against that mob - Phil is out. :W.y God, three of us can keep them off your heels only as long as it takes them ·to climb over us 1" . -"Two of us," John said, "the revenue man and me. Nobody climbs over a louse. They ..,ISIIS. • ua,#1' YR,1,,,. ) "Ii squelch ~ (//- ~ • 1 "Why cant you . keep them ·off long enough?" Je...ines demanded. "' ,. ~ ' ?" • loue;1nJ1,- IHtJP?IJc ,.c mlk/..v(:;;. S.Gnt..tc Thomas is talking sense, old Fhillip thought.J:-e pulled his cloak closer about him. The wind , chuting through the narr ow street, was chill. It was dark and the only sotmds were their voices and the hard scurry of dried almond lee.ves in the gutter. Thomas was talking sense but a mA.Il could talk sense ·and yet no t be right. The T~ple gue.rds would go through them like reapers through a wheat field. Up to thRt point, Thomas was right. But after that, he is wrong. I am older than any of them. My bones tell me I wont be long with them now. On the heigh ts, and as hot knives. 8iJT ·YG::~ TIits IS 'T'/1~ r in chill weather, my bones tell me with tongues Ho~ &LP j?.;lit.L{ P tH I AJ><5 :; . • - ' Simon Peter, J: o /i/<.e,, hi/. fhv(_ ~ b-Yofb.tY ~ ...._ even the bra je and_ young bul T\ CVllZ. ~ IJ_~,H~~l-0/j ,,, even this Jimmy Thunder, all leather and. with the endurance of a building; ~ ~ fJ.--v/'itv . aye, ,,;the passion~te John, with a scope for love too big for his frame; Y\ • to or my Matthew., with t he cunning of a fox and anti tled to every right .. life for t he attention he pays t o it; • . ~ - or poor Thomas himself, k-.it H n rl-A-::1:ail arF.J!id!f. cone ea ling ,J>a in behind his buffoonery; a-..d.- ~ ()~ l) f/, 12, ys; ) .sc.a.#tr'(.~ C,X ·-tt:,,:,, ~ 19A-f &f '17..rt.. fi:a t--r&l!IA/C:t~ rny -{v 1(l, ,-d /BM,-rHci.Olht;kJ.. I would put them all on the altar, ~without pity, if it would save tha t one in ~ ~ ,.,. Annas' hands. I ,vould whip them with words and anoint them with words and slip them for- 8.1 tarstone, ward until they lay on the •. . if they could be taken instead. He took his hands from the wall and pushed them inside the cloak for warmth. In But it wil l not be so. a my bones, I know it will not be so. Yet, Thomas is lt fGWT ~ ~ ) 1lte,-[ must keep on trying. I dont know why. UWI L ibr ari es 103 g He added dry!-l.: the bes" plan we can find and it might succeed, "Phillip said quietly.f,".And, "It dear Matthevr, I'll 1,8 there with this old hulk which I carry around,helping to turn fl the " point of e. spear. ~ ; Binion ..P•""---- t d ou-.- ~.e -1:ihe .. s_ 0~PP,, 8 •• _ 1111li . d A- il t th _ -;;;;:: _, __ . ...,.- recess an aown 1-nto the street. . . w 1 go o . e I'\ rn... ,, " he said • .1vmb, n ti IU 11',J,,, above him"Lik e a dark vult!-11"e.1tutd!b:t.- iJN t l'l lon fe.stened in his neck .,.) ~.~ .....,.. r- :..;-- - •• I • ~tr ere was a scuffling e.nd e. whispering .~~~ ... ~~ b ?A-, ..., ~~NJN6Lf, ~ . Dem9,s' • fingers/t igh tenedi John :M.e.rk strained his sight past his feet to the some inches ~ shapes roof of the old tomb a A t r 5 below him. '!here werelJPI- moving down there, shapes thg_t whispered and shuffled about, then the silence of the tomb closed in again. He knew what they were and the terror moved through his limbs until he wa s I.WO Ila fle.cid with fear e.nd a cold sweat pricked all over his skin. the 'Ihose shapes on the roof underneath must be the Temple police whom .. Legion had said would ambush the Nazarene's men. ~e could reach down with his toes and touch t hem. He felt everything slipping away inside him. His weight hung almost J,11}~ entirely from the iJ11J ~F~ which held him. . . 1', ,ts 'f It was ~~e wheeze of old Fhilli~ which told ~hen the Nazarene's men neared the , ,_-~~st?-r w1+w1 Pt1..1r,e)) tomb. ~!ht Jlo 1- 'tle ha.d blinked away the..,..~......,_ I ilM11 his eyes, «1'•!!!11 i!Mf l'fe ,77/V(c" 71/£. OV7 ~ } Wt;AE G ll(}n:s could ~ ..,_ edg:ing down 'fhe street. The Legions 11 in the tre~, h li boc:01Ao t!'>:roa.h . There was nothing alive up here, se.ve Dema.s, fingers. He felt the fingers working around his neck The fingers me.de a until the thumb flattened itself behind ·his ear. IUI t1 W suggestion of a twist. ~ ~ tf.aa.L tla1f1 ~ ~ tJ-ww up~~ .fu~ £l€l'tlns f.tP/1£-t; UWI L ibr ari es I i _) The narrow -street made a righ t angled turn a few yards down so he only learnt of the approach of' t he Temple guards and their prisoner when arose , the light from their torches stained the oppos ite wall. As the g low1 x•ut~ from luex E~»XH see all three rotagonists"181:Mi, he could,••••~•a• his vantage point in the tree abov e the roof,/the ambusher i T 1 p l ac ed the Xllt»jli Polic e had/:s:a:t on the roof, the Nazarene's disciples creeping on the cobbles, forward,.( unaware of the danger above them, and the elongated sha ows of the approaching prisoner and escort reflected in t he glow on the wall. The scene moved I round and round in his ~ until he had it all sort~L-~~ w ~ - -,tfre-'7:! s-coril • ~ om are-~~ out. When the Nazarene's men got close enough,/the p olice on the roof k¢ --- wou1a ~ down on them and t he m.ixa:&:s. swords §c ~ e would ~~ /i7 through them all , Peter, old hilip , Johnny Thunder , all the men he had /\101,,1> And he could see them I\ trying to climb up the swords which had gone l nown. through their bodies, as he had seen t h e Temple polic e do ir the alley when Ben's men had put the swords into them. Clim~ d climru! the swo.abi;1 !{1.,1., /!:,lfCK... W~) hands clawing at t he steel, until they ~bbe'l!!a8tl and died . And wmdtl '/Ju- j:>o//t.a,., ._ ~7 then Ben Legi~ s men l\dropw down amongll~ dll!llt;{~~£.~~~~~ ~ and t ~ s a ·-· , it would b_e the :a:» turn. of the p 0 olice to sc~eam ~~ ~ '1iJ a,iJJ/3 , ~- j'~~ ; • ! ~ HN hJMK GAY€ ,ik jlEIU II 7'. 6HT S/1/ll(e,. S.,moN p.,TC/1_ ~ . e "' ~ WOvU Sll'/J 1P !IE ~ €'RE i-16/25~ 11 SPILL ylJ R,, Itio; G:ix, f_ww "lJoWf'I. " lE1e light of tbe torches increased as the escor t neared, ~welling closer along the wall, and he heard another sound which at first he could not identify until he listened some more and then knew it for the whistle of whips. The escort guardsM were whipp ing their pr isoner. Whipping him . Wh i pping the Nazarene who could have been like King David, varrior and King , had he not, unaccountably , changed his mind that morning on the hill outside Jerusalem . The Nazarene whom he had loved,fiercely, against Saul and t he rest. And at whose side he had hoped to march when he entered the ax± city as king. Now they would whip, and , in the morning, crucify. Greek- Hebrew That was how it was done. He had heard i t from the/~ ._ ~ 1-1a w Bll£lJ ._ ii/£ mv-r r e l).e'J) fJ Goo.b iJ1ii9i /.. U t.l( tNC!iN 1'A T1aJJ{# of the stars.Alie reckoned it was three""hours before daylight. He hi.mched down by t ,he small fire again and busied his head with the Spring troubles of the flock. r John Mark • Jnever knew nights were so l ong . ights used to be a matter of falling asleep and waking up again. A matter of cl?sing your eyes and opening them again. But this night was endless. As if there never would be another day • .And aaGlljiir ii -., he wa s having trouble with his ...- eyelids. No e.tter ho he tried to keep them propped open, t hey kept falling down . He , wett er blinked them fast, but ·all that did was t o get them 111a and heavier and then, just when ~mm1..-t;_ we.tchingJ-wlllait they fell and stuck like glue. He stumbled into a - stobl"rin--{ stubbed his t oe and hopped about, wideawake with the pain . , The boy dropped to the pavement and caressed the aching toe. ~~:;zes:'ilm'!1~ ~ 'FoP.. --ro fie sucked in air through his teeth. He waited ~ the pains stop- shooting.,t1!4lft#r ON s1'v~J3Eb it'& li~J.b then he rose and went fli. gingerlyAagain. But the .-ari had brought him wideawake ..,, , , 1 . ~ He looked cautiously about. were the spies ~ after him He was doubly a Quarry now. Not only •••• :aw•• ••11,-1 - 4 but the Legions also. If any of the Legions lived, he wi:is sure they would be after him for queering their game awhile ago . He hoped , roundly and strongl y, tha t none of them lived. ~ ~ - 'Ihey knew every incut and loop of the city and they could surround him anytime, anytime at all . He must watch it like an eagle , like a~ fox, bending his eyesight .SH ()OT/ >J 6 - 0 around every corner , ~ it ahead into every opening~ 4leady to whip about in a lightning change of direction or t o plummet onward, swifter than the wind . He breathed hard from the intensity of his thoughts . He rubbed the back of his neck and opened the collar of the cloak to let out some of the heat ••ms ga.thered under it. -~'He still didn't like this cloak. He looked down ,· . at it and hated it. He wondered who had I _: . • · h_is own blue c loak of fine linen, brother to t he one his mother had made for the Nazarene/. ' , ·' Al ""f 1.1 If .- Hb useAworry- a.,bout t hat now. Ther e were other things , W J Q) • 6 He must elude the Temple,~night• ~r in the morning there was Saul and the Wall. He had to be at 1z -~ UWI L ibr ari es • • r ; 107 J f:veN the fl~~- 71r\ if the'y killed . him afterwe.rds. ft: ,tlf~ r"o /!£ f/7 "1°Hf f'J/J LI,,. • ·-£! ,1ook his head :1\f-'- at the thought of killing. aB:a •* ;a ag,ugp He must ~ ' IF.:? find a way to --~ such thoughts.~ He looked a round and dis- covered he was in faJlliliar territor y agRin. He was in the street of Inns. He had an idea and walked on with his eyes searching,ijf~ Presently, he found what he wanted. There was a line of light issuing from a 4oorway further along the street. He went to it, cautiouslv. It was an ancient building and in daylight, its exterior would be unl!8lcoming. But, tonight, there was a- light and inside, he knew, there would be warmth and company and a chance to hide from his pursuers. Cautiously, he shifted an edge of the , • heavy goatskinsJ'curte.ins. He found what he expected. The company of pilgrims inside was poor but not so poor that...,they could not buy the cups of wine which entitled them to sit around the braziers and listen to the story-tellers. There were perhaps twenty or thirty squatting on the thick-skinned Syrian oranges floor and some of the older men he.d their long noses buried in 1■us11•• Ii It Pl I j ;g and ~n,J t;. I f!. $ l:. WI Iv G over I\. • • • .• - _ -'needling at long tears ii 'CbA i some of the women were bent lc,J/e-d ca-- l'V4tirl 4 ~ad ~ ,, If O, done himself out of them b ecause of his - swift tongue./ He could have stayed there and ~ ~J.t if the Greek • A qu1ev1y i_ -.rl2!:s • had no t reminded him of another Greek, Saul, and ma.de him make a fool of himself. He loosened t h e band at his waist for more comfort., thought s ome more, and shrugged. He -had obtained a portion of what he had sought in the inn f ood. Now h e quite desperately w nted the rest of it., sleep. He did not doubt that he a.tlwJ. 'I;' could do the 1 al l tomorrow., even without sleep; but he had heard 71i!;'S.lf7?ljr observe t hat a man was stronger after a sound sleep ; and he had to use his head if he wanted to beat Saul in t he morning . So he woul d think i t out as a big man and do what a big man would. But he mus t sleep somewhere near the Va l l so he would have t ime to be awake and be there before daylight. The street of Inns had been promising, for it was quite near; but he haa spoilt that one. He could not even take a chance on another inn for fear some pil­ grim straying from the last, would come upon him in there and denounce him as an interferer • .And then he had it and commenced walking faster. But his heart was in his mouth, place of safety For the etlllill!III•* he had thought o:,wa~ the Wall. UWI L ibr ari es 110 CHAPTER 21 Fhi l lip wa s t h irsty. He would have liked a drink of water. But he had t he bad idea wt>v'--b t hat • t he bitternes s in his mouth,~I •• bef oul the water.,.... ~ie• Rll#I~ ..,...f' . Fe looked around the dim chair court. So this was the ugly end. · Sm10AJt1 he t hought. -,~ b~ .Sob.J. ~ A,lr'.t.1l. r-. e . thought how like w~}pped ~ they had slunk be.ck to kennel, and, like --~~ "t) all} ~d,,;.,..t;. ~ 1 -- - 7v.J they whined. He was unspe.ring 11 -=-nJIPtcai&t J?Wi/k & He heard John moan a gain end he closed his fist. Fhillip ~ ha d only just returned to the ...-it court. He had been unable to run as fast as t he others when the al e.rm came, and he had heard the strange sounds of battle on the roof of the tomb. He had just learnt from Matthew, the meaning of the sounds. "The trap was set for us." M8 tthew whispered. "Lucky for us the Legions had their own ideas. They wiped out the police." "But why should they s ave us?" • told Jiim ' "They didn't," Matthew"-- grimly. "That was young John Y..ark. From what Ben ,1..;egion very courteously told me -- he waylaid me while I took my roundabout course to get here they wouldn't have minded had the polic_e first wiped us out." Phil J ip a l lowed the silence to run through his mind. Then he drew a deep breath ldlich hurt his chest and said at last: "Tell me about - - ~~ l!)_(lt:il:di.,f He felt 11'a. tthew stir and he reached out and touched his ,.,.,,.,~~ .- "We - we went ? ,■ there - to Caiaphas' palace. I dont know why. They had him in the courtyard of the .-. pa.lace. }iore than a score of them were there - police and soldiers, Roman soldiers. One of their centurions, named Guisepne - he is t heir brucifier - he wa.s - hitting him. Simon got in among the servants. I believe he must have made some protest, because one of the serve.nts said he was a friend of the prisoner. 11 }le stopped and Philip sa i d gently, i nsistently, "Yes? " tth ai rap i d ly . "S imon d enied it ',, l'-la . ew s t h . la tt hew " g ently, i nsis ting . "Ev ery ing , ' . 1 Matthew nodded, He s p oke quiet y. t s wore that he ha . d ·ea i·t Swore it was n o so . 11 imon eni • He was shouting , never been with us . Jever been with t h e _.1as ter . The f:.' as t er hear d and turned and looke d a t h i m . " you lmow . "That's a ll he did? " "That's all e d i d . J ust look e d a t h i . u t, Philip , it wa s Left h i m ." we went away . enoug h . r{ e -- we - Phul i p groaned. the best apost l es He said ' "Mat t hew' are we . 11 'VM'~ ·),(>.r x.nxn X:::t Jude a? ti he C o uld fi d i n a an~ .- : · P fJC6 - 1· n c onsola ble. h ilip harl tried . Simon Pe ter was ~- was where t h ey c oul d a ll hear him . sorry he d i d it - t ned h is head toward s They were Philip UWI L ibr ari es 111 ... salxd the corner of the court where Simon Peter ~ alone . ''You know, atthew, 11 he said in a queer voice , "I have never heard him cr y before ." nPut i t down in your book, Phil . I t 's an event ., 11 .atthew said dryly. ~~ Phillip dr8\'r up his knees and r ested his elbows on ·them bu~ .., slipped ..,,., td PL Ft. G GE.]) when his knees suddenly ~•l)lr l ~~ and he didn ' t figh t his weariness anymore . He leaned h i s b• ·ck to t..he wall and allowed his hands to trail on the ground s ome more hours before mor ning . He tmderstood Ma t th ew to - ~ c~rtyard . They would have him to themselves fo r some more hours before the Sanhedrin met . He looked up a gain into the square of stars . --OJ tPE is t he miracle? Let drop a single star and --A th ~ out in !:_ -burning . Q, ~ , where 8.tz.~ Ma t i:..n ew Heard -- .-s (Zl ~ c e the groan . Hew sn ' t used to comforting . He couldn ' t · comfort old lnil­ cohmm lip . And old Ph il wouldn ' t want a ha nd on his s houlder . But he could do with a IE . to lean on o "If any man would come after me , let him take ~ his cross and follow me _..," 1/atthew-__ _ _ __ ___ __ _ __ --- said for the second time that n ight . Fhillip bent over and fumbled with t he laces of his sandals . He took them off i=i.nd s lapped them together. 'Ihen he relaced t h em and s at b ack .- again. "Need e. n ew pair, 11 he ii-r unted . "These -fO -:fdJ.iJSAl.£/l'f .J » a r en 't comf ortable for runni ng . 11 "Ttl/-17 ~ l/2RTliE "He needn't have com9:.., /\ Ma tthew said . "He knew it would happen . " • '1ID :~r.:rll'Y· "We asked him~ ~ emember? But h e was set on it." ; Phil ?" low., a lmost a whis per . 11 I am going to a sk you s omething." '- /)t.J b fl'Pfr;/<.. /:>t-Wfft Lt. C nPhil? What is this kingdom of the spir i t ?" • . Rm No-r S 1.11Jt; . i llio said slowly: "I( & Si a if I know. " 111/'lho knows ? Do you think Simon knows ? 11 "Maybe . I believe so . I believe Sim.on knows . 11 "Lb you think he would t e l l me if I asked him? " s It. KNCWL6i;;6c, 11 fo u, JOOJcll()"1.J i cc/2./tTES Hffp No·r .secl'16.c so w,se u r reL'f ~ foT St/J"Cf; ?J:Jtl.S tiflJ) C ()t>c, ~ T O --- /11.f l.rff ffe,A l>ec1.-N-fi> Ttflf'r (/IR1Vc WflS FikT.H , I# ___./ {fit11.1P s Jr;Hl1) . ~5 UWI L ibr ari es • 111 A ,, ( - . .., 11 r•laybe . P e r haps he c annot te l l it. I bel i eve that when you lnow , i t 5yeems you canno t t ell it . I t i s sort of' lo cked up inside of' you. A kind of secret ." "Then if' you c annot tell it , how can you teach it , as he said we should ?" he meant you should fl I bel i eve/t-l-la at; -yel!l shcntid == • t eac h men to pr a y for i t. " fl And when they have got i t ?" Slower . "I be l ieve that is when t hey a r e bor n aga in. fl nd anot her s i lence . And a s t a r f' e l l , trai l i ng l i ght ur1t i l the dar k- n 7ss filled in aga i n . dog b a r ked and a t h ick - fleshed almond l eaf fel l an into a 1-1ud d le with a plop . et it was no t / ord i nary night . The g r eat personal li_appeni ngs ensured it . Alt oget her , taki ng e v e r y t hirg , it is a ni h t like no o t her n i ght , Ph i l ­ ip sa i d. !a tthew said s oftly , "That John ny Th under . Have you t alked with him ? " ~ - Talked wii:h him? Why, man, naturally." _ ~ · _ ~ ''We -11. What I mean is-. I me&.n -~ he's a funny fellow. Moody. Full of a _fu~y ... p•i'tion .tihat saws him into queer patterns, if you see wh$t I mean. Sometimes, its almost .. j. ~ . as it he' ·s touched, -the things he say~. You know. -And yet ---" • Fhillip wheezed a tortured breath out of his chest. He looked around the court. '.lheywere all there, each wrapped in his own cloak ot brooding. Tomorrow, this court a hive of would be ►• 1 t l§!Nilf:JV•-« live chairmen, •~•~--•xmu:11.ag eeling and squawking m · s1tsr ,..4R'IU. _ 2, .rr. ~N'~" 0 and breaking into brawls as th~y jostled for ~ ( •-'4• _,.,., it was a. tomb of' , - grief. Matthew fingered around on the cobhles and found a pair of pebbles. He picked \ them up and rattled them together like dice. !KZXll-,S~P?c.ZllfA[UZl:ZifDD: "You remember the ·tlllle we ·camped in the cave ·or the_ grey foxes? By Dabereth, up near the sea of Chinnereth? When we talked about the kingdom? You re.manber, Fhil ? 11 ~illip rf!lllembered it fine• Very clAarly • . '!he pain was a.lso very cl, arly brought to his chest as he drew sharply on his breath. It was by Chinnereth th~t he had known i:he young Teacher was doomed. Y.nevr it as a. blow on the head. Sickeningly aware 4 ' that Jesus knew i t too and had accepted the knowledge. 11 ~OH# 1'iff)11'be~ Matthew spoke softly so the others would not hear. ~ was seated by himself' 1 , a little way o.ff in the cave. You know how he is. Moody. I went oTer to him. Why? I dont know~ ' We _aren't exactly heart to heart friends, would you say, !hillip? But this day. Was as if something took hold of' me., I sat down beside him. "He was writing with his finger in the dust on the floor of' the cave. He had gotten the he.bit from the Master. You know. He'd do it sometimes when he Wlls thinking. You tollcnring me, . Rlillip?" UWI L ibr ari es 111 B /mv~ry inch of -the way, Mattlu•• What did you stumble upon, lllY foxy friend? '- "Yes, 11atth•• Cont inue." "'lhe_re he was, writing and rubbing out, writing and rubb in!!'. out eTt=1 rytime with a bru,h of his hand. '!he same figure in the dust, everytime. Then .,»de:fhti one time hie left i.t th ere and turned ful l to me• 'l'he:r'e were his f!JY8S, burning out of two holes 'in that brown fe.oe of hia. like coals at the bottom of a stoff. 11 In the dark, he Jf.J1tthew paused.,/h strolcedhis uncombed beard with the bA.ck of one hand. -Fbillip silently. m 11---rr,N!W loAlfllJ·u cl) . JoFTL 'I\ l 'lhe eyes ·. burning i nto me with a light I have never aeen save - . . in the Master's. He whispered hoarsely at me, sheking w1 th excitement as a Bedouin. who has turned up a cache of nuggets ~ltNt9lf 8 M ~ ''lhe Ki~gdom of Heaven ia. here 1 ·{ Here! The Second Coming --- its here already! Here is the chariot in- which comes -the . Christ of_' whom ~ our fathers spoke,' And he oointed me &t what he had writt en in the dust and only then did I recognize it." . .. Philip g r unted . n fhat wa s Xll it? 11 11A cross, 11 J\l a t t h w said tonelessly. "The ;¼ijf fljja,; oman a l t ar on which our conquerors ometimes p l ace t heir well beloved citiz ens of the second class. # That was t he c hariot his oor dar mi nd h a d fashioned for t h e Mas t er . 11 ---SP1 CE - - - Philip recalled another journey . He could hav e t old poor , puzzled ~ atthew why it was not peculiar t ha t such a r e ve l at i on shoul d come f r om John . 1 e could tell Matthew how John ' s tind had a way of iJUSh i ng out into arid ho ok the deep, ±mmk%Q into some boundless truth , some incred ible insight, and bring i t i n to familiar wa t ers . A very g if'ted f' isherman , :fisher of' ';!2· §_ Philip recalled the journ ey. UWI L ibr ari es lli-c --- - SPACE I t happened a t Be thany . They had left Cana in the early spring , soon as the roads were fit t o travel , walking in the cool of t he ~a~ days . • Sometimes th~ tel] in w:l.~ oqrave.ns of merchants or pilgrims, sometime:;i' ' 31a"'ll_, ssr 71 , l1 .,,~,.,t-5 - . along l _ittle used ...,_ scratched in forbiddi~ und fastnesses, but sA.fe enough from -the ror,ber b11nds which skulked away betwee~ the rooks et the e.pprca ch of the brawny Simon Pete~ !Uld_ ,the brothers Jmes and John and the other oar-streng1'e111ec1 __ ~ g iants of Galilee . And the Haster had been so full of life and vigour. ver talking . Ever explaining . Ever illustrating from the F F'Ui\li> 2 great i "GI of stories in his head. He could hear him now as if it had been yesterday: "Listen ~ A sower went out to sow! " -- And you heard t he wild music of the words, like the wind in the tre e s, t<:,J' h '-'-YI -,,1 within_, 'teaching t hem the new way to_ God tha t r _equired no money Z,1JTZvlJ . - £,.p.. c~, FILff}L- ~ rams, o~ goats or doves. f+ee. • 'fl, :1'.f;i..."t f'r-ic.-e.,. Ei l't\f>ly 90 • W -rA1fJ ~ I J:IIYI . / Am, , \ And on and on they had go~e., ~:, J 1FIL~ie'8Jmv·'Sft5Ft. he now recalled , through Nazareth and Jain and Be t habara, throu l Sychar and the cities of ~ amaria , pas t Lydda and Be thel and Jericho, p reaching and healing 1 through the territory of Gal ilee , until , :ff&tJ- as hom i ng pigeons , t hey had turned their faces to the whit e roofs of Jerusalem . But at his beloved Be t hany , t he Nazarene had paus e d. And there withinl a 141 Wf st one's throw of the Temple , he had y i elded u p himself to the Prff· st s . '1-fe had re-. 11 r:· '1'6--rltlrZ PAI · ..,,-s L!J. ' ca ed a dead man :from the -- t omb . L-And so given ,.-cne u timate , mos t dan- gerous account f himself as an enemy of the Temp le. LazarJ us Lazarus ( 4Pd i n t hose t errible mo ent s before t he tomb, when they wheeled wi dly be tween terror and insani ty , Philip had heard John cry the great truth. __ _ " e is God in t he F lesh I come down t o __ us t 11 I i s eyes c losed , and fac e queerly gaunt, John had made the whispered cry t hrough clenched t ee t h , a s in a fit , t he encompas sing fact, loud in hilip ' s ear as a thunderclap. And wi t h blanched cheeks , Philip had stumbled away , fumbling blindly bef'ore him until he found a tree and sank at its roo UWI L ibr ari es ' 111 D Th.illip wraP~ed his arms about his knees, pushed the sounds of the court from his mind and • gave himself ove r to thought. ,(Ir Go.d w~s Spiri ~. e.; i:he N~~za-· ene had taught them, life, as he called it, then Spirit had entered into them at' - , birth. 'fhey had been born with it. It lighteth ever y man tile. t cometh into th is world, John ha d whis pered t hat morning outside Lazarus' t omb. But if a s econd coming, a horning age.in,as the Na.zarene had termed it, wa s nec es sary fol" obtaining . th e kingdom, then the Na za rene must die so h is spirit could live in them. - · God tu:,amE beC6Jll,e flesh, to dwell among us, John had _s a id. ·And flesh di ed. The Nazarene had s A. id at ,._ ~hinnereth that he was the l ~mb for s acrifice, the expedient victim, t he s..b.epherd who died for his sheep. He would die so 'lbe Word, a! ~ohn ha~ call~ it, could be. born a ga in in t h em. IN -rile 6cG. iN~<. wits llt{.,#,Wol!.'J> [_;;Jcfff.J HB'l) WHIS/'E'~t;() ·/11€ Ll4 ' ::;,- "Z?a£J21U gJrznu.n-Yll~ XllUIJll~ZlX n vJ;/JL ,r re :::. - .s: p A--C..(5«- - . • ".,J "I dont ge t the principle of i t , H :Ma t t hew said worr iedly. "A cross . Why? I woul dn't ask the others. They 're young . But you'll underst~d, Thil. Why? Why th e cross 1/'IH~'r JOl-tN 8/lOC;J>S S'Oj » and "You're a. young man t oo, lfA. t t , ~ni ght is a bad time to .worry," Fhillip said gently. "Everything looks b le ck. Wait until t he sun comes up." "wn J i~t: ,~jrJi?111~ 1t ~ a ·~-,,Rt -~h "'° cJri.t.h ~ 9't?., Th.il J i p waited a long t ime before he s noke. The Na zar ene had once • u 1J1 g;f' ST I rF ~5 h GtocJR.'J>, nit Mlll / LF@tt;B[ 5 , 6.YGS', , .dliL (JNS(£8(Nf:,A C/..IJ'T'CHfW G His WIJ1.1<11.1G. s-r11pp sa ·r-tGriTLY e,g' HI S l'(/JvCKLcS, a-.. • SHON€ WHITE: " UWI L ibr ari es l. l . J. E war ned them a g ains t t e l ling their though t s t oo f'reely. Do no t c ast y our pearls before swine , h e had s a id , instan tly p resenting a word - p icture • ~ their eyes in the way only he could . u n u e r l ine . But he must tell it to Matthew. soon they would all be scatt ered to t he f our wi nds. He had no doubt of .:r,SW it . The Temple would see that t hey were hounded out of Jerusalem . An Mat t hew would be travelling alone. Ma t t hew would want t o trave l with him , but, priests or no p riests, he d i d not see h i ms elf taking to the roa m CO? a,,vt-, s wit h a ches t ready to cave in a t any p ()Cl2_ ~ J e would stay i n Jerusale m. But because "Ma tthew f3~tN,G, ·1 h is old trade as F erod ' s tax colle ct or Aa constant in t h e seemed so u n sure , Ae se :ic.llr:?~ sometime~ h urle a t h i m, he woul d victual Ma t t h ew for his lonesonie road in whatever way h could . "That is downright stup i d , at t hew , " h e said sharply. "Grie ving for a Master is understandable. I e pe ct tha t even crusty old Gama liel will have d ifference. 1 d iscip les gr ieving for h i m wher he goes , But i n our case, there is a ~ ___ [ ~"y_g..}.l_~ere re~dy harq. ~ ~d.ll l\.to c ollapse wi th the rest of us a whi le a g o, 11 ·1atthew said A ~ en more stup id me , " snapped Philip. 11 You aske d me earlier about t h e k i ngdom of t he sp irit. I said I was no t sure if I kne w. I will t e ll y ou what I do l ow . I know t hat t here is a s p irit in every man . A s pir it of fulf i lment which has to be fulfil led . As a musician or a cobbler , as a priest of Jehovah or a cleaner of s t ables . And this individual spirit of a cc o pl isl: ent, is • Go ; within us. " " H ow do you et t o t at? " ta t t 1ew demand d "The I• aster told us this , r e 1ember?M God is in t he l ingdom of' h eaven and the k i n dom of heaven is withi n 1s. _ emember ? he :faster t aueht us t his. m When we manifest t hese ac complishments , t h e k i ngdom has come to b eing us . His will is be i ng done on earth a s it kx:sxl&.1utm done i n heaven . ut we nee d t e bread of fa i th t o believe t hi s is so . To b elieve i n our selves . And we n eed it daily, .sx xx~ each hour. 11 And I could go on and t ell you , friend r! a tthew , t ha t only wl en we sanctify ourselves will t hi s faith be abundant . Sa ctify ourselves , a s a t; IJasso:ver t he r aster declared he had d one ' " 1:n t; lie uppe r ro om of our little friend ' s house . n d we cannot sanct ify ourselves , make ourselves holy and c l e a and ureas the lamb when i t is praye d over by tlle p rie s ts b efore t he sacr i fice , we can ot do so; until we hav e learnt how to for ive. XMDXI'.IDf~f,{U The s p i­ rit flourishes only when we for g ive . . here there is no for g i ven ess, the sp irit i s cho ed and there is n o access to God. (Phil i p went bac k on his heels and tr i ed to squeeze some a i r int o his tired ol d chest . It was the final !ll iracle . ti!rl iiciilkjlt \.goo- P ilip t he Poor isherman had bec ome Ph i l i p t h e D ltn Preacher . He s mile d a l itt l e sadly at his jo e . He did not th i nl<: he woul d make a g ood pries t. He needed "_ , g ent l i ng . ith a little flurry of' i ts own, h is mind we t back t o a few day-s· ago when he had watched t h e 'j}zarene gentle the b u cki n g , unbroken co l t th~y · had liberated from t he2;l'fty t (a"'l4t'fdfef::l.ercely p a t riotic Judas lad grimly :ik\"'< joked . He remember ed how t h e fr i ghtened beast had been g en tled aft er t he Master sat on i t s back. Spoke/l quie t l y t o the t remb ling animal. And then_, not so much as a tos s of' t he head at~ the pe op le crowd i ng a rOlm.d . No t s o 111» mu c h as sw i s h ing a t ail a t t he wi ld shout i ng a n d the branches waved in its face as it bore h i m whom they believed t o be t h e incoming k i ng of the Jews• An d he r emembered th e - ~ t hought that had f l ashed in h i s min . so would he gentle all your wi l ct , J£, -purious s p irits. "Isnt t ha t t he .. prayer he '1ill1I taught us that morning on the mountain? " Philip j erked up h is head. He had quite forgot e en Matthew . the L O.S i caught up t he th.read of/conve r sation8• _ _..r~ . "That is i t ," h e said wea,rily . c onvince us • "That is why he has t o d 4 e . He To UWI L ibr ari es /4 t hat t h e spirit i s g r e a t e r than t he g rave. Ile wi ll PElS H o1. {J,..,), Tll£N He- t4''-L. 'i>lc. •· uncomp la i nJingly an,tq ) i e nh eo- J\A ... • 1 J • ;bt ,-di :., 111-F PcR.f../ ft /J.s suffer>w:11ew•~ ~~~ft~~Jffll "You sound a li t tle l i ke John . Mu ch like J ohn , 11 Matthew said . •?5Kc~lf tM--t 'JO" N vl)c) '-.b -...J"tlcj -k, ~~ i'\P' di,R_,, ,/ " le wil l show u s how t o be sons o f Go d and be son s of man . You will se e t omorr ow . " " It will t a k e a g r e a t de a l to t ak e i t xa:xi r a tional. 11 " o t wh en you h ave seen i t , Ma tth ew. 4e hav e seen h i m as s on of God. Th e mirac l es . Th e unbelie v ab le mirac l e s. We h ave seen them tk f'M fiui iM> ; e,,/()/1.ua M tJ1A'f vf -11:;j; ~ . ,all , with our own e y e s. 11 There is now t h e o t he r s i d e D to se e . Th en it wi l l be rat i onal. 11 1 1 "Wel l , th ere wi ll be pa i n , sure e ough . 11 Th ey were sud d enly talk ing c a l mly . A sudden need to d eny c alamity . 11 The pa i n wil l f orc e him t o .Qf: e.'l'beti , ::,COl:f7 sa, T a ckn owl e d g e it . Ulffl b eofi"?@ z::r::'z op,, e-f ~ l'ffl C =lil dfl • h :t,,1 -1ei..sx ~ l ood and pain is s t i l l a p a r t of our mort alit y ." :Ma tthew p a use d . . l e sa i , "But why do we r equire t h i s ? Ha v e n o t we s e en hi weep a nd laug h and i n a ngere any one of u s? /Je- i4vth,.J -1'1.i., ~ • ti~ ( h-,tJ,h , )/e "-A<; Offlt:f (),,{} Jw · J~ 1 .-. fh..d ,Uh l'f .~ ! '1 h il i p WOIXl:X.XXXXlfll~] Ctt:t:llQC was ab sor be d . There was much for wh i ch h e was s t ill s e arch i ng and maybe e r od ' s old tax collector had it somewhere i n h i s bat} . ftL I l'1>1J 11 e a re poor whea t , har d t o grow, " old Ph i lip sai d . I is t owns man , A f d llfrJr "\ S i n1 on Peter , wa s /'\.blunt fl Philip l i 'ed t o t h ink he was subtle . Be t we en ./-L I I 1-wO ha a 6 k 'ti; them , t h e t wo Be t h s a ida ~ ou.g h t to "keep thi s mi x ed b unch ~1;;-~,L{L ,, togeth er, ~ mehow. Ph ilip Jt:::e w l s 7T?iiiiiii5i? ~ 1 fil.i872'Pi' t hat h e was some ti mes very tryi n g . 1 e l i ke d to as k question s , the a nswer: ;• t o wh i ch h e NU.k.o,,,ul, ,~ t.,kno~ edge and a lrea dy kne w. ut that way , he~ s t rene t hened his B:i::i:B.:f bel i ef. of t h e f irs t d ay, instant f'eed for t h e wi l d s p arr ows 1 ~ (hti\~1 11 " nd t he a bb i i s whea t of t he t hir d ay? " 4atth ew a s k e d . J ehovah- j i reh ! Ay e , the s harp tax c o l le c tor . 11 \/'hea t " It i s a p ow e r ful thought , a tthew. I t could b e t he answer . The Mast e r d i d speak more t han onc e about wha t wou ld happ en on the t h i r d day ." Ma t thew l ooked s lyly s i deways a t Philip . 111 ill y ou wai t to see wh e t J-. e r t he wheat s pring s , ol d man? " Phi l i p brea t h ed heavily. There~ " l .n JJ:~ Waiting , " ____ 1R.ll'U'/, I St.. d • ' kL Lon ' I •.,._. g after h e t h ough t · t J. wa s ende d , a l ri h t with e , :friend 1" *tth ew • Ph il i p b ear d t h /;_ i 1/pv -:T'<) f./Af S. . e sound . I t i s Man ' i n I s I I lh1 tiN m G', htl)A/ IJ He d i d not r a e a r e weep i n~· """''.-''...,-,,_ move t o c omfort ~n i ght-:---,. t h e man . · 4 " Matthew would ~ e sa i d , Do y ou t h• k - no t wan t h. • ., in t hey wi l l i m • c a cch t he b oy?" 7 Ia t t hew ra sped h i s t h r oat . "It • J.s a l way s p itiful when "Poor y oung d evil. H e hasn 't one so young has to 11His m t h die. " o e r is a g ood woman •" "God b e m ere i'fiul t o her . " "Ay e ." said aft e r a s il e n e e l a ch a nce ./11 wh p ul d h a-ve wr i tt e11 t h e m d " I c anno t r eJOember al l the word s , "The ememb er ? - o wn. Do y ou remember'?" vha t words ? ,, The Pray o r t he 1r,.u,n.~ ~ ..... ,,~. 0"1l1 h w en we · • g e t out or ... hi - Master . ., S • II Remin d UWI L ibr ari es P hilip s hook h is head . It was s trange that while he coul d reme mber , who ther e was so much he d i d not widerstand. But the tax collector/could not remember seemed read y to understand. T o believe i s t o understand, 8 hil- i v thought . When you believed, you u n d er s tood even if you were unaware . tl).at you d i d . I t was like knowing without knowing . L i k e know i ng when ' you came to the best water for a particular fish. And if' that was fis herman ' s phi l o~hy , well , h e was fro Bethsaida . (.; I will give you my recolle c t ion. 11 , Ufatth ew sat very st i ll, his retentive'-,;;ind absorbedly on Philkp .L''.9't' ~ ~ -~ ,JWaur·:a:=~& "i0t,CMl.tiE~~~ l0[&!lYIII r • Our Fat her in t h e heavens, your q - ' 1.1ame 111ust be .,.._..,,.l'Bli._ being hallowed. Your kingd om must be being res ­ tored . Your will must be b eing done bo t h in h eaven and upon the earth . Give us :.1HIJ~ today , our b read for the morrow. And :forg ive us our faults as we forg ive those offending us. For you woul d not lead us into tempta t ion b ut del iver us fr om it s evil,' That, dear Mat t hew , is as much as I remernber. 11 approved , s omeone was b reathing deeply in s leep. Ph ilip R E dCfllf a11flf.lDHW.1J~~:X S lee ~L.A..~ M.IIILIIII.,.~ - would be good f or him too. He was wear~. They were all weary x mmKx weary nie a ll y e 11:WP:::te::~ a xllxw:eaxz and I wil l give you rest. He tried to reme mber where the}: k}tZll.£ wlkE~ .a .~azarene a d s p ok en t hose words ,illl It was in on e of the town s n ear to his own Capernaum. at Ct>.pe1e.AJ1+vm , h ouse "-. S ee i ng h i rn ~ He h a d l i ked go i ng to M: t h e Master ' s ~ sit at his own table . S trange it was , then , after having known h i m only in the nomad ic lif e t ■•••fije I ea *••~:nalZB on the road . /.))1. {/2,, He lurl!ix a x K:r;Je was wryly amu s e d at a s tory t atthew h a d tol d him . It was soon DMklUibdM A. after Mair the g r ea t c oncourse on livetllwhen J ·esus - de livered ..._,.__. ~ what t hey now kn ew t o be I th.e definitive word on his mission . ,--::_--: c t.hey were i n CaP ernaum L,.:I~tthew said t h ~ soon a fter they came down from the mounta i n , ;,t»J near :ci when a l awyer ca, me for war' 11 : lf &Gals; = :...»::1Mlio-w~e±a:rll • .... o'l' f er_ing is services for the canipa i g n . .,.... UWI L ibr ari es --. ¥Y'f-' ~· . ~~ IL~,. ·:r~ l...lAA7VV ~ , vv 1.,/h _""' __ '"'" ll!!fil;IIV,V l---•l.L, ~9 /(/. Hf: ~ ~ +. I I q pJv;l wn-,. ?~,;,..'1 ~ •ftj 1 a)i v • //1,pl ~ cl , f "' I I If r- t-~cl , ~ ti'-- a,~ ~~ jl '-f 9-o? • I '9 ~ ~ /4 cL --t~ ~ ~ 'ff.pf- U-bfo,. ,, •• Y ?" , , /rµt_ ~ -fi{vVL , 1-1-~ ~pf_, ~er~ .. N I( i' J ~~-f 't(fy. l>(ud_ 1 Ct/4,tl . --HJ-~ y~ ~ -L~ ~ - I I •• er · ·~ d: ~ 1 J ~ -2 ~~ ~ ~ ~ 40 UN\,w:tau.. ' i ( '' &{, 'f> 16. ;0v1 ~LI_ flLi ivilf-~'I· . a ~ .''~ 11 -f'yk(., 1 µPl"1-ltu. . Ad ~WU. -- ,. .. . UWI L ibr ari es I' Gui) travel , n o doubt He said he would go anywhere t he laster c llo~e to / BEIK exp e ctin g t here would be rich p ickings when t he 1aster came i nto his• kingdom . But t he Nazarene_; with that p ierc i ng look , s a id to the unlucky llllMMl:lll: sh e l umiel, "Foxes h ave holes, the birds their roos t s , but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. 11 Philip remember ed h ow he had chuckled a t Ma tthew 's story but had commented t ha t t he Mxa abbi was no t wholly truthful, con­ s i der ing h e had his comfortable home i n Cap ernaum. And Iat thew ~·· had turned tha t sly face on him and sa id , "You a shelumiel too, h i l i p ? The Rabb i was aimi n g h i s words at t he l u ckl ess lawyer. Even the t h ieving old fox has a hole it calls i ts home , t he .­ has a roost it calls its home, free-:flying b irdA .. •• .. • .. •••••••1'•••1it-••~-•••~u••• but that lawyer, t ha t . •••••••• i!UJt!l II ILIDl!IUiXJ!lilDlVMJI sw i ndler• son of' man , was so busy hunt ing for @¢3.J• easy mars he ~ had no time :for UWI L ibr ari es Her mi nd op ened on the word. Safe? And t he sol d i e r s after him ? She - caught her breath. Dear God ~ ermny does no t know that the soldiers are ""-'I ..f() N -':P rW after ?~ too. And ~ might see Janus on the street, or his man , Quartus, and r un headlong into them for he would believe he was safe with them. ear God ~ UWI L ibr ari es "Mary -- ary, you are hurti~ yourself needless ly, ..,{~ I, • I tell you the ~ wi ll be alrighH" ti. ,ts· - ' \ Wh~n she s poke, it~ in a whis per. ~~Demmy, the soldiers a.re seeking him 11 too l Janus is seeking him for the Temple t He will find hi~a.nd deliver him t o AnnasV' He looked at her oddly . "Come, Mary, you a.re beside yourself. Here , lie down and rest, my dear . I promise you I ,vill have John here be fore morning ." She clutched his hand . " No no no Demmy, I a.m not madl I tel l you Janus will deliver ..him to the Temple l He told me so l" _____ _ __ ·, i (!). ~ /V()N seNre . "Pull yourself togethe~~yr:::e(A'Qs sh !~ hou a.re talk ing~ ••a""" &,,,Jl t.-.ti..~ ,.Jll~ ~~.J(,u{ She stared ~ a.t him'. Then , gradually, her eyes quieted an~ she ,- /\I • IJNbl:ilt.l'IWJ:>_ -CJi.11.T fleA.. to ~ couch and sat down. She wi,i ted until she wa s sure he would ~},.., 'f\_composure ~ ~ ~ '/\r e turned • • • ~ Then she told him . He believed her . .... nBut Janus t It is incredible!" ''Remember ~ u to )ld me he was Rome," she said stonily. " It is not incr Adibl e . " P1C~ 6'b v P H;~ ~ ANb.. B €a. &N '"To p,n rr Ot-J• , He r~1=1J f:01 ctf. cloak • lw:r11iRi..-1o1 !i~taqR-,1aped;::tl!l.t~ . A , "Then we must f ind him before they do ," he said grimly. "My God , I never knew this e£t;GA£>S e.re more holes in it than in a.(_robe . !i:1i:laf •-'-iu"'i.__J1113~• city was such a rat's nest -- ther e fAt-rr> ~ But we wi ll go ,r every one of them . My men know them all . - " "Demmy," she interrupted him , "I have an idea ." L. fl •T0 1 He straightened and fac ed her, s hrugging on the cloak. ~i~ ;::,~e2 ~t,.'ft;8u;:.h~J' impatient ..,,, at the ♦1 gt be delay. "Speaking of rat's nest , there is a. b and of - gentlemen from whom not even the clever John could l ong hide. Let us get them to help us find him. 11 "Who are they? " he asked quick ly. "I dent know, real ly -- but you 've heard of them. They call them.selves Legion . I "Wait a minute ! 11 Demmy said shar ply• 1 I 811 I gl J g " Funny you should have men- tioned them. I was sto pped by thei r band on my way here . I know them fairly well . Funny thing is - funny now that I think of i t , they seemed to know t hat I was looking, for John. you know ~ - Yes - they knew '. For they made some crazy j oke - 1 • C I\ the story of~ Saui and II David . They said -== W'!:\i t _. I have :it : ' ~ ~ ~ -~ t hous ands so John mus t • s le.y _,..,,,. UWI L ibr ari es • j 114 ♦ his ten· thousands .' " -- -- $he felt exc ited . There ~ ~ ue in whatev"er they had said . Her mind hurried backward to her first * I at ii encounter with the Legions when , out of their seemingly ... ,,. cra zy talk, Matthew had pieced something together . t ar mind came swiftly forw~rd again to ~h e present . At last , here was something to do for her son, rath er than just standing aside and letting Demmy try it alone . ... , .. Nicodemus was t urning to go . ".Anyway, I will keep my eyes opened for them," he said . "No , Demmy - dont go yeti" §NM I i .A!lfl It .ht . He frowned . She swallowed and shook her head a litt le, smiled tentatively at him. • ~-rruE '"'"*1 . R&e,.S. He wanted to~ her.A He frowned some more. have "Now, tell it to me again , Demmy, slowly this time." G U>we Q.e:i> AT 11e12. He M • ll il •!!11.J. .. "No wonder the Ce.pernaum aunts '\ ~Y. have no use for you . You mus t RGtnGfJJN?/< #TH/!:. ' s-roR.y, 11 David not to b@;ais]e ~:cgBFbcTii,e rae 1iJ~ read very little, i f any, about f(aul and She listened while he told her, her head on one side, repeating the words sound- lessly. WAS 0 /tl she 4:m lltf"W her feet, her eyes wide,~~ " - Demmy Saul is his best friend - or worse enemy - I have never been~u. r e whi ch !" • '':J~ ?" ... . . . Nicodemus looked puzzled . '':ltlilrtoirt r1! ~TI 7Tf1l7' /' . .,. . . GA'PIAl-1/:/- , ,~q·f.• ~ _ ~ · 1· o. flt.TW't.JI l:IRt.etf. ~He sT1ir,1es wrr i./ A She laughed suddenly, joyously. j('All we havl to do is 'fu think o~ something which Saul has done and which my Johnny thinks should be outdone - do you see? Wherever that leads us, t here we will findhim t" ".Amen, " Demmy said Wf T 5 wearily. "Now - what?" Mary gave a tiny shriek and grabbed ''Demmy - he 's g;one to~ /!fall !" two fistfuls of his cloak. Nicodemus fingered his ear , a wry smile r egarding her. he tol~ her . E~ '¥all.;; ~i;, SI~ 11). ~ 'SiluL 'lJilJ ·rt-Jc /i~ b lfmAScvs "Very clear - asAmud ," :,,e-~;J e> ==-~ - .. • /last Pa ssover and said my Johnny could never do it - it h as haunted him all year talked of nothing els el I am sure that's where he is 1" De:rmny said with weary _:gatienc~:. " SupJJO se we make it clear, my dear." a./.;u,.:i, •ffuL t~U:, , She told him ~ Then her voice trailed off when she saw the horror in his eyes . "Mary -1" he said hoarsel y P "they have doubled the watch 'on UWI L ibr ari es / 115 CHAPTER: 22 • ----- He awoke in the awareness that he must have slept. He had never slept on top of a wall before. When he awok:;>at first, he had thought he was still asleep and that he was dreaming. He was .dreaming that those stars above him, floating in the inky blade, were not stars at all l "' but the jewels in the lilll hats of a million high priests hover- , ~ · ~R.ui,)1NG ing over him.with their knives, ~ etted and poisett;"I~ where they would commence/ t:J N -YetliJ WlrRk, :::- -u; It took him a little time to understand that the stone underneath him was not an but the top of the walJ.. He recognised the sotmd of the sentry's feet, • Hl5 C/3/J'Jl! . m«i~~~~il32::~~ ~ fully awake~~)?l~ ~t'c,,U1.a~l'6'.!M,y • • /:i i£ ~ He drew in his feet carefu_llyt)iii:m sat up. , ' ' • 'i,pr • 7716 He was on ,a shelf 9 the wall / just below A. rampart. I Inches above his head, a sen- try paced. He had made it. He licked his lips and tried a weak grin. He thought of Sau l and the grin grew stronger. He had made it. He twisted his head for a glimpse down into OU-f' tJF the courtyard ~ which he had _climbed to the wall. He nearly fell. t11mc£1.,F /jhCJ,!,J,.J f)~'l:JS John Mark ~ flung .~ ugg i ng •◄ Jl'•~g•l l- an angle of the wall, :?> VE\ i1 J._ng His fingers/\.into the rough• finished mortar/ • " 1%ett:llle,:Siii: ; wen ~ ~ ~!i.81P ~ ilfe M,., He was fri ghtened. He had • N O-nl!NG) • ofAem.pty air through which, one ~ slip, a.nd looked down into he would be falling. 9 /0/J'-'- or if t he sentry choose to lean over and give him a A l llt push. I\._ •. He held the rough mortar, sick and shaking4 ffeNJ't ' sixty feet ,;,:m AL L.. One A:! lP slip, -~~M'!~~!l'.v'~~~t!:l!;J:1J.~~ra;. His fingers would ~ never ever leave the mortar. They would take roots and grow into it. He was sure that never as long as he w HP.-·..,.. )l)Af; He jJOiN ta ~ lived would his head be e,rer able to turn . iii~.-, M~here .,~~- Pt>A -r'j-l-£i2.8 W~ • He had come into t he courtyard , cautiously, but feeling goo~ •dt:!!ll: :.d:l:iag..-.V the ![9.11 ., .S--tfJAJliiAl(;, ft6' wfl.s ~if //Dy Po~ ,,. - = fc ike A challenge.,!llle • A.""fne coast wa s cle~r ~ He had not hesitated.,~ Step by step,_ his b are feet sure on the well rubbed stones, he had mounted the stairs. He was smart ., f/6 ~£ J1 pac ed his climb/ to the marches and t~ wheelings of the sentry, employing a.11 /Ill 1111: th e dodges he had learnt ~ night from Ben and the Legions. Then when he rea ched the shelf, he had c~e.wled out to it, stretched at ful l length, wrapped the cloak about him, ' .$~/Ylf/l:.11--r grinned - and had · promptly f allen asleep from exhaustion and a filled l..e1illl1 Now here he was awake age.in, but trembling like a lea~ _f om fear. 1/'D:1.en morning ca:rne/ they would find h im pinned to the wa.11 and trembling like a leaf. Saul would find him. ~ UWI L ibr ari es 116 ' 5;;u1- /.::JL Wfi7'S rov /J.b H1/h , ~ ~ then he remembered Saul and "'O C ._ ~ . . 0 , • ~ [flS' fJ6S bag forl\'!hen the band had nothing Or abou t any of them . Or about the sotmds of the whip when the Temple police had nee.red the Tomb . w He would lay down there and not think. Not even about his mother . ~VB fl1.Jb .And it was not true that 1r /Iv ti-IS i./filR.> fingers ~.-,•m _,_.,_:pi / JlilttA) he had her in his/\nostrils no'!) nor • the touch of her ~OU Nt, I!; nor the ~ of he.r laughter swe_lling inside him, -JJ9- He fell asleep.A.thinking of his mother . __- .f f)/.J Cb . And if the moment with ~ larity. - ~ crone when sh e knew the worse , her mind would go . ~ fmew that UWI L ibr ari es \ 117 All else w4s dark , or whirled . She stumbled on t he arm of Nic odemus and she was numb and ,. ~1 fl ~ shaky all _,,,,,. tiJ; ~ ~ • ' He held her until she was steadier on her feet a.air His eyes darkened, ~NIil ~ 11Mary, Mar y ,, my dear ," he said low voiced . "Let me take you back to the house. y ~ 'f CtU, a,h,l, ~ . II men and I wi_ll be better able to search M ,$iClil: '.llllllitf pM safely at,\Ml"1~4 ~~~~~e~~:===~~-:~ok h~r head . -..;oN~ UJl1l£ --'17) /1-NyoNe 8 u-r Me# 1/c W''-'·-- "No, no, Demmy. H~ come to me if he hea_rs me callin him. >>~14a:z, AJ 1c.o).etn"'S taUtm tft;nse:u~-:. - • the • ~ 'A, e=~ handled it right . She should no t have left -..stqf ------=~ 96 u h ear me?" ~D-tot,?"'(5 ~ c ,rrc,,fJl1..S S HOwcfl.6i0 ~-- all.~Nlf~~u••~~~m..~eia;~ 4'lr>flilll" ~ A gravelly voice cwne out of - 7 ~ . it) i 1 hoar se imite.tion of Mary ' s . W IJ,.,1,. ( ".!. cant ~ down , dear - 11.;,you ~up. " , /4 C " /-1€ ,s NOT HERC., l'!}Dl2y,'' Sa,i_,1,( CUv/"'"" If "' ~ .8kc!S¥!>1' st:::sr::mfc :V§~ Nicodemus~. " They ' ll make e. fool of you l u Mary clenched her fists and dug them at her ears to keep out the ~ laughter . Her voice ros e . "John - listen to me , John - you must come home now, do you ~ear? The game is off, John! u ~ •m Sr§ ~ , - ~ ,9111~ plvc.. kul. HE/l CL€/JM.j e~ ~ J ~--M,,.q ..,.1 ed'G;M:AYfNk ..,,. \:ti' ,n i, ~ MP fp ff the ground and/! fB JfJ , 1f11111W '.from the wa 11 • She fought him and he shouted a.t her and bullied her until a 1 1.1111,11 t . e fight went out ~ W£ePtNG,(l) ftwA~ ::t:>RoOP€b of her and she was limp and f , ..• ~ > • set her on er fee • ~er head ,l•~s• ~ ~ {-IL- ·U tl, ·4 l#i /,' 1 ~ ~ .1.u1J rod , tiredly to h i s s houlder@-.rJ ?¥VW 1,r -~- • He thought the stars were aling and he said a quick prayer• ~ ~,- i~%i.a7&. If the boy vras safe at daylight, he would be ~right . . ~ -, Quartus had been puzzled before , but now the puzzle was behind h_im . In his book, ?f7 . sou;e ·1H€ lAJ co~l d not be sof t , t he "'1£!'. , PS a lways said . The young Isaac had found his soft spot . That had been all . But he gues s ed something .had been wrong . Th ere was always something wrong wi t h t he j aws . Something wrong - inside , he guessed . Something always r ot t en ~ i ns ide of t hem. Only a Roman was sound wood thr ough and through . The o thers , Greeks , ~ i ans , j ews ~ .it2M@2t> lf'.3.co :t19d9t: t hey wer e always spongy at t he ... m/i;~LG"c:> -=-=-- • . _L BA& i::>Ot...7£,, ~ 11 su e, he had liked t he young Isaa c . But now i t wa::rnOt h is l I a o• A~ . flR.My ~·,R,AINeb V\!t{ i '-£ [lvAR1VS If his stiff{ back had been capable of . shruggi ng/\on the march , t,t would have R.01nAIJ shr ugged . He kicked his fo ot /4191Jll-lb?:; -------, •1"'ff€ - steadily beside Janus in the ..:-- .1\. patrol step. Behind t hem,/ ~ ~ /Js g~ d . Janus went ab out it wi t h t he re cision of a machine . Bleakl y , s par ingly he had iss ued his orders . Fetch t he boy i n , alive . He himsel f had t urned out with Quartus' patrol . He needed not to have do ne so , but he had f ound i t imposs ible t o remain at. fokT Antoni a . He had t hought of gett i ng drunk and had gone to the off icer s ' tavern , but had drawn back without entering when he saw . ax Seneca and Guiseppe Zel Uni slopoing abo ut i n there. They may be comrad es in arms , but h e could no t consider • wi th any k indnes s the thought of mi xi ng socially with either of the two . He preferr ed the company of Quartus. S ,t.M He strode all along in the eas y patrol stride and kept hi s mind;;-9 l ean)t6 f I 1is: l oth i ng must enter i t , ~ave t h~ job Pilate he only had to remember how a t hand . If his mind - took to t urni ng to Mary, had looked at him. Firs t and forem.os t .f &nd to a . "" bottomless pi t with t he res t } li e must -beat t hat crooked pr i es t and the t r ap he had set ·T/1/1""1" for him. He had only to remember 1 he had almost stepped wi th both f eet into it, and why he had almos t s t epped into i t . If his mind took to t urning to her , he had only to remember how she had used him and would h ,:i ve willingl y left him there for the Temple to collect , had not Pilate) becaus e of thei r kinshi p_..,1 thrown him a second chance. But f or this , in a day or two he UWI L ibr ari es 120 would ~ 8~ bJen :01r.:the we.y to Rome . No doubt , though, they wouid have given him one 1 '):' , -,-oe~ t i/£1{ 1 . ~as~.,-1 · 1\ f _uld have made him take the place of Zellini on the crucif i xion , detail . e ~ iah jo,. The nasty t ask which so suited Guiseppe Zeliini . To haul the )/F>z11~ ~..,, . • '11 ._,~ out of the city t o that char nel house call ed the Pl a ce of Skull s and ~ ------- ---------,r---:-------- - - - ther~un-easure him for t he cros with / hammer and ~ th~ief vulture, watching the young recruits whom the s quad} 1 ike you were blooding , howling at them ' if they grew green in the ........__ fe-ce, waiting for the man on the cros s to go out of his body • {.imetimes, if they had no friends , you had to t ake them down yourself afterwards . l He _stro~e on, his face cold and remote , a machine MIit in motion . ! I am no t supposed to have a code of mercy . I am arresting the son of a woman I coul ~ have loved 1 and turning him over to her J ewish priest so ~e may know that the sickle of Rome, which I am, sparenLo favourites. '!hat /f101-t Ii L 1.y v N FA I t7" H f!I' u 1- :, ;· she has been :; is no matt er . I could see h er now and not wring h er neck . I could I\ - - -meet her now and not squeeze her beautiful neck.••• --- • • - •• I This is nothing personal . Nothing b etween ~er _, a:r:i-d me . Hr£ wrt-rc.He):; ·,He , P/Jt, 1N (,8 Tl/£ ~ "'~ t.alMlia,Jl~""'---'-""~IJf.11 morning f:' he ~ f\.curtly MihQuartus . ~-n,1✓ ..SOON " :8ll'i :liJ:atr h.ea then priestsll...will be_ so\lllding their horns . " Janus threw up his hand and the s quad halted . He s poke in a low voice to Que.rtus . "You think any of the other s quads may have picked him up?" . QUa.rtus shook his head . " No, sir . I t old t hem the minute they did so they should send r unners after us • " 11Hmm . Queer - where could h e be hiding ?" Quartus chuckled . "He's a clever one , that boy . Smarter than a horse trader he "I did not ask you for a list of his virtues," Janus s a id ;.li.JN7/I,/(:, Quar tus bit i t o f f. He had forgotten . They wer e .._I\ the again kept scowling at the boy's memory until he wasJin , the righ t fr ~e He snar l ed softly: "When I s ee him, I ' m going to twist his coldly. boy. He scowled and of mind . ' It -. '' You ar e going ..,. c,-ri,a '1~ g)F' ,IIG ~ heard the t o do what I tell you," Janus snapped . Sv11<-1~rlr srno-re- 1/-1& -roP,s 50 *.lJ burst o f l!!llff@!P from the Jonpa. ga. te . ,, - - ---------- --11 Let's go.> @fl C58tss'!=alfi!fb• 1thMllidO 14,,;f Janus comn1anded . "Squi:id , forward, " 1 T I SJ Quartus said glumly. It UWI L ibr ari es CHAPTER 121 A The long , sensitive face of icode 1us looked down at her as he rose and took t he few paces forward. The " " ~Ji cloak of' Mediterranean soft linen made from the finest flax fe l l in/fold s from his s hould ers. Lik e many of the a ristocra tic Jerusalem Jews , he affected t h e style of the VIZ/<. toga , draped ~ his left shoulder. Mary t oo had taken to the oman palla, t h e mantle she now threw back 1'rom her ~ head, .... revealing h er fa ce a s she confronted hi . He had brought h er here from t h e horrible Wall, to wait until d refuse d to• sleep or lie d own . i t would be time for s - ~ John to appear. They had talked b u - - -----> escap e t h e &BB~ee•~ a routld everyth ing ~iUi! had not be en able to ~Bli!i~ht..11s~.11e■sitae grasp of the events which were •••••••••e des troying so much they both loved . a ~XX 11 subdue d voice, Nic odemu s was sayi ng , "I suspect t h at bo th Annas and Caiapba4i..t:JUltJ 1/l.lf ..{'41/cws ..f.-,on. ~~ 1,1/1~ i ll ... ;JU arD • beginning , Father Abram was r eady to lay p oor Hi m. R.0 ~ u.:..d JJ r>, a"" ~ +f...w JMW-l w{o oJ/4'.-~ - -0 fnAye€ :eotEJ She had the awful t hough t, while Ticodemus spoke , thatl\flblt'Mlll}f wou1.,)J ~ ~±!!_1i1t-r~ history ~ be - repeated , K it wa~re"'in that part of the sacred ~ tN-r 1 'Tt.E.'b ' scroll W■■•••• )..t Genesis-land read so frequently in synagogue. Abram had not h e sitat ed to offer his son on the altar . '.l! UWI L ibr ari es 121 C /JIJ)) I/J I}, -r vP.1if; Abram, the p riests said , pleased ~ od . ,t_ God ka; pleased with Abram . ;; .So 1 ·-rHe t.{)(; 1c , The Nazarene:XX MUXXXMJUC LIINJ /sttllc.J had said he was the Son of God. Awas he , ---too , ~ o ~be laid on an altar? he buries her :face in her hands. Another thought rose unbidden into her head. Abram, with what she sometimes guiltily thought of as exquisite cruelty, lui had made Isaac carry the wood for his own sacri:fice. In the ri:t1'1Jl:i¥XllX rituals of the legal murder• the Romans called crucifixion)( , the G lhl tQ victir:1 was made to carry his own cross. The wood . Her wind c l &fWt She clutched at the arms of the chair. She stared dry - eyed at the floor . icodemus turned :from the window. His eyes s miled in his deadly serious face . 110ur God i n his image is so human that I have no doubt wha t ever we are made and likeness. P12.~~po O ~t,{ ·lo~ ~ f?, ce, ~ 'J'lhl,W , } J WHl l..l:S" It took her a f to find her v oice. She smiled back brav ely. " Dont be blasphemous, Demmy." ,- 7 " Jo, my dear Cousin, no, " he said so:ftly. 11 I a not •fie blas - ~k phemous. I believe in my God with a p assion tha t nobody, I I{_ kt imagines . I tel l you this because I have the feel i ng that none o:f us in Jerusalem, or, for that matter , i:f you can believe Simon-what's- his -name , nobody in the world will ever be t he same after tonight. l -r £ "ffllf NJ<:,1rr r ~R -m.vr1I, I HAvli -r11t ,; ,1?4,v4a, f;"ftiJLJAJ6 --rMT ro,..,,wJ't' ,s c,iP. 1..,/JfT c;lfJtiJCif P1R ,,ev,11. u And it was strange that dear~worldy- wise Demmy was repeat- ine alqiost thought for thought what was in her ind . Exc ep t of course that Demmy was doing it out of an intellectual curiousity. On the cf~ b 611.u.vG'.) , other hand , why was ~ wi t h t he a z arene? ~, with him as much ~- - any of those voor unlettered NOi/\/ nomads , the disciples o:f the trag i c as young Rabbi who,f h a d been brought down like a sparro~ by the arrow o:f that Annas . What had :tak••x~:ia happened with i n her 'l The upheaval/without volition had taken ov er her li:fe , giv ing her this knowledge of rightness UWI L ibr ari es 121 D that was not, could HD .Sc. quE:NlG OF Lc/Ulµ1NG not, be knowledge at all) s i nce there was no :tJW ~ o it? Onl y an awesome , frightening, yet serene certainty that it was all, somehow , righ t. It had no log i <:J yet i t was ,an somehow, .... truth. I t was an experience she was sure she woul d never b e a ble to explain. S omething had occurred in h er p ersonality, in her soul.) that had mad e her come al ive , rea lly al ive, in the most peculiar way. What was t he curious av '' @ phrase the azarene had used to Demmy? P oor Demmy had be en out rage~ · ca. Born again . That was h ow she felt. Born again. On t his nigh t of b e- trayal, cruelty, death, she felt born again. "De mmy t" she whispered. But he was staring out of the window , h is back to h er, h is hands clasped behind h i m , shoulders carried high and t en se. _T ic ode nus tw isted his hea d to t he eas t . The sky was rosy. He s i ghed heavily. " I t is a n i ght l L e no other night , " he said . "It is an u ly n i ght," she said harshly . smal l star fell and s cattered . "And a bad abbath eve it pro ises to be ," h e mut t ered. he strugg l ed wearily to her feet . " I t is time to r e turn t o the r a ll. I un erstand from J ohn t hat , a cc ord i ng to the r u les ~ of t he g ame, daybreak is when it hap ens. Hi s frie dly enemy , , aul --" Sh e stopped, stared at Nicod e mus. "Of course ~ Oh , Demmy~ 11 we h ave t o do #/, to find J ohn is to seek :f.lillc, Saul) and he is more than lik ely to be out i n the open t 11 --SP C --- UWI L ibr ari es 1 21 E He had slept again and awoke wound up real tight. He knew it in his legs, and in his belly , and in the front of' his head . He would 1 never be able to stand up again as long as he lived . Ile was in a knot and somebody had drawn the knot real tight. The stars were really naling now . The fainter ones were gone and the brighter ones ,- were goin~ •• Up, past his head§ he could see the top or the parapet distinctly and the 1 colour of the sky above it , which was a blue like a poor sort of egg . The kind of egg ~ ';f'/.l/l.;0111'/ /Ir SaU:l and the big boys used to 1i{• J the meetings of the Zealots ~1».lfJlilsiilag: \ Cocks were crowing down in the city and the dogs had stopped barking . The blood . beat fl ftlfl41 ~tflJ.J(leh -~~ 4E<06 ll'MAR.£ a drum at his temples and he just e was ge ng ighter . His mouth was dry and he _::..> • ~Eb. could bet his palms were wet . ,l'here , he knew it . And' he wanted to turn his head but he · __J ~y, couldn't turn an inch . He wanted to sit up and ~ .~u'SC.~ Ill SA G 6EJ) 411 1 look around him, but everytime he thought of it RC ts,_ t ,!SI ► •j 1 Df1, and his legs refused to move . Krrmnp krrump krrump kirrump went the sentry's footbeats past his head as the sol- along , 'ftttr'BERrs dier drilled his post • I\ the walJ, ~ ~ ometimes the.I\ slowed near· his hea<:, as if they ':J"Dl,.7 R11o1-rr 6G5 lbl! HIS. He®• 1;,ould halt on the nextA-.,,,,; • aa .efi211AMi¥ RV!z:Aiil~ And ,_ at those times , when he shut his eyes tight, he saw it plain as ever~ i aw the sentr y ' s lips draw-/ away from ,n vst,u RI?, t · wm(f' his teeth1and the ..,.,,,.. forearm go- bac'k p nd .... f\,.a!Bliii!ll•■t forward and the IN J point of the sword golll into him - ~ c,u 'T' OF" IT, felt cold all over . Ht!. kJ/lAJTGb To IJE, The sweat broke out under his armpits., 8ISi He ~~rtv1Zfv1i~a-~ a i,.a. - ,::· :z>1.b , :RM,,wltJj.:,-'t--He ~ not ca.re what Saul or the CoillI11ittee would ~U$HttJ6 say. He had to be out of it. There were things • J up into his throat and he was ready to vomit . He had to be off the wall . - __ ,-- ...------ ( (.,HIU-/A/f> ill/YI He opened his eyes , the sweat A..a.t al] over/a._. prickling inside his nostrils • . f( /J'r, 4( o Go Re knew now heAnever wanted to do any wall . He wa.nted~home . He wanted to be in bed now PJiA.OW.S H/f. H{3R.J) with the .., soft under ~ and the covers warm over him and his mother breathing softly /ti in the room next to him and f111t sure if you only whispered r., Mother , .. she would be'land ~pr. fllJl S~OAI' ...., -..> and her arms .. A about you / /Al Alo ""tl/ltfh 4( 'TRt<'f3 tJI ~ ~f£111 oc.rr l.-A,.E 1:>101..14..+ 'To 'kJ,Tl>JcSS ..,.lfE 'bAw/lJ. "'1"'o ~ ~ .-.,.,.S He had neverA s ee1 how night drew away from the world . He had Af 5 P a notion Wn~ w,, S'f>tl:U,.1,~~ . th$t night was lifted off the world somewhat like the cover from a tureen of soup. But UWI L ibr ari es l1 • UWI L ibr ari es 1 2 2 ~ t seemed ~ that t he n i ght sank int o t h e ground , but eve r s o slowly . As if f or e v er af t erwar d s you were doomed t o live in a half- l i t world l i ke t he IliEDDIDID Blin d Ones . t hey sa i d e r em e mb e red t h e Blind On e whom/the r azarene had ma d e to s ee. Bu t Saul had sai d it was a trick . A t r ick t o sell the Nizarene t o t he p e op l e a s a g re a t d oct or . "For, ,, Sau l had said , " I bet i f y ou scra t ch t he Bl ind 1e har d enough , under neat h y ou will f i nd Galilea n fish er a n ~ One of h is own c ountry-bumpki n fri ends p r e t endin g h e h a d been h ealed , Jus t a s the only ones he has b e en sai d t o have r a i s e d fr om the d ead were h is own b o s om 1·7 HAPPE. NS f r i end , Lazar us; and , no t e t h is , Aaway out i n stup i d Bethany . Then there ~ s the g i rl i n s illy Cap e r naum. why does h e no t rais e t1:,em in J erusa¼em? J!l"does he n o t ra i se a tota l stra n ge r from the d e ad h ere J.n J eru s aJ.~m ? "' ~a s1nee you ai not know whether he he.d ever raised e. total stranger from the dead , 707fl;_ S7Rl¼H~EA.S i/ffb 8EEN /1.l}ISU, you made up some , saying t~es~ 1ii!1' ldq;µp l 7 in Capernaum and Bethany, not in Jerusalem . But these could not stm d the test of Saul's tongue and you were thrown into confu­ sion wi th your f ~ce hot a.nd a noise in. your head and you ran from. there with their R1b1C.uU! cHR~oJ, ~ . d • • .. I! a you. Ran, until your limbs were useless arid you fe ll down into the -rHtJIW'f f e 11- '/& II we~ ,1. buttercups which grew by the roadside an~ 5 ;hera.:i ng all of them. /L •~ 1li ii] ] !±0 i . ; ; 8 ~i-,S)t)i l l@J ,f •f¥J!.s tt\lg A0f laughing-stock. Nr!J8ohy S /4 Du£-'J::, Bel 11 ) · He could~the great stones built int~ the parapet ~ He} as three stones long. s,ro,vt= One~ at his head down past his shoulder , another at his middl~nd the third s omewhere at · his ankles. When the soldiers caught him, all they would nee<¾do was to remove three stones and insert him and mortar up the wali again and he would have disappeared • .And he would be never caught . He could • f\ hope to run again with his knees her e all gone t o water. But - But he must be off t he we.11. Re must try - try - try - ~~-r VP f}tvb If£ . --~ HE 4 t 3 •lttgripped the edge of the shelfts is f~et dangled in• space • . He • forced his back age.inst the parapet. Al!i fF:lhe flesh of his face stifferl:fth fear . '\/II~ ll (;b;.fe.R, .I:;- He thought he .W I G •e ......_ He though t he had tllliW dropped like a. A. f}µ't, f3i;COPJ6 ~ (:,Ot,J/5~ , stone into the courtyard 'J.._ His bones would have broken off into bi ts as a piece of rot t en rock. He licked his lips and pressed the back of his head to the parapet and ihy UWI L ibr ari es 123 cl?sed his eyes . .... \. "-0: ~•; The panic at last died. He tried to whisper the words of the Hallei to show hims elf that he was alright again but the words were damme d u inside . He could remember nothing . He was a piece of rott·en rock. He drew in a breath , held it there, and then pushed it out. That made him feel better. He sat u p . Daybreak. There were voices in the courtyard below. Wheels c r eaked . He pushed his head slowly forward, .. There@} j t was alright . Except for a - m ov1 /J (, .. -- -- ])owN nose . chin up, and looked .._. cautiously~ st his little giddiness; MUil di b; it was alright . He could see people I i z J m in the courtyard. They were the early hucksters trundling their barrows of watermelons and syrups , and some wi t h the cages holding the sacrificial doves for sale in the Temple courts. And - and - there were some shadowy figures standing over there, under that stunted ~Jiv~ 1je drew back quicklyo the Connnittfln!e.,.lnn,.. .,.,, ~,.o df: ~<- lf«JL-(i) It ~ Saul . It was Saul and 57 ~ 5l -.;Kix,sfqq p I 3 ffi They had come to ~PP/9 I will not see h~1!1 do th"'e"-Wall . But £! doing ~ Wall l-:- he want ed to scream at I ~pd_ k -:----- if JS them. A-- p L r T - rubbed ~ t oes / ~CPt-ec-rJVl:1.--y. Sombrely, he told himselr_/he would go down . He would • edge along the shelf and gain the steps and then walk boldiy down into t he courtyard and say he would not tk iJJ?;,i/l do the• ~ll . He was a man and he could make his own decisions. He could not do ~ -= this morning. Not after the night he had . That was it . It would be foolish to do the ~u~-r ~ Wall after a ni ght lik~ the one he ~ had . AA •••~-¥ [J~lilll-l)tv€ CRLl.iib H-1.S /,//1/Jfc, __ _ ~ pn ce John Mark stared unbelievingly. PR - - .. _ -- ----- -- .... .. - - - calling his name . Her voice was strange, but he would recogni ze it anywhere . ~)'Wf.Q1\~ •q,-.o •• P DJllt What was she doing out here? She hadn't seen him, he was sure . Then how had she known he was up here? Her voice was peculiar, going up and down, plaintive like .the people selling -cool drinks out of earthenware jars in the summer at the lakeside villages . But she was UWI L ibr ari es ,. .l 12 4 no seller of coo l dr i n k s. She was h is mo t her , to be prou d of . The way s he was b eau'tiful , and knew things qui c k ly , and left a man to be a an . Then why was she p leading his name , calling him to~~' crying that the game is off'? veeping that she loved h i m, making believ e he wa s a per -.., f'ume d l it tle lUflf~ horrd~, with curled hair and kohl on h is eyelids as he had seen some who ha come i n sedans with their r ich parent s for the Pa s sover? Then, furiously , he knew it . It was Saul. Saul had g o t t o her. Saul had told her le would be on the Wall an t hat the sol i ers woul d kill h i m. Told er;, so she would come and g e t h i m down ot'f t he Wa ll.:, so he could sl i k home behind h er with h is tail between h is l1lf legs lik e a shamed pup , while aul an t h e Committee ~ walked behind ±x laughin g t he ir XXN M heads off ! He could k ill t hat Saul ! ~~;:;:;~~~ ' tight ened his lip s :for fortitude in t his treacherous, mi xed- up world . A blade of light smot e h is eye s. Hi s head jerked up . It was t he sun. Sunl i ght i n h is e yes. The tre rnb -- ling entered h is limbs again ; h e was sweating a ll over . 'I? He tried to T en1 1 e ~ remember what Cousin Demmy had sai about the; c remony :t.»x :U1Jex ~1tm1u:ir at daybreak . 1he t wo hundred and forty wa tching priests w re by now at their stat ions . The f ire would be g lowi n g on t he a ltar in the midd le of t he t e r rac e . Ah , t her e it was ~ There was t he pries t of t he p innac le of t he Templ e crying down that th e morning was shining a lre a dy j soon P ensively almos t, John Mark wat ched the ceremony unfo ld . !'!MK n ow, he thought, one John Mark wo'.1:uld become Hi gh Pr iest ~1 t he Wall. IIe heard t he voice of t he priest~ i n t he court. " ls t he sky lit u p · as far as ebron? " "As :far as Hebron, " t he pr i es t on t he p innacle repl i ed. And the t wo hundred an d f orty priest s raised t he silver trumpe t s t o their l i ps . Lit up as :far as Hebron ... Lit up . .. Lit up .. . Hebron ... Eebron .. , ihirled a n d clashed t he whee ls in h is head . A cutting a t h is belly an h is kne es .a:s:x :g1d:l like ·elly . . -Iis mouth opened and closed s.i:i1u1x:i:~ i n silenc e like a fis h . And then the trump e• ts came . Th e y came as a t the end of nothing a nd the beginning of everything . The soaring music f rom the trump ets m in a .s.i:i: shower of silver, shoot i n g t h roug h hi 1, lifting hi to h i s :fee t i n one fl uent mo t io that UWI L ibr ari es \ f 1,3 US# 11" rt IIY ~KIZL()/{> ,,;y JMV. ,t, i. ,'l> ~HN 125 stood him on his toes , stre t ched XX ~.s if' everything would snap in him . \ •. ary Ma rk saw h i m, 811'111' ._..