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diff --git a/31510-tei/31510-tei.tei b/31510-tei/31510-tei.tei new file mode 100644 index 0000000..957f420 --- /dev/null +++ b/31510-tei/31510-tei.tei @@ -0,0 +1,7885 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> +<!DOCTYPE TEI.2 SYSTEM "http://www.gutenberg.org/tei/marcello/0.4/dtd/pgtei.dtd"> +<TEI.2 lang="en"> + <teiHeader> + <fileDesc> + <titleStmt> + <title>Mary Magdalen</title> + <author><name reg="Saltus, Edgar">Edgar Saltus</name></author> + </titleStmt> + <publicationStmt> + <publisher>Project Gutenberg</publisher> + <date value="2010-03-05">March 5, 2010</date> + <idno type='etext-no'>31510</idno> + <availability> + <p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere + at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. + You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under + the terms of the Project Gutenberg License online at + www.gutenberg.org/license</p> + </availability> + </publicationStmt> + <sourceDesc> + <bibl><title>Mary Magdalen: A Chronicle</title> + <author><name reg="Saltus, Edgar">Edgar Saltus</name></author> + <imprint><pubPlace>New York</pubPlace> + <publisher>Brentano’s</publisher> + <date>1919</date></imprint></bibl> + </sourceDesc> + </fileDesc> + <encodingDesc> + </encodingDesc> + <profileDesc> + <langUsage> + <language id="en" /> + <language id="el"></language> + </langUsage> + </profileDesc> + <revisionDesc> + <change> + <date value="2010-03-05">March 5, 2010</date> + <respStmt> + <resp>Produced by Bryan Ness, Stefan Cramme and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material + from the Google Print project.)</resp> + </respStmt> + <item>Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1</item> + </change> + </revisionDesc> + </teiHeader> + + <pgExtensions> + <pgStyleSheet> + .center { text-align: center } + .Greek { font-style: normal } + .italic { font-style: italic } + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps } + figure { text-align: center } + head { text-align: center } + @media pdf { + figure { width: 50% } + } + </pgStyleSheet> + + </pgExtensions> + +<text> +<front> + <div> + <divGen type="pgheader" /> + </div> + <div> + <divGen type="encodingDesc" /> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: always; center"> + <pb/> + + <p rend="margin-bottom: 1"> + By Mr. Saltus + </p> + + <list> <item>HISTORIA AMORIS</item> + <item>THE POMPS OF SATAN</item> + <item>IMPERIAL PURPLE</item> + <item>THE ANATOMY OF NEGATION</item> + <item>VANITY SQUARE</item> + <item>THE PERFUME OF EROS</item></list> + + </div><titlePage rend="center; page-break-before: right"> + <pb/> + + <docTitle><titlePart><hi rend="font-size: xx-large">MARY MAGDALEN</hi></titlePart> + <lb/><lb/> + <titlePart><hi rend='italic; font-size: x-large'>A Chronicle</hi></titlePart> + </docTitle> + + <byline rend="margin-top: 2"><hi rend='italic'>By</hi> + <lb/><lb/> + <docAuthor><hi rend="font-size: large">EDGAR SALTUS</hi></docAuthor> + </byline> + <lb/><lb/><lb/> + <docImprint rend="margin-top:4"> + NEW YORK<lb/> + <hi rend="font-size: large">BRENTANO’S</hi><lb/> + <docDate>MCMXIX</docDate> + </docImprint> + + </titlePage><div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <pb/> + + <p rend="center"><hi rend='smallcaps; font-size: small'>Copyright, 1891, + <lb/>By EDGAR SALTUS.</hi></p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <pb/> +<head>Contents</head> +<divGen type="toc"/> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <p rend="center"> + <hi rend="font-size: large">MARY MAGDALEN</hi> + </p> + + <pb/> + </div> +</front> +<body lang="en"><div rend="page-break-before: right"> + +<pb n="17"/><anchor id="Pg017"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER I.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg018"/> + +<pb n="19"/><anchor id="Pg019"/> +<head rend="page-break-before: right">I.</head> + +<p> +<q>Three to one on Scarlet!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Throughout the brand-new circus were +the eagerness, the gesticulations, shouts, +and murmurs of an impatient throng. On +a ledge above the entrance a man stood, +a strip of silk extended in his finger-tips. +Beneath, on either side, were gates. +About him were series of ascending tiers, +close-packed, and brilliant with multicolored +robes and parasols. The sand of +the track was very white: where the sunlight +fell it had the glitter of broken +glass. In the centre was a low wall; at +one end were pillars and seven great +balls of wood; at the other, seven dolphins, +their tails in the air. The uproar +<pb n="20"/><anchor id="Pg020"/>mounted in unequal vibrations, and +stirred the pulse. The air was heavy +with odors, with the emanations of the +crowd, the cloy of myrrh. Through the +exits whiffs of garlic filtered from the +kitchens below, and with them, from the +exterior arcades, came the beat of timbrels, +the click of castanets. Overhead +was a sky of troubled blue; beyond, a +lake. +</p> + +<p> +<q>They are off!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The strip of silk had fluttered and +fallen, the gates flew open, there was a +rumble of wheels, a whirlwind of sand, +a yell that deafened, and four tornadoes +burst upon the track. +</p> + +<p> +They were shell-shaped, and before +each six horses tore abreast. Between +the horses’ ears were swaying feathers; +their manes had been dyed clear pink, +the forelocks puffed; and as they bounded, +the drivers, standing upright, had the +skill to guide but not the strength to +curb. About their waists the reins were +tied; at the side a knife hung; from the +forehead the hair was shaven; and +every<pb n="21"/><anchor id="Pg021"/>thing they wore, the waistcoat, the short +skirt, the ribbons, was of one color, scarlet, +yellow, emerald, or blue: and this +color, repeated on the car and on the +harness, distinguished them from those +with whom they raced. +</p> + +<p> +Already the cars had circled the hippodrome +four times. There were but three +more rounds, and Scarlet, which in the +beginning had trailed applause behind +it as a torch trails smoke, lagged now +a little to the rear. Green was leading. +Its leadership did not seem to please; it +was cursed at and abused, threatened +with naked fist; yet when for the sixth +time it turned the terminal pillar, a shout +that held the thunder of Atlas leaped +abroad. Where the yellow car, pursued +by the blue, had been, was now a mass of +sickening agitation—twelve fallen horses +kicking each other into pulp, the drivers +brained already; and down upon that +barrier of blood and death swept the +scarlet car. In a second it veered and +passed; in that second a flash of steel +had out the reins, and, as the car swung +<pb n="22"/><anchor id="Pg022"/>round, the driver, released, was tossed to +the track. What then befell him no one +cared. Stable-men were busy there; the +car itself, unguided, continued vertiginously +on its course. If it had lagged +before, there was no lagging now. The +hoofs that beat upon the ring plunged +with it through the din down upon Emerald, +and beyond it to the goal. And as +the last dolphin vanished and the seventh +ball was removed, the palm was granted, +and the spectators shouted a salutation +to the giver of the games—Herod Antipas, +tetrarch of Galilee. +</p> + +<p> +He was superb, this Antipas. His +beard was like a lady’s fan. On his +cheeks was a touch of alkanet; his hair, +powdered blue, was encircled by a diadem +set with gems. About his shoulders was +a mantle that had a broad purple border; +beneath it was a tunic of yellow silk. +Between the railing of the tribune in +which he sat one foot was visible, shod +with badger’s skin, dyed blood-red. He +was superb, but his eyelids drooped. He +had a straight nose and a retreating +fore<pb n="23"/><anchor id="Pg023"/>head, a physiognomy that was at once +weak and vicious. He looked melancholy; +it may be that he was bored. +At the salutation, however, he affected a +smile, and motioned that the games +should continue. And as the signals, the +dolphins and the seven balls, appeared +again, his thoughts, forsaking the circus, +went back to Rome. +</p> + +<p> +Insecure in the hearts of his people, +uncertain even of the continued favor of +the volatile monster who was lounging +then in his Caprian retreat, it was with +the idea of pleasing the one, of flattering +the other, that he had instituted the +games. For here in his brand-new Tiberias, +a city which he had built in a +minute, whose colonnades and porticoes +he had bought ready-made in Rome, and +had erected by means of that magic which +only the Romans possessed—in this capital +of a parvenu was a mongrel rabble of +Greeks, Cypriotes, Egyptians, Cappadocians, +Syrians, and Jews, whose temper +was uncertain, and whose rebellion to be +feared. +</p> + +<pb n="24"/><anchor id="Pg024"/> + +<p> +<hi rend="italic">Annonâ et spectaculis</hi> indeed! Antipas +knew the dictum well; and with an uprising +in the yonderland, and a sedition +under his feet, what more could he do +than quell the first with his mercenaries, +and disarm the second with his games? +Tiberius, whom he emulated, never +deigned to appear at the hippodrome; +it was a way he had of showing his contempt +for a nation. Antipas might have +imitated his sovereign in that, only he +was not sure that Tiberius would take +the compliment as it was meant. He +might view such abstention as the airs +of a trumpery tetrarch, and depose him +there and then. He was irascible, and +when displeased there were dungeons at +his command which reopened with difficulty, +and where existence was not secure. +Ah, that sausage of blood and mud, how +he feared and envied him! An emperor +now, a god hereafter, truly the dominion +of this world and a part of the next was +a matter concerning which fear and envy +well might be. +</p> + +<p> +And as Antipas’ vagabond fancy roamed +<pb n="25"/><anchor id="Pg025"/>in and out through the possibilities of +the Caesar’s sway, unconsciously he +thought of another monster, the son of +a priest of Ascalon, who had defied the +Sanhedrim, won Cleopatra, murdered the +woman he loved the most, conquered +Judæa and found it too small for his +magnificence—of that Herod in fact, his +own father, who gave to Jerusalem her +masterpiece of marble and gold, and +meanwhile, drunk with the dream of empire, +had made himself successor of +Solomon, Sultan of Israel, King of the +Jews, and who, even as he died, had +vomited death and crowns, diadems and +crucifixions. +</p> + +<p> +It was through his legacy that Antipas +ruled. The kingdom had been sliced into +three parts, of one of which Augustus +had made a province; over another a +brother whom he hated ruled; and he +had but this third part, the smallest yet +surely the most fair. Its unparalleled +garden surrounded him, and its eye, the +lake, was just beyond. In the amphitheatre +the hills formed was a city of +<pb n="26"/><anchor id="Pg026"/>pink and blue marble, of cupolas, porticoes, +volutes, bronze doors, and copper +roofs. Along the fringe of the shore were +Choraizin and Bethsaïda, purple with +pomegranates, Capharnahum, beloved for +its honey, and Magdala, scented with +spice. The slopes and intervales were +very green where they were not yellow, +and there were terraces of grape, glittering +cliffs, and a sky of troubled blue, +wadded with little gold-edged clouds. +</p> + +<p> +Yes, it was paradise, but it was not +monarchy. It was to that he aspired. As +he mused, a rancid-faced woman decked +with paint and ostrich-plumes snarled in +his ear: +</p> + +<p> +<q>What have you heard of Iohanan?</q> +</p> + +<p> +And as with a gesture he signified +that he had heard nothing, she snarled +again. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas turned to her reflectively, but +it was of another that he thought—the +brown-eyed bride that Arabia had given +him, the lithe-limbed princess of the +desert whose heart had beaten on his +own, whom he had loved with all the +<pb n="27"/><anchor id="Pg027"/>strength of youth and weakness, and +whom he had deserted while at Rome +for his brother’s wife, his own niece, +Herodias, who snarled at his side. +</p> + +<p> +Behind her were her women, and +among them was one who, as the cars +swept by, turned her head with that +movement a flower has which a breeze +has stirred. Her eyes were sultry, darkened +with stibium; on her cheek was the +pink of the sea-shell, and her lips made +one vermilion rhyme. The face was +oval and rather small; and though it was +beautiful as victory, the wonder of her +eyes, which looked the haunts of hope +fulfilled, the wonder of her mouth, which +seemed to promise more than any mortal +mouth could give, were forgotten in her +hair, which was not orange nor flame, +but a blending of both. And now, as the +cars passed, her thin nostrils quivered, +her hand rose as a bird does and fluttered +with delight. +</p> + +<p> +On the adjacent tiers were Greeks, +fat-calved Cypriotes, Cappadocians with +flowers painted on their skin, red +Egypt<pb n="28"/><anchor id="Pg028"/>ians, Thracian mercenaries, Galilean +fishermen, and a group of Lydians in +women’s clothes. +</p> + +<p> +On the tier just beyond was a man +gazing wistfully at the woman that sat +behind Herodias. He was tall and sinewy, +handsome with the comeliness of the East. +His beard was full, unmarred at the +corners; his name was Judas. Now and +then he moistened his under lip, and a +Thracian who sat at his side heard him +murmur <q>Mary</q> and some words of +Syro-Chaldaic which the Thracian did +not understand. +</p> + +<p> +To him Mary paid no attention. She +had turned from the track. An officer +had entered the tetrarch’s tribune and +addressed the prince. Antipas started; +Herodias colored through her paint. The +latter evidently was pleased. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Iohanan!</q> she exclaimed. <q>To +Machærus with him! You may believe +in fate and mathematics; I believe in +the axe.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And questioningly Herodias looked at +her husband, who avoided her look, yet +<pb n="29"/><anchor id="Pg029"/>signified his assent to the command she +had given. +</p> + +<p> +The din continued. From the tier beyond, +Judas still gazed into the perils of +Mary’s eyes. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Dear God,</q> he muttered, in answer +to an anterior thought, <q>it would be the +birthday of my life.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="30"/><anchor id="Pg030"/> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="31"/><anchor id="Pg031"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER II.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg032"/> + +<pb n="33"/><anchor id="Pg033"/> +<head rend="page-break-before: right">II.</head> + +<p> +<q>O Prophet Iohanan, how fair you +are!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Iohanan was hideous. His ankles were +in stocks, a chain about his waist was +looped in a ring that hung from the wall. +About his body were tattered furs, his +hair was tangled, the face drawn and +yellow. Vermin were visible on his person. +His lips twitched, and his gums, +discolored, were as those of a camel that +has journeyed too far. A tooth projected, +green as a fresh almond is; the chin projected +too, and from it on one side a rill +of saliva dripped upon the naked breast. +On the terrace he was a blur, a nightmare +in a garden. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah, how fair!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Tantalizing as temptation, Mary stood +just beyond his reach. Her eyes were +full of compliments, her body was bent, +<pb n="34"/><anchor id="Pg034"/>and, the folds of her gown held back, +she swayed a little, in the attitude of one +cajoling a tiger. She was quite at home +and at her ease, and yet prepared for instant +flight. +</p> + +<p> +Iohanan, or John—surnamed, because +of practices of his, the Baptist—beckoned +her to approach. In his eyes was +the innocence that oxen have. +</p> + +<p> +<q>My body is chained, but my soul is +free!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary made a pirouette, and through +the terrace of the citadel the rattles on +her ankles rang. +</p> + +<p> +It was appalling, this citadel; it dominated +the entire land. Perched on a +peak of basalt, it overhung an abyss in +which Asphalitis, the Bitter Sea, lay, a +stretch of sapphire to the sun. In the +distance were the heights of Abraham, +the crests of Gilead. Before it was the +infinite, behind it the desert. At its base +a hamlet crouched, and a path hewn in +the rock crawled in zigzags to its gates. +Irregular walls surrounded it, in some +places a hundred cubits high, and in +<pb n="35"/><anchor id="Pg035"/>each of the many angles was a turret. +Seen from below it was a threat in stone, +but within was a caress, one of those +rapturous palaces that only the Orientals +build. It was called Machærus. Peopled +with slaves and legends, it was a +haunt of ghosts and fierce delights. +</p> + +<p> +And now as Mary tripped before the +prophet the walls alone repelled. The +terrace was a garden in which were lilies +and sentries. For entrance there was a +portal of red porphyry, above which was +a balcony hemmed by a balustrade of +yellow Numidian stone. +</p> + +<p> +Against it Antipas leaned. He had +been eyeing the desert in tremulous surmise. +The day before, he had caught +the glitter of lances, therewith spirals of +distant smoke, and he had become fearful +lest Aretas, that king of Arabia Petræa +whose daughter he had deserted, +might be meditating attack. But now +there was nothing, at most a triangular +mass speeding westwards, of which only +the edges moved, and which he knew to +be a flight of cranes. +</p> + +<pb n="36"/><anchor id="Pg036"/> + +<p> +He took heart again and gazed in the +valley below. It was the anniversary of +his birth. To celebrate it he had invited +the stewards of his lands, the notables of +Galilee, the elect of Jerusalem, the procurator +of Judæa, the emir of Tadmor, +mountaineers and Pharisees, Scribes and +herdsmen. +</p> + +<p> +But in the valley only a few shepherds +were visible. Along the ramparts soldiers +paced. At the further end of the +terrace a group of domestics was busy +with hampers and luggage. The day was +solemnly still, exquisitely clear; and between +two hills came a glare of gold projected +from the Temple of Jerusalem. +</p> + +<p> +Through the silence rang the tinkle of +the rattles that Mary wore. The prophet +was beckoning her. +</p> + +<p> +<q>And Martha?</q> the tetrarch heard him +ask. +</p> + +<p> +The pirouette ceased awkwardly. +Mary’s eyes <anchor id="corr036"/><corr sic="forget">forgot</corr> their compliments. +<corr sic="Hew">Her</corr> brows contracted, and, as though +perplexed, she held her head a little to +one side. +</p> + +<pb n="37"/><anchor id="Pg037"/> + +<p> +<q>There,</q> he added, <q>there, I know you +well. It was at Bethany I saw you first. +Yes, yes, I remember perfectly; you were +leaving, and Martha was in tears. Only +a little since I had speech with her. She +spoke of you; she knew you were called +the Magdalen. No,</q> he continued, for +Mary had shrunk back, <q>no, I will not +curse. There is another by whom you +will be blessed.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary laughed. <q>I am going to Rome. +Tiberius will give me a palace. I shall +sleep on the down the Teutons bring. I +shall drink pearls dissolved in falernian. +I shall sup on peacocks’ tongues.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>No, Mary, Rome you will never see. +The Eternal has you in His charge. Your +shame will be washed away.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Shame to you,</q> she interrupted. +<q>Shame and starvation too.</q> She made +as though she were about to pirouette +again. <q>Whom are you talking of?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>One whose shoes I am unworthy to +bear.</q> +</p> + +<p> +For a moment he seemed to meditate; +then, with the melancholy of one +renounce<pb n="38"/><anchor id="Pg038"/>ing some immense ambition, he murmured, +half to himself, half to the sky, <q>For him +to increase I must diminish.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>As for that, you are not much to look +at now. I must go. I must braid my +hair; the emir’s eyes are eager.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Mary,</q> he hissed, and the sudden asperity +of his voice coerced her as a bit +might do, <q>you will go to Capharnahum, +you will seek him, you will say Iohanan +is descended into the tombs to announce +the Son of David.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Through the lateral entrance to the +terrace a number of guests had entered. +From the balcony above, Antipas leaned +and listened. Some one touched him; +it was Herodias. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The procurator is coming,</q> she announced. +<q>You should be at the gate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah!</q> +</p> + +<p> +He seemed indifferent. What Iohanan +had said concerning the Son of David +stirred him like the point of <anchor id="corr038"/><corr sic="omitted">a</corr> sword. He +felt that there could be no such person; +his father had put a stop to all that. And +yet, if there were! +</p> + +<pb n="39"/><anchor id="Pg039"/> + +<p> +His indifference surprised Herodias. +</p> + +<p> +<q>What are you staring at?</q> she asked; +and to assure herself she looked over +the balustrade. <q>That carrion? You +should——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Her hand drawn across her throat +completed the sentence. +</p> + +<p> +The tetrarch shook his head. There +was no hurry. Then, too, the prophet +was useful. He reviled Jerusalem, and +that flattered Galilee. But there was +another reason, which he kept to himself. +Iohanan affected him as no one +had done before. +</p> + +<p> +He feared him, chained though he was, +and into that fear something akin to +admiration entered. In his heart he +wished he had let him alone. No, there +was no hurry. As he assured her of that +the prophet looked up. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Jezebel!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The guests approached. Their number +had increased. There were Greek +merchants from Hippos and Sepphoris, +Pharisees from Jericho, and Scribes from +<pb n="40"/><anchor id="Pg040"/>Jerusalem. Herodias clapped her hands. +A negro, naked to the waist, appeared. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Take him below.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But the guests surrounded Iohanan. +The Pharisees recognized him at once. +He was the terror of the hierarchs. +</p> + +<p> +As he cried out at Herodias he seemed +as though he would rise and wrench his +bonds and mount to where she was. His +eyes had lost their pathos; they blazed. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Woe unto you!</q> he shouted, <q>and +woe unto your barren bed! Though you +hid in the bowels of the earth, in the +uttermost depths of a jungle, the stench +of your incest would betray you. Woe +unto you, I say; the swine will turn +from you, the Eternal will rend you, and +the heart of hell will vomit you back!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Herodias shook with anger. She was +livid. Murmurs circulated through the +increasing throng. +</p> + +<p> +The Pharisees edged nearer. On their +foreheads were slips of vellum on which +passages of the Law had been inscribed. +About their left arms other slips extended +spiralwise from the elbow to the +<pb n="41"/><anchor id="Pg041"/>end of the third finger. They were in +white; where their garments had become +soiled, the spots had been chalked. +</p> + +<p> +To them the prophet showed his teeth. +<q>And woe unto you too, race of vipers, +bladders of wind! As the fire devours +the stubble, and the flame consumes the +chaff, so your root will be rottenness +and your seed go up as dust. Fear will +engulf you like a torrent. The high +peaks will be broken, the mountains will +sever, and night be upon all. The valleys +and hills will be strewn with your +corpses, the rocks will run with your +blood, the plain will drink it, and the +vultures feast on your flesh. Woe unto +you all, I say, that call good evil, and +evil good!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The invective continued. It enveloped +the world. Everything was to be destroyed. +Presently it subsided; the voice +of the prophet sank lower; his eyes +sought the sky, the pupils dilated; and +the dream of his nation, the triumphant +future, the sanctification of the faithful, +<pb n="42"/><anchor id="Pg042"/>the magnificence that was to be, poured +rapturously from his lips. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The whole land will glow with glory. +The sky will be a rose in bloom. The +meadows will rejoice, and the earth will +be filled with men and maidens singing +and kneeling to Thee, Immanuel, whom +I await.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The vision would have expanded, perhaps, +but the chain that bound him was +loosed, sinewy arms were dragging him +away. As he went, he glared up again at +Herodias. His face had lost its beatitude. +</p> + +<p> +<q>You will be stripped of your purple, +Jezebel; your diadem will be trodden +under foot. The pains of a woman in +travail will be as joys unto yours. There +will be not enough stones to throw at +you, and the abomination of your lust +will bellow, Accursed, even beyond the +tomb.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The anathema fainted in the distance. +The Scribes consulted between their +teeth. By the Pharisees Antipas was +blamed. A merchant from Hippos did +<pb n="43"/><anchor id="Pg043"/>not understand, and the Law was explained. +That a man should marry his +brother’s wife was a duty, only in this instance +it had not occurred to the brother +to die beforehand. Then, again, by her +first husband Herodias had a child, and +in that was the abomination. +</p> + +<p> +The merchant did not wholly grasp the +distinction, but he nodded as though he +had. +</p> + +<p> +<q>There was a child, was there?</q> +</p> + +<p> +A captain of the garrison answered: +<q>A girl, Salomè.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He said nothing further, but the merchant +could see that his mouth watered +at the thought of her. +</p> + +<p> +The crowd had become very dense. +Suddenly a trumpet blared. At the +gate was Pontius Pilate. On his head +was a high and dazzling helmet. His tunic +was short, open at the neck. His legs +were bare. He was shod with shoes that +left the toes exposed. From his cuirass +a gorgon’s head had, in deference to local +prejudice, been effaced; in its stead were +scrolls and thunderbolts. From the +<pb n="44"/><anchor id="Pg044"/>belt rows of straps, embroidered and +fringed, fell nearly to the knee. He held +his head in the air. His features were +excellent, and his beard hung in rows of +short overlapping curls. +</p> + +<p> +Behind him was his body-guard. Before +him Antipas stood, welcoming the +Roman in Greek. +</p> + +<p> +In the sky now were the advancing +steps of night; in crevices of the basalt +the leaves of the baaras weed had begun +to flicker. It was time for the festival to +begin; and, preceding the guests, Antipas +passed into a hall beyond. +</p> + +<p> +It was oblong, curved at the ends, and +so vast that the roof was vague. On the +walls were slabs of different colors, marble +spotted like the skin of serpents, and +onyx flecked with violet. On two sides +were galleries supported by columns of +sandstone. A third gallery formed a +semicircle. Opposite, at the further end, +on a dais, was the table of the tetrarch. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas faced the assemblage. At his +left was the procurator, at his right the +emir of Tadmor. Curtains were looped +<pb n="45"/><anchor id="Pg045"/>on either side. Above were panels; they +separated, and flowers fell. On a little stool +next to the couch on which the emir lay +was a beautiful boy with curly hair. +The couch of the procurator was covered +with a dim Babylonian shawl. That of +the tetrarch was of ivory incrusted with +gold. All three were cushioned. +</p> + +<p> +As the guests entered they were sprinkled +with perfume. Throughout the +length of the hall other tables extended, +and at these they found seats and food: +Syrian radishes, melons from the oases +near the Oxus, white olives from Bethany, +honey from Capharnahum, and the +little onions of Ascalon. There were candelabra +everywhere, liquids cooled with +snow, cheeses big as millstones, chunks +of fat in wooden bowls, and behind the +tables, slaves with copper platters. On +the platters were quarters of red beef, +breams swimming in grease, and sunbirds +with their plumage on. In the semicircular +gallery musicians played, three +notes, constantly repeated. +</p> + +<p> +The tetrarch’s table was spread with a +<pb n="46"/><anchor id="Pg046"/>cloth of byssus striped with Laconian +green. On it were jars of murrha filled +with balsam, Sidonian goblets of colored +glass, jasper amphoræ, and water-melons +from Egypt. Before the procurator was +a dish of oysters, lampreys, and boned +barbels, mixed well together, flavored +with cinnamon and assafœtida; mashed +grasshoppers baked in saffron; and a +roasted boar, the legs curled inward, the +eyes half-closed. The emir ate abundantly +of heron’s eggs whipped with wine +into an amber foam. When his fingers +were soiled, he wiped them in the +curls of the beautiful boy who sat near +by. +</p> + +<p> +The smell of food filled the hall, +mounted to the <anchor id="corr046"/><corr sic="roof">roof.</corr> The atmosphere +was that of a bath, and the wines were +heady. Already discussions had arisen. +A mountaineer and a Galilean skiffsman +had been dragged away, the one senseless, +the other with features indistinguishable +and masked in blood. It was +a great festival, and the tetrarch was entertaining, +as only he could, his friends, +<pb n="47"/><anchor id="Pg047"/>his enemies, and whoever chanced that +way. +</p> + +<p> +<q>As a child he rubbed his body with +the leaves of the cnyza, which is a preservative +of chastity.</q> It was a little man +with restless eyes and a very long white +beard detailing the virtues of Iohanan. +<q>But,</q> he added, <q>he must have found +cold water better.</q> +</p> + +<p> +His neighbors laughed. One pounded +the table. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Jeshua—</q> he began, but everyone was +talking at once. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Jeshua—</q> he continued; yet, as no +one would listen, he turned to a passing +eunuch and caught him by the arm—<q>Jeshua +does more; he works miracles, +and not with the cnyza either.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The eunuch eluded him and escaped. +However, he would not be balked; he +stood up and, through the din, he shouted +at the little man: +</p> + +<p> +<q>Baba Barbulah, I tell you he is the +Messiah!</q> +</p> + +<p> +His voice was so loud it dominated the +hubbub, and suddenly the hubbub ceased. +</p> + +<pb n="48"/><anchor id="Pg048"/> + +<p> +From the dais Pontius Pilate listened +indifferently. Antipas held his hands +behind his ears that he might hear the +better. The emir paid no attention at +all. On his head was a conical turban; +about it were loops of sapphire and coils +of pearl. He wore a vest with scant +sleeves that reached to the knuckles, and +trousers that overhung the instep and fell +in wide wrinkles on his feet; both were +of leopard-skin. Over the vest was a +sleeveless tunic, clasped at the shoulders +and girt at the waist. His hair was long, +plentifully oiled; his beard was bushy, +blue-black, and specked with silver. +</p> + +<p> +Mary had approached. From the lessening +waist to the slender feet her dress +opened at either side. Beneath was a +chemise of transparent Bactrianian tissue. +From girdle to armpits were little +clasps; on her ankles, bands; and above +the elbow, on her bare white arm, two +circlets of emeralds from the mines of +Djebel Zabur. +</p> + +<p> +The emir spoke to her. She listened +with a glimpse of the most beautiful +<pb n="49"/><anchor id="Pg049"/>teeth in the world. He put out a hand +tentatively and touched her: the tissue of +her garment crackled and emitted sparks. +He raised a goblet to her. The wine it +held was yellower than the marigold. +She brushed it with her lips; he drank it +off, then, refreshed, he looked her up and +down. +</p> + +<p> +In one hand she held a cup of horn, +narrower at the top than at the end; in +it were dice made of the knee-joints of +gazelles, and these she rattled in his +beard. +</p> + +<p> +<q>That beautiful Sultan, will he play?</q> +</p> + +<p> +With an ochre-tipped finger she pointed +at the turban on his head. The eyes of +the emir vacillated. He undid a string +of gems and placed them on the table’s +edge. Mary unclasped a coil of emeralds +and rattled the dice again. She +held the cup high up, then spilled the +contents out. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ashtaroth!</q> the emir cried. He had +won. +</p> + +<p> +Mary leaned forward, fawned upon his +breast, and gazed into his face. Her +<pb n="50"/><anchor id="Pg050"/>breath had the fragrance of his own +oasis, her lips were moist as the pomegranate’s +pulp, her teeth as keen as his +own desire. +</p> + +<p> +<q>No, beautiful Sultan, it is I.</q> With +the back of her hand she disturbed the +dice. <q>I am Ashtaroth, am I not?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Questioningly the emir explored the +unfathomable eyes that gazed into his. +</p> + +<p> +On their surface floated an acquiescence +to the tacit offer of his own. Then +he nodded, and Mary turned and gathered +the jewels from the cloth of byssus +where they lay. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I tell you he is the Messiah!</q> It +was the angry disputant shouting at the +little man. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Who is? What are you talking +about?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Though the hubbub had ceased, +throughout the hall were the mutterings +of dogs disturbed. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Jeshua,</q> the disputant answered; +<q>Jeshua the Nazarene.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A Pharisee, very vexed, his bonnet +tottering, gnashed back: <q>The Messiah +<pb n="51"/><anchor id="Pg051"/>will uphold the law; this Nazarene attacks +it.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A Scribe interrupted: <q>Many things +are to distinguish his advent. The light +of the sun will be increased a hundredfold, +the orchards will bear fruit a thousand +times more abundantly. Death will +be forgotten, joy will be universal, Elijah +will return.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>But he has!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas started. The Scribe trembled +with rage. But the throng had caught +the name of Elijah, and knew to whom +the disputant referred—a man in tattered +furs whom a few hours before they had +seen dragged away by a negro naked to +the waist, and some one shouted: +</p> + +<p> +<q>Iohanan is Elijah.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Baba Barbulah stood up and turned to +whence the voice had come: +</p> + +<p> +<q>In the footprints of the Anointed impudence +shall increase, and the face of +the generation shall be as the face of a +dog. It may be,</q> he added, significantly—<q>it +may be that you speak the truth.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The sarcasm was lost. The musicians +<pb n="52"/><anchor id="Pg052"/>in the gallery, who had been playing +on flute and timbrel, began now on the +psalteron and the native sambuca. Behind +was a row of lute-players; but most +in view was a trignon, an immense Egyptian +harp, at which with nimble fingers a +fair girl plucked. +</p> + +<p> +In the shadow Herodias leaned. At a +signal from her the musicians attacked +the prelude of a Syrian dance, and in the +midst of the assemblage a figure veiled +from head to foot suddenly appeared. +For a moment it stood very still; then +the veil fell of itself, and from the garrison +a shout went up: +</p> + +<p> +<q>Salomè! Salomè!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Her hair, after an archaic Chanaanite +fashion, was arranged in the form of a +tower. Her high bosom was wound +about with protecting bands. Her waist +was bare. She wore long pink drawers +of silk, and for girdle she had the blue +buds of the lotus, which are symbols of +virginity. She was young and exquisitely +formed. In her face you read strange +records, and on her lips were promises as +<pb n="53"/><anchor id="Pg053"/>rare. Her eyes were tortoise-shell, her +hair was black as guilt. +</p> + +<p> +The prelude had ceased, the movement +quickened. With a gesture of abandonment +the girl threw her head back, and, +her arms extended, she fluttered like a +butterfly on a rose. She ran forward. +The sambuca rang quicker, the harp +quicker yet. She threw herself to one +side, then to the other, her hips swaying +as she moved. The buds at her girdle +fell one by one; she was dancing on +flowers, her hips still swaying, her waist +advancing and retreating to the shiver of +the harp. She was elusive as dream, +subtle as love; she intoxicated and entranced; +and finally, as she threw herself +on her hands, her feet, first in the air +and then slowly descending, touched the +ground, while her body straightened like +a reed, there was a long growl of unsatisfied +content. +</p> + +<p> +She was kneeling now before the dais. +Pilate compared her to Bathylle, a mime +whom he had applauded at Rome. The +tetrarch was purple; he gnawed his +<pb n="54"/><anchor id="Pg054"/>under lip. For the moment he forgot +everything he should have remembered—the +presence of his guests, the stains +of his household, his wife even, whose +daughter this girl was—and in a gust of +passion he half rose from his couch. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Come to me,</q> he cried. <q>But come +to me, and ask whatever you will.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Salomè hesitated and pouted, the point +of her tongue protruding between her +lips. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Come to me,</q> he pleaded; <q>you shall +have slaves and palaces and cities; you +shall have hills and intervales. I will +give you anything; half my kingdom if +you wish.</q> +</p> + +<p> +There was a tinkle of feet; the girl +had gone. In a moment she returned, +and balancing herself on one foot, she +lisped very sweetly: <q>I should like by +and by to have you give me the head of +Iohanan—</q> she looked about; in the +distance a eunuch was passing, a dish in +his hand, and she added, <q>on a platter.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas jumped as though a hound +under the table had bitten him on the +<pb n="55"/><anchor id="Pg055"/>leg. He turned to the procurator, who +regarded him indifferently, and to the +emir, who was toying with Mary’s agate-nailed +hand. He had given his word, +however; the people had heard. About +his ears the perspiration started; from +purple he had grown very gray. +</p> + +<p> +Salomè still stood, balancing herself +on one foot, the point of her tongue just +visible, while from the gallery beyond, in +whose shadows he divined the instigating +presence of Herodias, came the grave +music of an Hebraic hymn. +</p> + +<p> +<q>So be it,</q> he groaned. +</p> + +<p> +The order was given, and a tear +trickled down through the paint and +furrows of his cheek. On the hall a +silence had descended. The guests were +waiting, and the throb of the harp accentuated +the suspense. Presently there +was the clatter of men-at-arms, and a +negro, naked to the waist, appeared, an +axe in one hand, the head of the prophet +in the other. +</p> + +<p> +He presented it deferentially to Antipas, +who motioned it away, his face +<pb n="56"/><anchor id="Pg056"/>averted. Salomè smiled. She took it, +and then, while she resumed her veil, she +put it down before the emir, who eyed it +with the air of one that has seen many +another object such as that. +</p> + +<p> +But in a moment the veil was adjusted, +and with the trophy the girl disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +The harp meanwhile had ceased to +sob, the guests were departing; already +the procurator had gone. The emir +looked about for Mary, but she also had +departed; and, with the expectation, perhaps, +of finding her without, he too got +up and left the hall. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas was alone. Through the lattice +at his side he could see the baaras +in the basalt emitting its firefly sparks of +flame. From an adjacent corridor came +the discreet click-clack of a sandal, and +in a moment the head of the prophet was +placed on the table at which he lay. The +tetrarch leaned over and gazed into the +unclosed eyes. They were haggard and +dilated, and they seemed to curse. +</p> + +<p> +He put his hand to his face and tried +to think—to forget rather, and not to +re<pb n="57"/><anchor id="Pg057"/>member; but his ears were charged with +rustlings that extended indefinitely and +lost themselves in the future; his mind +peopled itself with phantoms of the past. +Perhaps he dozed a little. When he +looked up again the head was no longer +there, and he told himself that Herodias +had thrown it to the swine. +</p> + +<pb n="58"/><anchor id="Pg058"/> +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="59"/><anchor id="Pg059"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER III.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg060"/> + +<pb n="61"/><anchor id="Pg061"/> +<head rend="page-break-before: right">III.</head> + +<p> +In the distance the white and yellow +limestone of the mountains rose. Near +by was a laughter of flowers, a tumult of +green. Just beyond, in a border of sedge +and rushes, a lake lay, a mirror to the +sky. In the background were the blue +and white terraces of Magdala, and about +a speaker were clustered a handful of +people, a group of laborers and of fishermen. +</p> + +<p> +He was dressed as a rabbi, but he +looked like a seer. In his face was the +youth of the world, in his eyes the infinite. +As he spoke, his words thrilled and +his presence allured. <q>Repent,</q> he was +saying; <q>the kingdom of heaven is at +hand.</q> And as the resplendent prophecy +continued, you would have said that a +bird in his heart had burst into song. +</p> + +<p> +A little to one side, in an attitude of +<pb n="62"/><anchor id="Pg062"/>amused contempt, a few of the tetrarch’s +courtiers stood; they were dressed in the +Roman fashion, and one, Pandera, a captain +of the guard, wore a cuirass that glittered +as he laughed. He was young and +very handsome. He had white teeth, +red lips, a fair skin, a dark beard, and, +as he happened to be stationed in the +provinces, an acquired sneer. Dear old +Rome, how vague it was! And as he jested +with his comrades he thought of its +delights, and wished himself either back +again in the haunts he loved, or else, if +he must be separated from them, then, +instead of vegetating in a tiresome tetrarchy, +he felt that it would be pleasant +to be far off somewhere, where the uncouth +Britons were, a land which it took +a year of adventures to reach; on the +banks of the Betis, whence the girls came +that charmed the lupanars; in Numidia, +where the hunting was good; or in Thrace, +where there was blood in plenty—anywhere, +in fact, save on the borders of the +beautiful lake where he happened to be. +</p> + +<p> +It was but the restlessness of youth, +<pb n="63"/><anchor id="Pg063"/>perhaps, that disturbed him so, for in +Galilee there were oafs as awkward as +any that Britannia could show; there was +game in abundance; blood, too, was not +as infrequent as it might have been; and +as for women, there at his side stood one +as appetizing as Rome, Spain even, had +produced. He turned to her now, and +plucked at his dark beard and showed +his white teeth; he had caught a phrase +of the rabbi in which the latter had mentioned +the kingdoms of the earth, and the +phrase amused him. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I like that,</q> he said. <q>What does +he know about the kingdoms of the +earth? Mary, I wager what you will +that he has never been two leagues from +where he stands. Let’s ask and see.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But Mary did not seem to hear. She +was engrossed in the rabbi, and Pandera +had to tug at her sleeve before she consented +to return to a life in which he +seemingly had a part. +</p> + +<p> +<q>What do you say?</q> he asked. +</p> + +<p> +Mary shook her head. She had the +air of one whose mind is elsewhere. Into +<pb n="64"/><anchor id="Pg064"/>her face a vacancy had come; she seemed +incapable of reply; and as the guardsman +scrutinized her it occurred to him that +she might be on the point of having an +attack of that catalepsy to which he knew +her to be subject. But immediately she +reassured him. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Come, let us go.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And, the guardsman at her side, the +others in her train, she ascended the little +hill on which her castle was, and where +the midday meal awaited. +</p> + +<p> +It was a charming residence. Built +quadrangularwise, the court held a fountain +which was serviceable to those that +wished to bathe. The roof was a garden. +The interior façade was of teak +wood, carved and colored; the frontal was +of stone. Seen from the exterior it looked +the fortress of some umbrageous prince, +but in the courtyard reigned the seduction +of a woman in love. From without +it menaced, within it soothed. +</p> + +<p> +Her title to it was a matter of doubt. +According to Pandera, who at the mess-table +at Tiberias had boasted his +pos<pb n="65"/><anchor id="Pg065"/>session of her confidence, it was a heritage +from her father. Others declared +that it had been given her by her earliest +lover, an old man who since had passed +away. Yet, after all, no one cared. She +kept open house; the tetrarch held her +in high esteem; she was attached to the +person of the tetrarch’s wife; only a little +before, the emir of Tadmor had made a +circuitous journey to visit her; Vitellius, +the governor of the province, had stopped +time and again beneath her roof; and—and +here was the point—to see her was +to acquire a new conception of beauty. +Of human flowers she was the most fair. +</p> + +<p> +Yet now, during the meal that followed, +Mary, the toast of the tetrarchy, she +whose wit and brilliance had been echoed +even in Rome, wrapped herself in a mantle +of silence. The guardsman jested in +vain. To the others she paid as much +attention as the sun does to a torch; and +when at last Pandera, annoyed, perhaps, +at her disregard of a quip of his, attempted +to whisper in her ear, she left the +room. +</p> + +<pb n="66"/><anchor id="Pg066"/> + +<p> +The nausea of the hour may have affected +her, for presently, as she threw herself +on her great couch, her thoughts forsook +the present and went back into the +past, her childhood returned, and faces +that she had loved reappeared and smiled. +Her father, for instance, Theudas, who +had been satrap of Syria, and her mother, +Eucharia, a descendant of former +kings. +</p> + +<p> +But of these her memories were slight—they +had died when she was still very +young—and in their place came her sister, +Martha, kind of heart and quick of temper, +obdurate, indulgent, and continually +perplexed; Simon, Martha’s husband, a +Libyan, born in Cyrene, called by many +the Leper because of a former whiteness of +his skin, a whiteness which had long since +vanished, for he was brown as a date; +Eleazer, her brother, younger than herself, +a delicate boy with blue pathetic +eyes; and with them came the delight of +Bethany, that lovely village on the oriental +slope of the Mount of Olives, +where the rich of Jerusalem had their +<pb n="67"/><anchor id="Pg067"/>villas, and where her girlhood had been +passed. +</p> + +<p> +From the lattice at which she used to +sit she could see the wide white road +begin its descent to the Jordan, a stretch +of almond trees and oleanders; and just +beyond, in a woody hollow, a little house +in which Sephôrah lived—a woman who +came from no one knew where, and to +whom Martha had forbidden her to speak. +</p> + +<p> +She could see her still, a gaunt, gray +creature, with projecting cheek-bones, a +skin of brick, and a low, insinuating +voice. The fascination which she had exercised +over her partook both of wonder +and of fear, for it was rumored that she +was a sorceress, and as old as the world. +To Mary, who was then barely nubile, +and inquisitive as only fanciful children +are, she manifested a great affection, enticing +her to her dwelling with little +cakes that were sweet to the tooth and +fabulous tales that stirred the heart: the +story of Stratonice and Combabus, for +instance, which Mary did not in the least +<pb n="68"/><anchor id="Pg068"/>understand, but which seemed to her intensely +sad. +</p> + +<p> +<q>And then what?</q> she would ask when +the tale was done; and the woman would +tell her of Ninus and Semiramis, of Sennachereb, +of Sardanapalus, Belsarazzur, +of Dagon, the fish-god of Philistia, by +whom Goliath swore and in whose temple +Samson died, or of Sargon, who, placed +by his mother in an ark of rushes, was +set adrift in the Euphrates, yet, happily +discovered by a water-carrier, afterwards +became a leader of men. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Why, that was Moses!</q> the child +would exclaim. +</p> + +<p> +<q>No, no,</q> the woman invariably answered, +<q>it was Sargon.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But that which pleasured Mary more +highly even than these tales were the +legends of Hither Asia, the wonderlands +of Babylon, and particularly the story of +the creation, for always the human mind +has wished to read the book of God. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Where did they say the world came +from?</q> she would ask. +</p> + +<p> +And Sephôrah, drawing a long breath, +<pb n="69"/><anchor id="Pg069"/>would answer: <q rend="post: none">Once all was darkness +and water. In this chaos lived strange +animals, and men with two wings, and +others with four wings and two faces. +Some had the thighs of goats, some had +horns, and some had horses’ feet, or were +formed behind like a horse and in front +like a man; there were bulls with human +faces, and men with the heads of dogs, +and other animals of human shape with +fins like fishes, and fishes like sirens, and +dragons, and creeping things, and serpents, +and fierce creatures, the images of +which are preserved in the temple of Bel.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Over all these ruled the great mother, +Um Uruk. But Bel, whom your people +call Baal, divided the darkness and clove +the woman asunder. Of one part he +made the earth, and of the other the sun, +the moon, the planets. He drew off the +water, apportioned it to the land, and +prepared and arranged the world. The +creatures on it could not endure the light +of day and became extinct.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Now when Bel saw the land fruitful +yet uninhabited, he cut off his head and +<pb n="70"/><anchor id="Pg070"/>made one of the gods mingle the blood +which flowed from it with earth and form +therewith men and animals that could +endure the sun. Presently Chaldæa was +plentifully populated, but the inhabitants +lived like animals, without order or rule. +Then there appeared to them from the +sea a monster of the name of Yan. Its +body was that of a fish, but under its +head another head was attached, and on +its fins were feet, and its voice was that +of a man. Its image is still preserved. +It came at morning, passed the day, and +taught language and science, the harvesting +of seeds and of fruits, the rules for +the boundaries of land, the mode of +building cities and temples, arts and +writing and all that pertains to civilized +life, and for four hundred and thirty-two +thousand years the world went very well.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Then in a dream Bel revealed to +Xisuthrus that there would be a great +storm, and men would be destroyed. He +bade him bury in Sepharvaim, the city of +the sun, all the ancient, mediæval, and +modern records, and build a ship and +<pb n="71"/><anchor id="Pg071"/>embark in it with his kindred and his +nearest friends. He was also to take +food and drink into the ship, and pairs +of all creatures winged and four-footed.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Xisuthrus did as he was bidden, and +from the ends of heaven the storm began +to blow. Bin thundered; Nebo, the Revealer, +came forth; Nergal, the Destroyer, +overthrew; and Adar, the Sublime, +swept in his brightness across the earth. +The storm devoured the nations, it lapped +the sky, turned the land into an ocean, +and destroyed everything that lived. Even +the gods were afraid. They sought refuge +in the heaven of Anu, sovereign of the +upper realms. As hounds draw in their +tails, they seated themselves on their +thrones, and to them Mylitta, the great +goddess, spake: <q>The world has turned +from me, and ruin I have proclaimed.</q> +She wept, and the gods on their thrones +wept with her.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>On the seventh day Xisuthrus perceived +that the storm had abated and +that the sea had begun to fall. He sent +out a dove, it returned; next, a swallow, +<pb n="72"/><anchor id="Pg072"/>which also returned, but with mud on its +feet; and again, a raven, which saw the +corpses in the water and ate them, and +returned no more. Then the boat was +stayed and settled upon Mount Nasir. +Xisuthrus went out and worshipped the +recovered earth. When his companions +went in search of him he had disappeared, +but his voice called to them saying that +for his piety he had been carried away; +that he was dwelling among the gods; +and that they were to return to Sepharvaim +and dig up the books and give them +to mankind. Which they did, and erected +many cities and temples, and rebuilt +Babylon and Mylitta’s shrine.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is simpler in Genesis,</q> Mary said, +the first time she heard this marvellous +tale. For to her, as to Martha and Eleazer, +the khazzan, the teacher of the synagogue, +had read from the great square +letters in which the Pentateuch was written +another account of the commingling +of Chaos and of Light. +</p> + +<p> +At the mention of the sacred canon, +Sephôrah would smile with that +indul<pb n="73"/><anchor id="Pg073"/>gence which wisdom brings, and smooth +her scanty plaits, and draw the back of +her hand across her mouth. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Burned on tiles in the land of the +magi are the records of a million years. +In the unpolluted tombs of Osorapi the +history of life and of time is written on +the cerements of kings. Where the bells +ring at the neck of the camels of Iran +is a stretch of columns on which are inscribed +the words of those that lived in +Paradise. On a wall of the temple of +Bel are the chronicles of creation; in the +palace of Assurbanipal, the narrative of +the flood. It is from these lands and +monuments the Thorah comes; its verses +are made of their memories; it gathered +whatever it found, and overlooked the +essential, immortal life.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And Sephôrah added in a whisper, +<q>For we are descended from gods, and +immortal as they.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The khazzan had disclosed to Mary +no such prospect as that. To him as to +all orthodox expounders of the Law man +was essentially evanescent; he lived his +<pb n="74"/><anchor id="Pg074"/> + little day and disappeared forever. God + alone was immortal, and an immortal being + would be God. The contrary beliefs + of the Egyptians and the Aryans were to + them abominations, and the spiritualistic + doctrine inaugurated by Juda Maccabæus + and accepted by the Pharisees, an + impiety. The Pentateuch had not a word + on the subject. Moses had expressly declared + that secret things belong to the + Lord, and only visible things to man. + The prophets had indeed foretold a terrestrial + immortality, but that immortality + was the immortality of a nation; and the + realization of their prophecy the entire + people awaited. Apart from that there + was only Sheol, a sombre region of the + under-earth, to which the dead descended, + and there remained without consciousness, + abandoned by God. + </p><p> + <q>Immortal!</q> Mary, with great wondering + eyes, would echo. <q>Immortal!</q> + </p><p> + <q>Yes; but to become so,</q> Sephôrah + replied, <q>you must worship at another + shrine.</q> + </p><p> + <q>Where is it?</q> +</p> + +<pb n="75"/><anchor id="Pg075"/> + +<p> +Sephôrah answered evasively. Mary +would find it in time—when the spring +came, perhaps; and meanwhile she had +a word or two to say of Baal to such effect +even that Mary questioned the khazzan. +</p> + +<p> +<q>However great the god of the Gentiles +has been imagined,</q> the khazzan +announced, <q>he is bounded by the earth +and the sky. His feet may touch the +one, his head the other, but of nature he +is a part, and, to the Eternal, nature is not +even a garment, it is a substance He +made, and which He can remould at will. +It is not in nature, it is in light, He is: +in the burning bush in which He revealed +Himself; in the stake at which Isaac +would have died; in the lightning in which +the Law was declared, the column of fire, +the flame of the sacrifices, and the gleaming +throne in which Isaiah saw Him sit—it +is there that He is, and His shadow is +the sun.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Of this Mary repeated the substance +to her friend, and Sephôrah mused. +</p> + +<p> +<q>No,</q> she said at last—<q>no, he is not +<pb n="76"/><anchor id="Pg076"/>in light, but in the desert where nature is +absent, and where the world has ceased +to be. The threats of a land that never +smiled are reflected in his face. The +sight of him is death. No, Baal is the +sun-god. His eyes fecundate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And during the succeeding months +Sephôrah entertained Mary with Assyrian +annals and Egyptian lore. She told +her more of Baal, whose temple was in +Babylon, and of Baaltis, who reigned at +Ascalon. She told her of the women who +wept for Tammuz, and explained the reason +of their tears. She told her of the +union of Ptah, the unbegotten begetter +of the first beginning, and of Neith, +mother of the sun; of the holy incest of +Isis and Osiris; and of Luz, called by the +patriarchs Bethel, the House of God, the +foothold of a straight stairway which +messengers ceaselessly ascended and descended, +and at whose summit the Elohim +sat. +</p> + +<p> +She told her of these things, of others +as well; and now and then in the telling +of them a fat little man with beady eyes +<pb n="77"/><anchor id="Pg077"/>would wander in, the smell of garlic +about him, and stare at Mary’s lips. His +name was Pappus; by Sephôrah he was +treated with great respect, and Mary +learned that he was rich and knew that +Sephôrah was poor. +</p> + +<p> +When the Passover had come and gone, +Sephôrah detected that Mary had ceased +to be a child; and of the gods and goddesses +with whose adventures she was +wont to entertain her, gradually she confined +herself to Mylitta; and in describing +the wonderlands which she knew so well, +she spoke now only of Babylon, where +the great tower was, and the gardens that +hung in the air. +</p> + +<p> +It was all very marvellous and beautiful, +and Sephôrah described it in fitting +terms. There was the Temple of the Seven +Spheres, where the priests offered incense +to the Houses of the Planets, to the +whole host of heaven, and to Bel, Lord +of the Sky. There was the Home of the +Height, a sheer flight of solid masonry +extending vertiginously, and surmounted +by turrets of copper capped with gold. +<pb n="78"/><anchor id="Pg078"/>In its utmost pinnacle were a sanctuary +and a dazzling couch. There the priests +said that sometimes Bel came and rested. +For the truth of that statement, however, +Sephôrah declined to vouch. She had +never seen him; but the hanging gardens +she had seen, long before they were demolished. +She had walked in them, and +she described their loveliness, and related +that they were erected to pleasure a Persian +princess whose eyes had wearied of +the monotony of the Babylonian plain. +</p> + +<p> +Once when Pappus was present—and +latterly he had been often there—she +passed from the gardens to the grove +where the temple of Mylitta stood. At +the steps of the shrine, she declared, were +white-winged lions, and immense bulls +with human heads. Within were dovecotes +and cisterns, the emblems of fecundity, +and a block of stone which she did +not describe. Without, among the terebinths +and evergreens, were little cabins +and an avenue bordered by cypress trees, +in which men with pointed hats and long +embroidered gowns passed slowly, for +<pb n="79"/><anchor id="Pg079"/>there the maidens of Babylon sat, chapleted +with cords, burning bran for perfume, +awaiting the will of the first who +should toss a coin in their lap and in +the name of Mylitta invite them to perform +the sacred rite. +</p> + +<p> +<q>That,</q> said Sephôrah, <q>is the worship +Mylitta exacts.</q> As she spoke she +drew herself up, her height increased, +an unnatural splendor filled her eyes. +<q>I,</q> she continued, <q>am her priestess. +I sacrificed at Byblus, but you may sacrifice +here. There is a dovecote, yonder +is a cistern, beyond are the cypress and +the evergreens that she loves. Mary, do +you wish to be immortal? Do you see +the way?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary smiled vaguely, and with the +serenity of one worshipping a divinity +she suffered the fat Jerusalemite to take +her in his arms. +</p> + +<p> +And now as she lay on her great couch +these things returned to her, and subsequent +episodes as well. There had +been the lamentable grief of Martha, the +added pathos in her brother’s eyes. The +<pb n="80"/><anchor id="Pg080"/>estate of her father had been divided, +and the castle of Magdala had fallen to +her share. Meanwhile she had been at +Jerusalem, and from there she had +journeyed to Antioch, where she had +heard the beasts roar in the arena. +She had looked on blood, on the honey-colored +moon that effaced the stars, +and everywhere she had encountered +love. +</p> + +<p> +Since then her hours had been grooved +in revolving circles of alternating delights, +and delights to which no shadow +of regret had come. To her, youth had +been a chalice of aromatic wine. She +had drained it and found no dregs. +Day had been interwoven with splendors, +and night with the rays of the sun. +Where she passed she conquered; when +she smiled there were slaves ready-made. +There had been hot brawls where she +trod, the gleam of white knives. Men +had killed each other because of her +eyes, and women had wept themselves +to death. For her a priest had gone +mad, and a betrothed had hid herself +<pb n="81"/><anchor id="Pg081"/>in the sea. In Hierapolis the galli had +fancied her Ashtaroth; and at Capri, +where Tiberius lounged, a villa awaited +her will. +</p> + +<p> +Her life had indeed been full, yet that +morning its nausea had mounted to her +heart. At the words of the rabbi the +horizon had expanded, the dream of immortality +returned. It had been forgot +long since and abandoned, but now, for +the first time since her childhood, something +there was which admonished her +that perhaps she still might stroll through +lands where dreams come true. The +path was not wholly clear as yet, and as +in her troubled mind she tried to disentangle +the past from the present the +sun went down behind the castle, the +crouching shadows elongated and possessed +the walls. +</p> + +<p> +An echo came to her, Repent, and the +prophecy continuing danced in her ears; +yet still the way was obscure. In the +echo she divined merely that the past +must be put from her like a garment +that is stained. The rest was vague. +<pb n="82"/><anchor id="Pg082"/>Then suddenly she was back again in +Machærus, and she heard the ringing +words of John. Could this be the Messiah +her nation awaited? was there a +kingdom coming, and immortality too? +</p> + +<p> +Her thoughts entangled and grew confused. +There was a murmur of harps in +the distance, and she wondered whence +it could come. Some one was speaking; +she tried to rouse herself and listen. +The room was filled with bats that +changed to butterflies. The murmur of +harps continued, and through the wall +before her issued a litter in which a +woman lay. +</p> + +<p> +A circle of slaves surrounded her. +She was pale, and her eyes closed languorously. +<q>I am Indolence,</q> she said. +<q>Sleep is not softer than my couch. +My lightest wish is law to kings. I live +on perfumes; my days are as shadows +on glass. Mary, come with me, and I will +teach you to forget.</q> +</p> + +<p> +She vanished, and where the litter +had been stood a eunuch. <q>I am Envy,</q> +he said, and his eyes drooped sullenly. +<pb n="83"/><anchor id="Pg083"/><q>I separate those that love; I dismantle +altars and dismember nations. I corrode +and corrupt; I destroy, and I never +rebuild. My joy is malice, and my creed +false-witnessing. Mary, come with me, +and you will learn to hate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He disappeared, and where his slime +had dripped stood a being with fingers +intertwisted and a back that bent. <q>I +am Greed,</q> it said. <q>I sap the veins of +youth; I drain the hearts of women; I +bring contention where peace should be. +I make fathers destroy their sons, and +daughters betray their mother. I never +forget, and I never release. I am the +master. Mary, come with me, and you +shall own the world.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The fetor of the presence went, and in +its place came one whose footsteps thundered. +<q>I am Anger,</q> he declared. <q>I +exterminate and rejoice. I batten on +blood. In my heart is suspicion, in my +hand is flame. It is I that am war and +disaster and regret. My breath consumes, +and my voice affrights. Mary, come with +me, and you will learn to quell.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="84"/><anchor id="Pg084"/> + +<p> +He dissolved, and in the shadows stood +one whose hands were ample, and whose +wide mouth laughed. <q>I am Gluttony,</q> +he announced, and as he spoke his voice +was thick. <q>I fatten and forsake. I offer +satrapies for one new dish. I invite and +alienate, I welcome and repel. It is I +that bring disease and disorders. I am +the harbinger of Death. Mary, come with +me, and you shall taste of Life.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He also disappeared, and two heralds +entered with trumpets on which they +blew, and one exclaimed, <q>Make way for +Assurbanipal, ruler of land and of sea.</q> +Then, with horsemen riding royally, +Sardanapalus advanced through the fissure +in the wall. On his head a high +and wonderful tiara shone with zebras +that had wings and horns. His hair was +long, and his beard curled in overlapping +rings. His robe dazzled, and the +close sleeves were fastened over his +knuckles with bracelets of precious stones. +In one hand he held a sceptre, in the +other a chart. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I,</q> he cried—<q>I am Assurbanipal; +<pb n="85"/><anchor id="Pg085"/>the progeny of Assur and of Baaltis, son +of the great king Riduti, whom the +lord of crowns, in days remote prophesying +in his name, raised to the kingdom, +and in the womb of his mother created +to rule. The man of war, the joy of Assur +and of Istar, the royal offspring, am I. +When the gods seated me on the throne +of the father my begetter, Bin poured +down his rain, Hea feasted the people. +My enemies I destroyed, and their gods +glorified me before my camp. The god +of their oracles, whose image no man had +seen, I took, and the goddesses whom +the kings worshipped I dishonored.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He paused and looked proudly about, +then he continued: +</p> + +<p> +<q>That which is in the storehouse of +heaven is kindled, and to the city of cities +my glory flies. The queens above and +below proclaim my glory. I am Glory, +and I am Pride. Mary, come with me, +and you shall disdain the sky.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But Mary gave no sign. The clattering +horses vanished, and two men dressed in +<pb n="86"/><anchor id="Pg086"/>women’s clothes appeared. They bowed +to the ground and chanted: +</p> + +<p> +<q>The holy goddess, our Lady Mylitta, +whose sacrificants we are.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Then came a form so luminous that +Mary hid her face and listened merely. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I,</q> said a voice—<q>I am Desire. In +Greece I am revered, and there I am +Aphrodite. In Italy I am Venus; in +Egypt, Hathor; in Armenia, Anaitis; in +Persia, Anâhita; Tanit in Carthage; +Baaltis in Byblus; Derceto in Ascalon; +Atargatis in Hierapolis; Bilet in Babylon; +Ashtaroth to the Sidonians; and Aschera +in the glades of Judæa. And everywhere +I am worshipped, and everywhere +I am Love. I bring joy and torture, delight +and pain. I appease and appal. +It is I that create and undo. It is I that +make heaven and people hell. I am the +mistress of the world. Without me time +would cease to be. I am the germ of +stars, the essence of things. I am all +that is, will be, and has been, and my robe +no mortal has raised. I breathe, and nations +are; in my parturitions are planets; +<pb n="87"/><anchor id="Pg087"/>my home is space. My lips are blissfuller +than any bloom of bliss; my arms +the opening gates of life. The Infinite is +mine. Mary, come with me, and you shall +measure it.</q> +</p> + +<p> +When Mary ventured to look again the +vision had gone. They had all gone now. +She had made no effort to detain them. +They were tempters of which she was +freed, in which she believed, and which +were real to her. The wall through which +they had come and departed was vague +and in the darkness remote, but presently +it dissolved again, and afar in the beckoning +distance was one breathing a soul into +decrepit rites. <q>Come unto me, all ye that +sorrow and are heavy-laden,</q> she heard +him say; and, as with a great sob of joy +she rose to that gracious summons, night +seized her. When she awoke, a newer +dawn had come. +</p> + +<pb n="88"/><anchor id="Pg088"/> +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="89"/><anchor id="Pg089"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER IV.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg090"/> + +<pb n="91"/><anchor id="Pg091"/> +<head rend="page-break-before: right">IV.</head> + +<p> +In the gardens of the palace the tetrarch +mused. The green parasols of the +palms formed an avenue, and down that +avenue now and then he looked. Near +him a Syrian bear, quite tame, with a +sweet face and tufted silver fur, gambolled +prodigiously. Up and down a neighboring +tree two lemurs chased with that +grace and diabolic vivacity which those enchanting +animals alone possess. Ringed-horned +antelopes, the ankles slender as +the stylus, the eyes timid and trustful, +pastured just beyond; and there too a +black-faced ape, irritated perhaps by the +lemurs, turned indignant somersaults, the +tender coloring of his body glistening in +the sun. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is odd that Pahul does not return,</q> +the tetrarch reflected; and then, it may be +for consolation’s sake, he plunged his face +<pb n="92"/><anchor id="Pg092"/>in a jar of wine that had been drained, in +accordance with a recipe of Vitellius, +through cinnamon and calamus, and drank +abundantly. +</p> + +<p> +Long since he had deserted Machærus. +The legends that peopled its corridors +had beset him with a sense of reality +which before they had never possessed. +The leaves of the baaras glittered frenetically +in the basalt, and in their spectral +light a phantom with eyes that cursed +came and went. At night he had drunk, +and in the clear forenoons he paced the +terrace fancying always that there, beyond +in the desert, Aretas prowled like a +wolf. Machærus was unhealthy; men had +gone mad there, others had disappeared +entirely. It was a haunt of echoes, of +memories, of ghosts also, perhaps too of +reproach. And so, with his court, he returned +to his brand-new Tiberias, where +the air was serener, and nature laughed. +</p> + +<p> +And yet in the gardens that leaned to +the lake the tranquillity he had anticipated +eluded and declined to be detained. +Rumors that Herodias collected came to +<pb n="93"/><anchor id="Pg093"/>him with the stamp of Rome. One of his +brothers was plotting against him; another, +though in exile, was plotting too. +It was the Herod blood, his wife said; +and, with the intemperance of a woman +whose ambition has been deceived, she +taunted him with his plebeian descent. +<q>Your grandfather was a sweep at Ascalon, +a eunuch at that,</q> she had remarked; +and the tetrarch, by way of +reply, had been obliged to content himself +by asking how, in that case, he could +have been grandfather at all. +</p> + +<p> +But latterly a new source of inquietude +had come. At Magdala, Capharnahum, +Bethsaïda, there, within the throw of a +stone, was a Nazarene going about inciting +the peasants to revolt. It was very vexatious, +and he told himself that when an +annoyance fades another appears. Life, +it occurred to him, was a brier with renascent +thorns. And now, as he gargled +the wine that left a pink foam on his +lips, even that irritation lapsed in the +perplexing absence of Pahul. +</p> + +<p> +Pahul was a butler of his, a Greek +<pb n="94"/><anchor id="Pg094"/>whom he had picked up one adventurous +night in Rome, who had made himself +useful, whom he had attached to his +household, whom he consulted, and on +whom he relied. Early that day he had +sent him off with instructions to run the +demagogue to earth, to listen, to question +if need were, and to hurry back and report. +But as yet he had not returned. +The day was fading, and on the amphitheatre +which the hills made the sun seemed +to balance itself, the disk blood-red. The +lemurs had tired, perhaps; their yellow +eyes and circled tails had gone; the bear +had been led away; only the multicolored +ape remained, gnawing now with little +plaintive moans at a bit of fruit which he +held suspiciously in his wrinkled hand. +</p> + +<p> +Presently a star appeared and quivered, +then another came, and though overhead +were streaks of pink, and, where the +sun had been, a violence of red and orange, +the east retained its cobalt, night +still was remote—an echo of crotals from +the neighboring faubourg, the cry of +<pb n="95"/><anchor id="Pg095"/>elephants impatient for their fodder, +alone indicating that a day was dead. +</p> + +<p> +In the charm of the encroaching twilight +the irritation of the tetrarch waned and +decreased. He lost himself in memories +of the princess who had been his bride, +and he wondered were it possible that, +despite the irrevocable, he was never to +see, to speak, to hold her to him again. +Truly her grievance was unmeasurable, +the more so even that she had not deigned +to utter so much as a reproach. At the +rumor of his treachery she had betaken +herself to the solitudes, where Aretas her +father was king, and had there remained +girt in that unmurmuring silence which +nobility raises as a barrier between outrage +and itself, and which the desert is +alone competent to suggest. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is he!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The tetrarch started so abruptly that +he narrowly missed the jar at his side. +On noiseless sandals Pahul had approached, +and stood before him nodding +his head with an air of assured conviction. +<pb n="96"/><anchor id="Pg096"/>The ape had fled and a stork stepped +gingerly away. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is he,</q> the Greek repeated—<q>John +the Baptist.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas plucked at his beard. <q>But +he is dead,</q> he gasped; <q>I beheaded him. +What nonsense you talk!</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is he, I tell you, only grown younger. +I found him in the synagogue.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Where? what synagogue?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pahul made a gesture. <q>At Capharnahum,</q> +he answered, and gazed in +the tetrarch’s face. He was slight of form +and regular of feature. As a lad he had +crossed bare-handed from Cumæ to Rhegium, +and from there drifted to Rome, +where he started a commerce in Bœtican +girls which had so far prospered that he +bought two vessels to carry the freight. +Unfortunately the vessels met in a storm +and sank. Then he became a hanger-on +of the circus; in idle moments a tout. It +was in the latter capacity that Antipas +met him, and, pleased with his shrewdness +and perfect corruption, had attached him +to his house. This had occurred in years +<pb n="97"/><anchor id="Pg097"/>previous, and as yet Antipas had found +no cause to regret the trust imposed. He +was a useful braggart, idle, familiar, and +discreet; and he had acquired the dialect +of the country with surprising ease. +</p> + +<p> +<q>There were any number of people,</q> +Pahul continued. <q>Some said he was +the son of Joseph, the son of——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>But he, what did he say? How tiresome +you are!</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah!</q> And Pahul swung his arms. +<q>Who is Mammon?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Mammon? Mammon? How do I +know? Plutus, I suppose. What about +him?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>And who is Satan?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Satan? Satan is a—He’s a Jew +god. Why? But what do you mean by +asking me questions?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pahul nodded absently. <q>I heard him +say,</q> he continued, <q>that no man could +serve God and Mammon. At first I +thought he meant you. It was this way. +I got into conversation with a friend of +his, a man named Judas. He told me any +<pb n="98"/><anchor id="Pg098"/>number of things about him, that he cured +the sick——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Bah! Some Greek physician.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>That he walks on the sea——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Nonsense!</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>That he turns water into wine, feeds +the multitude, raises the dead——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Raises the dead!</q> And the tetrarch +added in the <hi rend="italic">sotto voce</hi> of thought, <q>So +did Elijah.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>That he had been in the desert——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>With Aretas?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>No; I questioned him on that point. +He had never heard of Aretas, but he said +that in the desert this Satan had come +and offered him—what do you suppose? +<hi rend="italic">The empire of the earth!</hi></q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas shook with fright. <q>It must +have been Aretas.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>But that he had refused.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Then it is John.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>There, you see.</q> And Pahul dandled +himself with the air of one who is master +of logic. <q>That’s what I said myself. I +said this: <q>If he can raise the dead, he +can raise himself.</q></q> +</p> + +<pb n="99"/><anchor id="Pg099"/> + +<p> +<q>It <hi rend="italic">is</hi> John,</q> the tetrarch repeated. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I am sure of it,</q> the butler continued. +<q>But he did not say so. Judas didn’t +either. On the contrary, he declared he +was not. He said John was not good +enough to carry his shoes. I saw through +that, though,</q> and Pahul leered; <q>he knew +whom I was, and he lied to protect his +friend. I of course pretended to believe +him.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Quite right,</q> said the tetrarch. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, I played the fool. H’m, where +was I? Oh, I asked Judas who then +his friend was, but he went over to where +a woman stood; he spoke to her; she +moved away. Some of the others seemed +to reprove him. I would have followed, +but at that moment his friend stood up; +a khazzan offered him a scroll, but he +waved it aside; then some one asked him +a question which I did not catch; another +spoke to him; a third interrupted; he +seemed to be arguing with them. I was +too far away to hear well, and I got nearer; +then I heard him say, <q>I am the bread of +life.</q> Now, what did he mean by that?</q> +</p> + +<pb n="100"/><anchor id="Pg100"/> + +<p> +Antipas had no explanation to offer. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Then,</q> Pahul continued, <q>he said he +had come down from heaven. A man +near me exclaimed, <q>He is the Messiah;</q> +but others——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>The Messiah!</q> echoed the tetrarch. +For a moment his thoughts stammered, +then at once he was back in the citadel. +On one side was the procurator, on the +other the emir of Tadmor. In front of +him was a drunken rabble, wrangling +Pharisees, and one man dominating the +din with an announcement of the Messiah’s +approach. The murmur of lutes +threaded through it all; and now, as his +thoughts deviated, he wondered could that +announcement have been the truth. +</p> + +<p> +<q>But others,</q> Pahul continued, <q>objected +loudly. For a little I could not +catch a word. At last they became quieter, +and I heard him repeat that he was the +bread of life, adding, <q>Your fathers ate +manna and are dead, but this bread a +man may eat of and never die.</q> At this +there was new contention. A woman +fainted—the one to whom Judas had +<pb n="101"/><anchor id="Pg101"/>spoken. They carried her out. As she +passed I could see her face. It was +Mary of Magdala. Judas held her by +the waist, another her feet.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas drew a hand across his face. +<q>It is impossible,</q> he muttered. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Not impossible at all. I saw her as +plainly as I see you. The man next to +me said that the Rabbi had cast from her +seven devils. Moreover, Johanna was +there—yes, yes, the wife of Khuza, your +steward; it was she, I remember now, who +had her by the feet. And there were +others that I recognized, and others that +the man next to me pointed out: Zabdia, +a well-to-do fisherman whom I have +seen time and again, and with him his +sons James and John, and Salomè his +wife. Then, too, there were Simon Barjona +and Andrew his brother. Simon +had his wife with him, his children, and +his mother-in-law. The man next to me +said that the Rabbi called James and +John the Sons of Thunder, and Simon a +stone. There was Mathias the tax-gatherer, +Philip of Bethsaïda, Joseph +Bar<pb n="102"/><anchor id="Pg102"/>saba, Mary Clopas, Susannah, Nathaniel +of Cana, Thomas, Thaddeus, Aristian the +custom-house officer, Ruth the tax-gatherer’s +wife, mechanics from Scythopolis, +and Scribes from Jerusalem.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The fingers of Antipas’ hand glittered +with jewels. He played with them nervously. +The sky seemed immeasurably +distant. For some little time it had been +hesitating between different shades of +blue, but now it chose a fathomless +indigo; Night unloosed her draperies, +and, with the prodigality of a queen who +reigns only when she falls, flung out upon +them uncounted stars. +</p> + +<p> +Pahul continued: <q>And many of them +seemed to be at odds with each other. +They wrangled so that often I could not +distinguish a word. Some of them left +the synagogue. The Rabbi himself must +have been vexed, for in a lull I heard him +say to those who were nearest, <q>Will you +also go away?</q> Judas came in at that +moment, and he turned to him: <q>Have I +not chosen twelve, and is not one of you a +devil?</q> Judas came forward at once and +<pb n="103"/><anchor id="Pg103"/>protested. I could see he was in earnest, +and meant what he said. The man next +told me that he was devoted to the Rabbi. +Then Simon Barjona, in answer to his +question, called out, <q>To whom should we +go? Thou art Christ, the Son of God.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas had ceased to listen. At the +mention of the Messiah the dream of +Israel had returned, and with it the pageants +of its faith unrolled. +</p> + +<p> +Behind the confines of history, in the +naked desert he saw a bedouin, austere +and grandiose, preparing the tenets of a +nation’s creed; in the remoter past a +shadow in which there was lightning, then +the splendor of that first dawn where the +future opened like a book, and in the +grammar of the Eternal the promise of an +age of gold. +</p> + +<p> +Through the echo of succeeding generations +came the rumor of that initial impulse +which drew the world in its flight. +The bedouin had put the desert behind +him, and stared at another. Where the +sand had been was the sea. As he passed, +the land leapt into life. There were +<pb n="104"/><anchor id="Pg104"/>tents and passions, clans not men, an aggregate +of forces in which the unit disappeared. +For chieftain there was Might; +and above, the subjects of impersonal +verbs, the Elohim from whom the thunder +came, the rain, light and darkness, death +and birth, dream too, and nightmare as +well. The clans migrated. Goshen +called. In its heart Chaldæa spoke. The +Elohim vanished, and there was El, the +one great god, and Isra-el, the great +god’s elect. From heights that lost themselves +in immensity the ineffable name, +incommunicable and never to be pronounced, +was seared by forked flames on +a tablet of stone. A nation learned that +El was Jehovah, that they were in his +charge, that he was omnipotent, and that +the world was theirs. +</p> + +<p> +They had a law, a covenant, a future, +and a god; and as they passed into the +lands of the well-beloved, leaving tombs +and altars to mark their passage, they had +battle-cries that frightened and hymns +that exalted the heart. Above were the +jealous eyes of Jehovah, and beyond +<pb n="105"/><anchor id="Pg105"/>was the resplendent to-morrow. They +ravaged the land like hailstones. They +had the whirlwind for ally; the moon was +their servant; and to aid them the sun +stood still. The terror of Sinai gleamed +from their breastplates; men could not +see their faces and live. They encroached +and conquered. They had a home, they +made a capitol, and there on a rock-bound +hill Antipas saw David founding a line of +kings, and Solomon the city of god. +</p> + +<p> +It was in their loins the Messiah was; +in them the apex of a nation’s prosperity; +in them glory at its apogee. And across +that tableau of might, of splendor, and +of submission for one second flitted the +silhouette of that dainty princess of +Utopia, the Queen of Sheba, bringing +riddles, romance, and riches to the wise +young king. +</p> + +<p> +She must have been very beautiful, +Antipas with melancholy retrospection +reflected; and he fancied her more luminous +than the twelve signs of the zodiac, +lounging nonchalantly in a palanquin that +a white elephant with swaying tail +bal<pb n="106"/><anchor id="Pg106"/>anced on his painted back. And even as +she returned, with a child perhaps, to the +griffons of the fabulous Yemen whence +she came, Antipas noted a speck on the +horizon that grew from minim into +mountain, and obscured the entire sky. +He saw the empire split in twain, and in +the twin halves that formed the perfect +whole, a concussion of armies, brothers +appealing against their kin, the flight of +the Ideal. +</p> + +<p> +Unsummoned before him paraded the +regicides, convulsions, and anarchies that +deified Hatred until Vengeance incarnate +talked Assyrian, and Nebuchadnezzar +loomed above the desert beyond. His +statue filled the perspective. With one +broad hand he overturned Jerusalem; with +another he swept a nation into captivity, +leaving in derision a pigmy for King of +Solitude behind, and, blowing the Jews +into Babylon, there retained them until +it occurred to Cyrus to change the Euphrates’ +course. +</p> + +<p> +By the light of that legend Antipas saw +an immense hall, illuminated by the seven +<pb n="107"/><anchor id="Pg107"/>branches of countless candelabra, and +filled with revellers celebrating a monarch’s +feast. Beyond, through retreating +columns, were cyclopean arches and towers +whose summits were lost in clouds that +the lightning rent. At the royal table sat +Belsarazzur, laughing mightily at the enterprise +of the Persian king; about him +were the grandees of his court, the flower +of his concubines; at his side were the +sacred vases filled with wine. He raised +one to his lips, and there on the frieze +before him leapt out the flaming letters +of his doom, while to the trumpetings of +heralds Cyrus and his army beat down +the city’s gates. +</p> + +<p> +It passed, and Antipas saw Jerusalem +repeopled, the Temple rebuilt, peace after +exile, the joy of bondage unloosed. For +a moment it lasted—a century or two at +most; and after Alexander, in chasing +kings hither and thither, had passed with +his huntsmen that way, Isis and Osiris +beckoned, and the descendants of the bedouin +belonged to Goshen again, and so remained +until Syria took them, lost them, +<pb n="108"/><anchor id="Pg108"/>reconquered them, and might have done +with them utterly had not Juda Maccabæus +flaunted his banner, and the Roman +eagles pounced upon their prey. Once +more the Temple was rebuilt, <anchor id="corr108"/><corr sic="surperber">superber</corr> +than ever, and from the throne of David, +Antipas saw the upstart that was his +father rule Judæa. +</p> + +<p> +With him the panorama and the kaleidoscope +of its details abruptly ceased. +But through it all the voices of the +prophets had rung more insistently with +each defeat. The covenant in the wilderness +was unforgetable; in the chained +links of slavery they saw the steps of a +throne, the triumph of truth over error, +peace over war, Israel pontiff and shepherd +of the nations of the world. +</p> + +<p> +The expectation of a liberator who +should free the bonds of a people and +definitively re-create the land of the elect +possessed them utterly; his advent had +been constantly awaited, obstinately proclaimed; +the faith in him was unshakeable. +Palestine was filled with believers +praying the Eternal not to let them die +<pb n="109"/><anchor id="Pg109"/>before the promise was fulfilled; the atmosphere +itself was charged with expectation. +</p> + +<p> +And as the visions rushed through his +mind, Antipas fell to wondering whether +that covenant was as meaningless as he +had thought, or whether by any chance +this rabbi who had been arguing at Capharnahum +could be the usher of Israel’s +hope. If he were, then indeed he might +say good-bye to his tetrarchy, to his +dream of a kingdom as well. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes,</q> Pahul repeated, <q>the Son of +God!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Antipas had been so far away that now +he started as one does whom the touch of +a hand awakes. To recover himself he +leaned over and plunged his face in the +jar. The wine brought him courage. +</p> + +<p> +He must be suppressed, he decided. +</p> + +<p> +<q>But,</q> the butler continued, <q>I——</q> +</p> + +<p> +The frontal of the palace was set with +lights. The parasols of the palms had +turned from green to black, the stars +seemed remoter, the sky more dark. +<pb n="110"/><anchor id="Pg110"/>From beyond came the call and answer of +the sentinels. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas stood up. A fringe of his tunic +was detained by a rivet of the bench on +which he had sat; he stooped to loose it; +something moist touched his fingers, and +as he moved to the palace the black-faced +ape sprang at his side and nibbled at the +jewels on his hand. +</p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="111"/><anchor id="Pg111"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER V.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg112"/> + +<pb n="113"/><anchor id="Pg113"/> +<head rend="page-break-before: right">V.</head> + +<p> +The house of Simon Barlevi was gray, +and in shape an oblong. It had a flat +roof laid with a plaster of lime, about +which was a fretwork of open tiles. Beneath, +for doorway, was a recess, surmounted +by an arch and covered with a +layer of mud. On each side was a room. +</p> + +<p> +In the recess, sheltered from the sun +and visited by the breeze, Simon stood. +His garments were white, and where they +were not they had been neatly chalked. +On the border of his skirt and sleeves +were the regulation fringes, and on his +forehead and about his left arm the phylacteries +which Pharisees affect. He was +not pleasant to the eye, but he was virtuous +and a strict observer of the Law. +</p> + +<p> +In the room at his left were mats and +painted stools, set in the manner customary +when guests are awaited. For on +<pb n="114"/><anchor id="Pg114"/>that day Simon Barlevi was to give a +little feast, to which he had bidden his +friends and also a rabbi whom he had +listened to in the synagogue, and with +whose ideas he did not at all agree. +Save for the mats and stools, and a lamp +of red clay, the room was bare. +</p> + +<p> +In front of the house was a bit of +ground enclosed by a hedge of stones; +and now as Simon stood in the recess a +guest appeared. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Reulah!</q> he exclaimed, <q>the Lord +be with you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And Reulah answering, as etiquette required, +<q>Unto you be peace, and to your +house be peace, and unto all you have be +peace,</q> the two friends clasped hands +raised them as though to kiss them, then +each withdrawing kissed his own hand, +and struck it on his forehead. +</p> + +<p> +Singularly enough, host and guest +looked much alike. Simon had the appearance +of one conscious of and strong +in his own rectitude, while Reulah seemed +humbler and more effaced. Otherwise +<pb n="115"/><anchor id="Pg115"/>there was not a pin to choose between +them. +</p> + +<p> +To Simon’s face had come an expression +of perplexity in which there was +zeal. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I was thinking, Reulah,</q> he announced, +<q>of the rabbi who is to break +bread with us to-day. His teaching does +not comfort me.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Reulah was unlatching his shoes. <q>Nor +me,</q> he interjected. +</p> + +<p> +<q>On questions of purity and impurity +he seems unscrupulously negligent. I +have heard that he is a glutton and a +wine-bibber. I have heard that he despises +the washing of the hands.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Whoso does,</q> Reulah threw back, +<q>will be rooted out of the world.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Simon nodded; a smile of protracted +amiability hovered in the corners of his +mouth. For a moment he played with +his beard. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I think,</q> he added, <q>that he will find +here food in plenty, and counsel as well.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Reulah closed his eyes benignly, and +Simon, in a falsetto which he affected +<pb n="116"/><anchor id="Pg116"/>when he desired to impress, continued in +gentle menace: +</p> + +<p> +<q>But I have certain questions to put to +him. Whether water from an unclean +vessel defiles that which is clean. +Whether the flesh of a dead body alone +defiles, or the skin and bones as well. I +want to see how he will answer that. +Then I may ask his opinion on points of +the ritual. Should the incense be lighted +before the high-priest appears or as he +does so. Is or is not the Sabbath broken +by the killing of the Paschal lamb? +Why is it lawful to take tithe of corn and +wine and oil, and not of anise, cummin, +and peppers? In swearing by the Temple, +should one not first swear by the +gold on the Temple? and in swearing by +the altar, should one or should one not +first swear by the sacrifices on it? These +things, since he preaches, he must know. +If he does not——</q> +</p> + +<p> +And Simon looked at his friend as who +should say: What is there wanting in me? +</p> + +<p> +<q>If I may be taught another duty I +will observe it,</q> said Reulah, sweetly. +</p> + +<pb n="117"/><anchor id="Pg117"/> + +<p> +At this evidence of meekness Simon +grunted. Two other guests were approaching. +On the edges of their tallîth +were tassels made of four threads which +had been drawn through an eyelet and +doubled to make eight. Seven of these +threads were of equal length, but the +eighth was longer, and, twisted into five +knots, represented the five books of the +Law. The right hand on the left breast, +they saluted their host, and placing in +turn a hand under his beard, they kissed +it. A buzz of inquiries followed, interrupted +by the coming and embracing of +newer guests, the unloosing of sandals, +the washing of feet. +</p> + +<p> +As they assembled, one drew Simon +aside and whispered importantly. Simon’s +eyes dilated, astonishment lifted +him, visibly, like a lash, and his hands +trembled above his head. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Have you heard,</q> he exclaimed to the +others—<q>have you heard that the Nazarene +whom I invited here, and who pretends +to be a prophet, allowed his followers +to pluck corn on the Sabbath, to +<pb n="118"/><anchor id="Pg118"/>thresh it even, and defended and approved +their violation of the Law? Have +you heard it? Is <anchor id="corr118"/><corr sic="is">it</corr> true?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Reulah quaked as one stricken by +palsy. <q>On the Sabbath!</q> he moaned. +<q>On the Sabbath! Why, I would not +send a message on Wednesday, lest perchance +it should be delivered on the +Sabbath day. Surely it cannot be.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But on that point the others were certain. +They were all aware of the scandal; +one had been an eye-witness, another had +heard the Nazarene assert that he was +<q>Lord of the Day.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>This is monstrous!</q> Simon cried. +</p> + +<p> +<q>He declared,</q> the eye-witness continued, +<q>that the Sabbath was made for +man, and not man for the Sabbath.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is monstrous!</q> Simon repeated. +<q>The command to do no manner of work +is absolute and emphatic. The killing +of a flea on the Sabbath is as heinous as +the butchering of a bullock. The preservation +of life itself is inhibited. Moses +had the son of Shelomith stoned to death +for gathering sticks on it. Shammai +oc<pb n="119"/><anchor id="Pg119"/>cupied six days of the week in thinking +how he could best observe it. It is unlawful +to wear a false tooth on the Sabbath, +and if a tooth ache it is unlawful to +rinse the mouth with vinegar.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yet,</q> objected Reulah, <q>it is lawful +to hold the vinegar in the mouth provided +you swallow it afterward.</q> +</p> + +<p> +No one paid any attention to him. +Simon’s indignation increased. Of the +thirty-nine Abhôth he quoted twelve; he +showed that the Nazarene had violated +each one of these prohibitions against +labor; he showed, too, that by his subsequent +speech and bearing he had practically +scoffed at the Toldôth, at the +synagogue which had drawn it up as +well. +</p> + +<p> +<q>If the Sadducees were not in power, +Jerusalem should hear of this. As it +is——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Whatever resolution he may have intended +to express remained unuttered. A +silence fell upon his lips; his guests drew +back. At the step stood the Nazarene, behind +him his treasurer, Judas of Kerioth. +<pb n="120"/><anchor id="Pg120"/>For a second only Jesus hesitated. He +stooped, undid his shoes, and moved to +where Simon stood. The latter bowed +constrainedly. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Master,</q> he said, <q>we awaited you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +At this his friends retreated into the +little room. Reulah reached the middle +seat of the central mat first and held it, +his nostrils quivering at the envy of the +others. +</p> + +<p> +Preceded by their host, Jesus and +Judas found places near together, and, +the usual ablutions performed, the customary +prayers recited, lay, the upper +part of the body supported by the left +arm, the head raised, the limbs outstretched. +</p> + +<p> +On the stools were dishes of stewed +lentils, milk, and cakes of mashed locusts. +Reulah ate with the tips of his lips, +greedily, like a goat. Judas, too, ate +with an air of hunger. The Master +broke bread absently, his thoughts on +other things. These thoughts Simon interrupted. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Rabbi</q>—and to his wide mouth came +<pb n="121"/><anchor id="Pg121"/>the sneer of one propounding a riddle +already solved—<q>it is not meet, is it, to +thresh on the Sabbath day? Yet since +you permit your followers to do so, how +are we to distinguish between what is +lawful and what is not?</q> +</p> + +<p> +The Master raised his eyes. The dawn +was in them, high noon as well. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Show yourself a tried money-changer. +Choose that which is good metal, reject +that which is bad.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Simon blinked as at a sudden light. +</p> + +<p> +<q>But,</q> he persisted, <q>in seeking to +observe the Law, there is not a jot or +tittle in it that can be rejected.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With an acquiescence that was both +vague and melancholy, Jesus looked the +Pharisee in the face. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Seek those things that are great, and +little things will be added unto you——</q> +</p> + +<p> +He would have said more, perhaps, but +a woman who had entered from the recess +approached circuitously, and kneeling +beside him let a tear, long as a pearl, +fall upon his unsandalled feet. +</p> + +<p> +Judas’ heart bounded; he glared at +<pb n="122"/><anchor id="Pg122"/>her, his eyes dilating like a leopard preparing +to spring. At once he was back +in the circus, gazing into the perils and +the splendors of a woman’s face, telling +himself with reiterated insistence that to +hold her to him would be the birthday +of his life; and here, within reach of his +hand, was she whom in the din of the +chariots he had recognized as the one +woman in all the world, and who for one +moment the day before had lain unconscious +in his arms. +</p> + +<p> +Reulah sat motionless, his mouth +agape, a finger extended. <q>The paramour +of Pandera,</q> he stammered at last; +and lowering his eyes, he looked at her +covetously from beneath the lids. +</p> + +<p> +Simon, too, sat motionless. There was +rage in his expression, hate even—that +hatred which the beautiful excites in the +base. Time and again he had seen her; +she was a byword with him; from the +height of her residence she looked down +on his mean gray walls; her luxury had +been an insult to his abstinence; and with +that zest which a small nature takes in +<pb n="123"/><anchor id="Pg123"/>the humiliation of its superior, he determined, +in spite of her manifest abjection, +to humiliate her still more. +</p> + +<p> +<q>If this man,</q> he confided to his +neighbor, <q>has in him anything of that +which goes to the making of a prophet, +he will divine what manner of woman +she is. If he does not, I will denounce +them both.</q> And nourishing his hate he +waited yet a while. +</p> + +<p> +The Master seemed depressed. The +great secret which in all the world +he alone possessed may have weighed +with him. But he turned to Mary and +looked at her. As he looked she bent +yet lower. The marvel of her hair was +unconfined; it fell about her in tangling +streams of gold and flame, while on +his feet there fell from her tears such +as no woman ever shed before. In the +era of primitive hospitality the daughters +of kings had not disdained to unlatch +the sandals of their fathers’ guests; but +now, at the feet of Mercy, for the first +time Repentance knelt. And still the +tears continued, unstanched and +unde<pb n="124"/><anchor id="Pg124"/>tained. Grief, something keener still +perhaps, had claimed her as its own. +She bent lower. Then Misery looked up +at Compassion. +</p> + +<p> +The Master stretched his hand. For +a moment it rested on her head. She +quivered and clutched at her throat; and +as he withdrew that hand, in which all +panaceas were, from her gown she took a +little box, opened it, and dropping the +contents where the tears had fallen, with +a sudden movement she caught her hair +and poured its lava on his feet. +</p> + +<p> +An aroma of beckoning oases filled the +small room, passed into the recess, mounted +to the roof, pervaded and penetrated +it, and escaped to the sky above. +</p> + +<p> +And still she wept. Judas no longer +saw her tears, he heard them. They fell +swiftly one after another, like the ripple +of the rain. A sob broke from her, but +in it was something which foretokened +peace, the sob which comes to those who +have conceived a despairing hope, and +suddenly intercept its fulfilment. Her +hands trembled; the little box fell from +<pb n="125"/><anchor id="Pg125"/>her and broke. The noise it made exorcised +the silence. +</p> + +<p> +The Master turned to his host. <q>I have +a word to say to you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Simon stroked his beard and bowed. +</p> + +<p> +<q>There was once a man who had two +debtors. One owed him five hundred +pence, the other fifty. Both were poor, +and because of their poverty the debt of +each he forgave.</q> +</p> + +<p> +For an instant Jesus paused and seemed +to muse; then, with that indulgence which +was to illuminate the world, <q>Tell me, +Simon,</q> he inquired, <q>which was the +more grateful?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Simon assumed an air of perplexity, +and glanced cunningly from one guest to +another. Presently he laughed outright. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Why, the one who owed the most, of +course.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Reulah suppressed a giggle. By the +expression of the others it was patent that +to them also the jest appealed. Only +Judas did not seem to have heard; he sat +bolt upright, fumbling Mary with his +violent eyes. +</p> + +<pb n="126"/><anchor id="Pg126"/> + +<p> +The Master made a gesture of assent, +and turned to where Mary crouched. She +was staring at him with that look which +the magnetized share with animals. +</p> + +<p> +<q>You see her?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Straightening himself, he leaned on his +elbow and scrutinized his host. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Simon, I am your guest. When I +entered here there was no kiss to greet +me, there was no oil for my head, no water +for my feet. But this woman whom you +despise has not ceased to embrace them. +She has washed them with her tears, +anointed them with nard, and dried them +with her hair. Her sins, it may be, are +many, but, Simon, they are forgiven——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Simon, Reulah, the others, muttered +querulously. To forgive sins was indeed +an attribute which no one, save the Eternal, +could arrogate to himself. +</p> + +<p> +<q>—for she has loved much.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And turning again to Mary, who still +crouched at his side, he added: +</p> + +<p> +<q>Your sins are forgiven. Go now, and +in peace.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But the fierce surprise of the Pharisees +<pb n="127"/><anchor id="Pg127"/>was not to be shocked into silence. +Reulah showed his teeth; they were +pointed and treacherous as a jackal’s. +Simon loudly asserted disapproval and +wonder too. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I am amazed——</q> he began. +</p> + +<p> +The Master checked him: +</p> + +<p> +<q>The beginning of truth is amazement. +Wonder, then, at what you see; for he that +wonders shall reign, and he that reigns +shall rest.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The music of his voice heightened the +beauty of the speech. On Mary it fell +and rested as had the touch of his hand. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Messiah, my Lord!</q> she cried. <q>In +your breast is the future, in your heart +the confidence of God. Let me but tell +you. There are those that live whose +lives are passed; the tombs do not hold +all of those that are dead. I was dead; +you brought me to life. I had no conscience; +you gave me one, for I was dead,</q> +she insisted. <q>And yet,</q> she added, with +a little moan, so human, so sincere, that it +might have stirred a Cæsar, let alone a +<pb n="128"/><anchor id="Pg128"/>Christ, <q>not wholly dead. No, no, dear +Lord, not wholly dead.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Again her tears gushed forth, profuser +and more abundant than before; her frail +body shook with sobs, her fingers intertwined. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Not wholly dead,</q> she kept repeating. +<q>No, no, not wholly dead.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Jesus touched his treasurer. +</p> + +<p> +<q>She is not herself. Lead her away; +see her to her home.</q> And that the +others might hear, and profit as well, he +added, in a higher key, <q>Deference to a +woman is always due.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And to those words, which were to found +chivalry and banish the boor, Judas led +Mary from the room. +</p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="129"/><anchor id="Pg129"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER VI.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg130"/> + +<pb n="131"/><anchor id="Pg131"/> + +<head rend="page-break-before: right">VI.</head> + +<p> +<q>Are you better?</q> +</p> + +<p> +The road that skirted the lake had +branched to the left, and there an easy +ascent led to the hill beyond. On both +sides were carpets of flowers and of green, +and slender larches that held their arms +and hid the sky. Above, an eagle circled, +and on the lake a sail flapped idly. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, I am better,</q> Mary answered. +</p> + +<p> +From her eyes the perils had passed, +but the splendors remained, accentuated +now by vistas visible only to herself. +The antimony, too, with which she darkened +them had gone, and with it the +alkanet she had used on her cheeks. +Her dress was olive, and, contrary to +custom, her head uncovered. +</p> + +<p> +<q>You are not strong, perhaps?</q> +</p> + +<p> +As Judas spoke, he thought of the +<pb n="132"/><anchor id="Pg132"/>episode in the synagogue, and wished her +again unconscious in his arms. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I have been so weak,</q> she murmured. +And after a moment she added: <q>I am +tired; let me sit awhile.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The carpet of flowers and of green invited, +and presently Judas dropped at +her side. About his waist a linen girdle +had been wound many times; from it a +bag of lynx-skin hung. The white garments, +the ample turban that he wore, +were those of ordinary life, but in his +bearing was just that evanescent charm +which now and then the Oriental possesses—the +subtlety that subjugates and +does not last. +</p> + +<p> +<q>But you must be strong; we need +your strength.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary turned to him wonderingly. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes,</q> he repeated, <q>we need your +strength. Johanna has joined us, as you +know. Susannah too. They do what +they can; but we need others—we need +you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Do you mean——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Something had tapped at her heart, +<pb n="133"/><anchor id="Pg133"/>something which was both joy and dread, +and she hesitated, fearing that the possibility +which Judas suggested was unreal, +that she had not heard his words aright. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Do you mean that he would let me?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He would love you for it. But then +he loves everyone, yet best, I think, his +enemies.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>They need it most,</q> Mary answered; +but her thoughts had wandered. +</p> + +<p> +<q>And I,</q> Judas added—<q>I loved you +long ago.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Then he too hesitated, as though uncertain +what next to say, and glanced at +her covertly. She was looking across the +lake, over the country of the Gadarenes, +beyond even that, perhaps, into some +infinite veiled to him. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I remember,</q> he continued, tentatively, +<q>it was there at Tiberias I saw +you first. You were entering the palace. +I waited. The sentries ordered me off; +one threw a stone. I went to where the +garden is; I thought you might be among +the flowers. The wall was so high I +could not see. The guards drove me +<pb n="134"/><anchor id="Pg134"/>away. I ran up the hill through the +white and red terraces of the grape. +From there I could see the gardens, the +elephants with their ears painted, and +the oxen with the twisted horns. The +wind sung about me like a flute; the +sky was a tent of different hues. Something +within me had sprung into life. It +was love, I knew. It had come before, +yes, often, but never as then. For,</q> he +added, and the gleam of his eyes was as +a fanfare to the thought he was about to +express, <q>love returns to the heart as +the leaf returns to the tree.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary looked at him vacantly. <q>What +was he saying?</q> she wondered. From a +sea of grief she seemed to be passing onto +an archipelago of dream. +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The next day I loitered in the neighborhood +of the palace. You did not +appear. Toward evening I questioned a +gardener. He said your name was Mary, +but he would tell me nothing else. On +the morrow was the circus. I made sure +you would be there—with the tetrarch, I +thought; and, that I might be near the +<pb n="135"/><anchor id="Pg135"/>tribune, before the sun had set I was at +the circus gate. There were others that +came and waited, but I was first. I remember +that night as never any since. I +lay outstretched, and watched the moon; +your face was in it: it was a dream, of +course. Yes, the night passed quickly, +but the morning lagged. When the gate +was open, I sprang like a zemer from tier +to tier until I reached the tribune. +There, close by, I sat and waited. At +last you came, and with you new perfumes +and poisons. Did you feel my +eyes? they must have burned into you. +But no, you gave no heed to me. They +told me afterward that Scarlet won three +times. I did not know. I saw but you. +Once merely an abyss in which lightning +was.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Before the last race was done I got +down and tried to be near the exit +through which I knew you must pass. +The guards would not let me. The next +day I made friends with a sentry. He +told me that you were Mirjam of Magdala; +<pb n="136"/><anchor id="Pg136"/>that Tiberius wished you at Rome, and +that you had gone with Antipas to his +citadel. In the wine-shops that night +men slunk from me afraid. A week followed +of which I knew nothing, then +chance disentangled its threads. I found +myself in a crowd at the base of a hill; +a prophet was preaching. I had heard +prophets before; they were as torches +in the night: he was the Day. I listened +and forgot you. He called me; I followed. +Until Sunday I had not thought +of you again. But when you appeared in +the synagogue I started; and when you +fainted, when I held you in my arms and +your eyes opened as flowers do, I looked +into them and it all returned. Mary, kiss +me and kill me, but kiss me first.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, he is the Day.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Of the entire speech she had heard +but that. It had entered perhaps into +thoughts of her own with which it was +in unison, and she repeated the phrase +mechanically, as a child might do. But +now as he ceased to speak, perplexed, +<pb n="137"/><anchor id="Pg137"/>annoyed too at the inappositeness of her +reply, she came back from the infinite in +which she had roamed, and for a moment +both were silent. +</p> + +<p> +At the turning of the road a man appeared. +At the sight of Judas he halted, +then called him excitedly by name. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is Mathias,</q> Judas muttered, and +got to his feet. The man hurried to +them. He was broad of shoulder and of +girth, the jaw lank and earnest. His +eyes were small, and the lids twitched +nervously. He was out of breath, and +his garments were dust-covered. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Where is the Master?</q> he asked; and +at once, without waiting a reply, he added: +<q>I have just seen Johanna. Her husband +told her that the tetrarch is seeking +him; he thinks him John, and would do +him harm. We must go from here.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Judas assented. <q>Yes, we must all +go. Mary, it may be a penance, but it is +his will.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mathias gazed inquiringly at them +both. +</p> + +<pb n="138"/><anchor id="Pg138"/> + +<p> +<q>It is his will,</q> Judas repeated, authoritatively. +</p> + +<p> +Mary turned away and caught her +forehead in her hands. <q>If this is a +penance,</q> she murmured, <q>what then are +his rewards?</q> +</p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="139"/><anchor id="Pg139"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER VII.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg140"/> + +<pb n="141"/><anchor id="Pg141"/> + +<head rend="page-break-before: right">VII.</head> + +<p> +On the floor of a little room Mary lay, +her face to the ground. In her ears was +the hideousness of a threat that had +fastened on her abruptly like a cheetah +in the dark. From below came the +sound of banqueting. Beyond was the +Bitter Sea, the stars dancing in its ripples; +and there in the shadow of the evergreens +was the hut in which that Sephôrah +lived to whom long ago Martha had +forbidden her to speak. Through the +lattice came the scent of olive-trees, and +with it the irresistible breath of spring. +</p> + +<p> +In its caress the threat which had +made her its own presently was lifted, +and mingling with other things fused into +them. The kaleidoscope of time and +events which visits those that drown +<pb n="142"/><anchor id="Pg142"/>possessed her, and for a second Mary relived +a year. +</p> + +<p> +There had been the sudden flight from +Magdala, the first days with the Master, +the gorges of the Jordan, the journey to +the coast, the glittering green scales of +that hydra the sea. Then the loiterings +on the banks of the sacred Leontes, the +journey back to Galilee, the momentary +halt at Magdala, the sail past Bethsaïda, +Capharnahum, Chorazin, the fording of +the river, the trip to Cæsarea Philippi, +the snow and gold of Hermon, the visit +to Gennesareth, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, +and the return to Bethany. +</p> + +<p> +Her recollections intercrossed, scenes +that were trivial ousted others that were +grave; the purple limpets of Sidon, the +shrine of Ashtaroth, the invective at +Bethsaïda, the transfiguration on the +mountain height, the cure of lepers, and +the presence that coerced. Yet through +them all certain things remained immutable, +and of these, primarily her contact +with the Christ. +</p> + +<p> +To her, Jesus was not the Son of man +<pb n="143"/><anchor id="Pg143"/>alone, he was the light of this world, the +usher of the next. When he spoke, there +came to her a sense of frightened joy so +acute that the hypostatical union which +left even the disciples perplexed was by +her realized and understood. She had +the faith of a little child. And on the +hills and through the intervales over +which they journeyed, in the glare of +the eager sun or beneath the wattled +boughs, the emanations of the Divine +filled her with transports so contagious +that they affected even Thomas, who was +skeptical by birth; and when, after the +descent from Hermon, two or three of the +disciples mused together over the spectacle +which they had seen, the rhyme of her +lips parted ineffably. She too had seen +him aureoled with the sun, dazzling as +the snow-fields on the heights. To her +it was ever in that aspect he appeared, +with a radiance so intense even that there +had been moments in which she had +veiled her eyes as from a light that only +eagles could support. To her, marvels +were as natural as the escape of night. +<pb n="144"/><anchor id="Pg144"/>At Beth-Seân she had heard him speak +to dumb beasts, and never doubted but +that they answered him. At Dan she +had seen a short-eared hare rush to him +for refuge, and follow him afterwards as +a dog might do. At Kinnereth he had +called to a lark that from a tree-top was +pouring its heart out to the morning, and +the lark had fluttered down and nestled +in his hand. At Gadara he had tamed +wild doves, and a swarm of bees had +stopped and glistened in his hair. At +Cæsarea, when he began to speak, the +thrushes that had been singing ceased; +and when the parables were delivered, +began anew, louder, more jubilant than +before, and continued to sing until he +blessed them, when they mounted in one +long ascending line straight to the zenith +above. At his approach the little gold-bellied +fish of the Leontes had leaped +from the stream. In the suburbs of +Sidon the jackals had fawned at his feet. +The underbrush had parted to let him +pass, and where he passed white roses +came and the tenderness of anemones. +<pb n="145"/><anchor id="Pg145"/>At times he seemed to her immaterial as +a shadow in a dream, at others appalling +as the desert; and once when, in prayer, +she entered with him into the intimacy of +the infinite, she caught the shiver of an +invisible harp whose notes seemed to fall +from the night. And as she journeyed, her +love expanded with the horizon. She +loved with a love no woman’s heart has +transcended. In its prodigality and ascending +gammes there was place for +nothing save the Ideal. +</p> + +<p> +The little band meanwhile lived as +strangers on earth. Out of her abundant +means their simple wants were supplied. +She was less a burden than a sustenance; +her faith bridged many a doubtful hour; +and when, as often occurred, they disputed +among themselves concerning their +future rank and precedence, Mary +dreamed of a paradise more pure. +</p> + +<p> +One evening, near the rushes of Lake +Phiala, where the Jordan leaps anew to +the light, a Greek merchant who had refused +them shelter at Seleucia ambled +that way on an ass, and would have +<pb n="146"/><anchor id="Pg146"/>stopped, perhaps, but one of the band +scoffed him, and he rode on, and disappeared +in the haze of the hills. +</p> + +<p> +Unobserved, the Master had seen and +heard; presently he called them to where +he stood. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Do not think,</q> he admonished—<q>do +not think that because you imitate the +Pharisees you are perfecting your lives. +They fast, they pray, they weep, and they +mortify the flesh; but to them one thing +is impossible, charity to the failings of +others. Whoso then shall come to you, +be he friend or foe, penitent or thief, receive +him kindly. Aid the helpless, console +the unfortunate, forgive your enemy, +and forget yourselves—that is charity. +Without it the kingdom of heaven is lost +to you. There, there is neither Greek +nor Jew, male nor female; nor can it come +to you until the garment of shame is +trampled under foot, until two are as +one, and the body which is without is as +the soul within.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Thereat, with a gesture of exquisite +in<pb n="147"/><anchor id="Pg147"/>dulgence, he turned and left them to the +stars. +</p> + +<p> +Mary had heard, and in the palingenesis +disclosed she saw space wrapped in +a luminous atmosphere, such as she fancied +lay behind the sun. There, instead +of the thrones and diadems of the elect, +was an immutable realm in which there +was neither death nor life, clear ether +merely, charged with beatitudes. And so, +when the disciples disputed among themselves, +Mary dreamed of diaphanous +hours and immaculate days that knew +no night, and in this wise lived until +from the terrace of Jerusalem’s Temple +the Master bade her return to Bethany +and wait him there. +</p> + +<p> +Obedience to that command was bitter +to her. She did not murmur, however. +<q>Rabboni,</q> she cried, <q>let me but do +your will on earth, and afterwards save +me or destroy me as your pleasure is.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With that she had gone to her sister’s +house, and to the bewildered Martha +poured out her heart anew. There could +be no question of forgiveness now, of +<pb n="148"/><anchor id="Pg148"/>penitence even; her sins, such as they +were, had been remitted by one to whom +pardon was an attribute. And this doubtless +Martha understood, for she took her +in her arms unreproachfully and mingled +her tears with hers. +</p> + +<p> +Where all is marvel the marvellous disappears. +To the accounts which Mary +gave of her journeys with the little +band that followed the Master, Martha +listened with an attention which nothing +could distract. With her she sailed +on the lovely lake; with her she visited +cities smothering in the scent of cassia +and of sugar-cane; with her she passed +through glens where panthers prowled, +and bandits crueller than they. With +her eyes she saw the listening multitudes, +with her ears she heard again the +words of divine forgiveness; and, the lulab +and the citron in her hands, she assisted +at the Feast of the Tabernacles, and +watched the vain attempt to charm the +recalcitrant Temple and captivate the +inimical town. +</p> + +<p> +For in Jerusalem, in place of the +re<pb n="149"/><anchor id="Pg149"/>assuring confidence of peasants, was the +irritable incredulity of priests; instead +of meadows, courts. Besides, was not this +prophet from Galilee, and what good had +ever come from there? Then, too, he +was not an authorized teacher. He belonged +to no school. The followers of +Hillel, the disciples of Shammai, did not +recognize him. He was merely a fractious +Nazarene trained in the shop of a +carpenter; one who, by repeating that +it was easier for a camel to pass through +a needle’s eye than for a rich man to +enter the kingdom of heaven, flattered +basely the mob of mendicants that surrounded +him. The rabble admired, but +the clergy stood aloof. When he was not +ignored he was disdained. Save the pleb, +no one listened. +</p> + +<p> +Presently he spoke louder. Into the +grave music of the Syro-Chaldaic tongue +he put the mutterings of thunder. Where +he had preached, he upbraided; in place +of exquisite parables came sonorous +threats. He blessed but rarely, sometimes +he cursed. That mosaic, the Law, +<pb n="150"/><anchor id="Pg150"/>he treated like a cobweb; and to the arrogant +clergy a rumor filtered that this +vagabond, who had not where to lay his +head, declared his ability to destroy the +Temple, and to rebuild it, in three days, +anew. +</p> + +<p> +A rumor such as that was incredible. +Inquiries were made. The rumor was +substantiated. It was learned that he +healed the sick, cured the blind; that he +was in league, perhaps, with the Pharisees. +</p> + +<p> +The Sanhedrim took counsel. They +were Sadducees every one. The Pharisees +were their hereditary foes. Both were +militant, directing men and things as best +they could. The Sadducees held strictly to +the letter of the Law; the Pharisees held +to the Law, and to tradition as well. But +the Sadducees were in power, the Pharisees +were not. The former endeavored +in every way to maintain their authority +over the people; and against that authority, +against the aristocracy, the priesthood, +and the accomplices of foreign dominion, +the Pharisees ceaselessly excited +<pb n="151"/><anchor id="Pg151"/>the mob. In their inability to overthrow +the pontificate, they undermined it. With +microscopic attention they examined and +criticised every act of the clergy; and, +with a view of showing the incompetence +of the priests, they affected rigid theories +in regard to ritualistic points. Every +detail of the ceremonial office was watched +by them with eyes that were never pleased. +They asserted that the rolls of the Law +from which the priests read the Pentateuch +were made of impure matter, and, +having handled them, the priests had +become impure as well. The manner in +which the incense was made and offered, +the minutiæ governing the sacrifices, the +legality of hierarchal decisions—on each +and every possible subject they exerted +themselves to show the unworthiness of +the officiants, insinuating even that the +names of the fathers of many of the +priests were not inscribed at Zipporim +in the archives of Jeshana. As a consequence, +many of those whose rights the +Pharisees affected to uphold saw in the +hierarchy little more than a body of men +<pb n="152"/><anchor id="Pg152"/>unworthy to approach the altar, a group +of Herodians who in religion lacked every +requisite for the service of God, and who +in public and in private were bankrupts in +patriotism, morality, and shame. +</p> + +<p> +The possibility, therefore, that this +fractious demagogue had found favor +with the Pharisees was grave. He was +becoming a force. He threatened many +a prerogative. Moreover, Jerusalem had +had enough of agitators. People were +drawn by their promises into the solitudes, +and there incited to revolt. Rome +did not look upon these things leniently. +If they continued, Tiberius was quite capable +of putting Judæa in a yoke which +it would not be easy to carry. Clearly +the Nazarene was seditious, and as such +to be abolished. The difficulty was to +abolish him and yet conciliate the mob. +</p> + +<p> +It was then that the Sanhedrim took +counsel. As a result, and with the hope +of entrapping him into some blasphemous +utterance on which a charge would lie, +they sent meek-eyed Scribes to question +him concerning the authority that he +<pb n="153"/><anchor id="Pg153"/>claimed. He routed the meek-eyed +Scribes. Then, fancying that he might +be seduced into some expression which +could be construed as treason, they sent +young and earnest men to learn from him +their duty to Rome. The young and +earnest men returned crestfallen and +abashed. +</p> + +<p> +The elders, nonplussed, debated. A +levite suspected that the casuistry and +marvellous cures of the Nazarene must +be due to a knowledge of the incommunicable +name, Shemhammephorash, seared +on stone in the thunders of Sinai, and +which to utter was to summon life or +beckon death. Another had heard that +while in Galilee he was believed to be in +league with Baal-Zebub, Lord of Flies. +</p> + +<p> +To this gossip no attention was paid. +Annas, merely—the old high-priest, +father-in-law of Caiaphas, who officiated +in his stead—laughed to himself. There +was no such stone, there was no such god. +Another idea had been welcomed. A +festival was in progress; there was gayety +in the neighborhood, drinking too; and +<pb n="154"/><anchor id="Pg154"/>as over a million of pilgrims were herded +together, now and then an offence occurred. +The previous night, for instance, +a woman had been arrested for illicit commerce. +</p> + +<p> +Annas tapped on his chin. He had the +pompous air of a chameleon, the same +long, thin lips, the large, protruding eyes. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Take her before the Galilean,</q> he +said. <q>He claims to be a rabbi; he must +know the Law. If he acquit her, it is +heresy, and for that a charge will lie. +Does he condemn her he is at our mercy, +for he will have alienated the mob.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A smile of perfect understanding passed +like a vagrant breeze across the faces of +the elders, and the levites were ordered +to lead the prisoner to the Christ. +</p> + +<p> +They found him in the Woman’s Court. +From a lateral chamber a priest, unfit for +other than menial services because of a +carbuncle on his lip, dropped the wood +he was sorting for the altar and gazed +curiously at the advancing throng, in +which the prisoner was. +</p> + +<p> +She must have been very fair, but now +<pb n="155"/><anchor id="Pg155"/>her features were distorted with anguish, +veiled with shame. The blue robe she +wore was torn, and a sleeve rent to the +shoulder disclosed a bare white arm. +She was a wife, a mother too. Her name +was Ahulah; her husband was a shoemaker. +At the Gannath Gate, where her +home was, were two little children. She +worshipped them, and her husband she +adored. Some hallucination, a tremor of +the flesh, the flush of wine, and there, circled +by a leering crowd, she crouched, her +life disgraced, irrecoverable for evermore. +</p> + +<p> +The charge was made, the usual question +propounded. The Master had +glanced at her but once. He seemed to +be looking afar, beyond the Temple and +its terraces, beyond the horizon itself. +But the accusers were impatient. He bent +forward and with a finger wrote on the +ground. The letters were illegible, perhaps, +yet the symbol of obliteration was +in that dust which the morrow would disperse. +Again he wrote, but the charge +was repeated, louder, more impatiently +than before. +</p> + +<pb n="156"/><anchor id="Pg156"/> + +<p> +Jesus straightened himself. With the +weary indulgence of one to whom hearts +are as books, he looked about him, then +to the dome above. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Whoever is without sin among you,</q> +he declared, <q>may cast the first stone.</q> +</p> + +<p> +When he looked again the crowd had +slunk away. Only Ahulah remained, her +head bowed on her bare white arm. +From the lateral chamber the priest still +peered, the carbuncle glistening on his +lip. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Did none condemn you?</q> the Master +asked. +</p> + +<p> +And as she sobbed merely, he added: +<q>Neither do I condemn you. Go, and +sin no more.</q> +</p> + +<p> +To the elders this was very discomforting. +They had failed to unmask him as +a traitor to God, to Rome even, or yet as +a demagogue defying the Law. They did +not care to question again. He had +worsted them three times. Nor could +they without due cause arrest him, for +there were the Pharisees. Besides, a religious +trial was full of risk, and the +<pb n="157"/><anchor id="Pg157"/>coöperation of the procurator not readily +to be relied on. It was that coöperation +they needed most, for with it such feeling +as might be aroused would fall on Rome +and not on them. As for Pilate, he could +put a sword in front of what he said. +</p> + +<p> +In their enforced inaction they got +behind that wall of prejudice where they +and their kin feel most secure, and there +waited, prepared at the first opportunity +to invoke the laws of their ancestors, +laws so cumbersome and complex that +the Romans, accustomed to the clearest +pandects, had laughed and left them, +erasing only the right to kill. +</p> + +<p> +At last chance smiled. Into Jerusalem +a rumor filtered that the Nazarene they +hated so had raised the dead, that the +suburbs hailed him as the Messiah, and +that he proclaimed himself the Son of +God. At once the Sanhedrim reassembled. +A political deliverer they might +have welcomed, but in a Messiah they +had little faith. The very fact of his +Messiahship constituted him a claimant +to the Jewish throne, and as such a +pre<pb n="158"/><anchor id="Pg158"/>tender with whom Pilate could deal. +Moreover—and here was the point—to +claim divinity was to attack the unity of +God. Of impious blasphemy there was +no higher form. +</p> + +<p> +It were better, Annas suggested, that +a man should die than that a nation +should perish—a truism, surely, not to +be gainsaid. +</p> + +<p> +That night it was decided that Jesus +and Judaism could not live together; a +price was placed upon his head, and to +the blare of four hundred trumpets excommunication +was pronounced. +</p> + +<p> +Of all of these incidents save the +last Mary had been necessarily aware. +In company with Johanna, the wife of +Herod’s steward, Mary, wife of Clopas, +and Salomè, mother of Zebedee’s children, +she had heard him reiterate the burning +words of Jeremiah, and seen him purge +the Temple of its traffickers; she had +heard, too, the esoteric proclamation, +<q>Before Abraham was, I am;</q> and she +had seen him lash the Sadducees with +invective. She had been present when a +<pb n="159"/><anchor id="Pg159"/>letter was brought from Abgar Uchomo, +King of Edessa, to Jesus, <q>the good +Redeemer,</q> in which the potentate prayed +the prophet to come and heal him of a +sickness which he had, offering him a +refuge from the Jews, and quaintly setting +forth the writer’s belief that Jesus was +God or else His Son. She had been +present, also, when the charge was made +against Ahulah, and had comforted that +unfortunate in womanly ways. <q>Surely,</q> +she had said, <q>if the Master who does +not love you can forgive, how much more +readily must your husband who does!</q> +Whereupon Ahulah had become her +slave, tending her thereafter with almost +bestial devotion. +</p> + +<p> +These episodes, one after another, +she related to Martha; to Eleazer, her +brother; to Simon, Martha’s husband; to +anyone that chanced that way. For it +was then that the Master had bade her +go to Bethany. For a little space he +too had forsaken Jerusalem. Now and +then with some of his followers he would +venture in the neighborhood, yet only to +<pb n="160"/><anchor id="Pg160"/>be off again through the scorched hollows +of the Ghôr before the sun was up. +</p> + +<p> +These things it was that paraded before +her as she lay on the floor of the +little room, felled by the hideousness +of a threat that had sprung upon her, +abruptly, like a cheetah in the dark. To +Martha and to the others on one subject +alone had she been silent, and now at the +moment it dominated all else. +</p> + +<p> +From the day on which she joined the +little band to whom the future was to +give half of this world and all of the +next, Judas had been ever at her ear. +As a door that opens and shuts at the +will of a hand, his presence and absence +had barred the vistas or left them clear. +At first he had affected her as a scarabæus +affects the rose. She knew of him, +and that was all. When he spoke, she +thought of other things. And as the +blind remain unawakened by the day, he +never saw that where the wanton had +been the saint had come. To him she +was a book of ivory bound in gold, whose +contents he longed to possess; she was a +<pb n="161"/><anchor id="Pg161"/>book, but one from which whole chapters +had been torn, the preface destroyed; +and when his increasing insistence forced +itself upon her, demanding, obviously, +countenance or rebuke, she walked serenely +on her way, disdaining either, occupied +with higher things. It was of the +Master only that she appeared to think. +When he spoke, it was to her as though +God really lived on earth; her eyes +lighted ineffably, and visibly all else was +instantly forgot. At that time her life +was a dream into whose charmed precincts +a bat had flown. +</p> + +<p> +These things, gradually, Judas must +have understood. In Mary’s eyes he +may have caught the intimation that to +her now only the ideal was real; or the +idea may have visited him that in the +infinite of her faith he disappeared and +ceased to be. In any event he must have +taken counsel with himself, for one day +he approached her with a newer theme. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I have knocked on the tombs; they +are dumb.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary, with that grace with which a +<pb n="162"/><anchor id="Pg162"/>woman gathers a flower when thinking +of him whom she loves, bent a little and +turned away. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Have you heard of the Buddha?</q> he +asked. <q>Babylon is peopled with his +disciples. One of them met Jesus in the +desert, and taught him his belief. It is +that he preaches now, only the Buddha +did not know of a heaven, for there is +none.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And he added, after a pause: <q>I tell +you I have knocked on the tombs; there +is no answer there.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With that, as a panther falls asleep, his +claw blood-red, Judas nodded and left +her to her thoughts. +</p> + +<p> +<q>In Eternity there is room for everything,</q> +she said, when he came to her +again. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Eternity is an abyss which the tomb +uses for a sewer,</q> he answered. <q>Its +flood is corruption. The day only exists, +but in it is that freedom which waves +possess. Mary, if you would but taste it +with me! Oh, to mix with you as light +with day, as stream with sea, I would +<pb n="163"/><anchor id="Pg163"/>suck the flame that flickers on the walls +of sepulchres.</q> +</p> + +<p> +She shuddered, and he saw it. +</p> + +<p> +<q>You have taught me to love,</q> he +hissed; <q>do not teach me now to hate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary mastered her revolt. <q>Judas, +the day will come when you will cease +to speak as you do.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>You believe, then, still?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, surely; and so do you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>The day will come,</q> he muttered, +<q>when you will cease to believe.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>And you too,</q> she answered. <q>For +then you will <hi rend="italic">know</hi>.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The dialogue with its variations continued, +at intervals, for months. There +were times, weeks even, when he avoided +all speech with her. Then, abruptly, +when she expected it least, he would +return more volcanic than before. These +attacks she accustomed herself to regard +as necessary, perhaps, to the training of +patience, of charity too, and so bore with +them, until at last Jerusalem was reached. +Meanwhile she held to her trust as to a +fringe of the mantle of Christ. To her +<pb n="164"/><anchor id="Pg164"/>the past was a grammar, its name—To-morrow. +And in the service of the +Master, in the future which he had evoked, +she journeyed and dreamed. +</p> + +<p> +But in Jerusalem Judas grew acrider. +He had fits of unnecessary laughter, and +spells of the deepest melancholy. He +quarrelled with anyone who would let +him, and then for the irritation he had +displayed he would make amends that +were wholly slavish. His companions +distrusted him. He had been seen talking +amicably with the corrupt levites, the +police of the Temple, and once he had +been detected in a wine-shop of low repute. +The Master, apparently, noticed +nothing of this; nor did Mary, whose +thoughts were on other things. +</p> + +<p> +At Bethany one evening Judas came to +her. The sun, sinking through clouds, +placed in the west the tableau of a duel +to the death between a titan and a god. +There was the glitter of gigantic swords, +and the red of immortal blood. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Mary,</q> he began, and as he spoke +there was a new note in his voice—<q>Mary, +<pb n="165"/><anchor id="Pg165"/>I have watched and waited, and to +those that watch how many lamps +burn out! One after another those that +I tended went. There was a flicker, a +little smoke, and they had gone. I tried +to relight them, but perhaps the oil was +spent; perhaps, too, I was like the blind +that hold a torch. My way has not been +clear. The faith I had, and which, I do +not know, but which, it may be, would +have been strengthened, evaporated when +you came. The rays of the sun I had +revered became as the threads of shadows, +interconnecting life and death. In +them I could see but you. In the jaw of +night, in the teeth of day, always I have +seen you. Mary, love is a net which +woman throws. In casting yours—there! +unintentionally, I know—you caught my +soul. It is yours now wholly until time +shall cease to be. Will you take it, +Mary, or will you put it aside, a thing +forever dead?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary made no answer. It may be she +had not heard. In the west both titan +and god had disappeared. Above, in a field +<pb n="166"/><anchor id="Pg166"/>of stars, the moon hung, a scythe of gold. +The air was still, the hush of locusts accentuating +the silence and bidding it be +at rest. In a house near by there were +lights shining. A woman looked out +and called into the night. +</p> + +<p> +Then, as though moved by some jealousy +of the impalpable, Judas leaned forward +and peered into her face. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is the Master who keeps you from +me, is it not?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is my belief,</q> she answered, simply. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It was he that gave it to you. Mary, +do you know that there is a price upon +his head? Do you know that if I cannot +slake my love, at least I can gorge my +hate? Do you know that, Mary? Do +you know it? Now choose between your +belief and me; if you prefer the former, +the Sanhedrim will have him to-morrow. +There, your sister is calling; go—and +choose.</q> +</p> + +<p> +It was with the hideousness of this +threat in her ears that Mary escaped to +the little room where her childhood had +<pb n="167"/><anchor id="Pg167"/>been passed and flung herself on the +floor. From beyond came the sound of +banqueting. Martha was entertaining +the Lord, his disciples as well; and Mary +knew that her aid was needed. But the +threat pinioned and held her down. To +accede was death, not of the body alone, +but of the soul as well. There was no +clear pool in which she might cleanse the +stain; there could be no forgiveness, no +obliteration, nothing in fact save the loss +never to be recovered of life in the diaphanous +hours and immaculate days of +which she had dreamed so long. +</p> + +<p> +For a little space she tried to comfort +herself. Perhaps Judas was not in earnest; +perhaps even he had lied. And if he +had not, was there not time in plenty? +The desert was neighborly. She could +follow the Master there, and minister to +him till the sky opened and the kingdom +was prepared. And the threat, +coupled with that perspective, charmed, +and for the moment had for her that +enticement which the quarrels and kisses +of children equally possess. She would +<pb n="168"/><anchor id="Pg168"/>warn him secretly, she decided, for surely +as yet he did not know; she would warn +him, and before the sun was up he could +be beyond the Sanhedrim’s reach, and +she preparing to follow. For a moment +she lost herself in anticipation; then, +the threat loosening its hold, she stood +up, her face very white in the starlight, +her eyes brave and alert. Already her +plan was formed; and, taking a vase that +she had brought with her from Magdala, +she hurried to the room below. +</p> + +<p> +The Master; the disciples; Eleazer, +her brother; Simon, her sister’s husband, +were all at meat. Martha was serving, +and as Mary entered Judas stood up. +She moved to where the Master was, and +on him poured the contents of the vase. +Thomas sniffed delightedly, for now the +room was full of fragrance. The Master +turned to her and smiled; the homage +evidently was grateful. Mary bent nearer. +Thomas and Bartholomew joined in loud +praises of the aroma of the nard, and +under cover of their voices she whispered, +<pb n="169"/><anchor id="Pg169"/><q>Rabboni, the Sanhedrim has placed a +price on——</q> +</p> + +<p> +The whisper was drowned and interrupted. +Judas had shoved her away. +<q>To what end is this waste?</q> he asked; +and as Mary looked in his face she saw +by the expression in it that her purpose +had been divined and her warning overheard. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is absurd,</q> he continued, with affected +anger. <q>Ointment such as that has +a value. It might better have been saved +for the poor.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Thomas chimed in approvingly; placed +in that light it was indeed an extravagance, +unnecessary too, and he looked +about to his comrades for support. Eleazer +and Peter seemed inclined to view the +matter differently. A discussion would +have arisen, but the Master checked it +gently, as was his wont. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The poor are always with you, but me +you cannot always have.</q> +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke he turned to Judas with that +indulgence which was to be a heritage. +</p> + +<p> +Could he <hi rend="italic">know</hi>? Judas wondered. +<pb n="170"/><anchor id="Pg170"/>Had he heard what Mary said? And, the +Master’s speech continuing, he glanced at +her and left the room. +</p> + +<p> +The moon had mowed the stars, but the +sky was visibly blue. Behind the shoulder +of Olivet he divined the silence of Jerusalem, +the welcome of the Sadducees, the +joy of hate assuaged. There was but one +thing now that might deter; and as his +thoughts groped through that possibility, +Mary stood at his side. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Judas——</q> +</p> + +<p> +He wheeled, and, catching her by the +wrists, stared into her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Is it yes?</q> +</p> + +<p> +A shudder seized her. There was dread +in it, anguish too, and both were mortal. +He had not lied, she saw, and the threat +was real. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Is it yes?</q> he repeated. +</p> + +<p> +There may be moments that prolong, +but there are others in which time no +longer is; and as Mary shrank in the +blight of Judas’ stare, both felt that the +culmination of life was reached. +</p> + +<p> +<q>No!</q> +</p> + +<pb n="171"/><anchor id="Pg171"/> + +<p> +The monosyllable dropped from her +lips like a stone, yet even as it fell the +banner of Maccabæus unfurled and +flaunted in her face; the voice of Esther +murmured, and a vision of Judith saving +a nation visited her, and, continuing, +made spots on the night. +</p> + +<p> +Judas had flung her from him. She +reeled; the violence roused her. Who +was she to consider herself when the security +of the Master was at stake? How +should it matter though she died, if he +were safe? +</p> + +<p> +<q>It is my soul you ask,</q> she cried. +<q>Take it. If I had a thousand souls, I +would give each one for Him.</q> +</p> + +<p> +But she cried to the unanswering night. +Where the road curved about the shoulder +of the Mount of Olives, for one second +she saw a white robe glisten. Agonized, +she called again, but there was no one +now to hear. +</p> + +<p> +A little later, when the followers of the +Lord issued from the house, Mary lay before +the door, her eyes closed, her head +in the dust. They touched her. She had +fainted. +</p> +<pb n="172"/><anchor id="Pg172"/> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> + +<pb n="173"/><anchor id="Pg173"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER VIII.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg174"/> + +<pb n="175"/><anchor id="Pg175"/> + +<head rend="page-break-before: right">VIII.</head> + +<p> +<q>They have him, they are taking him +to Pilate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +It was Eleazer calling to his sister from +the turn of the road. In a moment he +was at her side, dust-covered, his sandals +torn, his pathetic eyes dilated. He was +breathless too, and, in default of words, +with a gesture that swept the Mount of +Olives, he pointed to where the holy city +lay. +</p> + +<p> +To Mary the morrow succeeding her +swoon was a pall. Love, it may be, is a +forgetfulness of all things else, but despair +is very actual. It takes a hold on +memory, inhabits it, and makes it its own. +And during the day that followed, Mary +lay preyed upon by the acutest agony +that ever tortured woman yet. Early +in the night, before her senses returned, +the Master had gone without mentioning +<pb n="176"/><anchor id="Pg176"/>whither. His destination may have been +Ephraïm, Jericho even, or further yet, beyond +the hollows of the Ghôr. Then, again, +he might have loitered in the neighborhood, +on the hill perhaps, in that open-air +solitude he loved so well, and for which +so often he forsook the narrowness of +roofs and towns. But yet, in view of the +Passover, he might have gone to Jerusalem, +and it was that idea that tortured +most. +</p> + +<p> +It was there the keen police, the levites, +were, and their masters the Sadducees, +who had placed a price on his head. Did +he get within the walls, then surely he +was lost. At the possibilities which that +idea evoked her thoughts sank like the +roots of a tree and grappled with the under-earth. +To her despair, regret brought +its burden. A moment of self-forgetfulness, +and, however horrible that forgetfulness +might have been, in it danger to him +whom she revered would have been averted, +and, for the time being at least, dispersed +utterly as last year’s leaves. It +had been cowardice on her part to let +<pb n="177"/><anchor id="Pg177"/>Judas go; she should have been strong +when strength was needed. There were +glaives to be had; the head of Holofernes +could have greeted his. The legend +of Judith still echoed its reproach, and +recurring, pointed a slender finger of disdain. +</p> + +<p> +To the heart that is sinking, hope throws +a straw. Immaterial and caressing as a +shadow, came to her the fancy that if the +Master were in the neighborhood, at any +moment he might appear. In that event +it was needful that she should be prepared +to aid him at once beyond the confines +of Judæa. Were he already beyond +them, presently she must learn it, and +then could warn him of the danger of +return. But meanwhile, for security’s +sake, had he gone by any chance to Jerusalem, +some one must be there to warn +him of the plot. She thought of her sister, +and dismissed her. Martha was too +feather-headed for an errand such as that. +She thought of Ahulah, but some of those +well-intentioned friends that everyone +possesses had told of the misadventure +<pb n="178"/><anchor id="Pg178"/>to her husband, and the latter, cruel as a +woman, had spat upon her, and now +through the suburbs she wandered, distraught, +incompetent to aid. Her brother +occurred to her. It was on him she could +rely. His devotion was surpassed only +by her own. Thereupon she sought him +out, instructed him in his duty, and sent +him forth to watch and warn. +</p> + +<p> +The green afternoon faded in the hemorrhages +of the setting sun. Twilight +approached like a wolf. Night unfurled +her great black fan; the moon came, +fumbling the shadows, checkering the +underbrush with silver spots. Once a +caravan passed, and once from the hillside +came the bark of a dog, caught up and +repeated in some farm beyond; otherwise +the night was unstirred; and as Mary +stared into the immensities where lightning +wearies and subsides, a lethargy +beset her, her body was imprisoned; but +her soul was free, and in a moment it +mounted sheerly to a fringe of the heavens +and bathed in space. +</p> + +<p> +When it descended, another day had +<pb n="179"/><anchor id="Pg179"/>come, and Eleazer was calling to her from +the turn of the road. At once she was on +earth and on her feet, and as the brother +gasped for breath the sister’s strength +returned. There must be no more weakness +now, she knew; it was time to act. +She got drink, water for the feet; then +Eleazer, refreshed, continued: +</p> + +<p> +<q>I ran through the ridge and up to +where the two cedars are. I looked among +the cypresses beyond, in the pines +where the descent begins, through the +olive groves below and the booths and +tents beneath. There was no trace of +him anywhere. I crossed the brook and +sat awhile at the Shushan gate, watching +those that entered. The crowd became +so dense that it was impossible to distinguish. +I thought I might hear of him +in the Temple. The porch was thronged. +I roamed through the Mountain of the +House into the Woman’s Court, and out +of it on the Chel. But they were all so +filled with pilgrims that had he been +there only accident could have brought +me to him. It was on that I counted, and +<pb n="180"/><anchor id="Pg180"/>I went out on Zion and Acra, where the +crowd was less. It was getting late. +Beth-horon was dim. I could see lights +in Herod’s palace. Some one said that +the tetrarch of Galilee was there, the +guest of the procurator. I went back by +way of Antonia to Birket Israil and the +Red Heifer Bridge. I had given up; +it seemed to me useless to make further +attempt. Suddenly I saw Judas in the +angle of the porch. With him was a levite. +I got behind a pillar, near where +they stood, and listened. The only thing +I distinctly heard was the name of Joseph +of Haramathaïm. I fancied, though I was +not certain, that Judas spoke as though +he had just left his house. They must +have moved away then, for when I looked +they had gone. I knew that Joseph was +a friend of the Master’s, and it struck me +that he might be at his house. It is in +the sook of the Perfumers, back of Ophel. +I ran there as fast as I could. It was unlighted. +I beat on the door: there was +no answer. I felt that I had been mistaken, +anyway that I could do no more. +<pb n="181"/><anchor id="Pg181"/>I went down again into the valley, crossed +the Kedron, and would have returned +here at once perhaps, but I was tired, and +so, on the slope where the olive-presses +are, I lay down and must have fallen +asleep, for I remembered nothing till +there came a tramping of men. I +crouched in the underbrush. They passed +very close; some had torches, some had +spears. Judas was leading, and as an ape +munches a flower he was muttering the +Master’s name.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Eleazer paused and looked at his sister. +She was standing erect, her face +wan, the brow contracted, the rhymes of +her lips tight-pressed. Then, with a glance +at Olivet, he continued: +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">For a little space I waited. They had +ascended the slope and halted. There +was a shout, the waving of torches, then +a silence. In it I heard the Master’s +voice, followed by a cry of pain. I hurried +to where they were. They had him +bound when I got there. I saw a soldier +raising a hand to his ear and looking at +the palm; it was red. Peter was running +<pb n="182"/><anchor id="Pg182"/>one way, Thomas another. I got nearer. +Some one, a levite I think, caught me by +the coat. I freed myself from it and escaped +up the hill.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">From there I looked down. They +were going away. When they had gone, +I went back and found my cloak. While +I was putting it on, John appeared. +<q>They are taking him to Caiaphas,</q> he +said; <q>I shall follow. Come with me if +you wish.</q> I went with him. On the way +we met Peter; he joined us. We walked +single-file, John leading. Beyond I could +see the lights of the torches, the glint of +steel. No one spoke. Peter whimpered +a little. We crossed the Kedron and got +up into the city. The soldiers went directly +to where Annas lives; they entered +in a body, and the door closed. John +rapped: it was opened. He said something +to the doorkeeper, who admitted him. +The door closed again. Peter and I +waited a little, not knowing where to turn. +Presently the door reopened, and John +motioned us to come in. In the court +was a fire; about it were servants and +<pb n="183"/><anchor id="Pg183"/>khazzans. I stopped a moment to warm +my hands; Peter did the same. John +had disappeared. I heard one of the +khazzans say that they had taken the +Master to Annas, and the others discuss +what he would probably do. While I +stood there listening, and wondering what +had become of John, I saw the Master +being led across the court to the Lishcath +ha-Gazith. I left Peter, and followed. +In the hall were the elders, ranged in a +semicircle about Caiaphas. They must +have been prepared beforehand, for the +clerks of acquittal and of condemnation +were there, the crier too, and a group of +levites and Scribes. In a corner were +some of Annas’ servants. I got among +them and stood unnoticed.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The Master’s hands were bound. On +either side of him was a soldier. Caiaphas +was livid. He looked him from head +to foot.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>You are accused,</q> he said, <q>of inciting +sedition, of defying the Law, of blasphemy, +and of breaking the Sabbath day. +What have you to answer?</q></q> +</p> + +<pb n="184"/><anchor id="Pg184"/> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The Master made no reply.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Caiaphas pointed to the levites. +<q>Here,</q> he continued, <q>are witnesses.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">He motioned; one of them stepped +forward and spoke.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>I testify that this man has incited +to sedition by denouncing the members +of this reverend council as hypocrites, +wolves in sheep’s clothing, blind leaders +of the blind; and I further testify that he +has declared no one should follow them.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>What have you to say to that?</q> +Caiaphas snarled. But the Master said +nothing.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The first levite moved back, and at +a gesture from the high-priest another +stepped forward.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>I testify that I have seen that man +eat, in defiance of the Law, with unwashed +hands, and consort with publicans and +people of low repute.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>And what have you to say to that?</q> +Caiaphas asked again. But still the +Master said nothing.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The second levite moved back, and a +third advanced.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="185"/><anchor id="Pg185"/> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>I testify that I have heard that man +blaspheme in calling God his father, and +in declaring himself to be one with Him.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>Is that blasphemy or is it not?</q> +Caiaphas bawled. But the Master’s lips +never moved.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The third levite gave way to a fourth.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>I testify that that man has broken +the Sabbath in healing the sick on that +day, and further that he has seduced +others to break it. On the Sabbath I +have heard him order a cripple to take +up his bed and carry it to his home. I +have heard him also declare that he could +destroy the Temple and rebuild it, in +three days, anew.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Caiaphas turned to the Master. <q>Do +you still refuse to answer?</q> he asked. +<q>Do you think that silence can save you? +Have you heard these witnesses?</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">And as the Master still made no reply, +Caiaphas lifted his hand and cried, +<q>I adjure you by the Eternal to answer, +Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">In the breathless silence Jesus raised +his eyes. He looked at the high-priest, +<pb n="186"/><anchor id="Pg186"/>at the levites, the Scribes. <q>You have +said it,</q> he murmured, and smiled with +that air he has.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Caiaphas grew purple. He caught his +gown at the throat and ripped it from neck +to hem. The elders started. I heard +them mutter, <q><hi rend="italic">Ish maveth</hi>.</q> The high-priest +glanced toward them. <q>You have +heard this ragged blasphemy?</q> he exclaimed; +and, turning to where the Scribes +stood, <q>What,</q> he asked, <q>does the Law +decree concerning the Sabbath-breaker?</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">One of them, the book unrolled in his +hand, advanced and read:</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>Ye shall keep the Sabbath holy. +Whoso does any work thereon shall be +cut off from his people.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none"><q>And what of blasphemy?</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">The Scribe glanced at the roll and +repeated from memory: <q>He that blasphemeth +the name of the Lord shall be +put to death. The congregation shall +stone him, as well the stranger as he that +was born in the land.</q></q> +</p> + +<p> +<q rend="post: none">Caiaphas closed the fingers on the +palm of his left hand, and, raising it, +<pb n="187"/><anchor id="Pg187"/>turned again to the elders. <q><hi rend="italic">Ish maveth</hi>,</q> +they repeated, closing their fingers as he +had done.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>I knew then that he was condemned. +After all</q>—and Eleazer looked wearily to +the ground—<q>it was legal enough. Each +moment I expected him to give some +sign, but, save to affirm the charge of blasphemy, +during the entire time he kept +silent. Yes, it was legal enough. From +where I stood I heard the Scribes say +that he would be sentenced at sunrise, +and then Pilate would have a word with +him. I could do nothing. Caiaphas +still fumed. I went out in the court +again. In the corridor was Judas. Peter +was wrangling with the servants. I +did not wait for more. I got away and +into the valley and up again on the hill. +A cock was crowing, and I saw the dawn. +O Mary, the pity of it!</q> +</p> + +<p> +He looked at his sister. There was no +weakness now in her face, nor beauty +either. Age must have passed her in the +night. +</p> + +<pb n="188"/><anchor id="Pg188"/> + +<p> +<q>And I will have a word with Pilate +too,</q> she said. +</p> + +<p> +As a somnambulist might, she drew her +mantle closer, and, moving to the wayside, +ascended the hill. The silver and green +of the olives closed around her, and with +them the branching dates. Above, a star +left by the morning glimmered feebly. +In a myrtle a bird began to sing, and a +lizard that had come out to intercept the +sun scurried as she passed. Upward +and onward still she went, and, the summit +reached, for a moment she stopped +and rested. +</p> + +<p> +To the east the Dead Sea lay, a stretch +of silk. At its edge was the flutter of +ospreys feasting on the barbels and +breams of the Jordan, which as they enter, +die. Beyond was a glitter of white +and gold, the scarp of Moriah and its +breast of stone, the Tyrian bevel of Solomon, +the porphyry of Nehemiah, the marble +that Herod gave; ascending terraces, +engulfing porticoes, the splendor of Jerusalem +at dawn. Between the houses +nearest was the dimness that shadows +<pb n="189"/><anchor id="Pg189"/>cast; those further away had a scatter of +pink; about it all was a wall surmounted +by turrets; beneath was a ravine in which +was a brook, and a city of booths and +tents, grazing camels and fat-tailed sheep. +</p> + +<p> +Through the pines and cypresses Mary +passed down to where the olives were. +The brook sent a message to her; the +blood that had flowed from the sacrifices +was in it, and in the fresh morning it +reeked a little, as such brooks do. It was +here, she thought, the Master had been +taken, and for a second she stopped again. +The sun now was rising behind her; the +color of the sky shifted. Beyond Jerusalem +a mountain was melting in excesses +of vermilion, and the ravine that had been +gray was assuming the tenderest green. +The star had disappeared, but from each +tree broke the greeting of a bird. +</p> + +<p> +A rustle of the leaves near by startled +her, and she looked about, fearful, as +women are, of some beast of prey. A +white robe was there, a white turban, and +beneath it the swart face of one whom +she had known. +</p> + +<pb n="190"/><anchor id="Pg190"/> + +<p> +To her eyes came massacres. <q>Judas!</q> +she exclaimed, and looked up in that roof +of her world where day puts its blue and +night puts its black. <q>Judas!</q> she repeated. +Her small hands clenched, and +the rhymes of her mouth grew venomous. +</p> + +<p> +Then the woman spoke in her. <q>Why +did you not kill me first?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Judas swayed like an ox hit on the +forehead. The motion distracted and irritated +her. <q>Can’t you speak,</q> she +cried, <q>or does hell hold you, tongue and +all?</q> +</p> + +<p> +He raised a hand as though he feared +another blow. The gesture was so human +and yet so humble that Mary looked +into his face. Time, which turns the +sweet-eyed girl into a withered spectre, +must have touched him with its thumb. +His eyes were ringed and cavernous, his +cheeks empty. +</p> + +<p> +<q>You have heard, then?</q> he said; but +he evinced no curiosity. He spoke with +the apathy of one who takes everything +for granted, one with whom fate is to +have its will. <q>I have just come from +<pb n="191"/><anchor id="Pg191"/>there,</q> he added, with a backward gesture. +<q>I never thought that such a thing could +be. No, I swear it, I never did.</q> Then, +in answer perhaps to some inner twinge, +perhaps also because of the expression +of Mary’s lips, he continued: <q>If there +is a new oath, one that has never been +used before, prompt me, and I will swear +again, I never did. I thought——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary interrupted him savagely: +<q>There are ten kinds of hypocrisy. You +have nine of them; you will develop the +tenth and invent a new one besides.</q> +</p> + +<p> +At this Judas made a pass with his +hands and stared absently at the ground. +<q>Mary,</q> he said, <q>life is a book which +man reads when he dies. During the last +hour I have been unrolling it. In its scroll +I found existence a wine-shop where the +guest fares so badly that he would go at +once were it not that he fears to call for +the reckoning. The reckoning, Mary, is +death. I have called for it. I am about +to pay. Let me tell you. I have no excuse +to offer, no forgiveness now to await. My +heart was a meadow: you made it stone. +<pb n="192"/><anchor id="Pg192"/>There were well-springs in it: you dried +them, Mary. When I first saw you, you +were a dream fulfilled. Others had brought +echoes of life; you brought its song. It +was then that I heard the Master speak. +I followed him, and tried to forget. It +must be that I failed, for when I saw you +in Capharnahum my blood danced, and +when you spoke I trembled. It was love, +Mary; and love, when it is not death, is +life. It was that I sought at your side. +You would not listen. Innocence is a +garment. You seemed to have wrapped +it about you. I tried to tear it away. +There was my fault, and this my punishment. +Your right was inflexible as a +prison-door, and yet always behind it was +the murmur of a mysterious Perhaps. +The others turned to me; I turned to you. +I forgot again, but this time it was my +duty, my allegiance, and my faith. Mary, +I loved the Master more wholly even than +I loved you. He was the Spirit; you +were the flesh. In him was the future; in +you the tomb. I thought to conquer both. +While I mixed my darkness with his light, +<pb n="193"/><anchor id="Pg193"/>I pursued you as night pursues the day. +On the light I have cast a shadow, and to +you I have brought a blight. But, Mary, +both will disappear. The one consolation +I cling to now is that belief. When +I delivered him up, it was myself I betrayed, +not him. I am forever dead, and +he forever living. While I bargained +with the priests and pretended that my +aim was coin, when I led the levites and +the Temple-guard just here to where he +stood, during all the hours since I left +you, I tried to escape from that cage we +call Fate. Mary, there is something about +us higher than our will. The revenge I +sought on you forsook me before I reached +the city’s gate. It is the intangible that +has brought me where I am. I have +sworn to you I never thought this thing +could be. I swear it now again. In +carrying out the threat I made, I thought +to make you fear my hate and make him +greater than he was. His enemies, I had +seen, were many. Those that had believed +in him grew daily less. In Jerusalem his +miracles had ceased, and I thought that, +<pb n="194"/><anchor id="Pg194"/>when the levites and the Temple-guard +approached, he would speak with Samuel’s +thunder, answer with Elijah’s flame. +I thought the stars would shake, the moon +grow red; that he would produce the lost +Urim, the vanished Ark, and so forever +silence disbelief. I was wrong, and he +was right. Belief is in the heart, not in +the senses; the visible contradicts, but +faith is not to be confuted. No, Mary, +the tombs are not dumb. I said so once, +I know, but they answer, and mine will +speak. On it perhaps a caricature may +be daubed, and about it prejudice will uncoil. +I deserve it. Yet though you think +me wholly base, remember no man is that. +Since I met you my life has been a battle-field +in which I have fought with conscience. +It has conquered. I am its +slave; it commands, and I obey.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He drew a breath as though he had +more to add, and turned to where she +stood. There was no one there. From +an olive-branch a red-start piped to the +morning; over the buds of a pomegranate +a bee buzzed its delight; across the leaves +<pb n="195"/><anchor id="Pg195"/>of a myrtle a blue spider was busy with +its web, but Mary was no longer there. +He peered through the underbrush, and +wandered to the grove beyond. There +was no one. He looked to the hill-top: +there was the advancing sun. He looked +in the valley: there were the pilgrims’ +booths, the grazing camels and fat-tailed +sheep. +</p> + +<p> +<q>She has gone,</q> he told himself. <q>She +would not even listen.</q> +</p> + +<p> +He bent his head. For the first time +since boyhood the tears rolled down his +face. +</p> + +<p> +<q>She might at least have heard me,</q> he +thought, and brushed the tears away. +Others came and replaced them. When +they had fallen, there were more. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, she might at least have listened. +If I had no excuse to offer, at least I had +regret.</q> For a moment he fancied her, +cruel as only woman is, hurrying to some +unknown goal. The tears he had tried +to stanch ceased now abruptly. <q>She is +right,</q> he mused. <q>She has left me to +conscience and to death.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="196"/><anchor id="Pg196"/> + +<p> +He turned again and went back to +where he had stood before. As he crossed +the intervening space he unloosed the +long girdle which he wore, and from which +still hung the treasury of the twelve. +The bag that held it fell where the bee +was buzzing. One end of the girdle +he tossed over a branch; the red-start +spread its wings and fled. He +looked about. There was a stone near by; +he got it and with a little labor rolled it +beneath the branch. Then he made a +noose, very carefully, that it might not +come undone, and settling it well under +the chin, he tied the other end of the +girdle to it and swung himself from the +stone. +</p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="197"/><anchor id="Pg197"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER IX.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg198"/> + +<pb n="199"/><anchor id="Pg199"/> + +<head rend="page-break-before: right">IX.</head> + +<p> +In the apartment of Claudia Procula, +Mary and the wife of the procurator +stood face to face. +</p> + +<p> +The apartment itself overlooked Jerusalem. +Beneath was an open space tiled +with little oblong stones, red, yellow, and +blue; the blue predominating. On either +side the colossal white wings of the palace +stretched to a park, very green in the +sunlight, cut by colonnades in which +fountains were, and surrounded by a marble +wall that was starred with turrets and +fluttered with doves. The Temple, which, +from its cressets, radiated to the hills +beyond a glare of gold, was not as fair +nor yet as vast as this. Within its gates +an army could manœuvre; in its banquet-hall +a cohort could have supped. It was +Herod’s triumph, built subsequent to the +Temple, to show the world, perhaps, that +<pb n="200"/><anchor id="Pg200"/>to surpass a masterpiece he had only to +conceive another. +</p> + +<p> +To it now and then, for a week or more, +the procurator descended from his residence +by the sea. He preferred the +latter; the day was freer there, life less +cramped. But during festival times, when +the fanatic Jews were apt to be excited +and need the chill of a curb, it was well +for him and his soldiery to be on hand. +And so on this occasion he had come, and +with him his wife, Claudia Procula, and +the tetrarch Antipas, who had joined +them on the way. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas and his retinue occupied the +Ægrippeum, the north wing of the palace, +while in the Cæsareum, the wing that +leaned to the south, was Pilate, his wife +and body-guard. +</p> + +<p> +And now on this clear morning the +sweet-faced patrician, Claudia Procula, +with perfectly feminine curiosity was +looking into the drawn features of the +Magdalen, and wondering whence her +rumored charm could come. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I will do my best,</q> she said, at last, in +<pb n="201"/><anchor id="Pg201"/>answer to an anterior request. And calling +a servant, she wrote on a tablet a +word for Pilate’s eye. +</p> + +<p> +Mary moved to the portico. The variegated +tiles of the quadrangle were nearly +covered now. A flight of wide, low +steps led to the main entrance of the palace, +and there a high seat of enamelled +ebony had been placed. In it Pilate sat, +in his hand the staff of office. Beside +him were his assessors, members of his +suite, and Calcol, a centurion. On one of +the steps Caiaphas stood, near him the +elders of the college. Below was the +Christ, bound and guarded. Across the +quadrangle was a line of soldiery, behind +it a mob. +</p> + +<p> +The helmets, glancing mail, short +skirts, and bare legs of the Romans contrasted +refreshingly with the blossoming +garments, effeminate girdles, frontlets, and +horned blue bonnets of the priesthood. +And in the riot of color and glint of steel +the Christ, bound as he was, looked, in +the simplicity of his seamless robe, the +descendant of a larger sphere. Above, +<pb n="202"/><anchor id="Pg202"/>to the left, Antipas, aroused by the clamor, +leaned from a portico. Opposite +where the sunlight fell Mary held her +cloak about her. +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas, a hand indicating Jesus, his +head turned to Pilate, was formulating a +complaint. Not indeed that the prisoner +had declared himself a divinity. There +were far too many gods in the menagerie +of the Pantheon for a procurator to be +the least disturbed at the rumor of a new +one. It was the right to rule, that attribute +of the Messiah, on which he intended +the gravamen of the charge should rest. +But he began circuitously, feeling the +way, in Greek at that, with an accent +which might have been improved. +</p> + +<p> +<q>And so,</q> he concluded, <q>in many +ways he has transgressed the Law.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Why don’t you judge him by it, +then?</q> asked Pilate, grimly. +</p> + +<p> +A servant approached with a tablet. +The procurator glanced at it, looked up +at the man, and motioned him away. +</p> + +<p> +<q>My lord governor, we have. The +Sanhedrim, having found him guilty, has +<pb n="203"/><anchor id="Pg203"/>sentenced him to death. But the Sanhedrim, +as you know, may not execute the +sentence. The Senate has deprived us of +that right. It is for you, as its legate, to +order it done.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate sneered. <q>I can’t very well, +until I know of what he is guilty. What +crime has he committed—written a letter +on the Sabbath, or has he been caught +without his phylacteries?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He has declared himself Israel’s +king!</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah!</q> And Pilate smiled wearily. +<q>You are always expecting one; why not +take him?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Why not, my lord? Because it is +treason to do so.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate nodded with affected approval. +<q>I admire your zeal.</q> And with a glance +at the prisoner, he added: <q>You have +heard the accusation; defend yourself. +What!</q> he continued, after a moment, +<q>have you nothing to say?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas exulted openly. The corners +of his mouth had the width and cruelty, +and his nostrils the dilation, of a wolf. +</p> + +<pb n="204"/><anchor id="Pg204"/> + +<p> +<q>My lord,</q> he cried, <q>his silence is an +admission.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Hold your tongue! It is for me to +question.</q> And therewith Pilate gave +the high-priest a look which was tantamount +to a knee pressed on the midriff. +He glanced again at the tablet, then at +the prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Tell me, do you really claim to be +king?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Is it your idea of me?</q> the Christ +asked; and in his bearing was a dignity +which did not clash with the charge; +<q>or have others prompted you?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>But I am not a Jew,</q> Pilate retorted. +<q>The matter only interests me officially. +It is your hierarchy that bring the +charge. Why have they? What have +you done? Tell me,</q> he continued, in +Latin, <q>do you think yourself King?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q><hi rend="italic">Tu dixisti</hi>,</q> Jesus answered, and smiled +as he had before, very gravely. <q>But my +royalty is not of the earth.</q> And with +a glance at his bonds, one which was so +significant that it annulled the charge, he +<pb n="205"/><anchor id="Pg205"/>added, still in Latin, <q>I am Truth, and I +preach it.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate with skeptical indulgence shook +his head. Truth to him was an elenchicism, +an abstraction of the Platonists, +whom in Rome he had respected for their +wisdom and avoided with care. He turned +to Caiaphas. The latter had been regretting +the absence of an interpreter. +This amicable conversation, which he did +not understand, was not in the least to +his liking, and as Pilate turned to him +he frowned in his beard. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I am unable to find him guilty,</q> the +procurator announced. <q>He may call +himself king, but every philosopher does +the same. You might yourself, for that +matter.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>A philosopher, this mesîth!</q> Caiaphas +gnashed back. <q>Why, he seduces the +people; he incites to sedition; he is a +rebel to Rome. It is for you, my lord, +to see the empire upheld. Would it be +well to have another complaint laid before +the Cæsar? Ask yourself, is this +Galilean worth it?</q> +</p> + +<pb n="206"/><anchor id="Pg206"/> + +<p> +The thrust was as keen and as venomous +as the tooth of a rat. Pilate had +been rebuked by the emperor already; +he had no wish to incur further displeasure. +Sejanus, the emperor’s favorite, +to whom he owed his procuratorship, +had for suspected treason been strangled +in a dumb dungeon only a little before. +Under Tiberius there was quiet, a future +historian was to note; and Pilate was +aware that, should a disturbance occur, +the disturbance would be quelled, but at +his expense. +</p> + +<p> +An idea presented itself. <q>Did I understand +you to say he is a Galilean?</q> he +asked. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes,</q> Caiaphas answered, expecting, +perhaps, the usual jibe that was flung at +those who came from there. <q>Yes, he is +a Nazarene.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Hm. In that case I have no jurisdiction. +The tetrarch is my guest; take +your prisoner to him.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>My lord,</q> the high-priest objected, +<q>our law is such that if we enter the +<pb n="207"/><anchor id="Pg207"/>palace we cannot officiate at the Passover +to-night.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate appeared to reflect. <q>I suppose,</q> +he said at last, <q>I might ask him +whether he would care to come here. In +which case,</q> he added, with a gesture of +elaborate courtesy, <q>you may remain uncontaminated +where you are. Ressala!</q> +</p> + +<p> +An official stepped forward; an order +was given; he disappeared. Presently a +massive throne of sandalwood and gold +was trundled out. Caiaphas had seen it +before, and in it—Herod. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The justice that comes from there,</q> +he muttered, <q>is as a snake that issues +from a tomb.</q> +</p> + +<p> +His words were drowned in the clamors +of the crowd. The sun had crossed the +zenith; in its rays the waters that gushed +from the fountain-mouths of bronze lions +fell in rainbows and glistened in great +basins that glistened too. There was +sunlight everywhere, a sky of untroubled +blue, and from the Temple beyond came +a glare that radiated from Olivet to Bethlehem. +</p> + +<pb n="208"/><anchor id="Pg208"/> + +<p> +Pilate was bored. The mantle which +Mary wore caught his eye, and he looked +at her, wondering how she came in his +wife’s apartment, and where he had seen +her before. Her face was familiar, but +the setting vague. Then at once he remembered. +It was at Machærus he had +seen her, gambling with the emir, while +Salomè danced. She was with Antipas, +of course. He looked again; she had +gone. +</p> + +<p> +The Sanhedrim consulted nervously. +The new turn of affairs was not at all to +their liking. The clamors of the mob +continued. Once a fanatic pushed against +a soldier. There was a thud, a howl, and +a mouth masked with liquid red gasped +to the sun and was seen no more. +</p> + +<p> +Behind the procurator came a movement. +The officials massed about the +entrance parted in uneven ranks, and +in the great vestibule beyond, Antipas +appeared. Pilate rose to greet him. The +elders made obeisance. The tetrarch +moved forward and seated himself in his +father’s throne. At his side was Pahul, +<pb n="209"/><anchor id="Pg209"/>the butler, balancing himself flamingowise +on one leg, his bold eyes foraging +the priests. +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas formulated the complaint +anew, very majestically this time, and, +thinking perhaps to overawe the tetrarch, +his voice assumed the authority of a +guardian of the keys of heaven, a chamberlain +of the sceptres of the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Antipas ignored him utterly. He +plucked at his fan-shaped beard, and +stared at the Christ. He could see now +he bore no resemblance to Iohanan. +There was nothing of the hyena about +him, nor of the prophet either. Evidently +he was but a harmless vagabond, skilled +in simples, if report were true; perhaps +a thaumaturge. And it was he whom he +had feared and fancied might be that Son +of David for whom a star was created, +whom the magi had visited, whom his +father had sought to destroy, and whom +now from his father’s own throne he himself +was called upon to judge! He shook +his head, and in the sunlight the indigo +<pb n="210"/><anchor id="Pg210"/>with which his hair was powdered made +bright blue motes. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I say——</q> +</p> + +<p> +Just beyond, where the assessors stood, +Mary suddenly appeared. He stopped +abruptly; for more than a year he had +not seen her. Pahul had told him +she had gone to Rome. If she had, he +reflected, the journey had not improved +her appearance. Then for the moment +he dismissed her, and returned to the +Christ. +</p> + +<p> +<q>See here: somebody the other day +told me you worked miracles. I have +wanted to see one all my life. Gratify +me, won’t you? Oh, something very easy +to begin with. Send one of the guards up +in the air, or turn your bonds into bracelets.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The Christ did not seem to hear. Pahul +laughed and held to the throne for +support. Antipas shrugged his shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +<q>He looks harmless enough,</q> he said. +<q>Why not let him go?</q> +</p> + +<pb n="211"/><anchor id="Pg211"/> + +<p> +Caiaphas glowered, and his fingers +twitched. <q>He claims to be king!</q> +</p> + +<p> +At this statement the tetrarch laughed +too. He gave an order to Pahul, who +vanished with a grin. +</p> + +<p> +<q>He has jeered at the Temple your +father built,</q> Caiaphas continued. <q>He +has declared he could destroy it and +rebuild a better one, in three days at +that.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He is king, then, but of fools.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>And he has called you a fox,</q> Caiaphas +added, significantly. +</p> + +<p> +<q>He doesn’t claim to be one himself, +does he?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He is guilty of treason, and it is for +you, his ruler, to sentence him.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Not I. The blood of kings is sacred. +Pahul, make haste!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The butler, reappearing, held in his +hand the glittering white vestment of a +candidate. The tetrarch took it and held +it in air. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Here, put this on him, and let his +subjects admire him to their hearts’ +content.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="212"/><anchor id="Pg212"/> + +<p> +<q>Antipas, you disgrace your purple!</q> +</p> + +<p> +At the exclamation, the Sanhedrim, the +guards, the assessors, the officials, Pilate +himself, everyone save the prisoner, +turned and looked. On the colored pavement +Mary stood, her face very pale. +</p> + +<p> +The tetrarch flushed mightily; anger +mounted into his shifting eyes. For a +moment the sky was blood-red; then he +recovered himself and answered lightly: +</p> + +<p> +<q>It seems to me, my dear, that you +take things with a high hand. It may be +that you forget yourself.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>I take them from where I am,</q> she +cried. <q>As for forgetfulness, remember +that my grandfather was satrap of Syria, +my father after him, while yours——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, yes, I dare say. He is not in +power now; I am.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Not here, Antipas, nor in Rome. I +appeal to Pilate.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The tetrarch rose from the throne. +The elders whispered together. Pilate +visibly was perplexed. Remembering +Mary as he did, he looked upon the incident +as a family quarrel, one in which it +<pb n="213"/><anchor id="Pg213"/>would be unseemly for him to interfere, +and which none the less disturbed the +decorum of his court. +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas edged up to the tetrarch, but +the latter brushed him aside. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The hetaira is right,</q> he exclaimed. +<q>I am not in power here. If I were, she +should be lapidated.</q> +</p> + +<p> +And, preceded by the butler, Antipas +passed through the parting ranks to the +vestibule beyond. +</p> + +<p> +The perplexity of the procurator increased. +He did not in the least understand. +To him Mary stood in the same +relation to Antipas that Cleopatra had to +Herod. There had been a feud between +the tetrarch and himself, one recently +mended, and which he had no wish to +renew. Yet manifestly Antipas was aggrieved, +and his own path in the matter +by no means clear. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Bah!</q> he muttered, in the consoling +undertone of thought, <q>what are their +beastly barbarian manners to me?</q> +</p> + +<p> +These reflections Caiaphas interrupted. +</p> + +<pb n="214"/><anchor id="Pg214"/> + +<p> +<q>We are waiting, my lord, for the sentence +to be pronounced.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The tone he used was not, however, +indicative of patience, and in conjunction +with the incident that had just occurred +it irritated and jarred. Besides, Pilate +did not care to be prompted. It was for +him to speak first. He strangled an oath, +and, gathering some fringe of the majesty +of Rome, he announced very measuredly: +</p> + +<p> +<q>You have brought this man before +me as a rebel. I have examined him and +find no ground for the charge. His ruler, +the tetrarch, has also examined him, and +by him too he has been acquitted. But +in view of the fact that he appears to have +contravened some one or another of your +laws I order him to be scourged and to +be liberated.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With that he turned to the prisoner. +During the entire proceedings the attitude +of Jesus had not altered. He stood as a +disinterested spectator might—one whom +chance had brought that way and there +hemmed in—his eyes on remote, +inacces<pb n="215"/><anchor id="Pg215"/>sible horizons, the tongue silent, the head +a little raised. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Scourging, my lord,</q> Caiaphas interjected, +<q>is fit and proper, but,</q> he continued, +one silk-gloved hand uplifted, +<q>our law prescribes death. Only an +enemy to Tiberius would prevent it.</q> +</p> + +<p> +At the veiled menace Pilate gnawed +his under lip. He had no faith at all in +the loyalty of the hierarch; at any other +time the affection the latter manifested +for the chains he bore would have been +ludicrous and nothing else. But at the +moment he felt insecure. There were +Galileans whom he had sacrificed, Judæans +whom he had slaughtered, Samaritans +whom he had oppressed, an embassy +might even now be on its way to +Rome; he thought again of Sejanus, and, +with cause, he hesitated. Yet of the inward +perturbation he gave no outward +sign. +</p> + +<p> +<q>On this day,</q> he said at last, <q>it is +customary that in commemoration of +your nation’s delivery out of Egypt I +should release a prisoner to you. There +<pb n="216"/><anchor id="Pg216"/>are three others here, among them Jesus +Barabba.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Then, for support perhaps, he looked +over at the clamoring mob. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I will leave the choice to the people.</q> +</p> + +<p> +A wind seemed to raise the elders; +they scattered through the court like +leaves. <q>Have done with the Nazarene,</q> +cried one. <q>He would lead you astray,</q> +insinuated another. <q>He has violated +the Law,</q> exclaimed a third. +</p> + +<p> +And, filtering through the soldiery into +the mob without, they exhorted and +prayed and coerced. <q>Ask for Barabba; +denounce the blasphemer. Trust to the +Sanhedrim. We are your guides. Let +him atone for his crimes. The God of +your fathers commands that you condemn. +Demand Barabba; uphold your +nation. To the cross with the Nazarene!</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Whom do you choose?</q> shouted +Pilate. +</p> + +<p> +And the pleb of Jerusalem shouted +back as one man, <q>Barabba!</q> +</p> + +<p> +At the moment Pilate fancied himself +in an amphitheatre, the arena filled with +<pb n="217"/><anchor id="Pg217"/>beasts. There were the satin and stripes +of the panther, the yellow of treacherous +eyes, the gnash of fangs, the guttural +rumble, the deafening yell, the scent of +blood, and above, the same blue tender +sky. +</p> + +<p> +<q>What of the prisoner?</q> he called. +</p> + +<p> +A roar leapt back. <q>Sekaph! Sekaph! +Let him be crucified.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate had fronted a rabble before, and +in two minutes had turned that rabble +into so many dead flies, the legs in the +air. He shook his head, and told himself +he was not there to be coerced. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Release Barabba,</q> he ordered. <q>And +as for the prisoner, take him to the barracks +and have him scourged.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Brute!</q> cried a voice that lifted him +as a blow might from his ebony chair. +<q>Pilate, though you are a plebeian, why +show yourself a slave?</q> +</p> + +<p> +And Mary, with the strength of anger, +brushed through the encircling officials +and towered before him, robed in wrath. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah, permit me,</q> he answered; <q>you +are singularly unjust.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="218"/><anchor id="Pg218"/> + +<p> +<q>Prove me so, and countermand the +order that you gave.</q> +</p> + +<p> +As she spoke she adjusted her mantle, +which had become disarranged, and looked +him from head to foot, measuring him as it +were, and finding him, visibly, very small. +</p> + +<p> +Already the prisoner had been led +away, and beyond, in the barracks, was +the whiz of jagged leather that lacerated, +rebounded, and lacerated again. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I will not,</q> he answered. <q>What I +have ordered, I have ordered. As for +you——</q> +</p> + +<p> +There had come to her that look which +sibyls have. <q>Pilate,</q> she interrupted, +<q>you are powerful here, I know, but</q>—and +her hand shot out like an arrow +from a bow—<q>over there vultures are +circling; in your power is a corpse. +What the vultures scent, I see.</q> +</p> + +<p> +So abrupt and earnest was the gesture +that unconsciously Pilate found himself +looking to where she seemed to point. +He lowered his eyes in vexation. +Wrangling with a woman was not to +his taste. +</p> + +<pb n="219"/><anchor id="Pg219"/> + +<p> +<q>There, there,</q> he said, much as one +might to a fretful child; <q>don’t throw +stones.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>I have but one; it is Justice, and that +I keep to hurl at you.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The procurator’s mouth twitched ominously. +<q>My dear,</q> he said, <q>you are +too pretty to talk that way; it spoils the +looks. Besides, I have no time to listen.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Tiberius has and will.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Pilate nodded; it was the third time +he had heard the threat that day. +</p> + +<p> +<q>There are many rooms in his palace,</q> +he answered, with covert significance. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, I know it. There are many, as +you say. But there is one I will enter. +On the door stands written The Future, +and behind it, Pilate, is your death.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The Roman, goaded to exasperation, +sprang to his feet. An expression which +Antipas had used occurred to him. +<q>Away with the hetaira,</q> he cried; and +he was about, it may be, to order her to +be tossed to the fierce wild swine in the +paddocks of the park when the prisoner +and his guards reappeared on the +tessel<pb n="220"/><anchor id="Pg220"/>lated pavement, and Mary, already +dragged from him, was instantly forgot. +</p> + +<p> +A tattered sagum, which had once been +scarlet, but which had faded since, hung, +detained at the shoulder by a rusty +buckle, and bordered by a laticlave, loosely +about his form. In his hand a bulrush +swayed; on his head was a twisted coil of +bear’s-breech, in which, among the ruffled +leaves, one bud remained; it was white, +the opening edges flecked with pink, +perhaps with blood, for from the temples +and about the ear a rill ran down and +mixed with the purple of the laticlave +below. And in this red parody of kingship +the Christ stood, unmoved as a +phantom, but in his face and eyes there +was a projecting light so luminous, so +intangible, and yet so real, that the skeptical +procurator started, the staff of office +pendent in his grasp. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ecce homo!</q> he exclaimed. Instinctively +he drew back, and, wonderingly, +half to himself, half to the Christ, <q>Who +are you?</q> he asked. +</p> + +<p> +<q>A flame below, a soul above,</q> Jesus +<pb n="221"/><anchor id="Pg221"/>answered, yet so inaudibly that the guards +beside him did not catch the words. +</p> + +<p> +To Pilate his lips had barely moved, +and his wonderment increased. <q>Why +do you not answer?</q> he said. <q>You +must know that I have the power to condemn +and to acquit.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With that gentleness that was the flower +of his parables Jesus raised his voice. +<q>No,</q> he replied, <q>you can have no power +against me unless it come from above.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Again Pilate drew back. Unsummoned +to his lips had sprung the words, <q>Behold +the man!</q> and now he exclaimed, <q>Behold +the king!</q> +</p> + +<p> +But to the mob the vision he intercepted +was lost. They saw the jest merely, +and with it the stains that torture leaves. +The sight of blood is heady; it inebriates +more surely than wine. The mob, trained +by the elders, and used by them as a +body-guard, fanatic before, were intoxicated +now. With one accord they shrieked +the liturgy again. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Sekaph! Sekaph! Let him be crucified.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="222"/><anchor id="Pg222"/> + +<p> +In that gust of hatred Pilate recovered. +He turned to Caiaphas: +</p> + +<p> +<q>I have released one prisoner; I will +release another too.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>My lord, be warned by one who is +your elder.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>One whom I can remove.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>No doubt, my lord; but suffer him +while he may to warn you not to cause a +revolution on the day of the Paschal feast. +You hear that multitude. Then be +warned.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>But your feast is one of mercy.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The high-priest gazed curiously at his +silk-gloved hands. You would have said +they were objects he had never seen before. +Then he returned the procurator’s +stare. +</p> + +<p> +<q>We know of no such god.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah!</q> And the procurator drew a +long breath of understanding. <q>It is that, +I believe, he preaches.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>And it is for that,</q> Caiaphas echoed, +<q>that he must die. Yes, Pilate, it is for +that. There is no such doctrine in the +Pentateuch. We have done our duty. +<pb n="223"/><anchor id="Pg223"/>We have convicted a rebel of his guilt. +We have brought him to you, and we demand +his sentence. Pilate, it is not so +very long ago you had hundreds massacred +without judgment, without trial +either, and for what?—for one rebellious +cry. You must have a reason for the +favor you show this man. It would interest +me to learn it; it would interest +Tiberius as well. Listen to that multitude. +If you pay no heed to our accusation nor +yet to their demand, on you the consequences +rest. We are absolved.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He is your king,</q> the procurator objected, +meditatively. +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas wheeled like a feather a breeze +has caught. One hand outstretched he +held to the mob, with the other he pointed +to the Christ. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Our king!</q> he cried. <q>The procurator +says he is our king!</q> +</p> + +<p> +As the thunder peals, a roar surged +back: +</p> + +<p> +<q>We have no other king than Cæsar.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Think of Sejanus,</q> the high-priest +<pb n="224"/><anchor id="Pg224"/>suggested. The thrust was so well timed +it told. +</p> + +<p> +Pilate looked sullenly about. <q>Fetch +me water,</q> he ordered. +</p> + +<p> +A silver bowl was brought, and borrowing +a custom from the Jews he loathed, he +dipped his fingers in it. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I wash my hands of it all,</q> he muttered. +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas looked at the elders and +sighed with infinite relief. He had conquered. +For the first time that day he +smiled. He became gracious also, and he +bowed. +</p> + +<p> +<q>The blood be upon us, my lord, and +on our children. Will you give the +order?</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Calcol!</q> +</p> + +<p> +The centurion approached. An order +was given him in an undertone, and as he +turned to the guards, Pilate drew the staff +of office across his knee, snapped it in +two, tossed the pieces to the ground, and +through the ranks of his servitors passed +on into the great blue vestibule beyond. +</p> + +</div><div rend="page-break-before: right"> +<pb n="225"/><anchor id="Pg225"/> +<index index="toc"/><index index="pdf"/> +<head>CHAPTER X.</head> + +<pb/><anchor id="Pg226"/> + +<pb n="227"/><anchor id="Pg227"/> + +<head rend="page-break-before: right">X.</head> + +<p> +In a sook near the Gannath Gate Mary +stood. In the distance the palace of +Herod defied the sun. Beyond the gate +lay the Hennom Valley, the Geia Hennom, +contracted by the people into Ge’ +Hennom, or Gehenna, and converted by +them into a sewer, a place where carrion +was thrown, and the filth of a great city. +In earlier days children had been immolated +to Moloch there, human victims had +been burned; it was a place accursed, and +to purify the air, as a safeguard against +pestilence, the offal was consumed by +bonfires that were constantly renewed +and never extinguished. At its extremity +was an elevation, a hilly contour which +to the popular fancy suggested a skull. +To the west it fell steeply away. It was +called Gülgolta. +</p> + +<p> +The sook in which Mary stood was +<pb n="228"/><anchor id="Pg228"/>affected by shoemakers. Against the +dwelling of one of them she leaned. The +mantle was gone from her now, and the +olive robe had a rent, but the splendor of +her hair fell unconfined, the perils of her +eyes had increased; yet in their depths +where love had been was hate. One arm +lay along the resisting stone, the other +hung at her side; her face was turned to +the palace, her thin nostrils quivering, her +breath coming and going with that spasmodic +irregularity which the consciousness +of outrage brings. She laid it all to +Judas; he must have returned to Kerioth, +she thought. The sook itself was silent, +stirred merely by some echo of the uproar +in the palace beyond. +</p> + +<p> +From a grilled lattice near by an old +man peered out. He had the restless +eyes of a ferret, and a white beard that +was very long. He too was looking toward +the palace. Now and then he muttered +inaudibly in Aramaic to himself. +In the shadow of a neighboring house a +woman appeared; he shook at the lattice +as an ape does at the bars of a cage, and +<pb n="229"/><anchor id="Pg229"/>spat a bestial insult at her. The woman +shrank back. Instinctively Mary turned. +In the retreating figure she recognized +Ahulah, and at once, without conscious +effort, she divined that the dwelling +against which she leaned was that of Baba +Barbulah, the husband of the woman +whom the Master had declined to condemn. +</p> + +<p> +But other things possessed her—the +outrage to the Christ, perplexity as to +how the trial would result, more remotely +the indignity to herself, the slurs of the +tetrarch and of the procurator; and with +them, sapping her heart as fever might, +was that thirst for reparation, unquenchable +in its intensity, which comes to those +who have seen their own life wrecked and +its ideals dispersed. +</p> + +<p> +Already Ahulah was forgot. On the +wings of vagabond fancy she was in Rome, +demanding vengeance of Tiberius, wresting +it from him by the sheer force of entreaty, +and with it exulting in the death-throes +of the procurator. Oh, to see his +nails pulled out, his outer skin removed, +<pb n="230"/><anchor id="Pg230"/>his tongue severed, his eyes seared with +irons, his wrists slowly twisted till they +snapped! to hear him cry for mercy! to +promise it and not fulfil!—dear God, what +joy was there! +</p> + +<p> +From the alley into which Ahulah had +shrunk a man issued. He was sturdy as +a bludgeon, and he had a growth of thick +black hair that curled about an honest +face. In his hand was a basket. At the +sight of Mary his steps hesitated, and his +eyes followed hers to where the palace +lay. Then he crossed the zigzag of the +intervening space, but he had to touch +her outstretched arm before she noticed +him. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Simon!</q> she exclaimed, with that +start one has when suddenly awaked. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Yes, Simon indeed;</q> and through the +silence of the sook his clear laugh rang. +<q>I frightened you, did I not?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Mary interrupted him. <q>Haven’t you +heard? Has not Eleazer told you——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>When I left Bethany he was sleeping +with both fists closed. Martha——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>The Master is arrested. Last night +<pb n="231"/><anchor id="Pg231"/>he was before the Sanhedrim; he is before +the procurator now.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Hurriedly Mary gave an account of +what had occurred. As the recital continued, +Simon’s expression grew darker +than his curling hair, he clutched at the +basket which he held, so tightly that the +handle severed, the basket fell, and fruit +that imprisoned the sunlight rolled on +the ground. +</p> + +<p> +<q>They were for the Master,</q> he said. +<q>I thought he would sup with us to-night.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>He may do so yet,</q> she answered. +<q>Perhaps——</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>Never!</q> cried a voice from the lattice. +<q>They are leading him to Gülgolta now.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Beyond, through the palace gate, a +mass undulated, the body elongated, expanding +as it moved. It was black, but +at the sides was the glisten that cobras +have. About it dust circled, and from it +came the rumble of thunder heard afar. +As the bulk increased, the roar deepened; +the black lessened into varying +hues. To the glisten came the glint of +<pb n="232"/><anchor id="Pg232"/>steel; the cobra changed into a multitude, +the escort of a squad of soldiery, +fronted by a centurion and led by the +banner of Imperial Rome. +</p> + +<p> +Behind the centurion, Jesus, in his +faded sagum, staggered, overweighted +by the burden of a cross. Two comrades +in misery were at his side, but +they moved with steadier step, bearing +their crosses with the brawn of muscular +and untired arms. The soldiers marched +impassibly, preceding the executioners—four +stalwart Cypriotes, distinguishable +by the fatness of their calves—while +behind was the Sanhedrim, and, extending +indefinitely to the rear, the rabble of +yelling Jews. +</p> + +<p> +In a cobra’s coils is death, its eyes +transfix. Neither Mary nor Simon had +spoken, and now, as the soldiery was +upon them, they leaned yet nearer the +wall. For a moment Mary hid her face. +At her feet the Christ had fallen, and +from her came one wail, choked down at +once. She stooped to aid him, but he +<pb n="233"/><anchor id="Pg233"/>stood up unassisted and reached to the +wall for support. +</p> + +<p> +The bars of the lattice shook; the old +man peered out. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Don’t touch my house, you vagabond! +Move on!</q> he cried. +</p> + +<p> +Calcol had turned to Simon, who was +raising the cross. <q>Carry it for him,</q> he +commanded. +</p> + +<p> +Baba Barbulah still shook at the lattice. +<q>Move on!</q> he repeated. <q>Seducer +of the people, remitter of sins, upholder +of adultery, move on; don’t touch my +house, it will fall down on you! Move +on, I say!</q> +</p> + +<p> +Calcol’s command Simon had anticipated. +He shouldered the cross. It was +heavier to him than to the Christ, not in +weight, perhaps, but in purpose. In the +narrowness of the sook the crowd was +impeded, but from the rear they pushed, +surprised at the halt. +</p> + +<p> +Mary sprang at the lattice. <q>It is you +that shall move on,</q> she cried; <q>yes, +you; and forever. The desert will call +to you, <q>March;</q> and the sea will snarl, +<pb n="234"/><anchor id="Pg234"/><q>Further yet.</q> The gates of cities will +deny you, and the doors of hamlets be +closed. The eagles may return to their +eyrie, the panthers retreat to their lair, +but you will have no home, no rest, and, +till time dies, no tomb.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The old man gnashed back at her an +insult more bestial than he used before, +and spat at her through the bars. But +Mary had turned to the Christ. He was +surrounded now by some women who +had filtered through the alley above. +Johanna, Mary Clopas, the wife of Zebdia, +and Bernice, a fragile girl newly enrolled. +The latter was wiping from his +face the stains of blood and dust. The +others were beating their breasts, crying +aloud. +</p> + +<p> +Of the disciples there was no trace, nor +yet of any of those who had greeted him +as the Messiah. It may be that the admiring +throngs that had gathered about +him had faded before a superior force. +It may be they had lost heart, belief +perhaps as well. Invective never propitiates. +Recently he had omitted to +<pb n="235"/><anchor id="Pg235"/>prophesy, he argued. The exquisite +parables with which he had been wont +to charm even the recalcitrant seemed to +have been put aside, and with them those +wonders which rumor held him to have +worked. But now that pathos and grace +which endeared, that perfection of sentiment +and expression which exalted the +heart, returned to him, accentuated perhaps +by the agonies he had endured. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Weep for me no more,</q> he entreated. +<q>But weep for yourselves and for your +children. The days are coming,</q> he +added, with a gesture at the impatient +mob—<q>the days are coming in which +they shall say to the mountains, Fall on +us; to the hills, Cover us. For if these +things are done in the green tree, what +will be done in the dry?</q> +</p> + +<p> +And in this entreaty, in which he exhorted +them to view disaster otherwise +than from the external and evanescent +aspect, the voice of the prophet rang +once more. +</p> + +<p> +Mary as yet had not realized the full +portent of the soldiery and the mob. +<pb n="236"/><anchor id="Pg236"/>When it was approaching it had occurred +to her that it might be another triumphal +escort, such as she had once seen surround +him on his way to a feast. As it +advanced, the roar bewildered, and she +had ceased to conjecture; then the Master +had fallen, and the old Jew had vomited +his slime. At the moment it was that, and +that only, which had impressed her, and +she had answered with the force of that +new strength which suddenly she had +found. But now at the sight of the +women beating their breasts, and the +blood-stained face of the Master, an inkling +came to her; she stared open-mouthed +at the cross, at Calcol, and at +the executioners that were there. +</p> + +<p> +Then immediately that horrible longing +to know the worst beset her, and she +darted to where the centurion stood. +</p> + +<p> +<q>What is it?</q> she gasped. <q>What are +you to do with him?</q> +</p> + +<p> +By way of answer Calcol extended his +arms straight out from either side, his +head thrown back. He was a good-natured +ruffian, with clear and pleasant eyes. +</p> + +<pb n="237"/><anchor id="Pg237"/> + +<p> +<q>Not crucify?</q> she cried. <q>Tell me, it +is not that?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Calcol nodded. To him one Jew more, +one Jew less, was immaterial, provided +he had his pay, and the prospect of a return +to Rome was not too long delayed. +Yet none the less in some misty way he +wondered why this woman, with her +splendid hair and scorching eyes, should +have upbraided the tetrarch and abused +the procurator because of the friendless +Galilean whom he was leading to the +cross. Woman to him, however, was, as +she has been to others wiser than he, an +enigma he failed to solve. And so he +nodded merely, not unkindly, and smiled +in Mary’s face. +</p> + +<p> +The horrible longing now was stilled. +She knew the worst; yet as the knowledge +of it penetrated her being, it seemed to +her as though it could not be true, that +she was the plaything of some hallucination, +her mind inhabited by a nightmare +from which she must presently awake. +The howl of the impatient mob undeceived +her. It was real; it was actual; +<pb n="238"/><anchor id="Pg238"/>it was life. She stared at Calcol, her fair +mouth agape. There were many things +she wanted to say; her thoughts teemed +with arguments, her mind with persuasions; +but she could utter nothing; she +was as one struck dumb; and it was not +until the centurion smiled that the spell +dissolved and the power of speech returned. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Ah, <hi rend="italic">that</hi> never; you shall kill me +first!</q> she cried. And already she saw +herself circumventing the centurion, blinding +the soldiery, defying the mob, and +leading the Master through byways and +underground passages out of the accursed +city into the fresh glades of Gethsemane, +over the hill, down the hollows +to the Jordan, and into the desert beyond. +There was one spot she knew +very well; one that only a bird could +find; one that she would mention to no +one, but to which she could take him and +keep him hidden there in the brakes till +night came, and the fording of the river +was safe. +</p> + +<p> +<q>That never!</q> she cried. And +brush<pb n="239"/><anchor id="Pg239"/>ing Bernice off, she caught the Master by +the cloak. <q>Come with me,</q> she murmured. +<q>I know a way——</q> +</p> + +<p> +And she would have dragged him perhaps, +regardless of the others, but the +centurion had her by the arm. +</p> + +<p> +<q>See here, my pretty friend, your place +is not here.</q> +</p> + +<p> +With a twist he sent her spinning back +to Baba Barbulah’s wall. +</p> + +<p> +<q>March!</q> he ordered. +</p> + +<p> +The soldiery, disarranged, fell in line. +The two robbers picked up their burden. +The Master turned to Mary, to the others +as well, with that expression which he +alone possessed, that look which both +promised and assuaged, and, it may be, +would have said some word of encouragement, +but Mary was at his side again, +her hand upon his cloak. +</p> + +<p> +<q>It shall never be,</q> she repeated. +<q>They must kill me first.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Calcol wheeled. His short sword +glistened, reversed, and her cheek was +laid open by the hilt. She staggered +back. The soldiery moved on. The +<pb n="240"/><anchor id="Pg240"/>women surrounded her and stanched the +wound. To her the blow held the difference +between a cut and a cancer; she +knew that it could never heal; and, as the +blood poured down her face, for the first +time she divined the uselessness of revolt. +</p> + +<p> +Presently a wave of the mob caught +her, separating her from the other women, +and carrying her in its eddy through +the gate, into the valley and on to the +hillock beyond. On one side were the +glimmer of fires, the smell of smoke, of +offal too. On the infrequent trees vultures +perched. To the right was a nest +of gardens and of tombs. +</p> + +<p> +In the eddies Mary lost foothold and +lagged a little to the rear. When she +reached Gülgolta the soldiery had formed +three sides of a square. In it were the +executioners, the prisoners, and the centurion. +At the place where a fourth side +might have been a steep decline began. +</p> + +<p> +Within the square three crosses lay; +before them the prisoners stood, stripped +of their clothing now, and naked. +</p> + +<p> +The Sanhedrim was grouped about +<pb n="241"/><anchor id="Pg241"/>that side of the square which leaned to +the south, the horned bonnet of Caiaphas +towering its lacework above the others. +To the wide and cruel corners of his +mouth had come the calm of a cheetah +devouring its prey. At the outer angle, +to the right, the standard of the empire +swayed; and from an oak two vultures +soared with a scream into the air, their +eyes fixed on the vision of bare white +flesh. +</p> + +<p> +Through the ranks an elder passed. In +his hand was a gourd, which he offered to +one of the thieves. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Drink of it, Dysmas,</q> he invited. +<q>In it grains of frankincense have been +dissolved.</q> +</p> + +<p> +To the rear Annas nodded his approval. +His lean, lank jaws parted. <q>Give strong +drink,</q> he announced, authoritatively; +<q>give strong and heady drink to those +about to die, and wine to those that sorrow.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Dysmas drank abundantly of the soporific, +and held the gourd to his comrade. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Take it, Stegas.</q> +</p> + +<pb n="242"/><anchor id="Pg242"/> + +<p> +As the second thief raised it to his lips, +with a motion of arm and knee an executioner +caught Dysmas beneath the chin, +behind the leg, and the thief lay on a +cross. In a second his wrists were bound, +his feet as well. There was the blow of +a hammer on a nail, a spurt of blood from +the open hand; another blow, another +spurt; and the cross, upraised, settled in +a cavity already prepared, a beam behind +it for support. +</p> + +<p> +Stegas, his thirst slaked, fell as Dysmas +had, and the elder caught the gourd and +offered it to the Christ. If he had been +tempted in the desert, as rumor alleged, +the temptation could have been as nothing +in comparison to the enticements of +that cup. It held relief from thought, +from the acutest pain that flesh can know, +from life, from death. +</p> + +<p> +He waved it aside. The executioner +started with surprise; but he had his +duty to perform, and, recovering himself, +he caught the Christ, and in a moment he +too was down, his hands transfixed, the +cross upraised. The blood dripped +lei<pb n="243"/><anchor id="Pg243"/>surely on the sand beneath. Across his +features a shadow passed and vanished. +His lips moved. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Father,</q> he murmured, <q>forgive +them; they know not what they do.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Calcol gave an order. Over the heads +of Dysmas and of Stegas the sanis were +affixed, wooden tablets smeared with +gypsum, bearing the name of the crucified +and with it the offence. They were +simple and terse; but above the Christ +appeared a legend in three tongues, in +Aramaic, in Greek, and in Latin: +</p> +<pgIf output="txt"><then><p rend="center">[Aramaic: Mâlkâ dî Jehudâje]</p></then> +<else><pgIf output="pdf"><then><p rend="center"><figure url="images/titulus.png"><figDesc>Aramaic: Mâlkâ dî Jehudâje</figDesc></figure></p></then> +<else><p rend="center"><figure url="images/titulus.png"><figDesc>Aramaic: Mâlkâ dî Jehudâje</figDesc></figure></p></else> +</pgIf></else></pgIf> + <p rend="center"><foreign rend="Greek" lang="el">Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.</foreign></p> + <p rend="center">Rex Judæorum.</p> +<p> +Caiaphas sprang back as from the +point of a sword. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Mâlkâ dî Jehudâje!</q> he bellowed. +<q>King of the Jews! It is a blasphemy, +an iniquity, and an outrage. Centurion, +tear it down.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Calcol shrugged his shoulders, and +pointed to the palace. <q>What the procurator +has written he has written,</q> he +answered. +</p> + +<pb n="244"/><anchor id="Pg244"/> + +<p> +In the tone, in the gesture that preceded +it, and in its impertinence Caiaphas +read Pilate’s one yet supreme revenge, +the expression of his absolute contempt +for the whole Sanhedrim and the nation +that it ruled. +</p> + +<p> +From the rear the mob jumped at the +title as at a catchword. To them the +irony of the procurator presumably was +lost. +</p> + +<p> +<q>King of the Jews!</q> they shouted. +<q>Mâlkâ dî Jehudâje, come down from +your cross!</q> +</p> + +<p> +It was a great festival, and as they +jeered at Jesus they enjoyed themselves +hugely. +</p> + +<p> +In their vast delight the voice of Stegas +was drowned. +</p> + +<p> +<q>I am a Roman citizen,</q> he kept repeating, +his head swaying, and indicating +with his eyes the wounds in his hands, +the torture he endured. <q>Kill me,</q> he +implored. And finding entreaty idle, he +reviled the centurion, cursed the soldiery, +and would have spat at them, but to his +burning throat no spittle came. +</p> + +<pb n="245"/><anchor id="Pg245"/> + +<p> +The tongue of Dysmas lolled from his +mouth. He had not the ability to speak, +even if in speech relief could come. +Flame licked at his flesh, his joints were +severing, each artery was a nerve exposed, +and something was crunching his brain. +He could no longer groan; he could +suffer merely, such suffering as hell perhaps +has failed to contrive, that apogee +of agony which it was left for man to +devise. +</p> + +<p> +Stegas, catching the refrain the mob +repeated, turned his eyes from the soldiery +to the adjacent cross. +</p> + +<p> +<q>If you are as they say,</q> he cried, +<q>save yourself and us.</q> +</p> + +<p> +As a taunt to Caiaphas, Calcol echoed, +<q>Behold your king!</q> and raising a stalk +of hyssop, on which was a sponge that he +had dipped in the posca, the thin wine +the soldiers drink, he offered it to the +Christ. +</p> + +<p> +The sun was nearing the horizon. +Caiaphas gathered his ample folds about +him. He had seen enough. The feast, +wretchedly embittered, was nearly done. +<pb n="246"/><anchor id="Pg246"/>There was another at which he must officiate: +the shofa presently would sound; +the skewering of the Paschal lamb it was +needful for him to superintend. It was +time, he knew, to return to the Temple; +and as he gave a last indignant look at +the placard, the lips of the Christ parted +to one despairing cry: +</p> + +<p> +<q>Elî, Elî, lemâh shebâktanî?</q> +</p> + +<p> +Caiaphas, nodding to the elders, smiled +with satisfaction. +</p> + +<p> +At last the false pretender was forced +to acknowledge the invalidity of his +claims. The Father whose son he vaunted +himself to be had disowned him when +his recognition was needed, if ever it had +been needed at all. And so, with the +smile of one whose labor has had its +recompense, Caiaphas patted his skirt, +and the elders about him strolled back +through the Gannath Gate to the Temple +that awaited him. +</p> + +<p> +The multitude meanwhile had decreased. +To the crowd also the Temple +had its attractions, its duties, and its +offices. Moreover, the spectacle was at +<pb n="247"/><anchor id="Pg247"/>an end. With a blow of the mallet the +legs of the thieves had been broken. +They had died without a shriek, a thing +to be regretted. The Galilean too, +pierced by the level stroke of a spear, +had succumbed without a word. Sundown +was approaching. Clearly it was +best to be within the walls where other +gayeties were. The mob dispersed, leaving +behind but the dead, the circling +vultures, a group of soldiers throwing dice +for the garments of the crucified, and, +remotely, a group of women huddled +beneath a protecting oak. +</p> + +<p> +During the hour or two that intervened, +the force which had visited Mary evaporated +in strength overtaxed. She was +conscious only that she suffocated. The +words of the women that had drawn her +to them were empty as blanks in a dream; +the jeers of the mob vacant as an empty +bier. To but one thing was she alive, +the fact that death could be. Little by +little, as the impossible merged into the +actual, the understanding came to her +that the worst that could be had been +<pb n="248"/><anchor id="Pg248"/>done, and she ceased to suffer. The departing +hierarchy, the dispersing mob, +retreating before encroaching night, left +her unimpressed. To her the setting sun +was Christ. +</p> + +<p> +The soldiers passed. She did not see +them. Calcol called to her. She did +not hear. The women had gone from +her; she did not notice it. She stood as +a cataleptic might, her eyes on the cross. +Once only, when the Christ had uttered +his despairing cry, she too had cried in +her despair. In the roar of the mob the +cry was lost as a stone tossed in the sea. +Since then she had been dumb, sightless +also, existing, if at all, unconsciously, her +life-springs nourished by death. +</p> + +<p> +Though she gazed at the cross, she had +ceased to distinguish it. A little group +that had reached it before the soldiery +left had been unmarked by her. On the +platform of her dream a serpent had +emerged. In its coils were her immortal +hopes. It was that she saw, and that +alone. Those moments of agony in +which the imagination oscillates between +<pb n="249"/><anchor id="Pg249"/>the past and the future, devouring the +one, fumbling the other, had been endured, +and resignation failed to bring its +balm. She had believed with a faith so +firm that now in its demolition there was +nothing left—an abyss merely, where +light was not. +</p> + +<p> +A hand touched her, and she quivered +as a leaf does at the wing of a bird. +<q>Mary, come with us,</q> some one was +saying; <q>we are taking him to a tomb.</q> +</p> + +<p> +Just beyond were men and women +whom she knew. Joseph of Haramathaïm, +a close follower of the Master; +Nikodemon, the richest man in all Judæa; +Johanna, Mary Clopas, Salomè, Bernice, +and the servants of the opulent Jew. It +was Ahulah who had touched her; and as +Mary started she saw before her a coffin +which the others bore. +</p> + +<p> +<q>Come with us,</q> Ahulah repeated; and +Mary crossed the intervening ridge to +where the gardens were and the tombs +she had already passed. +</p> + +<p> +At the door of a sepulchre the brief +procession halted. Within was a room, +<pb n="250"/><anchor id="Pg250"/>a little grotto furnished with a stone slab +and a lamp that flickered, surmounted by +an arch. The coffin, placed on the slab, +routed a bat that flew to the arch, and a +lizard that scurried to a crevice. In the +coffin the Christ lay, his head wrapped in +a napkin, the body wound about by +broad bands of linen that were secured +with gum and impregnated with spices +and with myrrh. The odor of aromatics +filled the tomb. The bat escaped to the +night. A stone was rolled before the +opening, the brief procession withdrew, +and Mary was left with the dead. +</p> + +<p> +The momentary exertion, the bier, the +sepulchre, the sight of the Christ in his +cerements, the brooding quiet—these +things had roused her. Her mind was +nimbler, and thought more active. One +by one the stars appeared. They would +vanish, she told herself, as her hopes had +done. Only they would reappear, and +belief could not. It had come as a rainbow +does, and disappeared as vaporously, +little by little, before the full glare of +might. For a minute, hours perhaps, she +<pb n="251"/><anchor id="Pg251"/>stood quite still, interrogating the past +in which so much had been, gauging the +future in which so much was to be. The +one retreated, the other fled. Thoughts +came to her evanescently, and faded before +they were wholly formed. At one +moment she was beckoning the unicorns +from the desert, the winged lions from the +yonderland, commanding them to bear +her to the home of some immense revenge. +At others she was asking her way of +griffins, propounding the problem to the +Sphinx. But the unicorns and lions took +flight, the griffins spread their wings, the +Sphinx fell asleep. There was no answer +to her appeal. +</p> + +<p> +Behind the sepulchre the moon rose; it +dropped a beam near by. There is light +somewhere, it seemed to say; and in that +telegram from Above, she thought of +Rome. She remembered now, in Rome +was Tiberius, and in him Revenge. She +smiled at her own forgetfulness. Yes, it +was there. She would go to him, she +would exact reparation; there should be +another crucifixion. Pilate should be +<pb n="252"/><anchor id="Pg252"/>nailed to the cross, Judas on one side, +Caiaphas on the other. Only it would be +at Rome where there was no Passover to +interfere with the torture they endured. +Things were done better there. Men were +crucified, not with the head up, but with +the feet; and so remained, not for hours, +but for days; and died, not of their wounds +alone, but of hunger too. +</p> + +<p> +A chariot of dream caught her, and, +borne across the intervening space, she saw +herself in a palace where there were gods +and monsters, columns of transparent +quartz, floors of malachite, roofs of gold. +And there, on a dais, the Cæsar lay. +Behind him a fan, luminous as a peacock’s +tail, oscillated to the tinkling of +mysterious keys. In his crown was the +lividity of uncolored dawns, in his sceptre +the dominion of the world. An ulcer devoured +his face, and in his ear a boy repeated +the maxims of Elephantis. Mary +threw herself at his feet, her tears fell on +them as rain on leaves. <q>Vengeance,</q> +she implored; but he listened merely to +the boy at his side. <q>Death is your +ser<pb n="253"/><anchor id="Pg253"/>vant,</q> she cried. <q>You command, it +obeys.</q> The ulcer oozed, the face grew +vague, he gave no answer. She stood up +and menaced him. <q>Behind you spectres +crouch; you may not see them. I do; their +name is To-morrow.</q> The murmurs of +the boy were her sole reply. The roof +crumbled, the flooring disappeared, the +emperor faded, and Mary stared into +space. +</p> + +<p> +The moon that had struck aslant the +tomb had gone, but where its beams had +fallen the message remained. There is +light somewhere, it repeated. Across the +heavens a meteor shot like a bee. In the +air voices whispered confusedly. It is +not in Rome, one seemed to say. It is +not on earth, another called. +</p> + +<p> +Mary clutched at her beating breast. +The sky now was an opening rose. What +the sunset had sown the dawn would reap. +In the night that had enveloped, day +raised a lattice, and through it came a +gust of higher thought. It is not in revenge, +a voice whispered. It is not in +regret, another called. +</p> + +<pb n="254"/><anchor id="Pg254"/> + +<p> +<q>I know it,</q> Mary gasped. <q>Yes, yes, +I know it now. It is in faith.</q> +</p> + +<p> +<q>And in abnegation of self.</q> +</p> + +<p> +The stone which stood before the sepulchre +had rolled away. At her side the +Christ stood. In his eyes were golden +parables, in his face Truth shone revealed. +She stared, dumb with the unexpected +joy of belief confirmed, blinded by the +sudden light, while he who had rent the +bonds of death passed on into the budding +day. +</p> + +<p> +When the brief procession of the night +before returned to the tomb, it was empty. +At the door Mary lay, her arms outstretched +and vacant. +</p> + +<p rend="margin-top:2; center"> +<hi rend="font-size: small">FINIS MARIÆ.</hi> +</p> + </div></body> + <back rend="page-break-before: right"> + <div rend="x-class: boxed"> + <index index="toc"/><index index="pdf" level1="Transcriber's note"/> + <head>Transcriber’s note</head> + <p>The table of contents has been added in the electronic version.</p> + <p>The following changes have been made to the text:</p> + <list> + <item><ref target="corr036">page 36</ref>, <q>forget</q> changed to <q>forgot</q>, <q>Hew</q> changed to <q>Her</q></item> + <item><ref target="corr038">page 38</ref>, <q>a</q> added before <q>sword</q></item> + <item><ref target="corr046">page 46</ref>, period added following <q>roof</q></item> + <item><ref target="corr108">page 108</ref>, <q>surperber</q> changed to <q>superber</q></item> + <item><ref target="corr118">page 118</ref>, <q>is</q> changed to <q>it</q></item> + </list> + </div> + <div rend="page-break-before: always"> + <divGen type="pgfooter"/> + </div> + </back> + </text> +</TEI.2> diff --git a/31510-tei/images/titulus.png b/31510-tei/images/titulus.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5f4284 --- /dev/null +++ b/31510-tei/images/titulus.png |
