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〃Jesus did not steal？〃 Pilate's wife asked。
〃No；〃 Pilate answered； 〃it was Judas； the treasurer。〃
〃Who was this John？〃 I questioned。 〃He was in trouble up Tiberias
way and Antipas executed him。〃
〃Another one；〃 Miriam answered。 〃He was born near Hebron。 He was
an enthusiast and a desert…dweller。 Either he or his followers
claimed that he was Elijah raised from the dead。 Elijah； you see；
was one of our old prophets。〃
〃Was he seditious？〃 I asked。
Pilate grinned and shook his head； then said：
〃He fell out with Antipas over the matter of Herodias。 John was a
moralist。 It is too long a story； but he paid for it with his head。
No； there was nothing political in that affair。〃
〃It is also claimed by some that Jesus is the Son of David；〃 Miriam
said。 〃But it is absurd。 Nobody at Nazareth believes it。 You see；
his whole family； including his married sisters； lives there and is
known to all of them。 They are a simple folk； mere common people。〃
〃I wish it were as simple； the report of all this complexity that I
must send to Tiberius；〃 Pilate grumbled。 〃And now this fisherman is
come to Jerusalem； the place is packed with pilgrims ripe for any
trouble； and Hanan stirs and stirs the broth。〃
〃And before he is done he will have his way；〃 Miriam forecast。 〃He
has laid the task for you； and you will perform it。〃
〃Which is？〃 Pilate queried。
〃The execution of this fisherman。〃
Pilate shook his head stubbornly； but his wife cried out：
〃No！ No！ It would be a shameful wrong。 The man has done no evil。
He has not offended against Rome。〃
She looked beseechingly to Pilate； who continued to shake his head。
〃Let them do their own beheading； as Antipas did；〃 he growled。 〃The
fisherman counts for nothing； but I shall be no catspaw to their
schemes。 If they must destroy him； they must destroy him。 That is
their affair。〃
〃But you will not permit it；〃 cried Pilate's wife。
〃A pretty time would I have explaining to Tiberius if I interfered；〃
was his reply。
〃No matter what happens；〃 said Miriam； 〃I can see you writing
explanations； and soon； for Jesus is already come up to Jerusalem
and a number of his fishermen with him。〃
Pilate showed the irritation this information caused him。
〃I have no interest in his movements；〃 he pronounced。 〃I hope never
to see him。〃
〃Trust Hanan to find him for you；〃 Miriam replied； 〃and to bring him
to your gate。〃
Pilate shrugged his shoulders； and there the talk ended。 Pilate's
wife； nervous and overwrought； must claim Miriam to her apartments；
so that nothing remained for me but to go to bed and doze off to the
buzz and murmur of the city of madmen。
Events moved rapidly。 Over night the white heat of the city had
scorched upon itself。 By midday； when I rode forth with half a
dozen of my men； the streets were packed； and more reluctant than
ever were the folk to give way before me。 If looks could kill I
should have been a dead man that day。 Openly they spat at sight of
me； and； everywhere arose snarls and cries。
Less was I a thing of wonder； and more was I the thing hated in that
I wore the hated harness of Rome。 Had it been any other city； I
should have given command to my men to lay the flats of their swords
on those snarling fanatics。 But this was Jerusalem； at fever heat；
and these were a people unable in thought to divorce the idea of
State from the idea of God。
Hanan the Sadducee had done his work well。 No matter what he and
the Sanhedrim believed of the true inwardness of the situation； it
was clear this rabble had been well tutored to believe that Rome was
at the bottom of it。
I encountered Miriam in the press。 She was on foot； attended only
by a woman。 It was no time in such turbulence for her to be abroad
garbed as became her station。 Through her sister she was indeed
sister…in…law to Antipas for whom few bore love。 So she was dressed
discreetly； her face covered； so that she might pass as any Jewish
woman of the lower orders。 But not to my eye could she hide that
fine stature of her； that carriage and walk； so different from other
women's； of which I had already dreamed more than once。
Few and quick were the words we were able to exchange； for the way
jammed on the moment； and soon my men and horses were being pressed
and jostled。 Miriam was sheltered in an angle of house…wall。
〃Have they got the fisherman yet？〃 I asked。
〃No； but he is just outside the wall。 He has ridden up to Jerusalem
on an ass； with a multitude before and behind； and some； poor dupes；
have hailed him as he passed as King of Israel。 That finally is the
pretext with which Hanan will compel Pilate。 Truly； though not yet
taken； the sentence is already written。 This fisherman is a dead
man。〃
〃But Pilate will not arrest him；〃 I defended。 Miriam shook her
head。
〃Hanan will attend to that。 They will bring him before the
Sanhedrim。 The sentence will be death。 They may stone him。〃
〃But the Sanhedrim has not the right to execute；〃 I contended。
〃Jesus is not a Roman；〃 she replied。 〃He is a Jew。 By the law of
the Talmud he is guilty of death； for he has blasphemed against the
law。〃
Still I shook my head。
〃The Sanhedrim has not the right。〃
〃Pilate is willing that it should take that right。〃
〃But it is a fine question of legality；〃 I insisted。 〃You know what
the Romans are in such matters。〃
〃Then will Hanan avoid the question；〃 she smiled； 〃by compelling
Pilate to crucify him。 In either event it will be well。〃
A surging of the mob was sweeping our horses along and grinding our
knees together。 Some fanatic had fallen； and I could feel my horse
recoil and half rear as it tramped on him； and I could hear the man
screaming and the snarling menace from all about rising to a roar。
But my head was over my shoulder as I called back to Miriam：
〃You are hard on a man you have said yourself is without evil。〃
〃I am hard upon the evil that will come of him if he lives；〃 she
replied。
Scarcely did I catch her words； for a man sprang in； seizing my
bridle…rein and leg and struggling to unhorse me。 With my open
palm； leaning forward； I smote him full upon cheek and jaw。 My hand
covered the face of him； and a hearty will of weight was in the
blow。 The dwellers in Jerusalem are not used to man's buffets。 I
have often wondered since if I broke the fellow's neck。
Next I saw Miriam was the following day。 I met her in the court of
Pilate's palace。 She seemed in a dream。 Scarce her eyes saw me。
Scarce her wits embraced my identity。 So strange was she； so in
daze and amaze and far…seeing were her eyes； that I was reminded of
the lepers I had seen healed in Samaria。
She became herself by an effort； but only her outward self。 In her
eyes was a message unreadable。 Never before had I seen woman's eyes
so。
She would have passed me ungreeted had I not confronted her way。
She paused and murmured words mechanically； but all the while her
eyes dreamed through me and beyond me with the largeness of the
vision that filled them。
〃I have seen Him； Lodbrog；〃 she whispered。 〃I have seen Him。〃
〃The gods grant that he is not so ill…affected by the sight of you；
whoever he may be；〃 I laughed。
She took no notice of my poor…timed jest； and her eyes remained full
with vision； and she would have passed on had I not again blocked
her way。
〃Who is this he？〃 I demanded。 〃Some man raised from the dead to put
such strange light in your eyes？〃
〃One who has raised others from the dead；〃 she replied。 〃Truly I
believe that He； this Jesus； has raised the dead。 He is the Prince
of Light； the Son of God。 I have seen Him。 Truly I believe that He
is the Son of God。〃
Little could I glean from her words； save that she had met this
wandering fisherman and been swept away by his folly。 For surely
this Miriam was not the Miriam who had branded him a plague and
demanded that he be stamped out as any plague。
〃He has charmed you；〃 I cried angrily。
Her eyes seemed to moisten and grow deeper as she gave confirmation。
〃Oh； Lodbrog； His is charm beyond all thinking； beyond all
describing。 But to look upon Him is to know that here is the all…
soul of goodness and of compassion。 I have seen Him。 I have heard
Him。 I shall give all I have to the poor； and I shall follow Him。〃
Such was her certitude that I accepted it fully； as I had accepted
the amazement of the lepers of Samaria staring at their smooth
flesh； and I was bitter that so great a woman should be so easily
wit…addled by a vagrant wonder…worker。
〃Follow him；〃 I sneered。 〃Doubtless you will wear a crown when he
wins to his kingdom。〃
She nodded affirmation； and I could have struck her in the face for
her folly。 I drew aside； and as she moved slowly on