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abided。 Pilate executed an abstraction that had never existed in
the real。 The abstraction was a cheat and a lie manufactured in the
priestly mind。 Neither the priests nor Pilate believed it。 Jesus
denied it。 That abstraction was 〃The King of the Jews。〃
The storm was over in the courtyard。 The excitement had simmered
down。 Revolution had been averted。 The priests were content； the
mob was satisfied； and Pilate and I were well disgusted and weary
with the whole affair。 And yet for him and me was more and most
immediate storm。 Before Jesus was taken away one of Miriam's women
called me to her。 And I saw Pilate； summoned by one of his wife's
women； likewise obey。
〃Oh； Lodbrog； I have heard；〃 Miriam met me。 We were alone； and she
was close to me； seeking shelter and strength within my arms。
〃Pilate has weakened。 He is going to crucify Him。 But there is
time。 Your own men are ready。 Ride with them。 Only a centurion
and a handful of soldiers are with Him。 They have not yet started。
As soon as they do start； follow。 They must not reach Golgotha。
But wait until they are outside the city wall。 Then countermand the
order。 Take an extra horse for Him to ride。 The rest is easy。
Ride away into Syria with Him； or into Idumaea； or anywhere so long
as He be saved。〃
She concluded with her arms around my neck； her face upturned to
mine and temptingly close； her eyes greatly solemn and greatly
promising。
Small wonder I was slow of speech。 For the moment there was but one
thought in my brain。 After all the strange play I had seen played
out； to have this come upon me！ I did not misunderstand。 The thing
was clear。 A great woman was mine if 。 。 。 if I betrayed Rome。 For
Pilate was governor； his order had gone forth； and his voice was the
voice of Rome。
As I have said； it was the woman of her； her sheer womanliness； that
betrayed Miriam and me in the end。 Always she had been so clear； so
reasonable； so certain of herself and me； so that I had forgotten；
or； rather； I there learned once again the eternal lesson learned in
all lives； that woman is ever woman 。 。 。 that in great decisive
moments woman does not reason but feels； that the last sanctuary and
innermost pulse to conduct is in woman's heart and not in woman's
head。
Miriam misunderstood my silence； for her body moved softly within my
arms as she added； as if in afterthought：
〃Take two spare horses； Lodbrog。 I shall ride the other 。 。 。 with
you 。 。 。 with you； away over the world； wherever you may ride。〃
It was a bribe of kings； it was an act； paltry and contemptible；
that was demanded of me in return。 Still I did not speak。 It was
not that I was in confusion or in any doubt。 I was merely sad
greatly and suddenly sad； in that I knew I held in my arms what I
would never hold again。
〃There is but one man in Jerusalem this day who can save Him；〃 she
urged； 〃and that man is you； Lodbrog。〃
Because I did not immediately reply she shook me； as if in impulse
to clarify wits she considered addled。 She shook me till my harness
rattled。
〃Speak； Lodbrog； speak！〃 she commanded。 〃You are strong and
unafraid。 You are all man。 I know you despise the vermin who would
destroy Him。 You； you alone can save Him。 You have but to say the
word and the thing is done； and I will well love you and always love
you for the thing you have done。〃
〃I am a Roman；〃 I said slowly； knowing full well that with the words
I gave up all hope of her。
〃You are a man…slave of Tiberius； a hound of Rome；〃 she flamed； 〃but
you owe Rome nothing； for you are not a Roman。 You yellow giants of
the north are not Romans。〃
〃The Romans are the elder brothers of us younglings of the north；〃 I
answered。 〃Also； I wear the harness and I eat the bread of Rome。〃
Gently I added： 〃But why all this fuss and fury for a mere man's
life？ All men must die。 Simple and easy it is to die。 To…day； or
a hundred years； it little matters。 Sure we are； all of us； of the
same event in the end。〃
Quick she was； and alive with passion to save as she thrilled within
my arms。
〃You do not understand； Lodbrog。 This is no mere man。 I tell you
this is a man beyond mena living God； not of men； but over men。〃
I held her closely and knew that I was renouncing all the sweet
woman of her as I said：
〃We are man and woman； you and I。 Our life is of this world。 Of
these other worlds is all a madness。 Let these mad dreamers go the
way of their dreaming。 Deny them not what they desire above all
things； above meat and wine； above song and battle； even above love
of woman。 Deny them not their hearts' desires that draw them across
the dark of the grave to their dreams of lives beyond this world。
Let them pass。 But you and I abide here in all the sweet we have
discovered of each other。 Quickly enough will come the dark； and
you depart for your coasts of sun and flowers； and I for the roaring
table of Valhalla。〃
〃No！ no！〃 she cried； half…tearing herself away。 〃You do not
understand。 All of greatness； all of goodness； all of God are in
this man who is more than man； and it is a shameful death to die。
Only slaves and thieves so die。 He is neither slave nor thief。 He
is an immortal。 He is God。 Truly I tell you He is God。〃
〃He is immortal you say；〃 I contended。 〃Then to die to…day on
Golgotha will not shorten his immortality by a hair's breadth in the
span of time。 He is a god you say。 Gods cannot die。 From all I
have been told of them； it is certain that gods cannot die。〃
〃Oh！〃 she cried。 〃You will not understand。 You are only a great
giant thing of flesh。〃
〃Is it not said that this event was prophesied of old time？〃 I
queried； for I had been learning from the Jews what I deemed their
subtleties of thinking。
〃Yes； yes；〃 she agreed； 〃the Messianic prophecies。 This is the
Messiah。〃
〃Then who am I；〃 I asked； 〃to make liars of the prophets？ to make of
the Messiah a false Messiah？ Is the prophecy of your people so
feeble a thing that I； a stupid stranger； a yellow northling in the
Roman harness； can give the lie to prophecy and compel to be
unfulfilledthe very thing willed by the gods and foretold by the
wise men？〃
〃You do not understand；〃 she repeated。
〃I understand too well；〃 I replied。 〃Am I greater than the gods
that I may thwart the will of the gods？ Then are gods vain things
and the playthings of men。 I am a man。 I； too； bow to the gods； to
all gods； for I do believe in all gods； else how came all gods to
be？〃
She flung herself so that my hungry arms were empty of her； and we
stood apart and listened to the uproar of the street as Jesus and
the soldiers emerged and started on their way。 And my heart was
sore in that so great a woman could be so foolish。 She would save
God。 She would make herself greater than God。
〃You do not love me；〃 she said slowly； and slowly grew in her eyes a
promise of herself too deep and wide for any words。
〃I love you beyond your understanding； it seems；〃 was my reply。 〃I
am proud to love you； for I know I am worthy to love you and am
worth all love you may give me。 But Rome is my foster…mother； and
were I untrue to her； of little pride； of little worth would be my
love for you。〃
The uproar that followed about Jesus and the soldiers died away
along the street。 And when there was no further sound of it Miriam
turned to go； with neither word nor look for me。
I knew one last rush of mad hunger for her。 I sprang and seized
her。 I would horse her and ride away with her and my men into Syria
away from this cursed city of folly。 She struggled。 I crushed her。
She struck me on the face； and I continued to hold and crush her；
for the blows were sweet。 And there she ceased to struggle。 She
became cold and motionless； so that I knew there was no woman's love
that my arms girdled。 For me she was dead。 Slowly I let go of her。
Slowly she stepped back。 As if she did not see me she turned and
went away across the quiet room； and without looking back passed
through the hangings and was gone。
I； Ragnar Lodbrog； never came to read nor write。 But in my days I
have listened to great talk。 As I see it now； I never learned great
talk； such as that of the Jews； learned in their law； nor such as
that of the Romans； learned in their philosophy and in the
philosophy of the Greeks。 Yet have I talked in simplicity and
straightness； as a man may well talk who has lived life from the
ships of Tostig Lodbrog and the roof of Brunanbuhr across the world
to Jerusalem and back again。 And straight talk and simple I gave
Sulpicius Quirinius； when I went away into Syria to report to him of
the various matters that had been at issue in Jerusalem。
CHAPTER XVIII
Suspended animation is nothing new； not alone in the vegetable world
and