red their self-possession, and followed
at a distance, eager to see what would befall. When the procession
reached the palace gate John seems to have entered with the rest of the
crowd, and the ponderous, massive doors closed behind him. On looking
round for Peter he missed him, and concluding that he had been shut out
and was still standing without, he went to the maid that kept the
wicket-gate, opening in the main entrance doors for the admission of
individuals, and asked her to admit his friend. She recognized him as
being well known to the high priest, and readily assented to his
request.

A fire of wood had been hastily lighted in the open courtyard, and cast
its rays on the chilly April night; so that whilst Jesus was being
examined by Annas the men who had taken part in the night adventure
were grouped around the fire, discussing the exciting incident, with
its moment of panic, the case of the arrest, the hurt and healing of
the ear of Malchus, the seizure of the rich Eastern dress from the
young man whom they had encountered on their homeward march. Peter did
not wish to be recognized, and thought that the best way of preserving
his incognito was to put on a bold face and take his place among the
rest as though he, too, had been one of the capturing band, and had as
much right to be there as any other of that mixed company. So he stood
with them, and warmed himself.

Meanwhile, the doorkeeper, leaving her post, came to the fire, and in
its kindling ray her eye fell upon Peter's face. She was surprised to
see him there, feigning to be one of themselves. If, like John, he had
gone quietly into some recess of the court, and waited unobtrusively in
the shadow, she could have said nothing. In her kind-heartedness she
would have respected them both; for she knew that they sympathized with
the arrested Nazarene. But to find him there talking and acting as
though he had no personal interest in the matter was so unseemly and
unfit that she was provoked to expose him. She looked at him
earnestly--as another evangelist tells us--to be quite sure that she
was not mistaken; and feeling quite certain in her identification, said
abruptly, "Art _thou_ not one of this man's disciples?"

Peter was taken off his guard. If he had been arrested, and taken for
trial, he would no doubt have played the hero--he had braced himself up
for that; but he had not expected that the supreme trial of his life
could come in the que