rain, and a
large stone was placed in its centre to enable persons to pass over
more easily. When Jesus reached this spot, his strength was perfectly
exhausted; he was quite unable to move; and as the archers dragged and
pushed him without showing the slightest compassion, he fell quite down
against this stone, and the cross fell by his side. The cruel
executioners were obliged to stop, they abused and struck him
unmercifully, but the whole procession came to a standstill, which
caused a degree of confusion. Vainly did he hold out his hand for
someone to assist him to rise: 'Ah!' he exclaimed, 'all will soon be over;' and
he prayed for his enemies. Lift him up,' said the Pharisees, 'otherwise he
will die in our hands.' There were many women and children following the
procession; the former wept, and the latter were frightened. Jesus,
however, received support from above, and raised his head; but these
cruel men, far from endeavouring to alleviate his sufferings, put the
crown of thorns again on his head before they pulled him out of the
mud, and no sooner was he once more on his feet than they replaced the
cross on his back. The crown of thorns which encircled his head
increased his pain inexpressibly, and obliged him to bend on one side
to give room for the cross, which lay heavily on his shoulders.

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Second Fall of Jesus.

The afflicted Mother of Jesus had left the forum, accompanied by
John and some other women, immediately after the unjust sentence was
pronounced. She had employed herself in walking to many of the spots
sanctified by our Lord and watering them with her tears; but when the
sound of the trumpet, the rush of people, and the clang of the horsemen
announced that the procession was about to start for Calvary, she could
not resist her longing desire to behold her beloved Son once more, and
she begged John to take her to some place through which he must pass.
John conducted her to a palace, which had an entrance in that street
which Jesus traversed after his first fall; it was, I believe, the
residence of the high priest Caiphas, whose tribunal was in the
division called Sion. John asked and obtained leave from a kind-hearted
servant to stand at the entrance mentioned above, with Mary and her
companions. The Mother of God was pale, her eyes were red with weeping,
and she was closely wrapped in a cloak of a bluish-grey colour. The
clamour and insulting speeches of the enraged m