forth, although its appearance was dim, being surrounded by a species
of red mist; by degrees it became more bright, and the stars vanished,
but the sky was still gloomy. The enemies of Jesus soon recovered their
arrogant spirit when they saw the light returning; and it was then that
they exclaimed, 'Behold, he calleth Elias.'

CHAPTER XLV.

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Words of Jesus on the Cross.

His Death.

The light continued to return by degrees, and the livid exhausted
countenance of our Lord again became visible. His body was become much
more white from the quantity of blood he had lost; and I heard him
exclaim, 'I am pressed as the grape, which is trodden in the winepress.
My blood shall be poured out until water cometh, but wine shall here be
made no more.' I cannot be sure whether he really pronounced these words,
so as to be heard by others, or whether they were only an answer given
to my interior prayer. I afterwards had a vision relating to these
words, and in it I saw Japhet making wine in this place.

Jesus was almost fainting; his tongue was parched, and he said: 'I
thirst.' The disciples who were standing round the Cross looked at him
with the deepest expression of sorrow, and he added, 'Could you not have
given me a little water?' By these words he gave them to understand that
no one would have prevented them from doing so during the darkness.
John was filled with remorse, and replied: 'We did not think of doing so,
O Lord.' Jesus pronounced a few more words, the import of which was: 'My
friends and my neighbours were also to forget me, and not give me to
drink, that so what was written concerning me might be fulfilled.' This
omission had afflicted him very much. The disciples then offered money
to the soldiers to obtain permission to give him a little water: they
refused to give it, but dipped a sponge in vinegar and gall, and were
about to offer it to Jesus, when the centurion Abenadar, whose heart
was touched with compassion, took it from them, squeezed out the gal,
poured some fresh vinegar upon it, and fastening it to a reed, put the
reed at the end of a lance, and presented it for Jesus to drink. I
heard our Lord say several other things, but I only remember these
words: 'When my voice shall be silent, the mouths of the dead shall be
opened.' Some of the bystanders cried out: 'He blasphemeth again.' But
Abenadar compelled them to be silent.

The hour of our Lord was at last come; hi