ors of the law and the high
priests; two of the latter were leading a handsome young girl, with
naked arms and feet, barely attired in a tunic. Shame and terror were
painted on her countenance bathed in tears; her scattered hair covered
her naked shoulders.

From time to time, demanding grace through her sobs, she threw herself,
in her despair, on her knees upon the stones in the road, despite the
efforts of the two priests, who, each holding her by an arm and thus
dragging her through the dust, soon forced her to rise and walk with
them. The crowd overwhelmed with hootings, imprecations and insults this
unfortunate girl, as terrified as a woman being led to execution.

At sight of this tumult the son of Mary, surprised, stopped; those who
accompanied him also stopped, and ranged themselves in a circle behind
him.

The priests and the doctors of the law, no doubt recognizing the young
man of Nazareth, made a sign to the people of the village, from whom the
cries and fury redoubled every moment, to stop a few paces distant. Then
those wrathful people, men and women, picked up large stones, with which
they remained armed, from time to time insulting and threatening the
weeping prisoner.

The priests and doctors of the law, to whom the emissaries of the
pharisees had gone to speak in secret, dragged the unfortunate creature
to the feet of Jesus, whom she also began to implore in her terror,
raising towards him her face bathed in tears, and her maimed hands
covered with blood and dust. One of the priests then said to Jesus, to
prove him, and in the hope of destroying him if he did not pronounce
with them.

'This woman has just been taken in the act of adultery. Now, Moses has
ordered us in the law to stone the adulteress. What is your opinion
thereon?'

Jesus, instead of replying, stooped down and began to write on the sand
with the end of his finger. And as the pharisees, astonished, continued
to question him, he rose up and said to them as also to those of the
crowd, who had armed themselves with stones,

'Let him amongst you who is without sin, throw the first stone at this
woman.'

Then, again stooping, he once more commenced writing on the sand without
noticing those around him.

At the words of Mary's son, immense applause burst from the crowd that
followed him, and Banaias exclaimed with loud laughter:

'Well spoken, friend. I am no prophet; but if pure hands are alone to
stone this poor sinner, I swear