But a new and loud rumor was soon heard outside the tavern of the 'Wild
Ass,' and there was but one cry repeated by all:

''Tis he,'tis he!'

''Tis our friend!'

'Here is Jesus, here he is!'

CHAPTER III.

The crowd that filled the tavern, now learning the arrival of Jesus of
Nazareth, urged and pressed each other to go and meet the young master;
mothers, who held their little infants in their arms, endeavored to
arrive the first near Jesus, the infirm, resuming their crutches, begged
their neighbors to open a passage for them. Such was already the
penetrating and charitable influence of the words of the son of Mary,
that the strong moved aside to allow the mothers and the suffering to
approach him.

Jane, Aurelia and her slave shared the general emotion; Genevieve
especially, daughter, wife, and, perhaps, one day a mother of slaves,
experienced an unusual beating of the heart at the sight of him who
came, he said, to announce to the captives their deliverance, and set at
liberty those who were crushed beneath their chains. At length Genevieve
perceived him.

The son of Mary, the friend of little children, of poor mothers, of the
suffering and of slaves, was habited like the other Israelites, his
countrymen; he wore a robe of white cloth, secured round his waist by a
leathern belt from which hung his purse or money-bag; a square mantle of
blue depended from his shoulders.

His long chestnut hair, bright as new-coined gold, fell on each side of
his pale face of an angelic sweetness; his lips and chin were half
shaded by a slight beard, with golden reflections like his hair. His
manner was cordial and familiar; he affectionately shook the hands of
all that were tendered him.

He frequently stooped down to kiss some ragged little children who held
the lappets of his robe, and, smiling ineffably, he said to those who
surrounded him:

'Let the little children approach me.'

Judas, a man with a sinister and deceptive countenance, and Simon, other
disciples of Jesus, accompanied him and carried each of them a box, in
which the son of Mary, after questioning each patient and attentively
listening to his reply, took several medicaments which he gave to the
infirm and to the women who came to consult his science, either for
themselves or for their children.

Frequently, to the balsams and advice he distributed, Jesus added a gift
of money, which he drew from the bag at his girdle; he so often dipped
i