the blessed Elene
gave him answer:--'If thou wouldst have thy life 620
in the world and a home with the angels in the
kingdom of heaven, the reward of victory in the
sky, tell me straightway where the holy rood of
the King of glory lieth under the earth, which ye 625
have hid now for a while from men because of the
unrighteous murder.'

Judas answered, and his heart was heavy within
him; there was grief in his soul, and woe either
way, whether thus he forsook the joy of the 630
heavenly realm and this present kingdom beneath
the skies, or disclosed the rood:--'How can I
reveal that which came to pass so long ago in the
course of years? Two hundred or more in number
are now vanished away--I know not the sum of 635
them, and I cannot declare the event. Many of
wisdom, of virtue, and of learning, who were before
our time, are told among the dead. In days long
after was I born, and in my childhood, and in my
youth. I may not discover in my heart that which 640
I know not, and which came to pass so long ago.'

Then Elene bespake him in answer:--'Whence
cometh it that ye bear in mind so many things,
every wondrous deed, such as those which the Trojans 645
wrought in battle? That far-famed war of
old was further in the course of years than this
holy event, and yet ye know that fully, how to
declare at once the number of all that were slain 650
there, and of the spearmen who fell in death beneath
their shields. Ye set forth in writing the
tombs beneath the rocky cliffs, and likewise the
places and the tale of years.'

Then Judas answered--he suffered bitter grief:--'We 655
are mindful of that war from very need, my
dear lady, and we set forth in writing the fierce
strife and the deeds of the nations, but never have
we heard this declared unto men from the mouth 660
of any save here and now.'

And the noble queen gave him answer:--'Too
mightily dost thou withstand the truth and the right
concerning the tree of life, insomuch as thou spakest 665
verily of the rood of victory before thine own
people but a little time ago, and now dost turn
to falsehood.'

Judas again spake unto her, and said that he
uttered those words in sorrow and exceeding doubt,
that he had weened bitter hardship for himself.

Quickly the kinswoman of Caesar answered him:--'Lo!
we have heard it dec