Then Mary cried as she looked on the scene, "Oh where is any sorrow
like unto my sorrow?"

The third executioner, seeing that all the efforts to compel Jesus to
move forward had failed, said, "He is too much exhausted; someone must
help him, otherwise--"

Then the rabbi, seeing Simon of Cyrene, pointed him out, saying, "Here,
this stranger--"

The Pharisees said, "Just seize him!"

Then said the centurion, "Come hither, thou hast broad shoulders that
can carry something."

Simon, protesting, said, "I must--"

"Truly you must," said one of the executioners, "otherwise there will
be blows."

Simon began again, "I do not know," but the centurion interrupted him,
saying, "You will find out soon enough--do not refuse."

"Flog him if he refuses to go!" said the Pharisee.

Simon struggled crying, "Indeed I am innocent; I have committed no
crime."

"Silence!" said the centurion.

Simon replied, "Only not by force like this," and then beholding Christ
he said, "What is this I see? This is the holy man from Nazareth."

"Place thy shoulders here," said an executioner.

Then said Simon, "For the love of thee I will carry it. O, could I
thereby make myself useful to thee."

Christ, who stood exhausted on one side, looked upon Simon and said,
"God's blessing be upon thee and thine!"

"Now, forward," said the centurion; "follow thou with the beam of the
cross!"

The first priest advancing, said, "Thou canst come quickly enough now."

The third executioner, seeing that Jesus still stood unable to move,
seized him by the neck and shook him saying, "See with what
consideration we treat thee; even the cross has been taken from thee."

"Dost thou need anything else?" said another of the men.

"Let him be," said the centurion. "We will now halt a little that he
may recover before we ascend the hill."

While the procession halted Veronica and the women of Jerusalem
approached. Caiaphas meanwhile, chafing with vexation at the delay,
exclaimed, "What! Still another stoppage! When shall we come to
Calvary?"

Veronica, coming up to Christ, kneeled before him, and offering him her
handkerchief, said, "O Lord, how is thy face covered with blood and
sweat. Wilt thou not wipe it off?"

Jesus took the handkerchief and wiped his face and gave it back to her,
saying, "Compassionate soul, the Father will reward thee for this."

Then spoke the women of Jerusalem, who drew near to the Lord with their
little ones, "Th