t the floor.

Some of the judges closed their hands with the palms outwards; others
leapt from their places, and shouted and scolded. Judas, trying to hit
Annas, threw the last coin, after which his trembling hand had long been
fumbling in his wallet, spat in anger, and went out.

"Well, well," he mumbled, as he passed swiftly through the streets,
scaring the children. "It seems that thou didst weep, Judas? Was
Caiaphas really right when he said that Judas Iscariot was a fool? He
who weeps in the day of his great revenge is not worthy of it--know'st
thou that, Judas? Let not thine eyes deceive thee; let not thine heart
lie to thee; flood not the fire with tears, Judas Iscariot!"

The disciples were sitting in mournful silence, listening to what was
going on without. There was still danger that the vengeance of Jesus'
enemies might not confine itself to Him, and so they were all expecting
a visit from the guard, and perhaps more executions. Near to John,
to whom, as the beloved disciple, the death of Jesus was especially
grievous, sat Mary Magdalene, and Matthew trying to comfort him in an
undertone. Mary, whose face was swollen with weeping, softly stroked his
luxurious curling hair with her hand, while Matthew said didactically,
in the words of Solomon:

"'The long suffering is better than a hero; and he that ruleth his own
spirit than one who taketh a city.'"

At this moment Judas knocked loudly at the door, and entered. All
started up in terror, and at first were not sure who it was; but when
they recognised the hated countenance, the red-haired, bulbous head,
they uttered a simultaneous cry.

Peter raised both hands and shouted:

"Get out of here, Traitor! Get out, or I will kill you."

But the others looked more carefully at the face and eyes of the
Traitor, and said nothing, merely whispering in terror:

"Leave him alone, leave him alone! He is possessed with a devil."

Judas waited until they had quite done, and then cried out in a loud
voice:

"Hail, ye eyes of Judas Iscariot! Ye have just seen the cold-blooded
murderers. Lo! Where is Jesus? I ask you, where is Jesus?"

There was something compelling in the hoarse voice of Judas, and Thomas
replied obediently--

"You know yourself, Judas, that our Master was crucified yesterday."

"But how came you to permit it? Where was your love? Thou, Beloved
Disciple, and thou, Rock, where were you all when they were crucifying
your Friend on the tree?"