r, he
said. At these words Nicodemus was raised from the buffoon to a man of
sense and shrewdness. I have come here, he said, to speak to you about
Jesus. But the story is a somewhat perilous one, and as it rains no
longer I will walk with you along the hillside and tell it to you.

He raised his hand to Joseph, forbidding him to speak, and it was not
till they reached a lonely track that Nicodemus stopped suddenly: his
death had been resolved upon, he said, and the two men stood for a
moment looking into each other's eyes without speaking. It was Nicodemus
who fell to walking again and the relation of circumstances. He had come
straight from the Sanhedrin, where he defended Jesus against his enemies
and accusers at some personal risk, as he was quickly brought to see by
Raguel's retort: and art thou too a Galilean? And walking with his eyes
on the ground, as if communing with himself, Nicodemus related that
there was now but one opinion in the Sanhedrin: Jesus and Judaism were
incompatible; one or the other must go. Better that one man should
perish than that a nation should be destroyed, he said, are the words
one hears. Stopping again, he said, looking Joseph in the face: it is
believed that sufficient warrant for his death has been gotten, for he
said not many days ago he could destroy the Temple and build it again in
three days, which can be interpreted as speech against the law. Joseph
asked that a meaning should be put on the words, and Nicodemus answered
that Jesus spoke figuratively. To his mind the Temple stood for no more
than observances from which all spiritual significance had faded long
ago, and Jesus meant that he could and would replace dead formulae by a
religion of heart: the true religion which has no need of priests or
sacrifices. We must persuade him to leave Jerusalem and return to
Galilee, Joseph cried, his voice trembling. By no means, by no means,
Nicodemus exclaimed, raising his voice and stamping his lance. He has
been called to the work and must drive the plough to the headland,
though death be waiting him there. But he can be saved, I think,
Nicodemus continued, his voice assuming a thoughtful tone, for though he
has spoken against the law the Jews may not put him to death: his death
can be obtained only by application to Pilate. Will Pilate grant it to
please the Jews? Joseph asked. The Romans are averse, Nicodemus
answered, from religious executions and will not comprehend the putting
to