oldiers held up the rags that
had come to him, while another spread upon the ground Jesus' fine cloak,
the one that Peter had bought for Jesus with money that Joseph gave to
him. That he should see the cloak again, and on such an occasion,
touched his heart. It was a humble incident in a cruel murder committed
by a priest; and the thought crossed Joseph's mind that he might
purchase the cloak from the soldier, but, remembering the warning he had
received, he did not ask for the cloak, nor did he once lift his eyes to
Jesus' face, lest the sight of it should wring his heart, and being
overcome and helpless with grief, the priests and their hirelings might
begin to suspect him.

He strove instead to call reason to his aid: Jesus' life being spent,
his duty was to obtain the body and bury it: far worse than the death he
endured would be for his sacred body to be thrown into the common ditch
with these malefactors. I know not how you can abide here, he said to
the centurion; their groans make the heart faint. We shall break their
bones presently; the Jews asked us to do this, for at six o'clock their
Sabbath begins. And in this the thieves are lucky, for were it not for
their Sabbath they would last on for three or four days: the first day
is the worst day; afterwards the crucified sinks into unconsciousness,
and I doubt if he suffers at all on the third day, and on the fourth day
he dies. But, Sir, what may I do for you? I've come for the body of this
man, Joseph answered; for, however erring, he was not a thief, and
deserves decent burial. You can come with me to testify that I've buried
it in a rock sepulchre, the stone of which yourself shall roll into the
door. To which the centurion answered that he did not dare to deliver up
the body of Jesus without an order from Pilate, though he was dead. Dead
an hour or more, truly dead, he added. Pilate will not refuse his body
to me, Joseph replied. Pilate and I are well acquainted; we are as
friends are; you must have seen me at the Praetorium before now, coming
to talk with the procurator about the transport of wheat from Moab, and
other things.

These words filled the centurion with admiration, and, afraid to seem
ignorant, he said he remembered having seen Joseph and knew him to be a
friend of Pilate. Well then, come with me at once to Jerusalem, Joseph
said coaxingly, and you'll see that Pilate will order thee to deliver
the dead unto me. But the centurion demurred, sayin