nd not built up."

"I understand not the meaning of thy speech, my sister, and reason
telleth me the Kingdom cometh by the sword."

"Great is the mystery of the coming of the Kingdom," Mary assented.
"Yet there are hearts that understand what reason never knew or hath
forgotten. But go thou now to rest. The day hath been full of
wonders--and of weariness, as my eye can see in thy face though it doth
glow with joy."

"Yea, the day hath been full of wonders and the morrow will be big with
an event which shall be known throughout the earth. In thy dreams
to-night, my gentle Mary, shout praises to the King, that thy lips may
be shaped for great rejoicing when the new day cometh!"

CHAPTER XXIII

YE GENERATION OF VIPERS

For several days before the Passover celebration every highway leading
to Jerusalem had been ground to fine dust by the hoofs of flocks and
herds, and of slow asses laden with coops of doves and by the wheels of
carts heavy with lambs--all moving toward the sacrificial knives of the
Temple. By the morning of the day preceding that of the Great Feast,
at an early hour all was life and excitement in the Outer Court of the
Temple. Here booths and stalls had been erected for traffic in
everything from oil and wine to graven earrings, and although such was
forbidden, yet for more than half a century had the House of Annas
grown rich from the tax on Temple traffic and no man had dared speak
openly against it.

Not only was this income great, but there were yet greater returns from
the tables of the money-changers. From all portions of the world came
devout Jews to the Passover each contributing his compulsory half
shekel tribute money. As this tax money must by law be paid in Hebrew
coin, the money-changing business was established and the favored ones
who were allowed to operate in the Temple took the best places which
they filled with chests and sacks of Hebrew money, mostly mites and
farthings, and with unfilled boxes and bags in which to store the
foreign coin taken in at an exorbitant exchange profit. While the
tradesmen and stock drivers had begun early to prepare for a season of
unusual profit making, the money-changers had not forgotten their
interests. Indeed, this aristocracy of profit makers had held council
but the night before and agreed on the price of exchange and the extra
soldiery necessary for handling such troublesome strangers as might
raise objections should a spurious