er. "O Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." He
looks back to his disciples. "Are your eyes so heavy that ye cannot
watch? The weight of God's justice lies upon me. The sins of the
fallen world weigh me down. O Father, if it is not possible that this
hour go by, then may thy holy will be done."

Suddenly a great tumult is heard. The faint light of the morning is
reflected from the clanging armor and from glittering spears. The
Apostles are rudely awakened. Judas comes forth and greets the Master
with a kiss. At this signal, the Master is seized by the soldiers and
roughly bound. Then he is carried away, first to Annas, and afterwards
to the house of Caiaphas.

Of the scenes that immediately follow, the most striking is that of the
denial of Peter. Peter, as represented by the sexton of the church,
Jacob Hitt, is an old man with a young heart, eager and impulsive. He
dreams of the noble part he will take while standing by the Master's
side before kings and priests, but behaves very humanly when he is
brought face to face with an unexpected test.

The scenes of the night have crowded thick and fast. The Apostles have
been scattered by the soldiers. The Master had been bound, and carried
away they know not whither. Peter had tried to defend him, but was
told to "put away his useless sword." In forlorn agony Peter and John
wander about in the dark, seeking news of Jesus. They meet a servant
who tells them that he has been carried before the High Priest, and
that the whole brood of his followers is to be rooted out.

Near the house of the High Priest Annas we see a sort of inn occupied
by rough soldiers. The night is damp and cold. A maid has kindled a
fire in the courtyard, and Peter approaches it to warm his hands, and,
if possible, to gain some further news of the Master. He hears the
soldiers talking of Malchus, one of their number who had had his ear
cut off. They boast of what they will do with the culprit, if he
should ever fall into their power. "An ear for an ear," he hears them
say. Suddenly the maid turns towards Peter and says, "Yes, you, surely
you were with the Nazarene Jesus." Peter hesitates. Should he
confess, he would have his own ears cut off, an ear for an ear--and
most likely his head, too, while his body would be thrown out on the
rubbish heap behind the inn. Peter had said that he would die for the
Master; and so he would on the field of battle, or in any