"Fellow, what do these words mean?" cried Benoni in angry fear. But,
taking no heed, his pale eyes fixed upon the heavens, the wanderer
answered only, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem! Woe to you who come up to
Jerusalem!"
So he passed on, still uttering those awful words, till at length they
lost sight of his naked form and the sound of his crying grew faint and
died away.
"What a fearful greeting is this!" said Miriam, wringing her hands.
"Ay!" answered Nehushta, "but the farewell will be worse. The place is
doomed and all in it."
Only Caleb said, striving to look unconcerned:
"Have no fear, Miriam. I know the man. He is mad."
"Where does wisdom end and madness begin?" asked Nehushta.
Then they went on towards the gates of the Temple, always through the
same blood-stained, empty streets.
CHAPTER XIV
THE ESSENES FIND THEIR QUEEN AGAIN
They went on towards the gates of the Temple, but many a long day was
destined to go by ere Miriam reached them. The entrance by which they
were told they must approach if they sought speech of the high priest,
was one of the two Huldah Gates on the south side of the Royal Cloister,
and thither they came across the valley of Tyropaeon. As they drew near
to them of a sudden that gate which stood most to the east was flung
wide, and out of it issued a thousand or more of armed men, like ants
from a broken nest, who, shouting and waving swords, rushed towards
their company.
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