"
"There is no evidence against this woman, let her be set free,"
exclaimed Benoni.
"So we might expect her grandfather to think," said Simeon, with
sarcasm. "Little wonder that we are smitten with the Sword of God when
Rabbis shelter Christians because they chance to be of their house, and
when warriors bear false witness concerning them because they chance to
be fair. For my part I say that she is guilty, and has hidden the man
away in some secret place. Otherwise why did she dash the light from the
soldier's hand?"
"Mayhap to hide herself lest she should be attacked," answered another,
"though how she came in the tower, I cannot guess."
"I lived there," said Miriam. "It was bricked up until yesterday and
safe from robbers."
"So!" commented that judge, "you lived alone in a deserted tower like
a bat or an owl, and without food or water. Then these must have been
brought to you from without the walls, perhaps by some secret passage
that was known to none, down which you loosed the Prefect, but had no
time to follow him. Woman, you are a Roman spy, as a Christian well
might be. I say that she is worthy of death."
Then Benoni rose and rent his robes.
"Does not enough blood run through these holy courts?" he asked, "that
you must seek that of the innocent also? What is your oath? To do
justice and to convict only upon clear, unshaken testimony.
Pages:
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303