Yet,
because of the prayer of Benoni, our brother, of whose race she is, we
decree that this sentence shall not be carried out before the set
of sun, and that if in the meanwhile the traitress elects to give
information that shall lead to the recapture of the Roman prefect,
Marcus, she shall be set at liberty without the gates of the Temple. The
case is finished. Guards, take her to the prison whence she came."
So they seized Miriam and led her thence through the crowd of onlookers,
who paused from their wanderings and weary searching of the ground
to spit at or curse her, and thrust her back into her cell and to the
company of the cold corpse of Theophilus the Essene.
Here Miriam sat down, and partly to pass the time, partly because she
needed it, ate the bread and dried flesh which she had left hidden in
the cell. After this sleep came to her, who was tired out and the worst
being at hand, had nothing more to fear. For four or five hours she
rested sweetly, dreaming that she was a child again, gathering flowers
on the banks of Jordan in the spring season, till, at length, a sound
caused her to awake. She looked up to see Benoni standing before her.
"What is it, grandfather?" she asked.
"Oh! my daughter," groaned the wretched old man, "I am come here at some
risk, for because of you and for other reasons they suspect me, those
wolf-hearted men, to bid you farewell and to ask your pardon.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306