But certain
caverns in the hillside behind, which they used as store-houses,
remained, and undiscovered in them a secret stock of corn and wine that
gave them food.
Here, then, they camped and set to work to sow the fields which no
Romans or robbers had been able to destroy, and so lived hardly, but
unmolested, till at length the first harvest came and with it plenty.
In this dry and wholesome air Marcus recovered rapidly, who by nature
was very strong. When first his wits returned to him he recognised
Nehushta, and asked her what had chanced. She told him all she knew, and
that she believed Miriam to be dead, tidings which caused him to
fall into a deep melancholy. Meanwhile, the Essenes treated him with
kindness, but let him understand that he was their prisoner. Nor if he
had wished it, and they had given him leave to go, could he have left
them at that time, seeing that the slightest of his hurts proved to be
the worst, since the spear or sword-cut having penetrated to the joint
and let out the oil, the wound in his knee would heal only by very slow
degrees, and for many weeks left him so lame that he could not walk
without a crutch. So here he sat by the banks of the Jordan, mourning
the past and well-nigh hopeless for the future.
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