wayside women listened gladly, but my heart grew bitter and I was hardened.
“My promised king of Judea seemed suddenly to have turned flute-player, to soothe the mind of wanderers and vagabonds.
“I had loved Him as others of my tribe had loved Him. I had beheld Him a hope and a deliverance from the yoke of the aliens. But when He would not utter a word or move a hand to free us from that yoke, and when He would even have rendered unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, then despair filled me and my hopes died. And I said: ‘He who murders my hopes shall be murdered, for my hopes and expectations are more precious than the life of any man.’ ”
Then Judas gnashed his teeth; and he bent down his head. And when he spoke again, he said: “I have delivered Him up. And He was crucified this day. … Yet when He died upon the cross, He died a king. He died in the tempest as deliverers die, like vast men who live beyond the shroud and the stone.
“And all the while He was dying, He was gracious, and He was kindly; and His heart was full of pity. He felt pity even for me who had delivered Him up.”
And I said: “Judas, you have committed a grave wrong.”
And Judas answered: “But He died a king. Why did He not live a king?”
And I said again: “You have committed a grave crime.”
And he sat down there, upon that bench, and he was as still as a stone.
But I walked to and fro in the room, and once more I said: “You have committed a great sin.”
But Judas said not a word. He remained as silent as the earth.