And after a while he stood up and faced me and he seemed taller, and when he spoke his voice was like the sound of a cracked vessel; and he said: “Sin was not in my heart. This very night I shall seek His kingdom, and I shall stand in His presence and beg His forgiveness.
“He died a king, and I shall die a felon. But in my heart I know He will forgive me.”
After saying these words he folded his wet cloak around him and he said: “It was good that I came to you this night even though I have brought you trouble. Will you also forgive me?
“Say to your sons and to your sons’ sons: ‘Judas Iscariot delivered Jesus of Nazareth to His enemies because he believed Jesus was an enemy to His own race.’
“And say also that Judas upon the selfsame day of his great error followed the King to the steps of His throne to deliver up his own soul and to be judged.
“I shall tell Him that my blood also was impatient for the sod, and my crippled spirit would be free.”
Then Judas leaned his head back against the wall and he cried out: “O God whose dreaded name no man shall utter ere his lips are touched by the fingers of death, why did you burn me with a fire that had no light?
“Why did you give the Galilean a passion for a land unknown and burden me with desire that would not escape kin or hearth? And who is this man Judas, whose hands are dipped in blood?
“Lend me a hand to cast him off, an old garment and a tattered harness.
“Help me to do this tonight.
“And let me stand again outside of these walls.