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But my head was over my shoulder as I called back to Miriam：
〃You are hard on a man you have said yourself is without evil。〃
〃I am hard upon the evil that will come of him if he lives；〃 she
replied。
Scarcely did I catch her words； for a man sprang in； seizing my
bridle…rein and leg and struggling to unhorse me。 With my open
palm； leaning forward； I smote him full upon cheek and jaw。 My hand
covered the face of him； and a hearty will of weight was in the
blow。 The dwellers in Jerusalem are not used to man's buffets。 I
have often wondered since if I broke the fellow's neck。
Next I saw Miriam was the following day。 I met her in the court of
Pilate's palace。 She seemed in a dream。 Scarce her eyes saw me。
Scarce her wits embraced my identity。 So strange was she； so in
daze and amaze and far…seeing were her eyes； that I was reminded of
the lepers I had seen healed in Samaria。
She became herself by an effort； but only her outward self。 In her
eyes was a message unreadable。 Never before had I seen woman's eyes
so。
She would have passed me ungreeted had I not confronted her way。
She paused and murmured words mechanically； but all the while her
eyes dreamed through me and beyond me with the largeness of the
vision that filled them。
〃I have seen Him； Lodbrog；〃 she whispered。 〃I have seen Him。〃
〃The gods grant that he is not so ill…affected by the sight of you；
whoever he may be；〃 I laughed。
She took no notice of my poor…timed jest； and her eyes remained full
with vision； and she would have passed on had I not again blocked
her way。
〃Who is this he？〃 I demanded。 〃Some man raised from the dead to put
such strange light in your eyes？〃
〃One who has raised others from the dead；〃 she replied。 〃Truly I
believe that He； this Jesus； has raised the dead。 He is the Prince
of Light； the Son of God。 I have seen Him。 Truly I believe that He
is the Son of God。〃
Little could I glean from her words； save that she had met this
wandering fisherman and been swept away by his folly。 For surely
this Miriam was not the Miriam who had branded him a plague and
demanded that he be stamped out as any plague。
〃He has charmed you；〃 I cried angrily。
Her eyes seemed to moisten and grow deeper as she gave confirmation。
〃Oh； Lodbrog； His is charm beyond all thinking； beyond all
describing。 But to look upon Him is to know that here is the all…
soul of goodness and of compassion。 I have seen Him。 I have heard
Him。 I shall give all I have to the poor； and I shall follow Him。〃
Such was her certitude that I accepted it fully； as I had accepted
the amazement of the lepers of Samaria staring at their smooth
flesh； and I was bitter that so great a woman should be so easily
wit…addled by a vagrant wonder…worker。
〃Follow him；〃 I sneered。 〃Doubtless you will wear a crown when he
wins to his kingdom。〃
She nodded affirmation； and I could have struck her in the face for
her folly。 I drew aside； and as she moved slowly on she murmured：
〃His kingdom is not here。 He is the Son of David。 He is the Son of
God。 He is whatever He has said； or whatever has been said of Him
that is good and great。〃
〃A wise man of the East；〃 I found Pilate chuckling。 〃He is a
thinker； this unlettered fisherman。 I have sought more deeply into
him。 I have fresh report。 He has no need of wonder…workings。 He
out…sophisticates the most sophistical of them。 They have laid
traps； and He has laughed at their traps。 Look you。 Listen to
this。〃
Whereupon he told me how Jesus had confounded his confounders when
they brought to him for judgment a woman taken in adultery。
〃And the tax；〃 Pilate exulted on。 〃'To Caesar what is Caesar's； to
God what is God's；' was his answer to them。 That was Hanan's trick；
and Hanan is confounded。 At last has there appeared one Jew who
understands our Roman conception of the State。〃
Next I saw Pilate's wife。 Looking into her eyes I knew； on the
instant； after having seen Miriam's eyes； that this tense；
distraught woman had likewise seen the fisherman。
〃The Divine is within Him；〃 she murmured to me。 〃There is within
Him a personal awareness of the indwelling of God。〃
〃Is he God？〃 I queried； gently； for say something I must。
She shook her head。
〃I do not know。 He has not said。 But this I know： of such stuff
gods are made。〃
〃A charmer of women；〃 was my privy judgment； as I left Pilate's wife
walking in dreams and visions。
The last days are known to all of you who read these lines； and it
was in those last days that I learned that this Jesus was equally a
charmer of men。 He charmed Pilate。 He charmed me。
After Hanan had sent Jesus to Caiaphas； and the Sanhedrim； assembled
in Caiaphas's house； had condemned Jesus to death； Jesus； escorted
by a howling mob； was sent to Pilate for execution。
Now； for his own sake and for Rome's sake； Pilate did not want to
execute him。 Pilate was little interested in the fisherman and
greatly interested in peace and order。 What cared Pilate for a
man's life？for many men's lives？ The school of Rome was iron； and
the governors sent out by Rome to rule conquered peoples were
likewise iron。 Pilate thought and acted in governmental
abstractions。 Yet； look： when Pilate went out scowling to meet the
mob that had fetched the fisherman； he fell immediately under the
charm of the man。
I was present。 I know。 It was the first time Pilate had ever seen
him。 Pilate went out angry。 Our soldiers were in readiness to
clear the court of its noisy vermin。 And immediately Pilate laid
eyes on the fisherman Pilate was subduednay； was solicitous。 He
disclaimed jurisdiction； demanded that they should judge the
fisherman by their law and deal with him by their law； since the
fisherman was a Jew and not a Roman。 Never were there Jews so
obedient to Roman rule。 They cried out that it was unlawful； under
Rome； for them to put any man to death。 Yet Antipas had beheaded
John and come to no grief of it。
And Pilate left them in the court； open under the sky； and took
Jesus alone into the judgment hall。 What happened therein I know
not； save that when Pilate emerged he was changed。 Whereas before
he had been disinclined to execute because he would not be made a
catspaw to Hanan； he was now disinclined to execute because of
regard for the fisherman。 His effort now was to save the fisherman。
And all the while the mob cried： 〃Crucify him！ Crucify him！〃
You； my reader； know the sincerity of Pilate's effort。 You know how
he tried to befool the mob； first by mocking Jesus as a harmless
fool； and second by offering to release him according to the custom
of releasing one prisoner at time of the Passover。 And you know how
the priests' quick whisperings led the mob to cry out for the
release of the murderer Bar…Abba。
In vain Pilate struggled against t