"The truth, the truth," cried Peter, tossing his arms about; "lo from henceforth I will clamor for it, rage for it, die for it! Three times have I falsely sworn, and thus have I taken the full measure of a Lie! Its breadth, its depth, its height, its worth, its meaning, its results, its crushing suffocating weight upon the soul! I know its nature,—'tis all hell in a word! 'tis a 'yea' or 'nay,' on which is balanced all eternity! I will no more of it,—I will have truth, the truth of men, the truth of women,—no usurer shall be called honest,—no wanton shall be called chaste,—to please the humor of the passing hour! No—no, I will have none of this, but only truth! The truth that is seen as a shining, naked simitar in the hand of God, glistening horribly! I, Peter, will declare it!—I who did swear a lie three times, will speak the truth three thousand times in reprisal of my sin! Weep, rave, tear thy reverend hairs, unreverent Jew! Thou who as stiff-necked, righteous Pharisee, didst practice cautious virtue and self-seeking sanctity, and now through unbelief art left most desolate!"
The critics were as usual up in arms over
"Barabbas," but in spite of them its sale has been
immense. The book has made such headway since
its publication that it has been translated into more
foreign tongues than any other novel of either the
past or present—the translations comprising thirty
to forty languages. As a matter of original conception,
tragical effect and clearness of diction,
"Barabbas" is considered by many the best of
Marie Corelli's works.
