the clouds of glory. I did not catch it, perhaps, nor guess its significance, but the effect was like tossing a hornet's nest into the crowd. Those old graybeards got up on their toes and howled and uttered such foul language in religious phraseology, with clinchings of their fists and demonstrations of hatred as I did not think were possible. Old Annas, who was urging Caiaphas on, tore his tunic from top to bottom and others did likewise. The young fellow surrounded himself with such an armour of majesty as had its being in the pure essence of manhood and in his fine strong innocence, and I looked him to stare them all out of countenance and go forth a free man.
But his speech, whatever it was, set them all gnashing at him like wolves and they began to cry "Death to him, death to him." The mob circled round him, striking with clinched fists and spitting upon him. Some impudent fellow flung the corner of his own robe over his face, thus blindfolding him. Another struck him with the open palm and a third said, "If thou be Christ, prophesy who struck thee." I then shouldered my way to the centre of the mob. As the disturbance ceased with my presence, he glanced at me for a moment with a grateful eye. His fine nostrils were a-quiver and once in a while his long lashes swept his I bruised cheeks as he seemed to struggle with emotions from which his whole frame trembled. Once again, as I stood there beside him, our glances met. In his own was a look of recognition that I had done him a favour and in mine, I presume, was a look of the surprise I felt in my soul. He answered with a word: "They could have no power over me, except it were given them of my
