set eyes rested on the quaint figure of the man with
the leonine head.

"What is thy whim?" he asked.

"Over in Judaea we were so little alone," rejoined the latter, "and then
we had such earnest things to talk about, that I have never heard from
thy lips how it came to pass that thou didst hear our dear Lord preach
in Galilee."

"Yet I did tell thee," said the praefect, "when first thou didst ask my
confidence."

"Then 'tis my whim to hear thee tell me again," rejoined the man simply.
"All that pertains to our dear Lord doth lie so close to my heart, and
'tis long now since I have spoken of Him to one who hath seen and heard
Him. 'Tis great joy to me to hear of every impression which He made on
the heart of those whose life was gladdened by a sight of His face."

"Whose life was gladdened by a sight of His face!" repeated Taurus
Antinor gently. "Aye! there dost speak the truth, O friend! for my life
too was gladdened by a sight of His face. I was travelling through
Judaea, on my way to Syria, and the Caesar had desired me to visit the
proconsul. Thus did I halt in Jerusalem one day. Having done the
Emperor's bidding, I had time to kill ere I started further on my
journey. So I bethought me that I would like to see something of the Man
from Nazareth of Whom I had heard speak."

"And God prompted thee, friend, to go and hear Him."

"God, sayest thou?" rejoined the praefect slowly. "Aye! mayhap thou'rt
right. 'Twas God then that sent me. Disguised in humble raiment I went
forth one day and made my way to the desert lands of Galilee."

"And didst see Him there?"

"I saw Him sitting on a low mound of earth with the canopy of blue above
His head, and all around Him a multitude that hung entranced upon His
lips. He spoke to them of the Kingdom of Heaven--a Kingdom of whose
existence, alas! I had never dreamed. But His words did wring my heart,
and the majesty of His presence has ever since been before mine eyes.
To-day it all came back to me, the gentle face, the perfect mouth
framing exquisite words. Above Him a curtain of azure, and far away, the
illimitable stretch of horizon merging into the water beyond. The very
air was still and listening to His words; from under jagged boulders
tiny lizards peeped out, and on the branches of starved, gaunt trees the
birds had stopped to rest. Then it was that panther-like, sleek
sleuth-hounds hovered round Him, trying to entangle Him in His talk.
They made their way close t