inforcement of soldiers. At a very short
distance from an entrance opposite to the south side of the Temple,
which leads through a little village called Ophel to Mount Sion, where
the residences of Annas and Caiphas were situated, I saw a band of
about fifty soldiers, who carried torches, and appeared ready for
anything; the demeanour of these men was outrageous, and they gave loud
shouts, both to announce their arrival, and to congratulate their
comrades upon the success of the expedition. This caused a slight
confusion among the soldiers who were leading Jesus, and Malchus and a
few others took advantage of it to depart, and fly towards Mount Olivet.

When the fresh band of soldiers left Ophel, I saw those disciples
who had gathered together disperse; some went one way, and some
another. The Blessed Virgin and about nine of the holy women, being
filled with anxiety, directed their steps towards the Valley of
Josaphat, accompanied by Lazarus, John the son of Mark, the son of
Veronica, and the son of Simon. The last-named was at Gethsemani with
Nathaniel and the eight Apostles, and had fled when the soldiers
appeared. He was giving the Blessed Virgin the account of all that had
been done, when the fresh band of soldiers joined those who were
leading Jesus, and she then heard their tumultuous vociferations, and
saw the light of the torches they carried. This sight quite overcame
her; she became insensible, and John took her into the house of Mary,
the mother of Mark.

The fifty soldiers who were sent to join those who had taken Jesus,
were a detachment from a company of three hundred men posted to guard
the gates and environs of Ophel; for the traitor Judas had reminded the
High Priests that the inhabitants of Ophel (who were principally of the
labouring class, and whose chief employment was to bring water and wood
to the Temple) were the most attached partisans of Jesus, and might
perhaps make some attempts to rescue him. The traitor was aware that
Jesus had both consoled, instructed, assisted, and cured the diseases
of many of these poor workmen, and that Ophel was the place where he
halted during his journey from Bethania to Hebron, when John the
Baptist had just been executed. Judas also knew that Jesus had cured
many of the masons who were injured by the fall of the Tower of Siloe.
The greatest part of the inhabitants of Ophel were converted after the
death of our Lord, and joined the first Christian community that