ading to reach its full,
because its Creator was then to die.

Next I cast a glance outside the town, and, near the south gate, I
beheld the traitor, Judas Iscariot, wandering about, alone, and a prey
to the tortures of his guilty conscience; he feared even his own
shadow, and was followed by many devils, who endeavoured to turn his
feelings of remorse into black despair. Thousands of evil spirits were
busying themselves in all parts, tempting men first to one sin and then
to another. It appeared as if the gates of hell were flung open, and
Satan madly striving and exerting his whole energies to increase the
heavy load of iniquities which the Lamb without spot had taken upon
himself. The angels wavered between joy and grief; they desired
ardently to fall prostrate before the throne of God, and to obtain
permission to assist Jesus; but at the same time they were filled with
astonishment, and could only adore that miracle of Divine justice and
mercy which had existed in Heaven for all eternity, and was now about
to be accomplished; for the angels believe, like us, in God, the Father
Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only
Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin
Mary, who began on this night to suffer under Pontius Pilate, and the
next day was to be crucified; to die, and be buried; descend into hell,
rise again on the third day, ascent into Heaven, be seated at the right
hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence come to judge the
living and the dead; they likewise believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

CHAPTER VI.

Jesus before Annas.

It was towards midnight when Jesus reached the palace of Annas, and
his guards immediately conducted him into a very large hall, where
Annas, surrounded by twentyeight councillors, was seated on a species
of platform, raised a little above the level of the floor, and placed
opposite to the entrance. The soldiers who first arrested Jesus now
dragged him roughly to the foot of the tribunal. The room was quite
full, between soldiers, the servants of Annas, a number of the mob who
had been admitted, and the false witnesses who afterwards adjourned to
Caiphas's hall.

Annas was delighted at the thought of our Lord being brought before
him, and was looking out for his arrival with the greatest impatien