he dead. It was death to bury
even a relative, and both within and without the city lay heaps of
bodies, decaying in the sun.

"Even among the Zealots themselves, factions arose. John of
Gischala headed one party, and that the more violent. Over these he
ruled with absolute authority, and occupied one portion of the
city. The other party acknowledged no special leader. Sometimes,
then, the factions fought among themselves; but neither side ceased
from plundering and murdering the inhabitants.

"Such, my friends, was the condition of Jerusalem when I left it;
having, as I told you, purchased a permission from John of Gischala
to pass through the guards at the gates.

"As I traveled here, I learned that another danger threatens us.
The sect called the Assassins, as you know, seized the strong
fortress of Masada, near the Dead Sea, at the beginning of the
troubles. Until lately, they have been content to subsist on the
plunder of the adjacent country but, on the night of the Passover,
they surprised Engaddi, dispersed all who resisted, and slew seven
hundred women and children who could not escape. They carried off
the contents of the granaries, and are now wasting the whole
region.

"What hope can there be of success, my friends, when, with an enemy
close to their gates, the Jews are slaying more of their fellow
countrymen than the Romans themselves? Did ever a country present
so humiliating and terrible a spectacle? Were such atrocities ever
perpetrated by men upon their brothers? And yet, the madmen still
believe that the Almighty will deliver them--will save from
destruction that Temple which they have polluted, the altars that
they have deluged with blood."

When the rabbi had finished his narration, there was a long
silence. Martha was in tears, at the recital of the misery which
was endured by the inhabitants of Jerusalem; Simon sat with his
face covered with his hands; John had scarce moved, since the rabbi
had begun his story, but sat with a heavy frown on his face,
looking straight before him; while Mary anxiously watched him, to
see the effect of the recital upon him.

Simon was the first to speak.

"It is a tale of mourning, lamentation, and woe that you have told
us, rabbi. Not even in the days of our captivity in Babylon were
the Jewish people fallen so low. Let us to bed now. These things
are too terrible to speak of, until we have laid them before the
Lord, and asked his guidance. I wonder not, n