apartment to be prepared for him,
in the palace; and begged him to take up his abode there, until a
vessel should be sailing for Casarea. Slaves were told off to
attend upon him, and to escort him in the city; and everything was
done to show the esteem and friendship in which Titus held him.
Titus had several interviews with him; and learned now, for the
first time, that he was the John of Gamala who had so long and
stoutly opposed the Romans.

"If I had known that," Titus said, with a smile, "when you were in
my hands, I do not think I should have let you go free; though your
captivity would have been an honourable one. When you said that you
would not promise to desist from opposing our arms, I thought that
one man, more or less, in the ranks of the enemy would make little
difference; but had I known that it was the redoubtable John of
Gamala who was in my hands, I should hardly have thought myself
justified in letting you go free."

John, at the request of Titus, gave him a sketch of the incidents
of his life, and of the campaign.

"So you have already a lady love," Titus said, when he had
finished. "What shall I send her?

"Better nothing, at present," he said, after a moment's thought and
a smile, "beyond yourself. That will be the best and most
acceptable gift I could send her. Time, and your good report, may
soften the feelings with which doubtless she, like all the rest of
your countrywomen, must regard me; though the gods know I would
gladly have spared Galilee, and Judea, from the ruin which has
fallen upon them."

In addition to the two documents which he had promised him, Titus
thoughtfully gave him another, intended for the perusal of his own
countrymen only. It was in the form of a letter, saying to John
that he had appointed him procurator of the strip of territory
bordering the Lake of Galilee on the east, not from any submission
on his part, still less at his request; but solely as a proof of
his admiration for the stubborn and determined manner in which he
had fought throughout the war, the absence of any cruelty practised
upon Romans who fell into his hands, of his esteem for his
character, and as a remembrance of the occasion when they two had
fought, hand to hand, alone in the valley going down from Hebron.

The gold was sent directly on board a ship. It was in a box, which
required four strong men to lift. A centurion, with twenty men, was
put on board the ship; with orders to land with Jo