o quit the Nazarene more than his shadow,
I would set you an example, and my long sword should already have cut
the throat of this brigand!'

'By Abraham's nose! 'tis I who will rip open your belly, you who talk so
big, and release my friend!' exclaimed Banaias. 'I am only one; but a
falcon is worth much more than a hundred blackbirds.'

And Banaias fell on the soldiers of the militia, swaying about his
redoubtable stick, despite the prayers of Jesus.

At first, surprised and shaken by so much audacity, some soldiers of the
front rank of the escort gave way; but presently, ashamed at not
resisting one man, they rallied, attacked Banaias in their turn, who,
overcome by numbers, despite his heroic courage, fell dead, covered with
wounds. Genevieve then saw the soldiers, in their rage, throw to the
bottom of a well, near the arcade, the bleeding body of the only
defender of Jesus. After this exploit, the officer, brandishing his long
sword, placed himself at the head of his troop, and they arrived at the
house of Pontius Pilate, where Genevieve had accompanied her mistress,
Aurelia, a few days previous.

The sun was already high. Attracted by the noise of the struggle of
Banaias with the soldiers, several inhabitants of Jerusalem, issuing
from their houses, had followed the militia. The house of the Roman
governor was in the richest quarters of the town. The persons who, from
curiosity, accompanied Jesus, far from pitying him, loaded him with
insults and hootings.

'At last, then,' cried some, 'the Nazarene, who brought so much trouble
and confusion on our town, is taken!'

'The demagogue who set the beggars against princes! The impious! who
blasphemed our holy religion! The audacious! who brought trouble into
our families, praising the prodigal and debauched sons,' said one of the
emissaries, who had followed the troop.

'The infamous! who would pervert our wives,' said the other emissary,
'by encouraging adultery, since he snatched one of these sinners from
the punishment she deserved!'

'Thanks be to God!' added a money-changer, 'if this Nazarene is put to
death, which will only be justice, we can then re-open our counters
under the colonnade of the temple, whence this profaner and his band had
driven us, and where we dared not return.'

'What fools we were to fear his assemblage of beggars!' added a dealer
in merchandise.

'See if one of them has simply dared rebel to defend this Nazarene, by
whose name th