the other emissary; 'the Nazarene has
sold himself to the Romans.'

At this last outrage, which seemed painful to Jesus, Genevieve saw him
again lift up his eyes to heaven in a heart-rending manner, whilst the
crowd repeated:

'Yes, yes, he is a traitor.'

'He is an agent of the Romans!'

'To death with the traitor! to death!'

Doctor Baruch was unwilling to lose his prey; he and several of the high
priests, seeing Pontius Pilate entering his house, ran after him, and
having supplicated him to return, they brought him outside, to the
great applause of the crowd. Pontius Pilate appeared to continue, almost
in spite of himself, the interrogatory; he said with impatience to
Doctor Baruch, pointing to Jesus:

'Of what do you accuse this man?'

The doctor of law replied, in a loud voice:

'This man excites the people to revolt by the doctrines he teaches
throughout Judea, from Galilee, where he commenced, unto here.'

At this accusation Genevieve heard one of the emissaries say quietly to
his companion:

'Doctor Baruch is a cunning fox; by this accusation of sedition, he will
force the governor to condemn the Nazarene.'

Pontius Pilate, having signed to Jesus to draw near him, they exchanged
a few words between themselves; at each reply of the young man of
Nazareth, still calm and dignified, Pontius Pilate seemed more and more
convinced of his innocence; he resumed in a loud voice, addressing the
high priests and doctors of the law:

'You have presented this man to me as exciting the people to revolt;
nevertheless, having questioned him in your presence, I do not find him
guilty of any of the crimes of which you accuse him. I do not judge him
deserving of death: I shall therefore discharge him after he has been
chastised.'

And Pontius Pilate, stifling a yawn, made a sign to one of his servants,
who hastily departed. The crowd, not satisfied with the sentence of
Pontius Pilate, at first murmured, then complained aloud:

'It was not to have the Nazarene chastised that we brought him here,'
said some; 'but that he should be condemned to death!'

'Yes, yes!' exclaimed several voices; 'death! death!'

Pontius Pilate replied not to these murmurs and cries but by shrugging
his shoulders and re-entering his house.

'If the governor is convinced of the innocence of the young man,' said
Genevieve to herself, 'why does he have him chastised? 'Tis both
cowardly and cruel. He hopes, perhaps, to calm, by this conces