od, our father, provides apparel for
the lilies of the valley, and food for the young sparrows: a day will
come in which you shall want nothing.' Yes, for Jesus has also said
this, 'Put neither gold, nor silver, nor money in your purse, nor sack
for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, for he who works deserves to
be maintained.'

'Here's the master! here's the master!' said several persons, placed
near the door of the tavern; 'there's our friend!'

At these words there was a great movement in the tavern. Aurelia, not
less curious than her slave Genevieve, mounted on a stool, the better to
see the young man. Their expectation was disappointed; it was not yet
him; it was Peter, one of his disciples.'

'And Jesus!' they all demanded of him in one voice: 'where is he?'

'Will not the Nazarene come then?'

'Shall we not see our friend, the friend of the afflicted!'

'I, Judas and Simon, were accompanying him,' replied Peter, 'when at the
door of the town, a poor woman seeing us pass, entreated the master to
enter to see her sick daughter. He did so. He has kept Judas and Simon
with him, and has sent me to you. Those who have need of him have only
to wait here; he will soon come.'

The words of the disciple calmed the impatience of the crowd, and
Banaias, the man with the long cutlass, said to Peter, 'Whilst talking
of the master, talk to us of him: tell us the good news. Does the time
approach when the gluttons, whose bellies grow fat in proportion as ours
grow lean, will have nothing but the coals and brimstone of hell to
fatten upon.'

'Yes, the time approaches!' said Peter mounting on a bench, 'yes, the
time is coming, as comes the night of storm charged with the thunder and
the lightning! Has not the Lord said, by the voice of his prophets, 'I
will send my angel, who shall prepare the way before me?'

'Yes, yes,' cried several voices: 'yes, the prophets have announced it!'

'Who is this angel?' said Peter: 'who is this angel, unless Jesus our
master, the Messiah, the only true Messiah.'

'Yes, 'tis he!'

'He is the promised angel! he is the true Messiah!'

'And this angel having prepared the way, what says the Lord through his
prophets?' continued Peter; 'And I will come near to you to judgment,
and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against false
swearers, and against those who oppress the workman in his wages,
against those who oppress the widow, the orphan, and the stranger,
witho