in dying thou
carest still for thy mother."

And John tenderly supporting Mary, but looking above to Jesus,
exclaimed, "Thy last request is sacred to me."

And then to Mary he said, "Thou my mother, I thy son."

Then Jesus in a hollow voice, cried hoarsely, "I thirst."

The centurion hearing him said, "He thirsts and calls for drink."

"Then," said Faustus, "I will reach him some at once." Then taking the
reed with the sponge, he filled it with vinegar and passed it to the
centurion, who, taking a small phial from his dress, poured hyssop on
the sponge. Faustus then reached the sponge up to the lips of Jesus.
But Jesus turned away his head and would not drink. "Here, drink,"
said Faustus. "What, wilt thou not?" and seeing that Jesus would not
touch the sponge he took it away.

Then Jesus cried in agony, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!"

But those hearing him did not understand, but imagined he cried for
Elias.

"Hark!" said they. "He cried for Elias."

Then Caiaphas laughed and said, "Let be; let us see whether Elias will
come to save him."

Then Jesus raising his head with a great effort to heaven, and
breathing heavily cried with a loud voice and said, "It is finished.
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" And as Jesus spoke these
words his head fell forward on his breast and he gave up the ghost.
Then suddenly the earth rocked and shook violently--thunder
pealed--fierce lightnings flashed--darkness fell like a pall over the
scene--the people stood trembling with fear.

[Illustration: "It is finished."]

The priests and the people cried out in terror, saying: "What a
dreadful earthquake! Do you hear the crash of falling rocks? Woe, woe
be to us!"

But the centurion said, "Certainly, this was a righteous man."

Another soldier replied, "God himself bears witness by these
convulsions of nature."

The centurion said, "Oh, his patience in the worst agony, his noble
calm, this last loud cry to heaven at the moment before death, all
betoken his divine origin. Verily, he is a Son of God!"

"Come neighbors," said Oziel, "I will remain no longer in this terrible
place."

"Yes," cried Helen, "let us go home and may God have mercy on us."

And others smiting their breasts cried, "Almighty God, we have sinned!
Forgive us."

And so it came to pass that no one remained round the cross but the
holy women and John, and the friends of Jesus with the hangmen.

The chief priests and the rulers st