ophet with cunning. The preacher stood on a
stone; he held a corner of his camel's hair garment, pressed against
his hairy breast with one hand, and the other he stretched heavenwards
and said: "Rabbis, are ye here too? Are ye at last afraid of the wrath
of heaven which ye see approaching, and so take refuge with him who
calls on ye to repent? Ye learned hypocrites! Ye stone him who can
hurt you with a breath, and praise him who brings with him a human
sacrifice. See that your repentance does not become your judge. But
if it is sincere, then receive the water on your head as a token that
you desire to be pure in heart."

Such were the words he spoke. The scholars laughed, scornfully; others
grumbled at the severity of his remarks, but kneeled down. He took an
earthen vessel, dipped it in the waters of Jordan, and poured it over
their heads so that little streams ran down their necks and over their
brows. A man raised his head and asked: "Will you give us
commandments?"

The prophet answered: "You have two coats and only one body. Yonder
against the oak is a man who has likewise a body but no coat. I give
no commandments; but you know what to do."

So the man went and gave his second coat to him who had none.

A lean old man, a tax-gatherer from Jerusalem, asked what he should do,
since everyone he met in the streets had a coat on his back.

"Do not ask more payment than is legal. Do not open your hand for
silver pieces, nor shut your eyes to stolen goods."

"And we?" asked a Roman mercenary. "We are not the owners of our
lives; are we, too, to have no commandments?"

"You have the sword. But the sword is violence, hatred, lust, greed.
Take care! The sword is your sin and your judgment."

And then women came to him with a triumphant air, and exclaimed: "You
wise man, you! We have no rights, so we have no duties? Is that not
so?"

And the prophet said; "You assume rights for yourselves, and duties
will be given you. The woman's commandment is: 'Thou shall not commit
adultery.'"

"And what do you say to men?" asked one of them.

"Men have many commandments besides that one. You must not tempt them
with snares of the flesh, for they have more important things to do in
the world than to make themselves pleasant to women. You must not
allure them with the colour of your cheeks, nor with the tangles of
your hair, nor with your swelling breasts. You shall not attract the
eye of man through bea