"Oh, that's rubbish! The man with the beard is James, the boatman from
the Jordan Valley."

"Then it must be the bald man."

"But, Assam, you surely know Simon the fisherman of Bethsaida, who
comes every month to the market here and spoils other men's business
with his absurdly low prices."

When they had landed, His companions could scarcely steer a way for Him
through the crowd, The people looked at Him; some were disappointed.
That prophet was not sufficiently different from themselves. Was it
really He? The carpenter of Nazareth! Well, then, we've had a nice
run for nothing. We know what He has to say, and what He can do He
does not do.

"He will do it, though. He did it in Cana. Bring up the water
pitchers--we'll be merry today."

The crowd pressed forward more and more eagerly, for many had come a
long distance, and desired to see Him close and hear Him speak.

The evening presented a good opportunity. It was already dark; a torch
fixed to the pillar on the shore diffused a dull red light over the
surging crowd. Jesus wished to pass on quickly, but He could not. A
woman fleeing from her pursuers cast herself at His feet. She was
young, her hair streamed loose, her limbs were trembling with fear; she
knelt down and put her arms round His legs. He bent down to her and
tried to raise her, but she held fast to His feet and could not compose
herself. Then the people began to shout: "The traitress, the Bethany
serpent, what has she to do with Him?"

Jesus put His hand on her head. He stood up straight and asked aloud:
"Who is this woman that you have a right to insult her?"

"Who is she? Ask the son of Job. She's an adulteress. Married but a
few weeks ago to the brave old son of Job, her parents' friend, she
deceives him with a young coxcomb, the hussy!"

The abuse they hurled against the helpless creature cannot be repeated.
It was the women, too, who shouted the loudest; especially one, the
wife of a man who made fishing-nets, was so filled with moral
indignation that she tore her dress and scattered the rags over the
sinner. Words of the most venomous abuse poured from this accuser's
mouth in bitter complaint that such a creature should shame the sacred
name of woman; she passionately declared her desire that the evil-doer
should be stoned. Soon the crowd followed with "Stone her!" and a
young porter who stood near the wife of the fishing-net maker stooped
to pick up a stone from the ro