Page:Marie Corelli - the writer and the woman (IA mariecorelliwrit00coat).pdf/168

 In "Barabbas" there is no loitering by the way, as it were, to argue, although the moral throughout is strong enough. The author's sensibility grasps the situation of that potent day in the World's era with a subtle reasoning of how to-day things are precisely the same, and would be precisely the same at the advent of a new Christus, save possibly as regards the execution. For our lunatic asylums afford an infinitely better kind of torture than the cross.

The character of Jesus of Nazareth, "the dreamy Young Philosopher" of his short day, is the poem of the tragedy. Barabbas himself is a character of much force, despite his weakness in the hands of Judith. The soliloquies of Melchior throughout the first part of the book are somewhat drastic, though the character bears out well its own mission.

There is extreme spirituality in the sayings of this somewhat important creation. He might be the Cicero of the work. One of his replies to Barabbas, showing the vesture of his thoughts, occurs again thus:

"If thou dost wait till thou canst 'comprehend' the mysteries of the Divine Will, thou wilt need to grope through æons upon æons of eternal wonder, living a thinking life through all, and even then not reach the inner secret. Comprehendest thou how