Page:The centurion's story (IA centurionsstory00macf).pdf/19

 hew off an ear. For a moment, the prisoner became a king again. With one swift word, he rebuked the Galilean and forbade him to use his sword. His followers looked in amazement at this. Terror seized them. Since their Master forbade them to be brave, they, too, became cowards and disappeared in the darkness in a panic of fright. At the same moment, Jesus, himself, with a quick motion of the hand, had touched the ear of Malchus, and I, who was pressing forward at the moment, declare to you in all solemnity, Marcus, my friend and brother, that the wound upon the head of Malchus disappeared as though it had never been there.

Conquering my amazement, I brought about order, and formed the party for the march back to the Temple, leaving the priestly police in immediate charge as were my orders from Pilate.

I had thought that the dogs would lead him to the Temple where their public trials are held, but, no. After we had reached the city, they go trailing off to the house of that old he-wolf Annas, whose son-in-law Caiaphas is High Priest. Annas strutted like an ostrich, his beady old eyes sparkling with a serpentine light. The Nazarene's hands were bound behind his back but he stood beautifully erect and bore himself nobly, answering the yappings of the sanctimonious cur with boldness and dignity. One of the jackals presumed to strike him in the face, rebuking him for his answer to Annas. Then, you should have seen the Nazarene. The light came into his eyes; the colour into his cheeks and I could have sworn he was no less than a king as the mantling blush of outraged dignity mounted his temples. He fixed those orbs that seemed to blaze upon the