The Coming of the King

er his cheek-bones, to the lower edge of his elegant head covering. Prominent in this half were the eyes of Zador Ben Amon, but whether t

by the broad back of his short body and in the square shape of his feet, whose bones bulged in spite of the best of sandals. To cover his broad back, Zador had a wonderful cloak of blue with a purple stripe above the border where crimson pomegranates were embroidered. With this

door, inside which stood Mary and Martha and Joel. His greeting to Martha was brief. Toward Mary he advanced with smiling face, as i

not so understand," she replied, s

, to tell Mary of the House of Dates that he hath come t

a friend of my brother Laza

take thee to wife? And what need I to know of thee more than that thou art fair and a

you knowledge that my

y a

fed. "Lazarus, thy fair sister doth take hearts in

en she saith you know her not," and Lazarus smiled. "

t. "But before thou layest my cloak aside would I show it to the maidens

e most beautif

inside the folds and was clo

omegranates reach," Za

Doth not the needlew

rkers in fi

l. Yet here are loose stitch

the morrow will it be mended. But now, since Zador hath come to know that Mary and Martha del

Martha asked wi

m in banquet hall

oup gathered in the wide window-seat where he reclined, to hear news from Rome.

answere

sprinkled with diamonds, sat a peacock of great size so that his head did rest on the shoulders of the wearer and the tail of the bird did cover her back. And of rare jewels was this bird made; emeralds and rubies and topaz and sapphire and amethyst and opals and jacin

he laughed. "In that which is filthy and cast away do rag-pickers stir and strive. And when they have great stores of that which is vile and useless, do they sew

t be more to the slave than fifty million sesterces to one

ves, the rabble. Thou knowest t

etter fed they would broil less. Doth not Baba Metzia say 'When the bar

s. Give them herbs and they want lentils. Give them lentils and they want sop of mutton. And once sop-fed will they cry aloud for th

the curse of God as to the greed of man. To the rich their riches come by inherita

And even now my palms grow hot for that which shall come into them from my Temple booths at the Passover. But

orners for the gleaners? Was not stealing and lying forbidden among Israelites? Was usury not for

, a good servant but

ot talk of the Law bu

rom all the earth is J

xceed all bounds. Neve

ge pe

orkers-eh, Mar

ooked toward Mar

us of Nazareth, met

and he turn

ilean

furnishing Rabbis. Hath he

h he such wisdom as hath not be

s wonders,"

but sorcerers. Even Eunus, who had the whole Isle of Sicily bewitched, did spit out fire by first

ell seasoned meat bringeth to mind the meat and wine of the banquet at which the Roman noblewoman wore the blazing peacock." Again Martha showed keen intere

' tongues!" M

. Yet when Rome would banquet, all things are hers. Into far places goeth the fowler with his sn

her guest in bewildered amazement. "And you at

ry beyond telling was the dis

y turned from t

h much time feeding," Joel remarked after a s

ghed. "And so our Mary would sup after the manner of Rome. Thr

nourish the lives of nestlings to pluck from their throats thei

and a mild expression of int

forgotten

ut a value on hearts. Now songs have a value. The heart of a woman an

s," she replied, "and there is mus

umpets of the Temple m

ed sweet. But there

to the garden a few moments later, Martha

ce, carrying, each in the center, a precious stone of changing color. At sight of it Martha gave an exclamation of delight, and Lazarus and Joel looked at it with interest. "My betrothal gift to Mary," Zador Ben Amon said with undisguised admirat

bound veil falling softly about her, she made a picture worth pausing a moment to view. She held the nest of young birds in one hand and moved the other slowly over them, until, roused by the wing-like motion, they opene

. "He is a heathen and his hear

ght thee a be

r the crying nestlings. Then she turned to Lazaru

her brother. Thou art different from Martha and setteth much store on things not sold in market places. Let not thy answer come from the mou

t by an exclamation from Ma

ooked about. "What abominab

as the passion of utter revulsion, such passionate revulsion as had stamped itself on her face when her brother looked about for some ugly, creeping reptile. "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings cometh wisdom," she seemed to hear the Rabbi say again, and without understanding th

er with thee. He is a g

ower. Choose

of Anna do I go for the night. She hath c

?" asked Lazaru

will not miss a foolish lover of songs when

on, and because he insisted, Mary sat beside the Temple money-maker. He put the cloak carefully over the back of the seat an

is not a fit betrothal gif

utiful," she an

he had not shown. "Draw up thy skirt for with my own hand would I fit it to thy whit

ying, "Nay, nay.

on thy skirt like the silver bells on the High Priest's

ing nose rings and tinkl

r gift than this?" Zador aske

e. When there is no betro

ioned and I make my oath that no other woman shall possess it. Here," and he held it toward her. She made no move. He placed it carefully on the wide stone arm of the bench. "There is thy gift and palsied be my arm if my hand touche

er fingers felt the loose thread in the wide hem. Lifting the anklet, she

fer palsy for withholding it from me," and she smiled. Then she arose. "Zador Ben Amon," she s

ught him to her side and he would have thrown his arms about

wood?" and before she had stepp

him?" Zador Ben Amon stopped. Mary cast one swift glance at him. "D

He glanced cautiously toward the house. He ran his hand over the stone where he had placed the anklet. He shook his cloak. He dropped on his hands and knees