And there spake before the people one learned in
ancient writings and wise of speech (his name was
Judas):--'I know well that she wishes to ask concerning 420
that victor-tree whereon suffered the Lord
of hosts, God's own Son, guiltless of all evil, Him
whom, unspotted with any sin, our fathers in days 425
of yore hung upon the high cross through hate--fearful
was that thought! Now is there great need
that we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray
that murder, nor declare where the holy tree was
hid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise 430
writings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our
fathers forsaken. For if this shall be known, it will
not be long that the race of the Israelites and the
faith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world. 435
Thus once my father's father, prophet with the wisdom
of age and far-famed in victory--his name was
Zaccheus--gave like counsel unto my father and
spake this word, which in after times he himself told
to his son, as he turned him from the world:--"If in 440
the days of thy life it happen that thou hear sage
men ask of the holy tree and stir up strife concerning
the rood of victory whereon the true King
was crucified, Lord of heaven and Child of all 445
peace, then do thou, my dear son, ere death snatch
thee off, quickly declare that never shall the people
of the Hebrews, taking wise counsel together, hold
sway and rule over men, but the glory and kingdom 450
shall endure of those who, filled with gladness from
age to age, revere and love the crucified King."'
'Then I boldly gave answer unto my father, the 455
aged counselor:--"How came it to pass in the
kingdom of the world that with wrathful intent
our fathers laid hands on the Holy One to put him
to death, if they had knowledge that he was Christ, 460
the King upon the cross, true Son of the Creator,
and Saviour of souls?"'
'And my parent gave answer unto me, wisely my
father spake:--"Recognize, O youth, the surpassing
power of God, the name of the Saviour which
may not be expressed by any man. No man on 465
earth can search it out. Never would I visit the
council which this people held, but I ever kept
myself aloof from their sin, nor wrought shame 470
unto my soul in any way. Many times I earnestly
withstood the unrighteous act when the wise men
sat in council, and sought in their heart how they
might crucify the Son of the Creator, the Bulwark 475
of men and Lord of all, of angels and of mortals,
the most noble of heroes."
'"But these foolish and wretched men could not
bring death upon Him as they weened, nor beset Him
about with agony, though He, the victorious Son of
God, for a little while yielded up His ghost upon 480
the cross. Then the King of the heavens, the Glory
of all glory, was raised from off the rood, and abode
three nights in the tomb, within the place of darkness;
and upon the third day He arose living, Light 485
of all light and Lord of angels, and revealed himself
unto His followers, the true Prince of victory,
resplendent in glory. Then after a little space,
Stephen, thy brother, received the bath of baptism, 490
the faith of joy, and for the love of the Lord he
was stoned. Yet he gave not evil for evil, but in
patient suffering made intercession for his ancient
foes, and prayed the King of glory that He would
not lay to their charge this evil deed, that they 495
deprived of life a man innocent and free from guile
through hate and the teachings of Saul.
'"And this Saul in enmity was dooming many a
follower of Christ to torture and death, yet the 500
Lord showed mercy unto him so that he became a
solace for many men. And in after times the God
of creation, Redeemer of men, changed his name,
and he was called Saint Paul, and of the teachers of 505
the law no one of all those, or man or woman born
into the world, was ever better than he beneath the
span of the heavens, even though upon the hill he
bade crush Stephen, thy brother, with stones. 510
'"Now thou canst understand, my dear son, how
merciful is the Lord of all, if we straightway purge
ourselves of our evil deeds and cease again from
the unrighteous act, though many times we transgress 515
against Him, and wound Him with our sins.
Wherefore I, in sooth, and in after times my dear
father, believed that the God of all glory, Giver of
life, suffered' bitter agony for the surpassing need 520
of mankind. And now I counsel thee in secret, my
dear son, that thou never offer scorn, nor blasphemy,
nor wrathful opposition to the Son of God. Then 525
shalt thou deserve that unto thee be granted eternal
life in heaven, the best reward of victory."'
'Thus in days of yore, while I was still a youth,
my father instructed me, and taught me with these
true words, a man wise in sorrow--Simon was his 530
name. And now that ye know my heart and mind,
ye perceive clearly what ye had best declare if the
queen ask us concerning that tree.' 535
And the wisest spake together before the assembly
in these words:--'Never heard we any other man
save now thee declare thus among this people concerning 540
such a hidden thing. Act as thou thinkest,
O thou wise in the lore of old, if thou art questioned
among the multitude, for there is need of wisdom,
of artful words, and the learning of a seer, that
shall give answer to this noble woman before such a 545
throng met together.'
Then words increased: men thought, reflected,
and pondered on either side, some this way and
some that. And there came a band of thanes to
the assembly; and heralds, messengers of Cæsar, 550
trumpeted:--'O ye counselors, the queen doth summon
you unto the royal hall, that ye may show
forth rightly the judgments of your synod. Ye
have need of prudence in the council, of wisdom in
mind.' And they, the leaders of the people, grieved 555
in soul, were ready as they were summoned by the
bitter edict, and went unto the palace to show forth
the power of craft.
Then the queen spake unto the Hebrews and asked
them, their hearts sorely burdened, how once the 560
prophets, holy men, sang in the world concerning
the Son of God; and where the Lord suffered, true
Son of the Creator, for the love of souls. But they
were obdurate and mute as stones, nor would they 565
show forth the true secret, nor in the hardness of
their hearts would they give any answer to what
she sought of them, but, set in purpose, they withstood
each word that she asked, and said that never 570
in their lives had they heard, before nor since, one
whit of any such thing.
Then Elene spake and answered them in anger:--'I
shall say unto you truly, and never in your life
will this be false, that if ye who stand before me 575
persist long in this falsehood with lying craft, ye
shall be burned upon the hill in the hottest fury of
fire, and leaping flames shall consume your flesh, so
that for you this lie shall be changed into utter destruction. 580
Nor can ye prove those words which now
in your guile ye cover up under the cloak of evil.
Ye cannot hide the deed, nor conceal its mystic
power.'