Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him,
saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before
_them_ all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone
out into the porch, another _maid_ saw him, and said unto them that
were there, This _fellow_ was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again
he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came
unto _him_ they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also
art _one_ of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to
curse and to swear, _saying_, I know not the man. And immediately the
cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the
cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept
bitterly.--_St. Matt, xxvi: 69-74.; St. Luke xxii: 61, 62_.
* * * * *
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_In the East, the houses of the great and official residences usually
consist of a group of separate yet connected buildings, surrounding a
quadrangular paved court planted with trees and flowering shrubs, and
furnished in the centre with an open cistern or fountain. Such was
probably the construction of the palace of the High Priest
(Caiaphas), and, apparently, this open court, across which Jesus
would be conducted to or from the hall of trial, was the place where
bitterness was added to his sorrow in hearing himself denied by his
friend--and that man who had been the first to profess belief in his
Messiahship, and who, but a few brief hours before, had stoutly sworn
to stand by him, even unto death_.