Chapter 25 Chapter XXV. Thus the Governor Saved Judah.

The darkness coming from the direction of the Mediterranean has completely shrouded this city, which is hated by the governor.The flying bridges between the Temple and the majestic St. Anthony's Tower disappeared, and the black abyss descended from the sky, dispelling the two-winged angels on the top of the columns around the Hippodrome, the Hasmonean Palace with gun holes on the wall, and the market place. , Rows of barracks, streets and alleys, ponds, etc... all swallowed up... The great city of Jerusalem has disappeared, as if it had never existed in the world.Darkness terrorized all living things in Jerusalem and its environs, and it swallowed everything here.It was just such a strange black cloud that came from the sea at dusk that day, the fourteenth of the first lunar month.

The belly of the black cloud has pressed down to the top of the bald skull where the executioners hastily stabbed the victims to death, and to the sky over the Temple of Jerusalem. The small windows in every household drive people from the crooked streets into their homes.But it is not in a hurry to shed its own water, and for the time being it stops at giving off dazzling flashes.The majestic temple in the center of the city, covered with golden scales, only reveals its majestic appearance when the sky fire splits the smoky black chaos, breaking through the darkness that can't be seen and flying to the sky.But the sky fire was fleeting, and the temple sank back into the dark abyss.It rushed out again and again, and sank again and again, and each sinking was accompanied by a rumbling sound like heaven and earth.

In the distance, some flickering lightning calls out from the dark abyss, and it is Herod's palace on the western hill far away from the temple. By the fire of that day, some terrible golden eyeless statues can be seen With his hands raised high, he soared into the dark sky.But the distant skyfire was fleeting, and then there was a dull thunder that drove the golden idol back into the darkness. Suddenly, heavy rain poured down, and a hurricane rolled up in an instant.At this moment, in the garden, near the marble bench where at noon the Governor and the High Priest conversed in secret, with a sudden, loud noise like a cannonball, a great cypress tree snapped in half, as if it had been nothing more than a reed.The rain was mixed with hail, and the fog was rising, and the strong wind carried broken roses, magnolia leaves, twigs, and sand and stones to the balcony under the columns.The hurricane wreaks havoc on the gardens of Herod the Great's palace.

At this moment, there is only one person in the corridor of columns, and he is Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. However, instead of sitting in a chair, the governor was lying on a couch.Next to the couch is a small table, which is filled with delicacies and fine wines.The other couch across from the small table was empty.There was a pool of bloody red water and fragments of wine jars on the floor near the Governor's feet.Originally, before the thunderstorm came, the African servant had already set the table for the governor, but for some reason, he seemed flustered under the gaze of the governor, as if he had failed to serve his master well, and was deeply disturbed.The governor was very angry, threw the wine jar on the floor, and scolded:

"Why don't you look at my face when you're pouring wine? Could it be that you stole something?" The African servant's face immediately turned blue-gray, with death-like terror in his eyes, trembling all over, and almost dropped the other wine jar.However, the governor's fury, which came suddenly, disappeared suddenly and inexplicably.The African servant was about to bend over to pick up the debris on the ground and wipe away the red water when the Governor waved him, and he stepped back hastily.So the small blood-red puddle remained on the floor. Now, when the hurricane was raging, the servant was hiding beside the alcove where a statue of a nude white woman drooped, both afraid of being seen by the displeased governor, and afraid of not being heard if the governor called.

The wind and rain are like darkness.The governor reclined on the couch and poured himself a drink, ate his dinner in a leisurely manner, sometimes picked up a piece of bread, broke it into small pieces and chewed slowly, sometimes picked up an oyster, chewed a slice of lemon, and sipped it. Take a sip of wine. Were it not for the pattering of the rain, the rumble of thunder that seemed to flatten the roof of the palace, and the incessant hailstones beating on the terrace steps, we might have heard the viceroy's murmurs.If this flicker of fire in the sky was not fleeting, but could be illuminated for a longer period of time, we might also observe the governor's eyes swollen from recent insomnia and drinking, and see his restlessness: his eyes are not clear. He just stared at the two white roses that fell into the blood-red puddle, and kept turning to the garden outside, staring at the rain, fog and flying sand there.It was not difficult to see that he was waiting for someone, and waiting anxiously.

Soon, the curtain of water in front of the governor thinned down.The hurricane that was raging for a while is finally tired, the branches no longer snap and fall, and the thunder and lightning are not so frequent.Over Jerusalem it was no longer a great purple tarpaulin glowing white all around, but the last of ordinary gray clouds.The thunderstorm gradually moved towards the Dead Sea. Hearing now distinguishes the sound of rain from the sound of water running down gutters or running down the stone steps that the governor used to walk up to the square to deliver his sentence during the day.The sound of the fountain, which had been overwhelmed all this time, finally sounded.The surroundings are much brighter.Blue skylights appeared in the gray sky running to the east.

At this time, the faint sound of bugles and the clattering of hundreds of horseshoes, through the sound of the rain, reached the Governor's eardrum from afar.Hearing this sound, the Governor writhed and regained his strength: it showed that the Syrian cavalry had withdrawn from Calvary, and had returned to the Place of Sentence. Finally, the governor heard the long-awaited footsteps, and the sound of patter had reached the top stone steps of the garden in front of the verandah.The governor stretched his neck, his eyes were shining brightly, and he looked very happy. First among the marble lions that lined the steps was a hooded head, and then the full body of the man, clad in a rain-soaked cloak that clung tightly to his body.He was the man who whispered to the governor in the darkroom of the palace before the sentence was pronounced, and sat on the three-legged stool and twirled with branches during the execution.

The man in the hood walked straight ahead, not avoiding puddles of water.He crossed the little garden terrace, went out onto the verandah, stood on the parquet floor, raised his hand, and said aloud in melodious Latin: "May the Viceroy live long and healthy, and that everything goes well!" "Gods!" exclaimed Governor Pilate, "look, you are completely soaked! What a thunderstorm! Huh? Please come to my inner room and change your clothes!" The person who came lifted the hood, revealing his wet head.His hair was plastered to his forehead, and a respectful smile played on his clean-shaven face.He politely declined the suggestion to change clothes, and repeatedly claimed that being exposed to the rain was nothing.

"I don't want to hear this!" Pilate said, and clapped his hands to call the servants waiting outside, ordering them to help the visitor change his clothes first, and then quickly serve him his meal.After a while, the audience dried their hair, changed their clothes and shoes, and freshened up.Soon he reappeared on the balcony in sandals and a crimson military cape, his hair neatly combed. Now the sun had returned to Jerusalem, sending a farewell glow to the city, hated by the Governor, before it sank entirely into the Mediterranean, and tinged the steps of the verandah with gold.The fountain was fully revived and singing, and the pigeons landed on the sand, cooing and jumping over the broken branches, pecking at something in the wet sand.The red water on the floor has been wiped away, the broken pieces of the altar have been cleaned up, and the few meat dishes that were just served on the small table are still steaming.

"I will obey the governor's orders." The visitor said as he approached the small table. "But you won't hear anything until you sit down and have a glass of wine!" Governor Pilate said kindly, pointing to the empty couch opposite him. The visitor reclined on the couch, and the servant poured him a large glass of rich red wine.Another servant standing behind Pilate also bent down cautiously to fill the governor's cup.The Governor waved the two servants away.The audience ate and drank, while Pilate occasionally took a sip and squinted his eyes at the visitors.This is a middle-aged man with a lovely round fair face and a fat and big nose.I can't tell what color his hair is, but it seems to be wet at this time, and it looks shiny.It is also difficult to determine which ethnicity he is from.The main point that determines this person's facial features should probably be said to be the benevolent and generous expression.The expression, however, was spoiled by his small eyes, or, more precisely, not by the eyes themselves, but by the way he looked at each other.Usually, his eyes are covered with somewhat strange, puffy eyelids, and at such times, the slyness flickering in the small slits of the eyes not only looks harmless, but also makes him look like a child. A very humorous person.However, sometimes, this person will suddenly completely drive the humor that flickers in the two slits.Open your eyelids wide, and stare intently at the interlocutor's face, as if eager to see a small stain on the other's nose that is hard to spot.But it was only for a moment, and then the eyelids drooped again, and the eyes were narrowed into slits again, and the kindness, generosity and cunning wisdom flickered in them again. The visitor did not refuse a second glass of wine, and evidently ate some oysters, tasted two bites of the vegetable dish, and ate a piece of meat with apparent relish. After a full meal, he expressed his appreciation for the wine: "That's a very good wine, Governor, but is it 'Fallon'?" "It's 'Caikuba', 30 years old." The governor replied kindly. The guest pressed his chest with one hand, indicating that he was full and could not eat any more.So Pollardo filled his own glass, and the guest filled another likewise.The two each dropped a few drops of wine from their glasses to the plate, and then the governor raised his glass and said loudly: "To us all, to him, the father of the Romans, the noblest and best of men, the Roman Emperor Caesar!" The two drank the wine in their glasses, and the African servant removed the dishes from the table, leaving only the fruit and the wine jar.The governor dismissed the servant again with a gesture, and he and the guest were left alone under the colonnade. "Then," Pilate asked in a low voice, "what advice do you have regarding the popular sentiment in this city?" As the Governor spoke, he couldn't help turning his gaze down the hill, beyond the balconies in the garden, to the colonnade that was slowly losing its luster and the large flat roofs of the civilian area in the distance, which was dyed golden yellow by the setting sun. "In my opinion, Viceroy, the people of Jerusalem are satisfied at the moment." "So it can be guaranteed that there will be no further threat of riots?" "In this world, there is only one thing that can be guaranteed, and that is the great power of the great Caesar." The guest said respectfully, looking at the governor's face. "May the gods grant him health and long life!" Pilate went on at once, "may the gods grant universal peace!" After a little silence, he asked again, "So, in your opinion, the army may now be withdrawn. ?” "In my opinion, the battalion of the Blitzkrieg can be withdrawn," replied the guest, and added, "it would be better if it could be disarmed with a grand procession through the city." "That's a good idea," the governor agreed. "I will order it to be removed the day after tomorrow, and I will leave here myself. Moreover, I will offer fast to the twelve gods and swear by the spirit of my ancestors that if I can go today." , I'd rather pay a huge price for it." ①It means: If what you say is not true, you are willing to admit punishment and offer a fast to the twelve gods. "The Governor doesn't like Jerusalem?" asked the Kharkhan honestly. "It's not flattering," the governor said with a slight smile, "there is no more incurable place in the world than here. Let's not mention it due to natural conditions! Anyway, I always get sick every time I come here. However, this is not a big deal. Let’s just talk about these festivals: all kinds of strange alchemists, wizards, magicians, plus the pilgrims in groups... They are all religious fanatics, religious fanatics! And they suddenly The messiah who began to wait, how many things a mere messiah brings! I fear every minute that the most disgusting bloodshed is happening here. I have to mobilize troops and read endlessly Informative and slanderous material, besides half of which is against you yourself. How boring! Don’t you think so? Cough! If I hadn’t been in this royal position..." ①Messiah, transliterated from Hebrew, originally means "anointed one", referring to the ancient Jewish monarch.After the Jewish nation was in peril, the Messiah became the special title of the "Savior of the Restoration" in the minds of the Jews.In the Christian "Bible", this word refers to the savior Jesus. According to the Bible, before Jesus was born, an angel came to report to the shepherds that Jesus, the savior, would be born.So, here it is said that people are "waiting". "Indeed, the festival here is really unbearable." The guest echoed. "I hope with all my heart that these festivals will be over as soon as possible," continued Pilate grimly, "and then I can go back to Caesarea. Believe it or not, this absurd building of Herod," said the proconsul , waving his hand towards the colonnade, evidently referring to the palace, "it's driving me crazy. I can't live in it. There's never been such a strange building in the world. But let's get down to business. First, I want to ask, does that wretched Barabbas worry you any more?" ① A famous city located in the north of Jerusalem, where the governor's office is located. At this moment the visitor cast that unusual glance at the Governor's face.But the governor was looking out into the distance with a sullen frown, absently watching the distant city below the hills, fading in the first night.Immediately the spark in the guest's eyes was extinguished, and his eyelids fell again. "It can be considered that Barabbas is as harmless as a lamb today," replied the guest, a few wrinkles appearing on his round face. "It's inconvenient for him to make trouble again in the future." "Is it because you are so famous?" Pilate asked with a sneer. "Governor, your understanding of problems is always so exquisite!" "However," the governor was still a little worried, and he raised his slender finger with an emerald ring to remind him, "just in case, we should..." "Oh, governor, don't worry about that. As long as I'm in Judaea, Barabbas will be watched every step of the way." "That puts me at ease. In fact, I'm always at ease with you here." "My lord, you are very kind!" "Now, then, tell me about the execution," said the governor. "Which aspect is the governor interested in?" "Is there any resentment from the public? This is of course the main thing." "Not at all." The guest replied. "Very well. Have you personally confirmed that the criminals are indeed dead?" "The governor can rest assured on this point." "Well, tell me again... Did you give them water before execution?" "Yes. But he," the visitor closed his eyes at the moment, "refuses to drink." "Who are you talking about?" Pilate asked. "Forgive me, my lord," cried the guest, "didn't I say who it was? It was the Nazarene." "Madman!" Pilate said, winking for some reason, and a muscle under his left eye was still twitching, "Let the sun die?! Why does he refuse to accept what the law should get?! He What did you say then?" "He," the guest's eyes closed again at the word "he", "he said thank you, and also said that he didn't blame him for taking his life." "No one to blame?" Pilate asked softly. "He didn't say that, my lord." "Didn't he try to preach something in front of the soldiers?" "No, my lord governor. This time he said very little. He said only a little, that he considered cowardice to be one of the chief defects of man." "How did you mention this?" The guest asked suddenly when he heard a voice like a tearing silk. "It's impossible to judge. He's a weird person. In fact, he's the same as usual this time." The guest replied. "Where is his weirdness?" "He always wanted to look into the eyes of the people around him, look at this, look at that, and always had a wistful, lost smile on his face." "Nothing else?" asked the governor's hoarse voice. "Nothing else." The governor put the wine glass on the table and filled another glass.When he had finished drinking, he said to his guests: "The key lies in another thing, that is: we, at least right now, although we haven't found any believers or followers of him, we can't guarantee that there will be no such people at all." The guests lowered their heads and listened attentively.The Governor continued: "Therefore, in order to avoid accidents, I ask you to bury the bodies of the three prisoners immediately and silently. This must be done so that no one will notice them, so that these persons will disappear from people's memory completely. .” "Yes, Your Excellency Governor," the guest said, standing up, "this matter is very complicated and the responsibility is heavy, so please allow me to leave immediately and do it." "No, please sit down for a moment," Pilate said, stopping the guests with his hand gestures. "Besides, there are two other things. Now I will talk about the second. I know that the position of the captain of the secret guard directly under the Jewish governor is a very difficult one." A post, and you have done a great job in this post, and I am glad to be able to report this to His Majesty the Emperor when I return to Rome." The visitor blushed, left his seat, bowed to the Governor, and said: "I eat the royal salary, it's just self-denial and dedication to the public!" "However," the governor continued, "if the higher authorities intend to promote you, I would like to ask you to give up this opportunity and stay here, because I do not want to part with you anyway. Then I ask the higher authorities to commend you in other ways." You." "Your Excellency, I am very happy to be able to serve under your account." "I'm glad of that. Well, let's move on to the third matter. It's about that... what's his name... Judas Iscariot." At this moment, the visitor cast another peculiar glance at the Governor, which he promptly extinguished with good measure.Just listen to the governor lower his voice and continue: "It is said that he received the mad philosopher very warmly in his own home, and got a sum of money for it."① ①According to the "Bible", Judas used a kiss as a signal to point Jesus to those who came to arrest him, and received thirty silver coins for this. "He is going to get a sum of money." The secret guard captain corrected the governor's words in a low voice. "Is the amount large?" "No one will know, my lord." "Even you don't know?" said the Governor in expressing his appreciation of his guest with this astonished tone. "Unfortunately, even I don't know," replied the guest calmly, "but I do know that he will get the money tonight. Tonight he will be summoned to the palace of the high priest for the work Go first." "Alas, the head of Iscariot, who is greedy for money!" said the governor, smiling, "is he an old man?" "Your Excellency is always good at predicting things, but this time you are not right," the guest said with a flattering smile, "This Iscariot is still very young." "Didn't expect that! Can you tell me something about this man? A fanatical believer?" "Oh, no, Governor." "Oh. So what else is he special about?" "A man of talent." "What else? Maybe he has some special hobby?" "The city is so big, Governor, it's hard for me to know all the people in detail..." "Oh, no, no, Afrani! Why be modest!" "Your Excellency, he does have a hobby," the guest said after a short pause, "he loves money." "What is his occupation?" Afrani looked up at the sky, thought for a while before answering: "Working as a boy in a money changer owned by a relative of his." "Oh, so that's it, that's it!" The Governor fell silent.He looked back to see if there were other people on the balcony, and then lowered his voice and said, "There is one thing: I received some information today, saying that someone is going to kill him tonight." At this moment the visitor not only cast his peculiar glance at the Governor again, but allowed it to rest for a moment on the Governor's face before he replied: "Governor, you have really praised me just now. I feel that I am really unworthy to have you give a performance to Your Majesty. You see, I have not received such information." "You deserve the highest reward," said the governor, "but I do have such information here." "I venture to ask, who provided you with these information?" asked the Kaka. "Please allow me not to explain this for the time being. Besides, this information was obtained by me by accident. The details are not clear and it is not completely reliable. However, it is my duty to foresee various situations. This is my duty. Especially But I must trust my premonition, which has never failed me. The information I have received is this: The Nazarene has some secret friends, some of whom are very indignant at the most vile treachery of this money changer. , so I made an agreement with several accomplices to kill him tonight, and throw the money the traitor got for it back to the high priest's house, and attach a note saying: 'Dirty money, return it in full!'" ① ①According to the "Bible", after Judas betrayed Jesus, he regretted seeing Jesus condemned to death.He went to the chief priests and elders, declared himself "guilty", threw the money he got into the temple, ran out and hanged himself from a tree. The captain of the secret guard no longer suddenly cast his strange gaze at the governor, but just squinted his eyes and listened intently to the governor's continuation: "Think about it, would the High Priest be happy to receive such a gift on a festive night?" "Not only is it unpleasant, my lord," replied the visitor, smiling, "but it is bound to cause a great disturbance, in my opinion." "I think so too. That's why I ask you to take care of this matter, that is, to take all measures to protect Judas Iscariot." "Your Excellency's orders must be obeyed," said Afrani, "but I should first reassure everyone: these villains are very difficult to succeed. Think about it," the guest turned around, and continued, "If Find out the whereabouts of a person, kill him, find out how much money he got, and then try to return the money to the high priest Caiaphas, all of this will be done overnight? And just tonight? " "Nevertheless, he will be killed today," said Pilate stubbornly. "I tell you, I have this hunch! And my hunch has never been fulfilled." The governor's face twitched. Suddenly, he rubbed his hands. "Of order." The guest said respectfully.He stood up, straightened his body, and suddenly asked in a serious tone: "Then, my lord, those people must kill him?" "Yes," replied Pilate, "so all hope rests on your astonishing ability to get things done." The guest adjusted the wide belt under the cloak, and said goodbye: "Then I will take my leave. May you live a long and healthy life and everything goes well!" "Oh, yes," Pilate exclaimed softly, "look at me, I've almost completely forgotten! Didn't I still owe you money! . . . " Guests are surprised: "Your Excellency, really, you don't owe me any money." "Oh, why don't you owe it?! When I first entered Jerusalem, do you remember that I met a large group of beggars... I wanted to give them some money, but I didn't have it with me, so I took some from you." "Oh, Governor, that little unspoken thing!" "You should also remember the little things that you don't say." Then Pilate turned, raised the cloak on the easy chair behind him, drew a leather bag from underneath, and handed it to the guest.The guest bowed, took it, and hid it under the cloak.Then Pilate said again: "Then, about the burial of the three bodies, and about this Judas Iscariot, I am expecting to hear from you to-night! Do you hear, Afrani, to-night. I will order Guard: As soon as you come, wake me up anytime. I'll be waiting for you!" "Retire here." The captain of the secret guard said, then turned and walked down the balcony.First the rustle of his footsteps across the wet sand of the terrace, then the tap-tap of his leather shoes on the marble steps between the stone lions.His legs were out of sight, then his body disappeared, and finally even the hood was gone.Only then did the governor realize that the sun had already set and dusk had come.