Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Burial

Perhaps because of the dusk, the governor's appearance suddenly changed.He was hunched over, as if he had aged a lot, and seemed anxious.He turned his head and glanced at Kong Qingyu who was wearing the cloak, and shivered for some reason.As the night of the festival drew near, probably because of the whirling shadows of the night, the weary governor had a vague feeling that there was a person sitting on the empty chair.He was a little scared, walked over and pulled the cloak, then put it down, ran back and forth on the balcony, rubbed his hands for a while, ran to the table to grab the wine glass, stopped and stared blankly at the floor, as if the floor There was some ancient script written on it, and he was trying to decipher it.

This is the second time that this nameless trouble has troubled him in one day.The severe migraine in the morning still left some faint soreness at the temples. The governor rubbed his temples with his hands while trying to find out the cause of this mental pain.He found it quickly, but still tried to deceive himself.He was clear: he had irrevocably missed some opportunity during the day, and now he was taking some action to correct it, but these actions were insignificant, mainly because it was too late.He deluded himself and tried to convince himself that the actions taken now, just in the evening, were as important as the sentencing in the morning.However, it was hard for him to believe this after all.

He ran up and down the balcony for a while, then stopped suddenly and whistled.Along with the whistle, there was a muffled bark of dogs in the dim twilight, and then a large gray-haired dog with pointed ears, wearing a collar and hanging a gold-plated tag, jumped out of the garden onto the verandah. "Banca, Banca!" cried the governor in a weak voice. Banca stood upright on his hind legs, put his front legs on his master's shoulders, and almost threw his master down.It licked its owner's face.The governor sat down in the armchair.Banca stretched out his tongue and panted heavily at his master's feet, his eyes glistened with joy, because the only thunderstorm in the world that made this fearless bulldog fearful had passed, and now he was lying on the bed he loved and respected. next to the owner.It thinks that its master is the most powerful man in the world, the master of all; under the protection of this man it is itself distinct, privileged, and supreme.But lying down at his feet, he looked out into the darkening garden, and without even looking at his master, he sensed at once that his master was in misfortune.So it changed its position at once: got up, went around, and put its front legs and head on the Governor's knees, thus brushing the hem of its master's cloak with some wet sand.Probably Banka wanted to comfort his master in this way, and expressed his determination to share troubles with him.The slanted eyes of the owner and the two ears pricked up alertly indicated this too.And so the two of them, dog and man in love, ushered in the festive evening on the verandah.

At the same time, Afrani, the governor's guest, was very busy.After leaving the upper platform in front of the verandah, he went down the steps to the lower platform of the garden, then turned right and went straight to the military barracks stationed in the inner garden of the palace.Stationed in this barracks were the two squadrons brought to Jerusalem by the governor before the festival and the secret guard commanded by Afrani himself.He didn't stay in the barracks for a long time, less than ten minutes. Immediately after the ten minutes passed, three carriages left the barracks compound with entrenching tools and a large bucket of water, followed by fifteen people in gray. Cloaked cavalry.Under the guard of the cavalry, several carriages left the inner garden of the palace from the back door and went westward. After leaving the city gate, they walked along the path to the road leading to Bethlehem, and then went north to the crossroad not far from the gate of Hebron. Go to the Avenue of Jaffa.During the day, the team escorting the condemned prisoners went to the Dushan Execution Ground via this road.At this time, the sky was already dark, and a bright moon was rising on the horizon.

The governor's guests also rode out of the palace shortly after the carriages escorted by the cavalry squad had set off, but by this time he had thrown off his military cloak and put on an old black robe.He didn't go out of the city, but ran towards the city.After a while, he came to the blockhouse of the Antony Tower near the temple in the northern city.He also stayed in the bunker for a short time, and then he appeared again in the winding and criss-crossing alleys of the lower town, but this time he was riding a mule instead of a horse. The Governor's guest was well acquainted with the lower town, and found the street he was going to without any difficulty.There are several shops opened by Greeks on this street, so people call it "Greek Street".The guests dismounted from their mules in front of a rug shop and tied the animal to the iron ring by the gate.The shop was closed at this time.The visitor enters through a side door next to the main entrance of the shop, and enters a small courtyard surrounded by sheds on three sides.Turning around a corner by the patio, Afrani came to a stone platform in front of a house covered with ivy.He looked around—the houses and sheds were all dark, and no lights had been lit.Afrani whispered:

"Nissa!" The door opened with a creak, and in the dim night, a young woman without a headscarf appeared on the stone platform.Leaning against the railing of the platform, she leaned uneasily and peered into the shadows to see who called her.After seeing the person coming, she smiled affectionately, nodded a few times, and waved. "Are you home alone?" Afrani whispered in Greek. "Alone," the woman on the platform replied softly, "my man went to Caesarea early in the morning." She looked back at the door and added in a low voice, "However, the maid is at home." Make a gesture to say: come in!Afrani looked back, and then went up the stairs.Then the two hid in the house together.

Afrani stayed in the young women's room for even less time, coming out in less than five minutes.He got off the platform, pulled his hood down over his eyes, and hurried back toward the street.At this time, every house has started to light up the lights, and the streets before the festival are bustling and crowded. Afrani, who was riding a mule, quickly disappeared in the torrent of pedestrians and horseback riders.Where he went after that, no one knows. After seeing off the guests, the woman whom Afrani called Nissa changed her clothes immediately, and she appeared to be in a hurry.It was very dark in the room, and she struggled to find what she needed, but she did not light the lamp or call the maid.It was only after she had changed her clothes and covered her black hijab that her voice was heard at home:

"Anyone who asks about me, just say that I've been visiting the Enanta's house." The old maid muttered in the dark: "To Enanta's house? Oh, it's Enanta again! Didn't your husband forbid you to go to Enanta's house! Your Enanta is a pimp! Look, I must tell your husband..." "Okay, okay, stop nagging!" Nissa said as she quietly slipped out of the room like a shadow.Nissa's flat shoes thumped on the stone slabs of the patio, and the maid muttered and came out to close the small door on the platform.Nisha left her home. At the same moment, a young man with good looks came out from a fence gate in another winding alley leading to the lakeside step by step in the lower city.The house inside the fence gate is quite simple, and the wall facing the street has no windows, and all the windows open to the courtyard.The young man has a neatly trimmed mustache, a white turban hanging down to his shoulders, a new sky-blue gown with tassels at the hem, and a pair of new flat leather shoes, which squeak when he walks. squeak.The hook-nosed young man, freshly dressed for the great festival, was striding forward, passing passers-by who were hurrying home for the festive dinner, watching the lit windows along the roadside.The road the young man took was the one that crossed the edge of the marketplace to the foot of the Temple Hill, where the palace of the high priest Caiaphas stood.

①Russian (Kefi), the headscarf of the Arabs, the edge can hang down to the shoulders.It is named after the original famous place of origin Kufa. ② Jewish characteristics. After a while the young man was seen entering the gates of the high priest's palace of Caiaphas.After a while, he came out from the mansion.At this time, the festive atmosphere in the mansion is strong, and the lanterns and torches are as bright as day, making it very lively. After leaving the house of Caiaphas, the young man walked more energetically and looked more joyful.He hurried back to the lower city at a faster pace.Walking to a corner next to the market, among the bustling crowd, he noticed a woman rushing past him with dancing light steps, her black hijab covered her eyes.Just as she passed by this handsome man, the woman raised her hijab slightly and glanced at the young man, but instead of slowing down, she walked even faster, as if eager to avoid the overtaken man just now. man.

The young man not only noticed her, but recognized her.As soon as he recognized her, he couldn't help shaking, stopped, and looked at her back in bewilderment.But it was only for a moment, and he immediately chased forward, and almost knocked over a passerby who was holding a jar.After catching up, he gasped excitedly and shouted: "Nissa!" The woman turned, her eyes narrowed, her expression impassive and dejected.She answered slowly in Greek: "Oh, so it's you, Judas? I didn't recognize you at once. But it's a good sign, people say, whoever goes unrecognized is about to get rich..."

Judas was very excited, his heart was beating like a bird covered in a black cloth.Fearing that passers-by would hear him, he lowered his voice and asked intermittently: "Where are you going, Nissa?" "Why are you asking this?" Nissa slowed down her pace, looked at Judas arrogantly and asked back. "How can you say that?..." Judas murmured in a daze, with a childish voice, "Didn't we make an appointment?! I'm going to your house. It was you who said, today you all At home all night..." "Ah, no, no!" Nisha replied, while coquettishly raised her lower lip.Judas thought her face, the most beautiful face he had ever seen in his life, was made all the more charming in this way.Nisha said, "I'm panicking. You Jews celebrate the festival, what can I do? Sit in the house and listen to you sighing on the platform? I have to worry about it, lest the maid tell me about it. Husband, no, no! So I want to go out of town and hear the nightingales sing." "What, going out of town?" Judah asked, completely confused. "Are you going alone?" "Of course I will go alone." Nisha replied. "Then let me go with you," Judas begged.He felt suffocated, his consciousness blurred: he forgot about everything in the world and fixed only pleadingly on Nissa's blue eyes, which were now jet-black. Nissa didn't say a word, but quickened her pace. "Why don't you talk, Nissa?" Judah asked pitifully, trying to keep pace with hers. "You won't make me lonely, will you?" Nissa stopped suddenly and asked.Judah's mind became a mess. "Well, then," Nissa finally relented, "let's go." "Where are you going, where are you going?" "Wait... Let's discuss it in this small courtyard first, so as not to be seen by acquaintances. Later, I should say that I met a lover on the street." Judah and Nisha disappeared from the market.The two were whispering in the doorway of a small courtyard. "Go to the Olive Garden," Nissa was speaking softly, when she suddenly saw someone walking into the door with a bucket, she pulled her veil down over her eyes, turned around and said, "Go to the Garden of Gethsemane." ! Crossing the Jilun River, you know?" "Good, good, good!" "I have to go first," Nissa continued, "you can't follow me, you have to stay away from me. I'll go first...after you cross the Jilun Creek...do you know where the cave is?" "I know, I know..." "You go up the mountain from the side of the oil press, and then turn around towards the cave. I'll wait for you there. You can't follow me right away, you have to be patient for a while, stay here for a while!" After finishing speaking, Nissa said, as if nothing had happened. After leaving the door, it seemed that he had never talked to Judas at all. Judas stood alone for a while, trying to gather his runaway thoughts.He was so distraught that he could clearly realize only one problem: how would he explain to his family that he was not going back to the holiday dinner?Judas stood there trying to make up a lie, but he was too excited to think calmly.Before he could think of a reason, the two legs had already stepped out of the doorway involuntarily. After walking out of the doorway, Judas changed his direction: instead of going down the city, he turned around and walked in the direction of the house of Caiaphas.By this time Judas could hardly see what was around him.A festive atmosphere hangs over the city.Not only are the lights brilliantly lit in the windows of every house, but there are also sweet singing of praise.The few retreating people were yelling loudly or urging the donkeys with whips.Judas' legs seemed to be flying by themselves.Without knowing it, he had already passed the terrible moss-covered tower of St. Anthony, without even hearing the trumpet in the bunker.A patrol of Roman cavalry passed by with torches in their hands, lighting his way with uneasy blazes, but this did not attract his attention at all.After walking past the tower, Judas turned his head and saw two clusters of unusually huge pentacandles burning in a very high place above the temple.But even Judah couldn't see this scene clearly. He only felt that ten incomparably huge magic lamps suddenly lit up over Jerusalem, and they were competing with another rising light—the moon magic lamp. Korea.But at this moment, Judas couldn't care less about anything. He wished he could fly to the Gate of Gethsemane immediately and get out of the city as soon as possible.He only felt a beautiful figure swaying between the backs and faces of the pedestrians in front, guiding him forward with light dancing steps.This was of course an illusion, and Judas knew it well: Nisha had already gone a long way ahead.He hurried past several money changers, and at last came to the Gate of Gethsemane.When he arrived at the city gate, he still had to suppress his burning mood and wait for a while, because a camel caravan was entering the city, and then a patrol team composed of Syrian soldiers came.The Jew was so anxious that he secretly scolded the street... Finally both the camel caravan and the patrol entered the city.Impatient Judas came outside the city gate.He saw a small cemetery to his left, with some pilgrims' striped tents beside it.Judah hurried across a moonlit dirt road to the Killen Creek so he could wade across.The stream was gurgling under his feet, and he stepped on stones and finally came to the high slope of Gethsemane on the opposite bank. He was happy to see that there was no one on the slope in the garden.The olive grove was ahead, its broken gate already visible. Coming out of the sweltering city, Judas felt that the fragrance of the spring night here was particularly refreshing; the scent of myrtle and acacia trees wafted over the stone walls from the kingdom of Gethsemane, and he was immersed in happiness. The garden gate was unguarded, and there was no one inside, and in a few minutes Judas was walking in the mysterious shadow of the great leafy olive tree.It was an uphill road, and Judas rushed forward panting heavily, his figure fell from the darkness onto the mottled moonlight carpet from time to time.To Judah, the rug looked a bit like the kind that hung in Nissa's jealous husband's shop.After a while, Judas vaguely saw the oil press room, the heavy stone wheel and a large pile of wooden barrels in the open space on the left.The workers in the garden had finished their work before sunset and went home for the festival.In this empty forest garden, Judas felt that the chorus of nightingales above his head was particularly melodious. Judas was nearing his destination.He knew: Turning to the right, he could hear water dripping from the whispering hole in the dark.Sure enough, he heard the sound of dripping water and felt that the air suddenly became much cooler. So, he slowed down and called out softly: "Nissa!" However, Nisha didn't come out, but saw a solid figure of a man flashing beside a thick olive tree. He jumped onto the road, something in his hand flickered, and then disappeared. Judas couldn't help taking a step back, and let out a weak cry: "what!" At this time, another person jumped out to block his right turn. The first person standing directly in front of him asked Judas: "How much money did you receive just now? Say it quickly if you want to survive!" Hope was ignited in Judas' heart, and he shouted desperately: "Thirty silver coins! Thirty silver coins! ① Take all the money you received with you. Here it is, for you! Take it all, and spare my life!" ①The original text is: Thirty "four drachmas". "Drachma" is the unit of silver coin in ancient Greece, with a silver content of 6-7 grams, which is translated as silver coin. Those standing in front snatched the purse from Judas' hand.At the same time, a steel knife flew up behind Judas, and with a flash of light, it pierced under the swollen shoulder of the jade thief.Judas body rushed forward, and his hands with hunched fingers jumped into the air. At this time, the person standing in front of him caught him with a sharp knife, and the tip of the knife pierced Judas' heart until it reached the handle. "Nisa..." What Judah yelled was no longer the young man's original high-pitched, crisp voice, but a low, mournful scream.He didn't make any sound anymore, and his body fell straight, causing the ground to thump. At this moment a third figure appeared on the road, a man in a cloak and hood. "Move!" ordered the third.The two murderers quickly wrapped Judah's purse and a note handed to them by the third man in leather, and tied it with string to make a cross.The second man put the packet in his arms, and the two killers left the road and rushed into the woods, the darkness between the olive trees swallowing them all at once.The hooded man knelt down beside the corpse, studying the dead man's face.It seemed to him that under the shadow of the tree it looked as white as powder, and it seemed very exciting and handsome.A few seconds later, the avenue here was silent.Judas, dying, lay on the ground with his hands spread out, his left foot stretched out in the moonlight, and every strap on the flat shoe was clearly visible. At this time, the resounding song of the nightingale resounded throughout the Gethsemane Grove.No one knows what happened to the two men who killed Judas, except for the actions of the third man in the hood: he hastily left the road and walked south into the olive grove.At the southern corner far from the gate of the garden, a few stones fell from the top of a wall, and he climbed over the wall from here.Soon, he appeared by the bank of Jilun Creek, and then walked into the stream.He walked downstream for a while until he saw two horses in the distance in the river and the horseman standing beside the horses.The horses were also standing in the water, and the trickling water washed over their hooves.The horseman got on one horse, and the man in the hood got on the other. The two horses walked slowly in the stream, and the horses' hoofs stepped on the stones at the bottom of the river to make a crisp sound.After walking for a while, the two knights walked out of the stream, landed on the bank on the side of the city of Jerusalem, and walked slowly along the root of the city.Soon, the original horse-leader urged the horse forward alone, and then disappeared.And the man in the hood reined in his horse, rolled down, stood in the middle of the empty avenue, took off his cloak, turned it over, took from under the lining of his cloak a flat helmet without feathers, put it on, and jumped again. mount.Thus he became a cavalry officer in a soldier's tweed cloak, with a short sword at his side.He flicked the reins lightly, and the fierce army horse started to gallop, with the master on its back shaking.The distance ahead was not far, and the rider quickly ran to the south gate of Jerusalem. Inside the city gate, several torches were dancing and jumping restlessly.Sitting on a stone bench, the soldiers on duty of the Second Squadron of the Lightning Blitz Corps rolled dice, and when they saw the officer riding into the city on horseback, they stood up abruptly.The officer waved his hand and went straight into the city. The town was as bright as day with its festive evening lights, candles flickered in all the windows, and the songs of praise from all directions merged into a sort of discordant chorus.From time to time the rider looked into the street-window and saw people sitting around a festive table with lamb, wine-glasses and platters of bitter herbs.He let the horse trot, whistled a little song softly, crossed several empty streets in the lower city, and galloped in the direction of St. Anthony's Tower, and occasionally looked up at the rare five-candle giant lamp burning above the temple. , or look at the jade plate hanging in the sky higher than the five-candle lamp. ①According to the "Bible Old Testament", when the Jews celebrated the Passover, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and lamb must be on the table. Herod's palace was completely out of this Passover night pomp.The row of side halls facing south in the palace housed the officers and legionary commanders of the Roman army brigade. There are still lights there, and people can feel their activities and life more or less, while the front part of the palace is the involuntary The entire nave, with its colonnades and golden statues, where the governor Pilate lived alone, seemed to have lost all its luster in the bright moonlight.Here, inside the main hall, darkness and silence ruled.At this time, the governor, as he told Afrani, did not return to the temple to rest at all.He ordered his servants to prepare the bedding for him on the verandah, where he dined at noon and held his interrogation in the morning.He lay down on the couch that had been made, but was not sleepy.The full moon hung high in the night sky like a naked five, and the governor watched it intently for hours on end. Towards midnight, the Oneiroi finally showed mercy to the governor, and he fell asleep.He stretched and yawned, untied his cloak and threw it aside, put the belt tied outside his jacket and the sheathed steel knife on the chair beside the couch, took off his sandals, and straightened up.Banka also climbed up on the couch at once, and lay down beside him, head to head, and the governor put one arm around the dog's neck, and finally closed his eyes.Only then did Banja fall asleep. The couch was set in moonlight shadow behind a large column, but there was still a band of moonlight running from the steps to the governor's bed.As soon as Pilate lost touch with the reality around him, he immediately embarked on this bright path of moonlight, gradually going upwards along it, towards the bright moon.He laughed happily in his sleep: because walking on this crystal clear blue road is really wonderful.The beloved Banca followed him, and the wandering philosopher walked beside him.As they walked, the two of them argued about an extremely complicated and important issue, and neither seemed to be able to convince the other.They couldn't agree on any point, so their arguments were especially interesting and never-ending.It goes without saying that the so-called death sentence executed today is a complete misunderstanding—look, isn’t the philosopher walking beside me? !The man who conjured up an absurd proposition, the philosopher who thought all men were good, was not put to death, he is still alive.Besides, of course, how could someone like him be executed? !Even the very idea of ​​it was terrifying.Yes, there was no execution!No execution!This is why the walk up the stairs of Moonlight Road is so wonderful. There is plenty of time, as much as you want, and the thunderstorm will not come until night.As for cowardice, there is no doubt that it is the most terrible of all human defects.Yeshua of Nazareth said so.No, philosopher, I still have to contradict you, I should say: cowardice is the most terrible of all human defects. But, let’s just talk about me, the current Jewish governor, the former tribune of the Roman legion, in the battle of the Valley of the Daughters, in the situation where the crazy Germans were about to kill the rat-catcher Mark, I did not show the slightest Cowardly!So today, my philosopher, think for yourself!Do you think, with so much wisdom, that I would be willing to ruin my career as the governor of Judaea for a man who committed a crime against the emperor Caesar? ① Senior official position in the Roman legion. "That's right! That's right!" Pilate groaned and sobbed in pain in his dream. Of course, I would be willing to give up.According to his thoughts in the morning, he was not willing to give up, but now, in the middle of the night, after he weighed everything, he would rather give up.Now, he would give anything to spare the death sentence of the visionary and doctor, who has done nothing wrong but is only dreaming! ①Before he was executed, Yeshua cured the Governor's migraine, so he was called a doctor.According to the "Bible", Jesus once healed the blind, lame, and withered people in Jerusalem to show the power of God. "From now on we shall be together forever," said the Ragged Wandering Sage to the Governor in his dream.Somehow the philosopher also walks on the moonlight path that the knight of the golden spear walks. "As soon as one appears, another will appear! When people think of me, they also think of you! When they think of me, an outcast who doesn't know who their parents are, they also think of you, the chief astrologer and Miss Miller son of the beautiful Pila." "Yes, don't forget me, and think of me, the astrologer's son." Pilate begged in his dream.Seeing the Nazarene beggar nodding his head in agreement, the cruel Jewish governor smiled happily in his dream with tears in his eyes. It's all very nice.The dream is beautiful, but the awakening is especially terrifying for the governor.Banka yelled at the moon, and the smooth azure road in front of the governor's eyes, which seemed to be paved with grease, suddenly disappeared amidst the barking of dogs.The governor opened his eyes.His first thought was that the execution had indeed been carried out.His first move was to grab Banga's collar as usual, and then look for the moon with painful eyes.He saw that the moon had shifted to one side, showing a silvery white color.The moonlight was cut short by an unpleasant, unsettling flicker of fire in front of the verandah.The squadron leader, Rat-catcher Mark, was approaching holding a blazing torch. As he walked, he stared at the dangerous bulldog, Banca, with horror and hatred, because it was about to charge towards the ground. "Hold him, Banca!" said the Governor bitterly.He coughed, raised his hand to shield the blinding fire, and continued: "Even in the middle of the night, even in this moonlight, I have no peace! Oh, gods! Mark, your job is not a good one. You destroy Soldier……" Mark was very surprised and looked directly at the Governor.The governor suddenly came to his senses, and in order to cover up his slip of the tongue in a coma, he hastily changed his words and said: "Oh, Captain, don't be sorry, I repeat, I'm in a worse position than you. What's the matter with you?" "Secret Guard Captain, please see me." Mark reported calmly. "Tell him to come in, come in!" said the Governor, clearing his throat, and dropping his bare feet, he searched the floor for his slippers.The torch retreated between the columns, the squadron leader's boots choked on the floor, and Mark went back into the garden.The governor gritted his teeth and said to himself: "Even in this moonlight, I have no peace!" As soon as Mark disappeared, a man in a hood appeared on the balcony. "Banka, don't move!" The governor said softly, and pressed the dog's head. Before reporting, Afrani looked around habitually, and then stood in the shadow to look again.After making sure that Banka was the only one on the verandah and there was no one else, he whispered: "Governor, I request that I be punished according to the law. Your Excellency's prediction is completely correct, but I failed to protect Judas Iscariot, and he was killed. Please dismiss me and punish me." Afrani felt four eyes fixed on him at this moment—two dog eyes, two wolf eyes. From under his cloak he drew a bloody, crumpled purse with two seals.He reported: "This purse was thrown into the high priest's court by the murderers. The blood on it is the blood of Judas Iscariot." "I'd like to know how much money is in there?" asked the Governor, leaning over the purse. "Thirty silver pieces." The governor smiled disdainfully and said: "Not much." Afrani said nothing. "Where is the dead man?" asked the governor. "I don't know that yet," the man wearing the hood all the time replied reservedly and calmly, "I'll send someone to search as soon as the day breaks." The governor, who was tying his shoelaces, trembled a bit, and stopped tying his shoelaces that hadn't been tied for a long time. He asked Afrani: "Then you do know that this man has been killed?" The governor received a dry answer: "My lord, I have been in Judea for fifteen years, beginning under Valerius Glatus. If I say that a man has been killed, it is not necessary to see the body beforehand. Yes. Now I am making a formal report to you: that Judas Iscariot was stabbed to death a few hours ago." "Please don't mind, Afrani," replied the governor, "I only said that because I was not fully awake. I never sleep well," said the governor with a wry smile. I always dream of moonlight. Think about it, it’s ridiculous, I dreamed that I seemed to be walking on the moonlight road. Just now I just wanted to know how you plan to deal with this matter next, and where are you going to find the corpse? Sit down, Captain of the Secret Guard." Afrani bowed and moved a chair closer to the doge's couch.The sword at his side smacked, and he sat down to report: "I'm going to search for it in the area around the olive grove and oil press in the Garden of Gethsemane." "Well, well. Why did you go there to find it?" "My lord, I assume that Judah was killed neither in Jerusalem nor far from it. I think he must have been killed in the suburbs of Jerusalem." "I see that you are an excellent expert among your colleagues. Of course, I don't know what the situation in Rome is. But, in all the dependent countries, there is no one like you. Please explain Well, why?" "I can't imagine that Judas will be murdered in the city at any rate," whispered Afrani. "It is impossible to kill him secretly in the street, that is, he must be taken into a basement or something. My men The whole lower town has been searched, and if this happened in the city, he would have been found. I can assure you: there is no him in the city. If he was killed far from the city, this purse would not be possible. So quickly thrown into the high priest's palace. So he must have been killed in the outskirts. They managed to lure him out of the city." "I can't see how I can get him out of town." "Yes, Your Excellency Governor, this is the most difficult problem to solve in the whole case, even I don't know if I can solve it well." "It's really puzzling! On Passover night, a religious man would skip his family's festive meal and go out of town for some reason, and die there! Who would lure him out with something? ? Could it be a woman did it?" the governor suddenly asked as if realizing something. To which Afrani said calmly and confidently: "That's impossible, Governor. The possibility must be completely ruled out. Judge things logically. Who wants to die? It's the wandering visionaries, some clique of which there's never been one." Any woman. Whoever wants to marry a wife, my lord, needs money. It takes money to bring a man into life. And it takes a lot of money to kill a man with the help of a woman. No vagabond can afford that money. So, Mr. Governor, there is absolutely no woman involved in this case. And, I tell you, to imagine a woman involved in this case will only mess things up and hinder the investigation. make it hard for me." "It seems, Afrani, that you have a very reasonable point. I was only expressing my own conjecture," said the governor. "Unfortunately, my lord, your guess is wrong." "Then, what's going on? What's going on?" the Governor asked aloud, examining Afrani's face with greedy and curious eyes. "The way I see it, it's still about the money." "That's a good idea! But who's going to give him money out of town in the middle of the night, and for what?" "Ah, no, Governor, that's not the case. I only have one hypothesis, and if it doesn't fit the facts, then I can't think of any other explanation." Afrani leaned closer to the Governor, and added in a whisper Said: "Jew wants to hide his money in a hidden place that only he knows." "That's a brilliant explanation! It must be so, it seems. I understand now: you mean that it was his own ideas, not anyone else's, that drove him out of town. Yes, yes, that must be so." "Indeed. Judah is a very suspicious man, and he wants to keep his money hidden from others." "Also, you said just now that you wanted to go to the Grove of Gethsemane. Why did you go there to find him? Frankly speaking, I still don't understand that." “噢，总督大人，这个道理很简单。谁都不会把钱藏在通衡大道或是空旷的地方，所以，犹大既没有出现在去希布伦的大道上，也没有出现在去伯利恒的大道上。他必定要找个有遮拦的、隐蔽的、有林木的地方。这并不难解释。而在耶路撒冷近郊除了客西马尼林苑再没有这种地方了。他又不能走得很远。” “您完全把我说服了。那么，下一步该怎么办？” “我马上就布置人搜捕在城外盯了犹大梢的凶手。我自己呢，刚才已经向您报告过，要去法庭听候处置。” “为了什么事？” “因为犹大昨晚离开该亚法府第后，我的卫队竟然没有保护好他，在市场附近把他丢了。我简直无法理解怎么会出这种事。我生平还没有出过这类差错。昨晚您和我谈话之后，我手下的人立刻就把犹大置于监护之下了，可是，他走到市场附近时往什么地方躲了一下，兜了个奇怪的圈子，甩开了我手下的人，不知道哪儿去了。” “原来是为了这件事啊。我现在向您宣布：我认为不必审判您。您已经作了一切可能的努力。世界上，”总督笑了笑说，“恐怕没有人能比您做得更周到，更好了。对那些丢失犹大的便衣警探是要追究责任的，不过，在这件事情上我也想提醒您一句：我希望这次追究一点也不要严厉。说到底，为了关心这么个坏蛋，我们已经尽到最大努力了！对啦，我还忘了问您，”总督擦了擦前额说，“那些人会是想什么办法把钱扔进该亚法府的呢？” “是这样，总督……这不很复杂。复仇者们摸到该亚法府的后街去，那条街的地势比该亚法府的后院高。他们居高临下，很容易把那个小包从后墙外扔进去。” “还附了字条儿？” “是的，总督，跟您原来所预感的完全一样。噢，还有。”阿弗拉尼说着，撕下了小包上的封印，把包里的钱拿给总督看。 “呀，对不起，阿弗拉尼，您这是干什么？！封印肯定是圣殿里用的纣印啊！” “这些小事总督不必担心。”阿弗拉尼边回答，边把小包包上。 “莫非您那里还备有各种封印？”彼拉多笑着问道。 “否则不行啊，大人。”阿弗拉尼非常严肃地回答，脸上没有一丝笑意。 “我可以想象得出该亚法府里的情形。” “是的，大人，这事引起了一场轩然大波。他们立即就把我请去了。” 这时，甚至在昏暗中也看得见彼拉多的两眼在炯炯放光。 “这倒很有意思，很有意思！ “总督，我斗胆反驳您一句，这可没有意思。这种事最无聊，最叫人厌烦。我问他们：该亚法府是不是向谁付过什么钱？他们都斩钉截铁地回答说：绝无此事。” “噢，是吗？那有什么办法呢。没有付过嘛，这么说，就是没有付过喽。这样一来，就更难找到凶手了。” “您的话完全正确，总督大人。” “噢，阿弗拉尼，您看，我忽然产生了这样一个念头：这个犹大会不会是自杀的？” “啊，不，大人，”阿弗拉尼甚至吃惊地往椅背上一靠，回答说，“请原谅，依我看这个说法根本不能使人相信。” “哎，在这个城市里什么事都能使人相信。我敢同您打赌：用不了多长时间，关于犹大自杀的谣言就会传遍全市。” 这时阿弗拉尼又朝总督投去那独特的一瞥，想了想，然后回答说： “这也有可能，大人。” 虽然一切都已十分清楚，但看来总督对加略人被杀这件事还有些放心不下，他仿佛带着某些幻想问道： “我要是能看到他们是怎么杀死他的就好了。” “杀人者的技艺是非常高超的，大人。”阿弗拉尼回答，同时用含着讽刺的眼神望着彼拉多。 “这您是怎么知道的？” “劳您驾仔细看看那钱袋，大人，”阿弗拉尼回答，“我敢向您保证，犹大的血准是喷射出来的。总督大人，我这一辈子见过不少被杀的人！” “这么说，他当然是再也起不来噗？” “不，大人，他还能起来，”阿弗拉尼像个哲学家似地微笑着说，“但这要等到本地人所期待的那个弥赛亚的号声在他头上响起的时候，那时他就能再起来。在这之前他是起不来的！” “行啦，阿弗拉尼！这个问题清楚了。现在谈谈掩埋尸体的事吧。” “处死者的尸体全都掩埋了，大人。” “噢，阿弗拉尼，要是把您送上法庭，那简直是罪过。你理应受到最高奖赏。说说吧，怎么掩埋的？” 阿弗拉尼开始报告。He said.他亲自处理犹大问题的时候，他的副官带领秘密卫队的一个骑兵小队，在傍晚时就开到了髑髅山。小队发现山顶上少了一具尸体。听到这里，彼拉多打了个寒战，用嘶哑的声音说： “哎呀，我怎么没有预见到这一点！” “总督大人，您不必担心。”阿弗拉尼安慰总督，并继续报告说：“狄司马斯和赫斯塔斯两具尸体的眼睛已经被猛禽啄去。士兵们收起这两具，立即去寻找另一具。很快便找到了。是有一个人……” “是利未·马太。”彼拉多不像是询问，倒像是肯定地说。 “是他，大人……” 原来，利未·马太躲在秃髑髅山北坡上一个山洞里，正守着耶舒阿的赤条条的尸体等待天黑。搜查小队举着火把进入山洞时，马太的样子非常凶恶，像是准备拼死一战。他大喊大叫，说他没有犯任何罪，说按法律规定，任何人都有权自愿埋葬被处死的犯人。利未·马太宣称他绝不离开那遗体。他异常激动，语无伦次地乱嚷，又是哀求，又是恫吓，又是诅咒…… “只好把他抓了起来？”彼拉多忧郁地沉着脸问道。 “没有，大人，没有抓他。”阿弗拉尼极力安慰总督，“士兵们向他说明是要掩埋遗体的，终于使那个勇敢的疯子安静下来了。 “马太想了想，消停了。但他扬言：绝不离开那遗体。他还希望跟大家一道去埋葬。并说即使杀死他，他也不走开。甚至还把随身带的一把面包刀拿出来，叫士兵们杀他。” “他们把他赶走了？”彼拉多用压抑的声音问。 “没有，大人，没有赶走他。我的副官允许他一起参加掩埋。” “是您的哪一位副官指挥这次行动的？”彼拉多问。 “是托尔麦。”阿弗拉尼回答，同时又不安地问道：“是不是他做错了？” “您继续说下去吧，”彼拉多回答，“他没有做错。是我的精神总是有点恍惚看来，阿弗拉尼，我是在同一个从来不犯错误的人打交道，这个人就是您。” 原来士兵们让利未·马太坐在运尸马车上，大约走了两个小时，便到了耶路撒冷城北一道荒凉的峡谷。士兵们轮流挖坑，一小时后就挖出一个很深的坑，把三具尸体全埋在坑里了。 “就那样光着身子埋的？” “不，大人。小队出发前带去了几件长袍。而且给每具尸体的手指上都戴上了指环。耶舒阿的指环上刻了一道纹，狄司马斯的两道，赫斯塔斯的三道。坑填满了，上面堆了些石头。做了记号，托尔麦认得。” “啊，要是我早些想到就好了！”彼拉多皱着眉头说，“我本来是应该见见那个利未·马太的呀……” “我已经把他带来了，大人！” 彼拉多睁大眼睛，愣愣地瞅了阿弗拉尼一会儿，然后说： “感谢您为这件事所做的一切。请您叫托尔麦明天到我这里来，可以事先告诉他：我对他的工作很满意。而对您呢，阿弗拉尼，”总督说着，拿起放在桌上的腰带，从它的口袋里掏出一只宝石戒指递给秘密卫队长，“请您收下它作个纪念吧。” 阿弗拉尼鞠躬致谢： “总督大人，这是我莫大的光荣。” “请您犒赏执行掩埋任务的小队。对于没有在市场上保护好犹大的便衣人员只给予口头警告就行了。现在，立即把利未·马太带来见我。我还要了解有关拿撒勒人案件的细节。” “遵命，大人。”阿弗拉尼应声回答，立即起身施礼告辞。同时总督拍了一下手掌，大声叫道： “来人！柱廊里掌灯！” 阿弗拉尼刚走到花园，柱廊上已经有几个仆人高擎灯火站在总督身后了。总督面前的桌上放了三盏灯，月夜立即退到花园，仿佛是阿弗拉尼把它带了出去。接着出现在凉台上的是个矮小瘦削的人，身躯高大的中队长陪着他走上来。在总督目光的示意下，陪同者马上退回花园，消失在夜色中。 总督用贪婪而有些惊讶的目光审视着来人。一个为众人议论纷纷的、耐人寻味的人终于出现在面前时，人们就是用这种目光看着他的。 来人约摸四十岁，肤色黝黑，衣衫破旧，身上有些干泥，看人时蹩着眉头，恶狠狠的。总之，他的样子十分难看，像城里的叫花于；在圣殿前的台阶上，或者喧嚣肮脏的下城市场里，有很多这种人荡来荡去。 持续很长时间的沉默终于被来人的一个奇怪动作打破了：站在总督面前的人突然脸色发白，摇晃了一下，要不是他的一只脏手扶住桌边，他就摔倒在地了。 “你怎么啦？”彼拉多问他。 “没什么。”利未·马太回答，做了个吞咽似的动作，那裸露着的、肮脏的细脖颈胀了一下，又瘪了回去。 “你怎么啦？回答我！”彼拉多又问了一句。 “我累了。”马太回答，忧郁地望了望地板。 “坐下吧。”彼拉多指着扶手椅说。 利未·马太疑心重重地看了看总督，向扶手椅走过去，惊奇地朝镀金扶手看了一眼，便坐下了——但不是坐到椅子上，而是坐到了椅旁的地板上。 “你说说，为什么不座椅子？”彼拉多问。 “我身上脏，我会把它弄脏的。”马太低着头说。 “他们马上就给你拿饭来吃。” “我不想吃。”马太回答。 “你为什么要说谎呢？”彼拉多和蔼地问，“你不是一整天没吃饭了吗，也许还不止一天。嗯，好吧，不吃也行。我叫你来，是想看看你带的那把刀子。” “士兵们带我进来的时候把它拿去了，”马太回答，然后又忧郁地补充说，“您把它还给我吧，我还得把它交还给原主，那刀是我偷来的。” "for what?" “想用它割断绳子。”马太回答。 “马克！”总督喊了一声，中队长马克应声出现在圆柱旁。“把他的刀给我拿来！” 中队长腰上挎着两个刀鞘。他从其中一个里抽出一把肮脏的切面包刀，呈到总督面前，然后退下去。 “这刀你是从谁那儿拿的？” “是希布伦城门内一家面包铺里的，一进城门，路左边就是。” 彼拉多看了看宽宽的刀刃，不知为什么还用手指头试了试它快不快，然后说： “刀子的事，你放心好了，我叫他们去还给面包铺。此外我还有一件事：你再把经常带在身边的、记载着耶舒阿的话的羊皮纸拿来让我看看。” 马太愤恨地看了彼拉多一眼，笑了笑。他笑得那么不怀善意，连他的脸都因此变丑了。he asked: “你们全想夺走？连我这最后一点东西也夺走？” “我并没有说：你给我，”彼拉多回答说，“我说的是：拿来让我看看。” 利未·马太在怀里摸了几下，掏出一卷羊皮纸。彼拉多接过来，展开纸卷，在两盏灯之间把它铺平，眯起眼睛仔细地研究起那些用墨水写的很难辨认的字来。一行行写得歪歪扭扭的字很难看懂。彼拉多皱着眉头，几乎伏到羊皮纸上，用手指按着一行行字往下看。他终于看明白了：羊皮纸上记载的，原来是些不连贯的言论、日期、杂事和残缺的诗句。个别句子彼拉多还能够读出来：“没有死亡……昨天我们吃的是香甜的春酥饼……” 彼拉多努力辨认着，脸上的肌肉不住地抽动，他眯着眼念着：“我们将看到生命之水的净河……人类将通过透明晶体观望太阳……”① ①《圣经·新约·启示录》第二十一章中有：“不再有死亡，也不再有哀……”第二十二章中有：“……一道生命水的河，明亮如水晶悲……” 忽然，彼拉多颤抖了一下。他看清楚了羊皮纸上最后两行里有这样的话：“……更大的缺陷……怯懦。” 彼拉多卷起羊皮纸，猛地递给马太。 “拿去吧。”他说。沉默了一会儿，又说，“我看，你也是个读书人，你何必孤身一人，穿得破破烂烂，无家无业地到处游荡呢。我在该撒利亚有个大图书馆。我很富有。我想把你带走，给你派个职务。你去给我整理并保管那里的文献资料吧，这样你至少也可以不愁温饱了。” 利未·马太起身回答道： “不，我不愿意。” “因为什么？”总督问道，脸色不由得阴沉下来，“你不喜欢我？怕我？” 又是刚才那种难看的笑容扭曲了马太的脸，他说： “不是。是因为你会怕我。你杀死他之后，就不可能那么容易正视我的面孔了。” “不要说了！”彼拉多回答说，“那你就拿些钱去吧！” 利未·马太又摇了摇头。而彼拉多却继续说： “我知道，你自认为是耶舒阿的弟子。但是，我告诉你，他教给你的，你什么也没有学到。因为你如果学到了一点什么的话，你是会接受我一点东西的。你要知道，他在临死前说过，他并不怪罪任何人，”彼拉多说着，意味深长地举起一个手指，他脸上的肌肉抽动着，“要是他本人，他也一定会接受我一点东西的。你残酷，可他并不残酷。今后你打算上哪儿去呢？” 这时马太忽然走到桌前，两手扶着桌边，用喷射火焰的两眼看着总督，小声说： “告诉你吧，总督大人，我决心在耶路撒冷杀死一个人。我想把这件事告诉你，让你知道：还会流血的！” “我也知道还会流血，”总督回答说，“你这些话并没有使我吃惊。你当然是要杀死我喽？” “杀死你，我办不到，”利未·马太龇着牙，微笑着回答，“我这个人还不是那么愚蠢，以至于会指望能够杀死你。但是，我要杀死加略人犹大，我要把余生都用在这件事情上。” 听到这里，总督的眼神里才显出一点欣慰的神情，于是他弯着手指示意利未·马太到跟前来，然后对他说： “这件事你做不到了。你也不必费心了。犹大昨夜已经被人杀死。” 利未·马太一下子从桌旁跳开，奇怪地四下张望着大声喊道： “这是谁干的？” “你先不要忌妒嘛，”总督也龇着牙说，还搓了搓手，“我看，除了你之外，他大概还有别的崇拜者吧。” “这是谁干的？”马太又小声重问了一句。 总督回答他： “这是我干的。” 马太张口结舌，惊异地望着总督彼拉多的脸，而总督却继续说： “做了这么一件事，当然，还太少。但不管怎么说，这事是我做的。”稍停，他又补充说，“那么，你现在同意不同意接受我一点东西？” 利未·马太想了想，态度有些缓和了。最后，他说： “你叫他们给我拿块干净羊皮纸来吧。” An hour passed.利未·马太已经离开王宫。现在只有花园中值勤哨兵的轻轻脚步声打破黎明时的寂静。月亮迅速褪去颜色，另一方的天边上露出一颗灰白的晨星。灯火早就熄灭了。总督躺在卧榻上。他一只手托着腮睡着了，无声地呼吸着。斑迦睡在他的身旁。 第五任犹太总督本丢·彼拉多就是这样迎来了尼散月十五日的黎明。