The progress was so slow that not even the head of the procession could be seen from where the two Marys and John were standing, wondering what the noise might mean.

Joseph said, "What shall we do? In this commotion we cannot venture into the city."

But Mary said, "What may this noise signify? Surely it does not concern my son."

As the noise waxed ever louder, Joseph said, "It seems as if an insurrection had broken out."

Then said John, "We had better stop here till the storm pa.s.ses over."

While they stood waiting and wondering Simon of Cyrene came hastily into the street that lay between those of Pilate and Annas. He carried a basket, and looking anxiously around him, said, "I must hasten in order to get into the city. The eve of the feast is coming, and I have only a short time left in which to make my purchases and get everything ready, so that I may get home in time." Hardly had he said this than he heard the sound of a great outcry, and amidst which he could only distinguish the words, "Let him not rest! Urge him on with blows!"

Said Simon, "I hear a tumult--an outcry of a crowd--what has happened in the city? I will keep quiet a little--perhaps my ears have deceived me." Jesus had fallen faint and had staggered against the house of Ahasverus and was there endeavoring to support himself.

The third executioner said to him roughly, "It is no use thy fainting.

Thou must keep on to Golgotha."

Then Ahasverus came out of his house and said, "Be off from my house; here is no place for resting." Simon, who was listening without being able to see the cause of the commotion, said, "The noise waxes louder.

I must hasten to see what it is. What comes there? Ah, I cannot get in here. I will wait and see what happens."

Then, as the procession turned the corner of Annas' street, Joseph of Arimathea, listening, said, "I think the crowd is coming out of the city gates," and John, seeing the cross said, "It appears that someone is being led out to Golgotha for execution."

Mary, the mother of Jesus, saw him and cried out with a piercing wail, "It is he. Oh G.o.d! it is my son."

Jesus meanwhile staggered under the cross, but was forced forward by the executioners grumbling as they did so, "He will drop on the road."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Jesus staggered under the cross."]

The centurion, seeing that Jesus from sheer exhaustion had again fallen, reached him a bottle, saying, "Here, strengthen thyself."

Jesus took it, but did not drink of it.

Mary cried, weeping, "Ah, there, I see him led to death even as a malefactor!"

Then said John, as he tenderly supported her, "Mother, it is the hour of which he has told us before. Such is the will of the Father."

Then said the centurion to Jesus, "Wilt thou not drink? Then you must go on!"

Then one of the executioners shook him, saying, "Rouse thyself, lazy king of the Jews!"

Another of the executioners said, "Forward! Pull thyself together!"

The third said, "Do not act thus weakly; we must get on."

Then Mary cried as she looked on the scene, "Oh where is any sorrow like unto my sorrow?"

The third executioner, seeing that all the efforts to compel Jesus to move forward had failed, said, "He is too much exhausted; someone must help him, otherwise--"

Then the rabbi, seeing Simon of Cyrene, pointed him out, saying, "Here, this stranger--"

The Pharisees said, "Just seize him!"

Then said the centurion, "Come hither, thou hast broad shoulders that can carry something."

Simon, protesting, said, "I must--"

"Truly you must," said one of the executioners, "otherwise there will be blows."

Simon began again, "I do not know," but the centurion interrupted him, saying, "You will find out soon enough--do not refuse."

"Flog him if he refuses to go!" said the Pharisee.

Simon struggled crying, "Indeed I am innocent; I have committed no crime."

"Silence!" said the centurion.

Simon replied, "Only not by force like this," and then beholding Christ he said, "What is this I see? This is the holy man from Nazareth."

"Place thy shoulders here," said an executioner.

Then said Simon, "For the love of thee I will carry it. O, could I thereby make myself useful to thee."

Christ, who stood exhausted on one side, looked upon Simon and said, "G.o.d's blessing be upon thee and thine!"

"Now, forward," said the centurion; "follow thou with the beam of the cross!"

The first priest advancing, said, "Thou canst come quickly enough now."

The third executioner, seeing that Jesus still stood unable to move, seized him by the neck and shook him saying, "See with what consideration we treat thee; even the cross has been taken from thee."

"Dost thou need anything else?" said another of the men.

"Let him be," said the centurion. "We will now halt a little that he may recover before we ascend the hill."

While the procession halted Veronica and the women of Jerusalem approached. Caiaphas meanwhile, chafing with vexation at the delay, exclaimed, "What! Still another stoppage! When shall we come to Calvary?"

Veronica, coming up to Christ, kneeled before him, and offering him her handkerchief, said, "O Lord, how is thy face covered with blood and sweat. Wilt thou not wipe it off?"

Jesus took the handkerchief and wiped his face and gave it back to her, saying, "Compa.s.sionate soul, the Father will reward thee for this."

Then spoke the women of Jerusalem, who drew near to the Lord with their little ones, "Thou good teacher; never to be forgotten benefactor; n.o.blest friend of men, thus art thou rewarded. How we pity thee!"

Then they wept.

Christ looking upon them in their tears said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves and your children. For behold the days are coming in which they shall say 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck.' Then shall they call to the mountains, fall on us and to the hills, cover us. For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?"

The women answered, "Alas, how will it be in the future for us and our children?"

By this time the patience of the centurion was exhausted, and he cried out, "Clear out now, these womenfolk."

The third executioner, pushing them roughly away, said, "What use are your women's tears? Back!" While the other executioners cried as they pushed Jesus forward, "On with thee to the hill of death!"