Next instant a sword flashed in the red light of the evening to fall full on the ruffian’s skull, and down he went dead or dying.
“Brute,” said Caleb with an angry snarl, “go to seek bread and wine in Gehenna. The maid is doomed to death, not to be plundered by such as you. Come forward.”
The companions of the fallen man stared at him. Then one laughed, for death was too common a sight to excite pity or surprise, and said:
“He was ever a greedy fellow. Let us hope that he has gone where there is more to eat.”
Then, preceded by Caleb, they marched through the long cloisters, passed an inner door, turned down more cloisters on the right, and, following the base of the great wall, came to its beautiful centre gate, Nicanor, that was adorned with gold and silver, and stood between the Court of Women and the Court of Israel. Over this gateway was a square building, fifty feet or more in height, containing store chambers and places where the priests kept their instruments of music. On its roof, which was flat, were three columns of marble, terminated by gilded spikes. By the gate one of the Sanhedrim was waiting for them, that same relentless judge, Simeon, who had ordered Miriam to be searched.
“Has the woman confessed where she hid the Roman?” he asked of Caleb.
“No,” he answered, “she says that she knows nothing of any Roman.”
“Is it so, woman?”
“It is so, Rabbi.”
“Bring her up,” he went on sternly, and they passed through some stone chambers to a place where there was a staircase with a door of cedar-wood. The judge unlocked it, locking it again behind them, and they climbed the stairs till they came to another little door of stone, which, being opened, Miriam found herself on the roof of the gateway. They led her to the centre pillar, to which was fastened an iron chain about ten feet in length. Here Simeon commanded that her hands should be bound behind her, which was done. Then he brought out of his robe a scroll written in large letters, and tied it on to her breast. This was the writing on the scroll: