“Well, Thomas, and how does the matter progress?”
Then Judas brought his money-box, and shaking the money and pretending not to look at Thomas, began to count it—
“Twenty-one, two, three.... Look, Thomas, a bad coin again. Oh! what rascals people are; they even give bad money as offerings. Twenty-four... and then they will say again that Judas has stolen it... twenty-five, twenty-six....”
Thomas approached him resolutely... for it was already towards evening, and said—
“He is right, Judas. Let me kiss you.”
“Will you? Twenty-nine, thirty. It’s no good. I shall steal again. Thirty-one....”
“But how can you steal, when it is neither yours nor another’s? You will simply take as much as you want, brother.”
“It has taken you a long time to repeat His words! Don’t you value time, you clever Thomas?”
“You seem to be laughing at me, brother.”
“And consider, are you doing well, my virtuous Thomas, in repeating His words? He said something of His own, but you do not. He really kissed me—you only defiled my mouth. I can still feel your moist lips upon mine. It was so disgusting, my good Thomas. Thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty. Forty denarii. Thomas, won’t you check the sum?”