Mary, whose face was swollen with weeping, softly stroked his luxurious curling hair with her hand, while Matthew said didactically, in the words of Solomon: "'The long suffering is better than a hero; and he that ruleth his own spirit than one who taketh a city.'" At this moment Judas knocked loudly at the door, and entered.

All started up in terror, and at first were not sure who it was; but when they recognised the hated countenance, the red-haired, bulbous head, they uttered a simultaneous cry.
Peter raised both hands and shouted: "Get out of here, Traitor! Get out, or I will kill you." But the others looked more carefully at the face and eyes of the Traitor, and said nothing, merely whispering in terror: "Leave him alone, leave him alone! He is possessed with a devil." Judas waited until they had quite done, and then cried out in a loud voice: "Hail, ye eyes of Judas Iscariot! Ye have just seen the cold-blooded murderers.

Lo! Where is Jesus?
I ask you, where is Jesus ?" There was something compelling in the hoarse voice of Judas, and Thomas replied obediently-- "You know yourself, Judas, that our Master was crucified yesterday." "But how came you to permit it?
Where was your love?
Thou, Beloved Disciple, and thou, Rock, where were you all when they were crucifying your Friend on the tree ?" "What could we do, judge thou ?" said Thomas, with a gesture of protest.
"Thou asketh that, Thomas?
Very well!" and Judas threw his head back, and fell upon him angrily.

"He who loves does not ask what can be done--he goes and does it--he weeps, he bites, he throttles the enemy, and breaks his bones! He, that is, who loves! If your son were drowning would you go into the city and inquire of the passers by: 'What must I do?
My son is drowning!' No, you would rather throw yourself into the water and drown with him.

One who loved would!" Peter replied grimly to the violent speech of Judas: "I drew a sword, but He Himself forbade." "Forbade?
And you obeyed!" jeered Judas.