But none returned to him.

They had neither seen nor heard of a pagan who was young though the white hair of an old man snowed on his temples.
So Julian storming within went out into the hills himself, to search.
Meanwhile the Maccabee, a light sleeper and readily restored, awoke and found himself alone.

The khan-keeper informed him on inquiry that Julian had ridden away.
"Too fair a hope to think that he has deserted me," the Maccabee observed.

"I shall await him a decent time.

He will return." He tramped about the chamber waiting for something that was not Julian, intending to do something but unable to define that thing.
There was a vague admission that this last pause before his entry into Jerusalem where he must accomplish so much was an opportunity for some sort of preparation, but he lacked direction and resource.