fighting　men　all；　who　pressed　us　back　upon　the　Huns。　　It　was　a
  crushage　of　the　peoples　for　lack　of　room；　and　we　taught　the　Romans
  what　fighting　was；　although　in　truth　we　were　no　less　well　taught　by
  them。
  But　always　I　remembered　the　sun　of　the　south…land　that　I　had
  glimpsed　in　the　ships　of　Agard；　and　it　was　my　fate；　caught　in　this
  south　drift　of　the　Teutons；　to　be　captured　by　the　Romans　and　be
  brought　back　to　the　sea　which　I　had　not　seen　since　I　was　lost　away
  from　the　East　Angles。　　I　was　made　a　sweep…slave　in　the　galleys；　and
  it　was　as　a　sweep…slave　that　at　last　I　came　to　Rome。
  All　the　story　is　too　long　of　how　I　became　a　free…man；　a　citizen；　and
  a　soldier；　and　of　how；　when　I　was　thirty；　I　journeyed　to　Alexandria；
  and　from　Alexandria　to　Jerusalem。　　Yet　what　I　have　told　from　the
  time　when　I　was　baptized　in　the　mead…pot　of　Tostig　Lodbrog　I　have
  been　compelled　to　tell　in　order　that　you　may　understand　what　manner
  of　man　rode　in　through　the　Jaffa　Gate　and　drew　all　eyes　upon　him。
  Well　might　they　look。　　They　were　small　breeds；　lighter…boned　and
  lighter…thewed；　these　Romans　and　Jews；　and　a　blonde　like　me　they　had
  never　gazed　upon。　　All　along　the　narrow　streets　they　gave　before　me
  but　stood　to　stare　wide…eyed　at　this　yellow　man　from　the　north；　or
  from　God　knew　where　so　far　as　they　knew　aught　of　the　matter。
  Practically　all　Pilate's　troops　were　auxiliaries；　save　for　a　handful
  of　Romans　about　the　palace　and　the　twenty　Romans　who　rode　with　me。
  Often　enough　have　I　found　the　auxiliaries　good　soldiers；　but　never
  so　steadily　dependable　as　the　Romans。　　In　truth　they　were　better
  fighting　men　the　year　round　than　were　we　men　of　the　North；　who
  fought　in　great　moods　and　sulked　in　great　moods。　　The　Roman　was
  invariably　steady　and　dependable。
  There　was　a　woman　from　the　court　of　Antipas；　who　was　a　friend　of
  Pilate's　wife　and　whom　I　met　at　Pilate's　the　night　of　my　arrival。　　I
  shall　call　her　Miriam；　for　Miriam　was　the　name　I　loved　her　by。　　If
  it　were　merely　difficult　to　describe　the　charm　of　women；　I　would
  describe　Miriam。　　But　how　describe　emotion　in　words？　　The　charm　of
  woman　is　wordless。　　It　is　different　from　perception　that　culminates
  in　reason；　for　it　arises　in　sensation　and　culminates　in　emotion；
  which；　be　it　admitted；　is　nothing　else　than　super…sensation。
  In　general；　any　woman　has　fundamental　charm　for　any　man。　　When　this
  charm　becomes　particular；　then　we　call　it　love。　　Miriam　had　this
  particular　charm　for　me。　　Verily　I　was　co…partner　in　her　charm。
  Half　of　it　was　my　own　man's　life　in　me　that　leapt　and　met　her　wide…
  armed　and　made　in　me　all　that　she　was　desirable　plus　all　my　desire
  of　her。
  Miriam　was　a　grand　woman。　　I　use　the　term　advisedly。　　She　was　fine…
  bodied；　commanding；　over　and　above　the　average　Jewish　woman　in
  stature　and　in　line。　　She　was　an　aristocrat　in　social　caste；　she　was
  an　aristocrat　by　nature。　　All　her　ways　were　large　ways；　generous
  ways。　　She　had　brain；　she　had　wit；　and；　above　all；　she　had
  womanliness。　　As　you　shall　see；　it　was　her　womanliness　that　betrayed
  her　and　me　in　they　end。　　Brunette；　olive…skinned；　oval…faced；　her
  hair　was　blue…black　with　its　blackness　and　her　eyes　were　twin　wells
  of　black。　　Never　were　more　pronounced　types　of　blonde　and　brunette
  in　man　and　woman　met　than　in　us。
  And　we　met　on　the　instant。　　There　was　no　self…discussion；　no
  waiting；　wavering；　to　make　certain。　　She　was　mine　the　moment　I
  looked　upon　her。　　And　by　the　same　token　she　knew　that　I　belonged　to
  her　above　all　men。　　I　strode　to　her。　　She　half…lifted　from　her　couch
  as　if　drawn　upward　to　me。　　And　then　we　looked　with　all　our　eyes；
  blue　eyes　and　black；　until　Pilate's　wife；　a　thin；　tense；　overwrought
  woman；　laughed　nervously。　　And　while　I　bowed　to　the　wife　and　gave
  greeting；　I　thought　I　saw　Pilate　give　Miriam　a　significant　glance；
  as　if　to　say；　〃Is　he　not　all　I　promised？〃　　For　he　had　had　word　of　my
  coming　from　Sulpicius　Quirinius；　the　legate　of　Syria。　　As　well　had
  Pilate　and　I　been　known　to　each　other　before　ever　he　journeyed　out
  to　be　procurator　over　the　Semitic　volcano　of　Jerusalem。
  Much　talk　we　had　that　night；　especially　Pilate；　who　spoke　in　detail
  of　the　local　situation；　and　who　seemed　lonely　and　desirous　to　share
  his　anxieties　with　some　one　and　even　to　bid　for　counsel。　　Pilate　was
  of　the　solid　type　of　Roman；　with　sufficient　imagination
  intelligently　to　enforce　the　iron　policy　of　Rome；　and　not　unduly
  excitable　under　stress。
  But　on　this　night　it　was　plain　that　he　was　worried。　　The　Jews　had
  got　on　his　nerves。　　They　were　too　volcanic；　spasmodic；　eruptive。
  And　further；　they　were　subtle。　　The　Romans　had　a　straight；
  forthright　way　of　going　about　anything。　　The　Jews　never　approached
  anything　directly；　save　backwards；　when　they　were　driven　by
  compulsion。　　Left　to　themselves；　they　always　approached　by
  indirection。　　Pilate's　irritation　was　due；　as　he　explained；　to　the
  fact　that　the　Jews　were　ever　intriguing　to　make　him；　and　through　him
  Rome；　the　catspaw　in　the　matter　of　their　religious　dissensions。　　As
  was　well　known　to　me；　Rome　did　not　interfere　with　the　religious
  notions　of　its　conquered　peoples；　but　the　Jews　were　for　ever
  confusing　the　issues　and　giving　a　political　cast　to　purely
  unpolitical　events。
  Pilate　waxed　eloquent　over　the　diverse　sects　and　the　fanatic
  uprisings　and　riotings　that　were　continually　occurring
  〃Lodbrog；〃　he　said；　〃one　can　never　tell　what　little　summer　cloud　of
  their　hatching　may　turn　into　a　thunder…storm　roaring　and　rattling
  about　one's　ears。　　I　am　here　to　keep　order　and　quiet。　　Despite　me
  they　make　the　place　a　hornets'　nest。　　Far　rather　would　I　govern
  Scythians　or　savage　Britons　than　these　people　who　are　never　at　peace
  about　God。　　Right　now　there　is　a　man　up　to　the　north；　a　fisherman
  turned　preacher；　and　miracle…worker；　who　as　well　as　not　may　soon
  have　all　the　country　by　the　ears　and　my　recall　on　its　way　from
  Rome。〃
  This　was　the　first　I　had　heard　of　the　man　called　Jesus；　and　I　little
  remarked　it　at　the　time。　　Not　until　afterward　did　I　remember　him；
  when　the　little　summer　cloud　had　become　a　full…fledged　thunderstorm。
  〃I　have　had　report　of　him；〃　Pilate　went　on。　　〃He　is　not　political。
  There　is　no　doubt　of　that。　　But　trust　Caiaphas；　and　Hanan　behind
  Caiaphas；　to　make　of　this　fisherman　a　political　thorn　with　which　to
  prick　Rome　and　ruin　me。〃
  〃This　Caiaphas；　I　have　heard　of　him　as　high　priest；　then　who　is　this
  Hanan？〃　I　asked。
  〃The　real　high　priest；　a　cunning　fox；〃　Pilate　explained。　　〃Caiaphas
  was　appointed　by　Gratus；　but　Caiaphas　is　the　shadow　and　the
  mouthpiece　of　Hanan。〃
  〃They　have　never　forgiven　you　that　little　matter　of　the　votive
  shields；〃　Miriam　teased。
  Whereupon；　as　a　man　will　when　his　sore　place　is　touched；　Pilate
  launched　upon　the　episode；　which　had　been　an　episode；　no　more；　at
  the　beginning；　but　which　had　nearly　destroyed　him。　　In　all　innocence
  before　his　palace　he　had　affixed　two　shields　with　votive
  inscriptions。　　Ere　the　consequent　storm　that　burst　on　his　head　had
  passed　the　Jews　had　written　their　complaints　to　Tiberius；　who
  approved　them　and　reprimanded　Pilate。　　I　was　glad；　a　little　later；
  when　I　could　have　talk　with　Miriam。　　Pilate's　wife　had　found
  opportunity　to　tell　me　about　her。　　She　was　of　old　royal　stock。　　Her
  sister　was　wife　of　Philip；　tetrarch　of　Gaulonitis　and　Batanaea。　　Now
  this　Philip　was　brother　to　Antipas；　tetrarch　of　Galilee　and　Peraea；
  and　both　were　sons　of　Herod；　called　by　the　Jews　the　〃Great。〃
  Miriam；　as　I　understood；　was　at　home　in　the　courts　of　both
  tetrarchs；　being　herself　of　the　blood。　　Also；　when　a　girl；　she　had
  been　betrothed　to　Archelaus　at　the　time　he　was　ethnarch　of
  Jerusalem。　　She　had　a　goodly　fortune　in　her　own　right；　so　that
  marriage　had　not　been　compulsory。　　To　boot；　she　had　a　will　of　her
  own；　and　was　doubtless　hard　to　please　in　so　important　a　matter　as
  husbands。
  It　must　have　been　in　the　very　air　we　breathed；　for　in　no　time　Miriam
  and　I　were　at　it　on　the　subject　of　religion。　　Truly；　the　Jews　of
  that　day　battened　on　religion　as　did　we　on　fighting　and　feasting。
  For　all　my　stay　in　that　country　there　was　never　a　moment　when　my
  wits　were　not　buzzing　with　the　endless　discussions　of　life　and
  death；　law；　and　God。　　Now　Pilate　believed　neither　in　gods；　nor
  devils；　nor　anything。　　Death；　to　him；　was　the　blackness　of　unbroken
  sleep；　and　yet；　during　his　years　in　Jerusalem；　he　was　ever　vexed
  with　the　inescapable　fuss　and　fury　of　things　religious。　　Why；　I　had
  a　horse…boy　on　my　trip　into　Idumaea；　a　wretched　creature　that　could
  never　learn　to　saddle　and　who　yet　could　talk；　and　most　learnedly；
  without　breath；　from　nightfall　to　sunrise；　on　the　hair…splitting
  differences　in　the　teachings　of　all　the　rabbis　from　Shemaiah　to
  Gamaliel。
  But　to　return　to　Miriam。
  〃You　believe　you　are　immortal；〃　she　was　soon　challenging　me。　　〃Then
  why　do　you　fear　to　talk　about　it？〃
  〃Why　burden　my　mind　with　thoughts　about　certainties？〃　I　countered。