The Coming of the King

Bernie Babcock

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Coming of the King, by Bernie BabcockThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.orgTitle: The Coming of the KingAuthor: Bernie BabcockRelease Date: January 15, 2007 [EBook #20367]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMING OF THE KING ***Produced by Al HainesTHE COMING OF THE KINGBYBERNIE BABCOCKAUTHOR OFTHE SOUL OF ANN RUTLEDGE, ETC.GROSSET & DUNLAPPUBLISHERS —— NEW YORKMade in the United States of AmericaCOPYRIGHT 1921THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANYToTHOSE WHO UNDERSTANDCONTENTSPROLOGUE—THE CHILDPart One A. D. 32CHAPTERI IN THE NET II AT TIBERIAS III UNDER THE FOX'S NOSE IV IN THE VALLEY OF LILIES V HULDAH AND ELIZABETH VI HARD SAYINGS VII LOST—ANANKLET VIII STRANGE TALES ABE ABOUT IX SWEET IS THE SCAR X I WOULD SEE JESUS XI ON WITH THE DANCE XII ON THE ROOF XIII ORANGEBRANCHES XIV WITH WHAT EYES XV THE DEATH OF LAZARUS XVI HE CALLETH FOR THEE XVII THINK ON THESE THINGS XVIII THOU ART THE KINGPart Two A. D. 33XIX CATACOMBS COMRADES XX THE LITTLE TALLITH XXI ANOTHER PASSOVER XXII BRIDAL CHAMBER TALK XXIII YE GENERATION OF VIPERS XXIVBY THIS WITNESS XXV IN THE GARDEN XXVI CLAUDIA AND PILATE XXVII CAESAR'S FRIEND XXVIII ROSES AND IRIS AND TEARS XXIX SWIFTMESSENGERS XXX CLAUDIA'S DREAM XXXI ...

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• Publié par: gozap
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 40
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Coming of
the King, by Bernie Babcock
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the
terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Coming of the King
Author: Bernie Babcock
Release Date: January 15, 2007 [EBook #20367]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK THE COMING OF THE KING ***
Produced by Al HainesTHE COMING OF THE
KING
BY
BERNIE BABCOCKAUTHOR OF
THE SOUL OF ANN RUTLEDGE, ETC.
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS —— NEW YORK
Made in the United States of AmericaCOPYRIGHT 1921
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY
To
THOSE WHO UNDERSTANDCONTENTS
PROLOGUE—THE CHILD
Part One A. D. 32
CHAPTER
I IN THE NET II AT TIBERIAS III UNDER THE
FOX'S NOSE IV IN THE VALLEY OF LILIES V
HULDAH AND ELIZABETH VI HARD SAYINGS
VII LOST—AN ANKLET VIII STRANGE TALES
ABE ABOUT IX SWEET IS THE SCAR X I
WOULD SEE JESUS XI ON WITH THE DANCE
XII ON THE ROOF XIII ORANGE BRANCHES XIV
WITH WHAT EYES XV THE DEATH OF
LAZARUS XVI HE CALLETH FOR THEE XVII
THINK ON THESE THINGS XVIII THOU ART THE
KING
Part Two A. D. 33
XIX CATACOMBS COMRADES XX THE LITTLE
TALLITH XXI ANOTHER PASSOVER XXII
BRIDAL CHAMBER TALK XXIII YE
GENERATION OF VIPERS XXIV BY THIS
WITNESS XXV IN THE GARDEN XXVI CLAUDIA
AND PILATE XXVII CAESAR'S FRIEND XXVIII
ROSES AND IRIS AND TEARS XXIX SWIFTROSES AND IRIS AND TEARS XXIX SWIFT
MESSENGERS XXX CLAUDIA'S DREAM XXXI
KING OF THE JEWS XXXII IN THIS SIGN XXXIII I
AMTHE COMING OF THE KING
PROLOGUE
THE CHILD
"The fangs of the she-wolf are whetted keen for
Galilean flesh and else the wrath of Jehovah palsy
the arm of Rome, Galilean soil will run red with
blood from scourged backs ere the noon of a new
day."
The speaker, a slender woman wearing the garb of
a peasant, lowered a water-jar from her shoulder
and stood beside the bench of a workman, who
paused at his task to get news from the market
place.
"The souls for the cross—are they many?" he
asked.
"A score of hundred I hear whispered, but at
market place and fountain the spear of the soldier
presseth hard against the ribs of those who
congregate to exchange a word."
The man, who was fashioning a heavy yoke, lifted
his bearded face to that of the woman. "A score of
hundred!" he exclaimed. "To-morrow's sun will
climb over Tabor to the ring of axes cutting green
timber for twenty hundred crosses! The mercy ofGod on the victims!"
"Yea—and to-morrow's sun will set with the breeze
of evening wafting one great groan of agony over
the hills and vales of Galilee—one great sob of
lamentation—one great curse on the barbarians of
the city on the Tiber. And this for no crime save
that of poverty!"
"Insurrection," the man corrected. "The Gaulonite
raised, not a popular revolt, alas. It is but
insurrection."
"Insurrection!—and why not insurrection? The
Gaulonite may hang on a cross until the black
winged ravens pick his bones and wild dogs carry
them to desert places, but the Gaulonite speaks
the voice of our fathers for verily, verily, the soil of
the earth belongs to God, not men, and the toiler
should eat of the increase of his labor! Doth not
our toil yield the barley harvest, yet are we not
ofttimes hungry? Doth not our toil make the vine
hang heavy in the vineyard, yet do not our bottles
droop empty of wine? Doth not the substance of
our bitter toiling go to the tax-gatherer? Aye,
Joseph, thou knowest I speak truly. It is tax—tax—
tax,—land tax, temple tax, poll tax, army tax, court
tax—always tax; and when there is to be a great
orgy in the banquet halls of Rome, or Herod is to
give a mighty feast for that brazen harlot, his
brother's wife, are we not reduced to the bran and
vinegar fare of slaves to pay the cost? A curse on
Rome! A curse on Herod!""Hist, Mary, hist! Know'st thou not there may be
ears listening even now behind the pomegranate?"
The woman glanced nervously toward the door
where a leather curtain hung. She crossed the
room, lifted the curtain and looked out into the
court. It was empty save for a group of children.
She returned to the room and from the wall took
several small skin bottles which she placed by the
water-jar. Then she called, "Jesu! Jesu!"
In answer a lad of six or eight years appeared from
the court.
"Fill the bottles and hang them under the vine
where the night breeze will cool them for the
morrow."
When the child had done her bidding he stepped to
the door. "Mother," he said, "hear thou? There is
weeping in the home of Jael's father! Listen! Hear
thou—the children calling—calling?"
The woman went to the door. She listened a
moment and as the wail of a child sounded over
the court she said, "Aye, sore weeping. Why,
Jesu?"
"Jael's father went away yester morning and hath
not come again. A man saw him with many others
driven in chains like cattle. A stain of blood was on
his face—and he will not come again. Why did the
soldiers take Jael's father?"
"Hist, child. Talk not of Jael's father. Run and play."