The Coming of the King

The Coming of the King, by
Bernie Babcock

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Title: The Coming of the King
Author: Bernie Babcock
Release Date: January 15, 2007 [EBook #20367]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
COMING OF THE KING ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE COMING OF THE KING
BY
BERNIE BABCOCK

AUTHOR OF
THE SOUL OF ANN RUTLEDGE, ETC.

GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS ---- NEW YORK
Made in the United States of America

COPYRIGHT 1921
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY

To
THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND

CONTENTS
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 SWIFT
MESSENGERS XXX CLAUDIA'S DREAM XXXI KING OF THE
JEWS XXXII IN THIS SIGN XXXIII I AM

THE 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 of God 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