The Last Temptation of Christ Part 16

aYes, the New Jerusalem. I did not know it myself until G.o.d confided the secret to me in the desert. Love comes only after the flames. First this world will be reduced to ashes and then G.o.d will plant his new vineyard. There is no better fertilizer than ashes.a aNo better fertilizer than ashes!a echoed a hoa.r.s.e, joyous voice which seemed like his own, only deeper and happier. Surprised, Jesus turned and saw Judas behind him. He felt afraid, for the redbeardas face flashed lightning, as if the coming flames had already fallen over him.

Judas rushed forward and clasped Jesusa hand. aRabbi,a he whispered with unexpected tenderness, amy rabbi ...a Never in his life had Judas spoken so tenderly to anyone. He felt ashamed. He stooped and pretended to ask something, though he himself did not know what; then, finding a small premature anemone, he pulled it up by the roots.

In the evening when Jesus returned and sat down once more on his stool in front of the hearth and stared into the fire, he suddenly felt that his inner G.o.d was in a hurry and would allow him to wait no longer. He was overcome by sorrow, exasperation and shame. Once more today he had spoken and waved the flames over the heads of the people. The simple fishermen and farmers had been frightened for a moment, but had then immediately regained their composure and quieted down. All these threats seemed to them like a fairy tale, and several of them had fallen asleep on the warm gra.s.s, lulled by his voice.

Uneasy and silent, he watched the fire. Magdalene stood in the corner and looked at him. She wanted to speak but did not dare. At times a womanas speech gladdens a man; at times it makes him furious. Magdalene knew this and remained silent.

There was no sound. The house smelled of fish and rosemary. The window facing the courtyard was open. Somewhere nearby some medlar trees must have bloomed, for their aroma, sweet and peppery, entered with the evening breeze.

Jesus got up and closed the window. All these springtime perfumes were the breath of temptation; they were not the proper atmosphere for his soul. It was time to leave and find the air which suited him. G.o.d was in a hurry.

The door opened. Judas entered and flitted his blue eyes around the room. He saw the teacher with his eyes pinned on the fire; saw high-rumped Magdalene, Zebedee, who had fallen asleep and was snoring, and under the lamp, the scrivener scratching away and filling his paper with blots. ... He shook his head. Was this their great campaign? Was this the way they were setting out to conquer the world? One clairvoyant, one secretary, one woman of questionable morals, a few fishermen, one cobbler, one peddlera"and all taking their ease at Capernaum! He curled himself up in a corner. Old Salome had already set the table.

aIam not hungry,a he growled; aIam sleepy,a and he shut his eyes so that he would not see the others, who presently sat down to dinner. A moth came in through the door, beat its wings around the flame of the lamp, went for a moment and fluttered in Jesusa hair, then began to circle the room.

aWeare going to have a visitor,a said old Salome. aWeall be pleased to see him.a Jesus blessed the bread, divided it, and they began to eat. No one spoke. Old Zebedee, who had been awakened for the meal, felt suffocated by so much silence. He could stand it no longer.

aTalk, lads!a he said, banging his fist down on the table. aWhatas wrong? Is there a corpse in front of us? Havenat you heard: whenever three or four sit down and eat and do not talk about G.o.d, they might as well be sitting at a funeral supper. The old rabbi of Nazaretha"G.o.d bless hima"told me that once, and I still remember it. So speak, son of Mary. Bring G.o.d again into my house! Excuse me if I call you son of Mary, but I still donat know what to call you. Some call you the son of the Carpenter, others the son of David, son of G.o.d, son of man. Everyone is confused. Obviously the world has not yet made up its mind.a aOld Zebedee,a Jesus answered, acountless armies of angels fly around G.o.das throne. Their voices are silver, gold, clear running water, and they praise G.o.da"but from a distance. No angel dares come too close, except one.a aWhich?a asked Zebedee, opening wide his well-wined eyes.

aThe angel of silence,a Jesus answered, and spoke no more.

The master of the house choked, filled his cup with wine, and emptied it in one gulp.

This visitor is certainly a kill-joy, he said to himself. You feel as if youare sitting at table with a lion. ... No sooner had this thought come to him than he became frightened, and rose.

aIam going to find old Jonah so that we can talk a bit like human beings,a he said, making for the door. But at that instant some light footsteps were heard in the yard.

aLook, hereas our visitor,a said old Salome, rising. They all turned. On the threshold stood the old rabbi of Nazareth.

How he had aged and melted away! There remained of him nothing but a few bones wrapped in a sun-baked hidea"just enough to give the soul something to catch hold of so it would not fly away. Lately the rabbi had been unable to sleep, and when he sometimes did fall asleep, at dawn, he would have a strange and recurring dream: angels, flames ... and Jerusalem in the form of a wounded, howling beast which had scrambled up Mount Zion. The other day at dawn he had dreamed the dream again and his endurance had given out. He jumped up, left his house, reached the fields, traversed the plain of Esdrelon. G.o.d-trodden Carmel towered before him. The prophet Elijah would surely be standing at its summit. It was he who dragged the rabbi onward and gave him the strength to mount. The sun went down when the old man reached the top of the mountain. He knew that three great upright rocks stood as an altar on the sacred summit and that around them were the bones and horns of the sacrifices. But as he approached and raised his eyes, he uttered a cry: the stones were gone! This evening three men with gigantic bodies stood on the summit. They were dressed all in white, like snow, and their faces were made of light. Jesus, the son of Mary, was in the center. To his left stood the prophet Elijah clutching burning coals in his fists; to his right Moses with twisted horns and holding two tables inscribed in letters of fire. ... The rabbi fell on his face. aAdonai! Adonai!a he whispered, trembling. He knew that Elijah and Moses had not died, and that they would reappear on earth on the fearful day of the Lord. It was a sign that the end of the world had come. They had appeareda"there they were!a"and the rabbi shook with fear. He raised his eyes to look. Gleaming in the dusk were the three gigantic sun-drenched rocks.

The rabbi had been opening the Scriptures for many years; for many years he had breathed in the breath of Jehovah. He had learned how to find G.o.das hidden meaning behind the visible and the invisiblea"and now he understood. He raised his crosier from the grounda"where did his ramshackle body find such strength?a"and set out for Nazareth, Cana, Magdala, Capernauma"everywherea"in order to find the son of Mary. He had heard of his return from the desert of Judea, and now as he followed his trail throughout Galilee he saw how the farmers and fishermen had already begun to compose the new prophetas legend: what miracles he performed, what words he uttered, which stone he stood on to speak, and how the stone was suddenly covered with flowers. ... He questioned an old man whom he met on the road. The old man lifted his hands to heaven. aI was blind. He touched my eyelids and gave me my sight. Though he instructed me not to say a word about it, Iam making the rounds of the villages, telling everyone.a aAnd can you inform me where he is now to be found, old man?a aI left him at Zebedeeas house, in Capernaum. Step lively to catch him before he ascends to heaven.a The rabbi stepped lively, was overtaken by nightfall, found old Zebedeeas house in the dark, and entered. Old Salome jumped up to welcome him.

aSalome,a the rabbi said, striding over the threshold, apeace be on this house, and may the wealth of Abraham and Isaac fall to its owners.a He turned and was dazzled by the sight of Jesus.

aMany birds pa.s.s over me and bring me news of you,a he said. aMy child, the road you have taken is rough and exceedingly long. G.o.d be with you!a aAmen!a Jesus answered in a grave voice.

Old Zebedee put his hand to his heart and greeted the visitor. aWhat wind blows you to my house, Father?a he asked.

But the rabbia"perhaps he did not heara"sat down next to the fire without replying. He was tired, cold and hungry, but he had no desire to eat. Two or three routes stretched before him, and he did not know which to take. Why had he set out and come? To reveal his vision to Jesus. But if this vision was not from G.o.d? The rabbi knew very well that the Tempter could take on G.o.das face in order to delude men. If he disclosed what he had seen to Jesus, the demon of arrogance might take possession of his soul, and then he would be lost and he, the rabbi, would have to answer for it. Should he guard his secret and follow him wherever he went? But was it right for him, the rabbi of Nazareth, to follow this most bold of revolutionaries, a man who boasted he would bring a new law? Just now on his way, had he not found Cana in confusion because of something Jesus had said which was contrary to the Law? It seemed that on the holy Sabbath he had gone to the fields and had seen someone at work clearing ditches and irrigating his garden. aMan,a he had said to him, aif you know what you are doing, may joy descend upon you; if you know not, may you be cursed, for you transgress the Law.a When the old rabbi heard this, he felt troubled. This rebel is dangerous, he reflected. Look sharp, Simeon, or youall find yourself d.a.m.neda"and at your age!

Jesus came and sat down beside him. Judas was lying on the ground; he had closed his eyes. Matthew had gone to his place under the lamp and was waiting, pen in hand. But Jesus did not speak. He watched the fire devour the wood and felt the rabbi next to him puffing as though he were still on the road.

Meanwhile old Salome made up a bed for the rabbi. He was an old man; he must have a soft mattress and a pillow. She also placed a small pitcher of water next to the bed so that he would not be thirsty during the night. Old Zebedee saw that the new visitor had not come for him. Taking his cudgel, he went out to find Jonah in order to breathe the breath of a human being againa"his house was filled with lions. Magdalene and Salome withdrew to the inner rooms so that Jesus and the rabbi could be alone. They had a presentiment that the two men had weighty secrets to discuss.

But Jesus and the rabbi did not talk. They both understood perfectly that words can never empty and relieve the heart of man. Only silence can do that, and they kept silent. The hours went by. Matthew fell asleep with the quill in his hand; Zebedee returned after having had his fill of talk and lay down next to his old wife. It was midnight. The rabbi had had his fill alsoa"of silence. He got up.

aWe said a good deal tonight, Jesus,a he whispered. aTomorrow we shall resume!a He drew toward his bed with sagging knees.

The sun rose and mounted in the sky. It was almost noontime, but the rabbi still had not opened his eyes. Jesus had gone to the lake sh.o.r.e to talk with the fishermen. He climbed into Jonahas boat to give him a hand with the fis.h.i.+ng. Judas walked around aimlessly, all by himself, like a sheep dog.

Old Salome leaned over the rabbi to try to hear if he was still breathing. He was. aGlory be to G.o.d, he is still alive,a she murmured. She was about to go away when the old rabbi opened his eyes, saw her leaning over him, understood, and smiled.

aDonat be afraid, Salome,a he said. aIam not dead. I canat die yet.a aWeave both grown old,a Salome replied severely. aWeare traveling further and further from men and are approaching G.o.d. No one can know the hour or the moment. Itas a sin, I believe, to say, aI canat die yet.a a aI canat die yet, dear Salome,a the rabbi insisted. aThe G.o.d of Israel gave me his word: aYou will not die, Simeon, unless you have seen the Messiah!aa But as he said this his eyes opened wide with fear. Could he already have seen the Messiah? Could Jesus be the Messiah? Was the vision on Carmel a vision sent by G.o.d? If so, the time had come for him to die! A cold sweat bathed his whole body. He did not know whether to rejoice or to begin to wail. His soul rejoiced: the Messiah had come! But his faltering body did not want to die. Panting, he got up, crawled to the door, sat down on the threshold to sun himself, and fell deep into thought.

Jesus returned toward nightfall, exhausted. He had fished with Jonah all day long. The boat overflowed with fish, and Jonah, overjoyed, opened his mouth to speak but then changed his mind and waded knee-deep into the ma.s.s of twitching fish, looked at Jesusa"and laughed.

That same night the disciples returned from the near-by villages. They squatted around Jesus and began to relate everything they had seen and done. Deepening their voices in order to frighten the farmers and fishermen, they had proclaimed the coming of the day of the Lord; but their auditors had continued to mend their nets tranquilly or to dig their gardens. Now and then they shook their heads, said, aWeall see ... weall see ...a and then changed the subject.

While the disciples were relating this, lo! the three apostles suddenly returned. Judas, who was silent and sitting off to one side, could not contain his laughter when he saw them.

aWhatas this mess youare in, apostles!a he shouted. aPoor devils, they must have beaten you silly!a And truly, Peteras right eye was swollen and running, Johnas cheeks were full of scratches and blood, and Jacob limped.

aRabbi,a said Peter with a sigh, athe word of G.o.d is a lot of trouble, a lot of trouble indeed!a They all laughed, but Jesus looked at them thoughtfully.

aThey did beat us silly,a continued Peter, who was in a hurry to reveal everything and relieve his mind. aAt first we said each one should take his own road. But then we were afraid, each one alone, and the three of us reunited and began the preaching. I climbed up on a rock or in a tree in the village square, clapped my hands or put my fingers to my mouth and whistled, and the people a.s.sembled. John spoke whenever there were plenty of women. Thatas why his cheeks are all scratched. When the men were in the majority, Jacob with his deep voice, took over; and if he grew too hoa.r.s.e, I got up and spoke. What did we say? The same things you say. But they received us with rotten lemons and boos because we brought, as they said, the ruin of the world. They fell on us, the women with their nails, the men with their fists, and now look, just look at the state weare in!a Judas guffawed again, but Jesus turned and with a severe look closed the impudent mouth.

aI know that I send you as lambs among wolves,a he said. aThey will revile you, stone you and call you immoral because you make war on immorality; they will slander you, saying you want to abolish faith, family and fatherland because our faith is purer, our house wider and our fatherland the whole world! Gird yourselves well, comrades. Say goodbye to bread, joy and security. We are going to war!a Nathanael turned and glanced anxiously at Philip. But Philip signaled to him as if to say, Donat be afraida"he talks that way just to test us.

The old rabbi was very tired. He had lain down again on his bed, but his mind was wide open: he saw and heard everything. He had made his decision now and felt tranquil. A voice rose up within hima"his own? G.o.das? perhaps it was botha"and commanded him: Simeon, wherever he goes, follow him!

Peter prepared to reopen his mouth. He had more to tell, but Jesus put out his hand. aThatas enough!a he said.

He got up. Jerusalem rose up before his eyes: savage, full of blood and at the height of despaira"which is where hope begins. Capernaum vanished along with its simple fishermen and peasants. The lake of Gennesaret sank away within him. Zebedeeas house narroweda"the four walls approached each other and touched him. Suffocating, he went and opened the door.

Why did he stay here and eat, drink, have the fire lighted for him and the table set noon and night? He was spending his time aimlessly. Was this how he intended to save the world? Wasnat he ashamed of himself?

He went into the yard. There was a warm wind which carried the smell of budding trees. The stars were strings of pearls around the neck and arms of the night. Below, at his feet, the earth tingled as though countless mouths were suckling at its b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

He turned his face toward the south, toward holy Jerusalem. He seemed to be listening intently and to be trying in the darkness to discern her hard face of blood-stained stones. And while his mind, ardent and despairing, flowed like a river past mountain and plain and was at last about to touch the holy city, suddenly it seemed to him that he saw a huge shadow stir in the yard under the budding almond tree. All at once something darker than night itself (that was how he was able to distinguish it) arose in the black air. It was his gigantic fellow voyager. In the still night he could clearly hear her deep breathing, but he was not afraid. Time had accustomed him to her breath. He waited, and then slowly, commandingly, a tranquil voice from under the almond tree said, aLet us go!a John had appeared at the doorway, troubled. He thought he heard a voice in the darkness. aRabbi,a he whispered, awhom are you talking to?a But Jesus entered the house, put out his hand and took his shepherdas staff from the corner.

aFriends,a he said, alet us go!a He marched toward the door without looking back to see if anyone was following him.

The old rabbi jumped out of his bed, tightened his belt and seized his crosier. aIam coming with you, my child,a he said, and he was the first to start for the door.

Old Salome was spinning. She rose also. She placed the distaff on her trunk and said, aIam coming too. Zebedee, I leave you the keys. Farewell!a She unbelted the keys from around her waist and surrendered them to her husband. Then she wrapped herself tightly in her kerchief, surveyed her home and with a nod of her head bid it goodbye. Her heart had suddenly become that of a twenty-year-old girl.

Magdalene rose also, silent and happy. The agitated disciples got up and looked at each other.

aWhere are we headed?a asked Thomas, hooking his horn onto his belt.

aAt this time of night? Why in such a hurry? Wonat tomorrow morning do?a said Nathanael, and he glanced sullenly at Philip.

But Jesus, with long strides, had already pa.s.sed through the yard and begun his march toward the south.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

THE FOUNDATIONS of the world were shaken because manas heart was shaken, crushed under the stones which men called Jerusalem, under the prophecies, the Second Comings, the anathemas, under the Pharisees and Sadducees, the rich who ate, the poor who were hungry, and under the Lord Jehovah, from whose beard and mustaches the blood of mankind had been running for centuries upon centuries into the abyss. No matter where you touched this G.o.d, he bellowed. If you said a kind word to him he lifted his fist and shouted, aI want meat.a If you offered a lamb or your firstborn son as a sacrifice, he screamed, aI donat want meat. Do not rend your clothes; rend your hearts. Turn your flesh into spirit, your spirit into prayer, and scatter it to the winds!a Manas heart was crushed under the six hundred thirteen written commandments of the Hebrew Law, plus the thousands of unwritten onesa"yet it did not stir; under Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, judges and Kingsa"yet it did not stir. And then suddenly at the most unexpected moment a light breeze blew, not from heaven, but from below, on earth, and all the chambers of manas heart were shaken. Straightway Judges, Kings, the prophecies, anathemas, Pharisees, Sadducees and the stones which men call Jerusalem cracked, tottered and began to tumble downa"at first within the heart, then in the mind and finally upon the earth itself. Haughty Jehovah once again tied on his leather master craftsmanas ap.r.o.n, once again took up his level and rule, went down to earth and personally began to help demolish the past and build the future along with men. But before anything else, he began the Temple of the Jews at Jerusalem.

Jesus went every day and stood on the blood-sprinkled paving stones. He looked at this overloaded Temple and felt his heart hammer against it to pull it down. It continued to stand, however, gleaming in the sun like a golden-horned garlanded bull. The walls were veneered right up to the roof in white marble streaked with sea blue: the Temple seemed to float upon a turbulent ocean. In front of him hung three tiers of chambers, one on top of the next. The lowest and widest was for the idolators, the middle one was for the people of Israel, and the highest for the twenty thousand Levites who washed and sandpapered, lighted and extinguished the lamps and cleaned the Temple. Day and night seven kinds of incense were burned. The smoke was so thick that the goats sneezed seven miles away.

The humble ark which enclosed the Law, the ancestral ark their nomadic forefathers had transported across the desert, had moored itself to this summit of Zion, put out roots, sprouted up, dressed itself in cypress wood, gold and marble and become a Temple. At first the savage desert G.o.d did not deign to inhabit a house, but so much did he like the smell of the cypress wood and incense and the savor from the slaughtered beasts that one day he lifted his foot and entered.

It was now two months since Jesusa arrival from Capernaum. Each day he went and stood in front of the Temple and looked at it; each day he seemed to see it for the first time. It was as though each morning he expected to find it crumbled to the ground and to be able to trample over it from end to end. He had no desire to see it any longer, nor did he fear it. In his heart it had already been destroyed. One day when the old rabbi asked him why he did not go in to wors.h.i.+p, he shook his head and answered, aFor years I circled the Temple; now the Temple is circling me.a aJesus, those are boastful words,a the rabbi objected, thrusting his aged head against his breast. aArenat you afraid?a aWhen I say aI,a a Jesus answered, aI do not speak of this bodya"which is dust; I do not speak of the son of Marya"he too is dust, with just a tiny, tiny spark of fire. aIa from my mouth, Rabbi, means G.o.d.a aThat is a still more terrible blasphemy!a cried the rabbi, covering his face.

aI am Saint Blasphemer, and donat forget it,a Jesus replied with a laugh.

One day when he saw his disciples standing before the imposing building in open-mouthed admiration, he became angry. aYou find the Temple astonis.h.i.+ng, donat you?a he said to them sarcastically. aHow many years were needed to build it? Twenty years? Ten thousand workmen? In three days I shall destroy it. Regard it wella"for the last time. Say goodbye to it, for there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down!a The frightened disciples stepped back. Could something have gone wrong with the teacheras mind? He had become so abrupt and strange lately, so obstinate. Odd, vacillating winds were blowing over him. Sometimes his face gleamed like the rising sun and everything around him was made to dawn; at other times his look was dark, his eyes despairing.

aDonat you feel sorry for it, Rabbi?a John ventured.

aFor what?a aThe Temple. Why do you want to demolish it?a aSo that I can build a new one. I shall build a new one in three days. But first of all, this one must vacate the land.a He took the shepherdas staff which Philip had presented him and banged it down on the paving. The wind of anger was now blowing over him. He looked at the Pharisees who were stumbling along and lacerating themselves against the walls, apparently blinded by the excessive splendor of G.o.d. aHypocrites,a he shouted at them, aif G.o.d took a knife and tore open your hearts, out would bound snakes, scorpions and filth!a The Pharisees heard, became frantic, and secretly decided to block this fearless mouth with dirt.

The old rabbi put his palm over Jesusa lips to silence him. aAre you courting death?a he asked him one day, his eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears. aDonat you realize that the Scribes and Pharisees run continually to Pilate and demand your head?a aI know, Father,a Jesus replied, abut I know still more, still more. ...a Bidding Thomas sound the horn, he mounted his usual platform on Solomonas Porch and once more began to proclaim, aIt has come, the day of the Lord has come!a Every day from morning till sunset he shouted in order to oblige the heavens to open up and hurl down their flamesa"because, as he well knew, manas voice is an all-powerful charm. You cried aCome!a to the fire or the dew, to the Inferno or to Paradise, and it came. Similarly, he was calling Fire. It would purify the earth, would open the way for the appearance of Love. Loveas feet are always pleased to step on ashes. ...

aRabbi,a Andrew asked him one day, awhy donat you laugh any more, why arenat you joyful, as you were before? Why have you grown continually more ferocious?a But Jesus did not answer. What could he say, and how could Andrewas nave heart understand? This world, he reflected, must be destroyed right down to its roots if the new world is to be planted. The old Law must be torn down, and it is I who shall tear it down. A new Law must be engraved on the tables of the heart, and it is I who shall engrave it. I shall widen the Law to make it contain friends and enemies, Jews and idolators: the Ten Commandments will burst into bloom! That is why I have come here to Jerusalem. It is here that the heavens will open. What will descend from heavena"the great miracle, or death? Whichever G.o.d desires. I am ready to ascend to heaven or to be hurled down into h.e.l.l. Lord, decide!

The Pa.s.sover was approaching. An unexpected vernal sweetness had flowed over the hard face of Judea. The routes of land and sea had opened up, and wors.h.i.+pers arrived from the four corners of the Jewish world. The bellowing tiers of the Temple stank from human beings, slaughtered animals and dung.

Today a great number of the ragged and the lame had a.s.sembled outside Solomonas Porch. With pale, hungry faces and burning eyes they looked maliciously at the well-fed Sadducees and at the rich, merry burghers and their wives, who were weighted down with bracelets of gold.

aHow long do you think youare going to laugh?a someone growled. aWeall soon cut your throats. The teacher said so: the poor will kill the rich and divide up their goods.a aYou didnat hear very well, Mana.s.ses,a snapped a pale man with sheep-like eyes and hair. aPoor and rich wonat exist any more; they will all be one. Thatas what the kingdom of heaven means.a aKingdom of heaven,a an ungainly beanstalk of a man interrupted, ameans that the Romans get out. A kingdom of heaven with Romans isnat possible.a aYou understood nothing of what the teacher said, Aaron,a replied a venerable man with rabbit-like lips. He shook his bald head. aIsraelites and Romans, Greeks and Chaldeans donat exista"nor do Bedouins. Weare all brothers!a aWeare all ashes!a shouted someone else. aThatas what I understood; I heard it with my own ears. The teacher said, aThe heavens will open. The first flood was of water; this one will be of fire. Alla"rich and poor, Israelites and Romansa"ashes!a a a aThe olive tree will be shaken, but two or three olives will remain at the top, three or four on the highest branches.a The prophet Isaiah said that. ... Courage, men. Weall be the remaining olives. All we have to do is keep the teacher close by, so that he doesnat get away from us!a These words were p.r.o.nounced by a man with skin the color of a charred pot, and round, popping eyes which stared at the white, dust-filled road to Bethany. aHeas late today,a he grumbled, aheas late. ... Take care, lads! Donat let him get away from us!a aWhere can he go?a asked old rabbit-lip. aG.o.d told him to do battle in Jerusalem, and itas here heall do battle!a The sun was in the middle of the sky. The paving steamed; the stench increased with the torrid heat. Jacob the Pharisee appeared, his arms loaded with amulets. He was publis.h.i.+ng the special grace of each: these cured smallpox, colic and erysipelas; these expelled demons; the most powerful and expensive killed your enemies. ... He noticed the ragam.u.f.fins and cripples, recognized them. His envenomed mouth cackled maliciously: aGo to the devil!a and he spat three times into the air to be rid of them.

While the ragam.u.f.fins bickered, each one twisting the teacheras words in accordance with the longing of his own heart, a huge and venerable man with a long stick bolted in front of them, sweating, covered with dust, his wide, still-unwrinkled face glistening.

aMelchizedek!a cried old rabbit-lip. aWhatas the good news from Bethany? Your face is all lighted up!a aRejoice and exult, men!a shouted the old notable. Weeping continually, he began to embrace them all. aA corpse has been resurrected; I saw it with my own eyes. He got up out of the tomb and walked! They gave him water and he drank; they gave him bread and he ate and spoke!a aWho? Who was resurrected, who was resurrected?a they all demanded, falling upon the old chieftain. People in the neighboring arcades heard. Men and women ran. Several Levites and Pharisees also came near. Barabbas was going by, his ear caught the uproar, and he too joined the crowd.

Melchizedek was delighted to see such a great mult.i.tude hanging on his lips. He leaned on his staff and proudly began to speak. aLazarus, the son of Eliakim. Does anyone know him? He died a few days ago and we buried him. One day went by, two, threea"we forgot him. Suddenly, on the fourth day, we hear shouting in the street. I race outside and see Jesus, the son of Mary of Nazareth, with Lazarusas two sisters prostrate and kissing his feet, lamenting for their brother. aIf youad been with him, Rabbi, he wouldnat have died,a they screamed, wailing all the while and pulling out their hair. aBring him back from Hades, Rabbi. Call him and heall come!a a aJesus took them both by the hand and lifted them up. aLet us go,a he said.

aWe all ran behind them until we came to the grave. There Jesus stopped. All the blood went to his head, his eyes rolled and disappeared, only the whites remained. He brought forth such a bellow youad have thought there was a bull inside him, and we all got scared. Then suddenly while he stood there, trembling all over, he uttered a wild cry, a strange cry, something from another world. The archangels must shout in the same way when theyare angry. ... aLazarus,a he cried, acome out!a And all at once we hear the earth in the tomb stir and crack. The tombstone begins to move; someone is gradually pus.h.i.+ng it up. Fear and trembling ... Never in my life have I feared death as much as I feared that resurrection. I swear that if I was asked what I wanted to see more, a lion or a resurrection, I would say a lion.a aLord have mercy upon us! Lord have mercy upon us!a the people shouted, weeping. aSpeak, Father Melchizedek, speak!a aThe women shrieked, many of the men hid themselves behind rocks, and we who remained trembled. The tombstone rose little by little. We saw two yellow arms and then a head all green, cracked and full of dirt; finally the skeleton-like body wrapped in the shroud. It put forward one foot, then the other, and came out. It was Lazarus.a The old chieftain stopped to wipe away the sweat with his wide sleeve. All around him the people were howling. Some wept, others danced.

Barabbas raised his huge hairy hand. aLies! Lies!a he shouted. aHeas commissioned by the Romans and cooked all this up with Lazarus. Down with traitors!a aShut your mouth!a bellowed a savage voice behind him. aWhat Romans?a They all turned and immediately recoiled. Rufus the centurion was coming toward Barabbas with his whip held high. A pale, blond-haired girl grasped his arm. She had been standing and listening to old Melchizedek the whole time, the tears running from her large green eyes. Barabbas slid away into the a.s.sembled humanity and disappeared, and behind him ran Jacob the Pharisee with his amulets. He overtook him in back of a column. There the two of them, their heads glued together, began to chatter: bandit and Pharisee became brothers.

Barabbas spoke first. aYou think itas true?a he asked anxiously.

aWhat?a aWhat they say: that he revived a corpse.a aListen well to what Iam going to tell you. Iam a Pharisee, youare a Zealot. Until now I always said Israel would be saved only with prayer, fasting and the holy Law. But now ...a aNow?a asked the Zealot, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng.

aNow, Zealot, Iam beginning to see things your way. Prayer and fasting arenat enough. A knife has got to be put to work here. Do you understand me?a Barabbas guffawed. aYouare asking me? Thereas no better prayer than the knife. Well?a aLetas start with him.a aWho? Speak clearly.a aLazarus. Itas of the first importance that we lower him once more into the ground. As long as the people see him theyall say, aHe was dead and the son of Mary resurrected him.a In this way the false prophetas glory will spread. ... Youare right, Barabbas, heas commissioned by the Romans to shout. aDonat bother about the kingdom of the earth,a he says; akeep your eyes on heaven!a And thusa"while we waste our time looking at the skya"the Romans will sit on our necks. Understand?a aWell? Do you want us to do away with him too, even if heas your brother?a aHeas no brother of mine; I want no part of him!a shouted the Pharisee, pretending to tear his robes. aI hand him over to you!a This said, he pulled himself away from the column and began once more to hawk his talismans. He had wound Barabbas up well and was content.

The crowd of paupers outside Solomonas Porch gave up hope of seeing Jesus arrive and began to disperse. Old Melchizedek purchased two white doves to offer as sacrifices in order to thank the G.o.d of Israel for taking pity on his people at last and sending them, after so many years, a new prophet.

The stones were on fire. The faces of the people vanished in the excessive light. Suddenly a cloud of dust arose on the road from Bethany. Happy cries; the whole village had closed up shop and was coming. First to appear were the children with palm branches and laurels. Behind the palm branches came Jesus, his face gleaming; farther back the disciples, red-faced and sweating as though each one had personally raised a man from the dead; and last of all, completely hoa.r.s.e from shouting, the Bethanites. They were all rus.h.i.+ng to the Temple. Jesus mounted the stairs two at a time, pa.s.sed the first tier and reached the second. A savage light gushed from his face and hands and no one could go near him. For an instant the old rabbi, who was running breathlessly behind him like the others, tried to cross into the invisible arena surrounding the master, but straightway he drew back as though licked by flames.

Jesus had just issued from G.o.das kiln and his blood was still furiously bubbling. He still could not believe it, nor did he want to: was the power of the soul so great? Could it order the mountains, Come! and indeed move them? Could it tear apart the earth and bring forth the dead, destroy the world in three days and rebuild it in three days? But if the strength of the soul was so all-powerful, then all the weight of perdition or salvation fell upon the shoulders of mankind; the borders of G.o.d and man joined. ... This was a terrifying, dangerous thought, and Jesusa temples drummed.

He had left Lazarus standing in his shroud over the tomb and had departed with unusual haste for the Temple of Jerusalem. It was the first time he had felt so invincibly that this world must at last see its end and that a new Jerusalem must rise from the tombs. The moment had come. This was the sign he had been waiting for. The hopelessly rotted world was a Lazarus. The time had come for him to cry out, aWorld, arise!a He had the obligation; and most frightening of all, as he now realized, he also had the strength. It was no longer possible for him to escape by saying, I am unable! He was able, and if the world failed to be saved, the entire sin must fall on him.

The blood rose to his head. On every side he saw the stares of the oppressed and the ragam.u.f.fins, who had all of their hopes pinned on him. Littering a savage cry, he jumped onto a platform. The people swarmed around him. Smirking, the rich and well fed stopped too, in order to hear. Jesus turned, saw them, and raised his fist.

aListen, you who are rich,a he shouted, alisten, lords of this world. Injustice, infamy and hunger can last no longer! G.o.d rubbed my lips with burning coals and I cry out: How long will you recline on beds of ivory and on soft mattresses? How long will you eat the flesh of the poor and drink their sweat, blood and tears? aI can stand you no longer!a cries my G.o.d. The fire is approaching, the dead are being raised, the end of the world has come!a Two huge ragam.u.f.fins seized him and lifted him above their heads. The mult.i.tude gathered around, waving palm leaves. Steam rose from the prophets fiery head.

aI have come not to bring peace to the world but a sword. I shall throw discord into the home, the son shall lift his hand against the father, the daughter against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-lawa"for my sake. Whoever follows me abandons all. He that seeks on this earth to save his life, shall lose it; and he that for my sake loses this temporary life, shall gain life for all eternity.a aWhat does the Law say, rebel?a shouted a wild voice. aWhat do the Holy Scriptures say, Lucifer?a aWhat say the great prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel?a Jesus answered, his eyes glistening. aI shall abolish the Law engraved on the tables of Moses and shall engrave a new Law in manas heart. I shall remove the heart of stone which men now have and give them a heart of flesh; and in this heart I shall plant a new Hope! It is I who engrave the new Law in the new hearts, and I am also the new Hope! I extend love; I open G.o.das four great doors, the East, West, North and South, for all nations to enter. The bosom of G.o.d is not a ghetto; it embraces the entire world! G.o.d is not an Israelite, he is immortal Spirit!a The old rabbi hid his face in his hands. He wanted to shout, Jesus, be quiet, this is a great blasphemy! but was too late. Wild cries of joy broke out. The poor howled with delight; the Levites booed, and Jacob the Pharisee tore his robes and spit into the air. The old rabbi gave up in despair. Weeping, he departed. aHeas finished,a he murmured as he went, afinished! What devil, what G.o.d, shouts from within him?a He went along, so fatigued that he stepped all over his feet. During all these days and weeks that he had been running behind Jesus, battling to understand who he was, his ramshackle body had completely melted away. Nothing was left now but a sun-baked hide wrapped around bones to which the soul clung and waited. Was this man the Messiah whom G.o.d had promised him or wasnat he? All the miracles he performed could also be performed by Satan, who could even resurrect the dead. The miracles therefore did not give the rabbi sufficient basis to pa.s.s judgment; nor did the prophecies. Satan was a sly and exceedingly powerful archangel. In order to deceive mankind he was capable of making his words and actions fit the holy prophecies to perfection. For these reasons the rabbi lay in bed at night unable to sleep and begged G.o.d to take pity on him and to give him a sure sign. ... What sign? The rabbi understood perfectly: death, his own death. When he brought this sign to mind, he shuddered.

He stumbled along in a cloud of dust. Bethany appeared at the top of the hill, fully devoured by the sun. Puffing, he began the ascent.

Lazarusas house was open. The villagers ran in and out in order to see and touch the resuscitated man, to listen carefully for his respiration, to discover if he could speak and if he was really alivea"or if, perhaps, he was a ghost! Fatigued and reticent, Lazarus sat in the darkest corner of the house, for light bothered him. His legs, arms and belly were swollen and green, like those of a four-day corpse. His bloated face was cracked all over and it exuded a yellowish-white liquid which soiled the white shroud which he continued to wear: it had stuck to his body and could not be removed. In the beginning he had stunk terribly, and those who came close held their noses; but little by little the stench had decreased, until now he smelled only of earth and incense. From time to time he s.h.i.+fted his hand and removed the gra.s.s which had become tangled in his hair and beard. His sisters Martha and Mary were cleansing him of the soil and of the small earthworms which had attached themselves to him. A sympathetic neighbor had brought him a chicken, and old Salome, squatting by the fireplace, was at present boiling it so that the resurrected man could drink the broth and regain his strength. The peasants came and stayed just a few moments to examine him attentively and speak to him. He answered their questions wearily with a laconic yes or no; and then others came from the village or the surrounding towns. Today the blind village chief came too. He put out his hand and fingered him avidly. aDid you have a pleasant time in Hades?a he asked, laughing. aYouare a lucky fellow, Lazarus. Now you know all the secrets of the underworld. But donat reveal them, wretch, or youall drive everyone up here crazy.a He leaned over to his ear and, half joking, half trembling, asked, aWorms, eh? Nothing but worms?a He waited a considerable time, but Lazarus did not answer. The blind man became enraged, took his staff, and left.

Magdalene stood in the doorway and gazed down the road which led to Jerusalem. Her heart was crying like a small infant. All these nights she had been having bad dreams: she saw Jesus marry, and that meant death. The night before, it seemed she dreamed of him as a flying fish which opened its fins, jolted out of the water and fell onto the land. It flapped spasmodically on the pebbles of the beach, struggling in vain to open its fins once more. Suffocating, its eyes began to grow dim. It turned and looked at her, and she all but perished in an effort to grasp it and replace it in the ocean. When she bent down and took it in her hand, however, it was dead. But all the time she held it, lamenting and bathing it in her tears, it grew, filled her embrace and became a dead man.

aI wonat let him return to Jerusalem ... I wonat let him. ...a She sighed and gazed down the white road in case he should appear.

But it was not Jesus who appeared on the road from Jerusalem. Instead, Magdalene saw her old father, all bent over and stumbling. Poor shrunken old man, she thought. In the awful state heas in, why does he want to follow our rabbi wherever he goes, like an aged faithful dog. I hear him get up at night, go out into the yard, prostrate himself and cry to G.o.d, aHelp me, give me a sign!a But G.o.d allows him to torture himself, apparently punis.h.i.+ng him because he loves him: and in this way the poor man is comforted. ...

She watched him mount now, supporting himself on his crosier. He frequently halted, looked back toward Jerusalem and stretched wide his arms, to catch his breath. ... All these days that father and daughter were together at Bethany they both forgot the past and spoke to each other again. Seeing that his daughter had abandoned the evil road, the rabbi forgave her. He knew that all sins are washed away by tears, and Magdalene had wept much.

The old man arrived, breathless. Magdalene stepped aside so that he could go through the door, but he stopped and imploringly took her hand. aMagdalene, my child,a he said, ayou are a woman: your tears and caresses have great power. Fall at his feet, beg him not to return to Jerusalem. The Scribes and Pharisees grew even more ferocious today. I saw them talking secretly among themselves, poison dripping from their lips. They are plotting his death.a aHis death!a exclaimed Magdalene, and her heart felt crushed. aBut can be die, Father?a The old rabbi looked at his daughter and smiled bitterly. aWe always speak that way about those we love,a he murmured, and then was silent.

aBut the rabbi is not a man like all the rest; no, heas not!a Magdalene said in despair. aHeas not! Heas not!a she repeated over and over again, in order to charm away her fears.

aHow do you know?a asked the old man. His heart leaped up because he believed in the presentiments of women.

aI know,a Magdalene answered. aDonat ask me how. Iam sure of it. Do not be afraid, Father. Who will dare touch him now that heas raised Lazarus?a aNow that he has raised Lazarus, theyare more frantic than ever. Earlier, they listened to his preaching and shrugged their shoulders. But now that the miracle has been made known, the people have found courage. aHeas the Messiah,a they shout; ahe revives the dead, his power is from G.o.da"letas go and join him.a Today men and women took palm branches and ran behind him. The cripples lifted their crutches and threatened; the poor became unruly. The Scribes and Pharisees see all this and fly into a maniacal rage. aIf we leave him a little while longer, weare done for,a they say, and they go incessantly to Annas, and from Annas to Caiaphas and from Caiaphas to Pilatea"digging his grave. ... Magdalene, my child, clasp his knees, donat let him ever enter Jerusalem again. We must all go back to Galilee!a He recalled a somber, pock-marked face. aMagdalene,a he said, aon my way here I saw Barabbas roaming about, his face as dismal as Charonas. When he heard my steps he hid himself in the bushes. That is a bad sign!a His weak body went slack. His daughter took him in her arms and brought him inside. She fetched him a stool, and he sat down. She knelt at his side.

aWhere is he now?a she asked. aWhere did you leave him, Father?a aAt the Temple. He shouts and his eyes throw out flames: heall set the holy building on fire! And what wordsa"my G.o.d, what blasphemies! He says heall abolish the Law of Moses and bring a new Law. He wonat go to meet G.o.d at the top in Sinai; heall meet him in his own heart!a The old man lowered his voice. aSometimes, my child,a he said, trembling, aI fear Iam going out of my mind. Or perhaps Lucifera"a aSilence!a Magdalene commanded, and she placed both her hands over the old manas lips.

They were still talking when the disciples, one behind the other, appeared at the door. Magdalene jumped up and looked, but Jesus was not among them.

aAnd the rabbi,a she asked in a heart-rending voice, awhere is the rabbi?a aDonat be afraid,a Peter answered her with a sullen expression; aheas coming right away.a Mary jumped up too. She left her brother and anxiously approached the disciples. Their faces were dark and troubled, their eyes dull. She leaned against the wall.

aThe rabbi?a she murmured weakly.

aHeas coming presently, Mary, heas coming. ...a answered John. aIf anything happened to him, would we leave him?a The sulking disciples scattered throughout the house, one far away from the next.

Matthew drew his papers out from under his s.h.i.+rt and prepared to write.

aSpeak, Matthew,a said the old rabbi. aSay something, and youall have my blessing.a aMy father,a answered Matthew, ajust now as we were returning all together, Rufus the centurion overtook us at the gate of Jerusalem. aStop!a he cried. aI have orders for you!a We were all paralyzed with fear. But the rabbi gave his hand tranquilly to the Roman. aWelcome, friend,a he said. aWhat do you want with me?a a aItas not me,a Rufus answered, abut Pilate who wants you. Come with me, please.a a aIam coming,a Jesus said calmly, and he turned his face toward Jerusalem.

aBut we all fell upon him. aRabbi, where are you going?a we cried. aWe wonat let you leave!a aThe centurion came between us and said, aDonat be afraid. I give you my word he means well.a a aGo,a the master commanded us, aand do not fear. The hour has not yet come.a aBut Judas interrupted. aIall come with you, Master; I wonat leave you.a a aCome,a said the master. aI wonat leave you either.a Off they went toward Jerusalem, the two in front and Judas behind like a sheep dog.a While Matthew spoke, the disciples, without a word, approached and knelt on the floor.

aYour faces are troubled,a said the rabbi. aYou are hiding something from us.a aWe have other worries, Father, other worries ...a Peter mumbled, and he fell once more into silence.