When in meditation I behold the ruins of old castles and temples, see their neglected and forlorn state, and reflect on the uses to which they are now put, so different from the intentions of those who raised them, my mind always reverts to the events of our own days, when so many of the beautiful edifices erected by our pious and zealous ancestors are either destroyed, defaced, or used for worldly, if not wicked purposes.  The little church of our convent, in which our Lord deigned to dwell, notwithstanding our unworthiness, and which was to me a paradise upon earth, is now without either roof or windows, and all the monuments are effaced or carried away.  Our beloved convent, too, what will be done with it in a short time?  That convent, where I was more happy in my little cell with my broken chair, than a king could be on his throne, for from its window I beheld that part of the church which contained the Blessed Sacrament.  In a few years, perhaps, no one will know that it ever existed,—­no one will know that it once contained hundreds of souls consecrated to God, who spent their days in imploring his mercy upon sinners.  But God will know all, he never forgets,—­the past and the future are equally present to him.  He it is who reveals to me events which took place so long ago, and on the day of judgment, when all must be accounted for, and every debt paid, even to the farthing, he will remember both the good and the evil deeds performed in places long since forgotten.  With God there is no exception of persons or places, his eyes see all, even the Vineyard of Naboth.  It is a tradition among us that our convent was originally founded by two poor nuns, whose worldly possessions consisted in a jar of oil and a sack of beans.  On the last day God will reward them for the manner in which they put out this small talent to interest, and for the large harvest which they reaped and presented to him.  It is often said that poor souls remain in purgatory in punishment for what appears to us so small a crime as not having made restitution of a few coppers of which they had unlawful possession.  May God therefore have mercy upon those who have seized the property of the poor, or of the Church.

CHAPTER XVII.

Jesus before Pilate.

It was about eight in the morning, according to our method of counting time, when the procession reached the palace of Pilate.  Annas, Caiphas, and the chiefs of the Sanhedrin stopped at a part between the forum and the entrance to the Praetorium, where some stone seats were placed for them.  The brutal guards dragged Jesus to the foot of the flight of stairs which led to the judgment-seat of Pilate.  Pilate was reposing in a comfortable chair, on a terrace which overlooked the forum, and a small three-legged table stood by his side, on which was placed the insignia of his office, and a few other things.  He was surrounded by officers and soldiers dressed with the magnificence usual in the Roman army.  The Jews and the priests did not enter the Praetorium, for fear of defiling themselves, but remained outside.