He could talk for a long time in this way, his eyes abstracted from Joseph, fixed on the darkness of the room.  While listening to him Joseph had often asked himself if there were a real inspiration behind that lean face, carven like a marble, with prominent nose and fading chin, or if he were a mere buffoon.

He succeeded in provoking a casual curiosity in Joseph, but he had not infected Joseph with any desire of his acquaintance; his visits to the counting-house had not been returned.  Yet this meeting on the hillside was not altogether unwelcome, and Joseph, to his surprise, surveyed the young man’s ringlets and bracelets with consideration; he admired his many weapons, and listened to him with interest.  He talked well, telling that the sword that hung from his thigh was from Damascus and recommending a merchant to Joseph who could be trusted to discover as fine a one for him.  It was not wise to go about this lonely hillside unarmed, and Joseph was moved to ask him to draw the sword from its scabbard, which Nicodemus was only too glad to do, calling Joseph’s attention to the beautiful engraving on the blade, and to the hilt studded with jewels.  He drew a dagger from his jacket, a hardly less costly weapon, and Joseph was too abashed to speak of his buckler on his left arm and the spear that he held in his right hand.  But, nothing loath, Nicodemus bubbled into explanation.  It was part of his project to remind his fellow-countrymen that they too must arm themselves if they ever wished to throw off the Roman yoke.

So long as the Romans substitute a Hebrew word or letter for the head of Tiberius on the coin we pay the tribute willingly, he said as they followed the crooked path through the rocks up the hillside towards Joseph’s house.  And in reply to Joseph, who asked him if he believed in the coming end of the world, he answered that he did, but he interpreted the coming end of the world to mean the freeing of the people of Israel from the Roman yoke, astonishing Joseph by the vigour of his reply; for Joseph was not yet sure which was the truer part of this young man, the ringlets and the bracelets or the shield and the spear.

He was partial to long silences; and the next of these was so long that Joseph had begun to wonder, but when they reached the crest of the hill he burst into speech like a bird into song, asking what was happening in Galilee, avouching much interest in Jesus, whom he had heard of, but had never seen.  Joseph, guessing that it was to obtain news of Jesus that Nicodemus sought him on the hillside, told him that he had not spoken of Jesus for many weeks, and found a sudden relief in relating all he knew about him:  how Jesus said that father, mother, brother and sister must be abandoned.  Yes, he had said, we must look upon all sacrifice as naught if we would obtain our ancient kingdom and language.  But the Essenes have never spoken like that, Nicodemus urged:  he is not an Essene, nor Moses, nor Elijah, nor Jeremiah.  He is none of these:  he is Judas Maccabeus come to life again:  and henceforth I shall look upon myself as his disciple.