The mutter of the water in the valley below them arose and grew louder in the silence; as Jesus prepared to speak his secret the doors of the lecture-room opened and the monks came out singing: 

    In the Lord put I my trust: 
    How say ye to my soul, Flee
    As a bird to your mountain? 
    For, lo, the wicked bend their
    Bow, they make ready their arrow
    Upon the string, that they may privily
    Shoot at the upright in heart. 
    If the foundations be destroyed, what
    Can the righteous do? 
    For the righteous Lord loveth
    Righteousness; his countenance
    Doth behold the upright.

The words of the psalm are intended for me, Jesus whispered, and now that the brethren are here I may not speak, but to-morrow——­ There may be no to-morrow for us, the president answered.  Even so, Jesus answered, I cannot speak to-night.  It is as if I were bidden to withhold my secret till to-morrow.  We know not why we speak or why we are silent, but silence has been put upon me by the words of the psalm.  Be it so, the president answered, and he was helped by Saddoc and Manahem to his feet.  Our Brother Jesus, he said, has given over the charge of our flocks to a young shepherd in whom he has confidence, and Jesus sleeps under a roof to-night, the first for many years, for, like us, he is getting older, and the rains and blasts of last winter have gone into his bones.  All the cells, Father, Saddoc replied, are filled.  I know that well, Saddoc, Hazael said as he went out; Jesus can sleep here on these benches; a mattress and a cloak will be sufficient for him who has slept in caverns, or in valleys on heaps of stones that he piled so that he might not drown in the rains.  Manahem will get thee a mattress, Jesus; he knows where to find one.  I am strong enough to walk alone, Saddoc.  And disengaging himself from Saddoc’s arm he walked with the monks towards his cell, joining them in the psalm: 

    All the powers of the Lord
    Bless ye the Lord; praise and
    Exalt him above all for ever.

As the doors of the cell closed Saddoc approached Jesus, and, breaking his reverie, he said:  thou hast returned to us at last; and it was not too soon, for the winter rains are cold on bones as old as thine.  But here comes Manahem with a mattress for thee.  On the bench here, Manahem; on the bench he’ll lie comfortably, and we’ll get him a covering, for the nights are often chilly though the days be hot, we must try to make a comfortable resting-place for him that has guarded our flocks these long years.  Wilt tell us if thou beest glad to yield thy flock to Jacob and if he will sell ewes and rams to the Temple for sacrifice?  Ask me not any questions to-night, Brother Saddoc, for I’m troubled in mind.  Forgive me my question, Jesus, Saddoc answered, and the three Essenes, leaning over the edge of the gorge, stood listening to the mutter of the brook.