of the vile, shall he suffer and endure the servile yoke.  He cannot there 770 neglect thy commandment; he is fettered in torture, bound in agony, the author of all sin.  If it be thy will, O King of angels, that He who was on the cross, and was born of Mary into the world in the 775 form of a child, the Lord of the heavenly host, shall rule—­and were He not thy Son, free from guile, never could He have wrought such a multitude of true miracles day after day in the world; 780 nor wouldst thou, O Lord of the peoples, so gloriously have raised Him from the dead before the nations, were He not thy Son in glory by that holy maid—­then do thou, O Father of angels, now show forth thy sign.  Even as thou didst hearken unto 785 the words of that holy seer, Moses, in prayer, when thou, O God of power, didst reveal unto the noble man in due time the bones of Joseph beneath the mountain-side, so would I, O God of hosts, if it be thy will, beseech thee in the name of that fair being 790 that thou, Creator of souls, wilt disclose unto me this treasure-house that long has been hidden from men.  Do thou now, O Prince of life, let rise up beneath the span of the heavens from this smiling 795 field a misty smoke.  Then shall I trust in thee better, and the more firmly establish my soul in undoubting joy upon the crucified Christ, that He is truly the Saviour of souls, eternal, omnipotent, and King of the Israelites, and that He shall rule 800 for ever in glory without end the everlasting dwellings in the heavens.’

Then from that place a mist rose up beneath the skies, like unto smoke.  Thereupon was the soul of the man exalted, and he clapped his hands unto 805 the heavens, wise and blessed.  And Judas spake, sage in thought:—­’Now have I truly perceived in the hardness of my heart that thou art the Saviour of the world.  Thanksgiving without end be thine, 810 O God of might, who sittest in majesty, that unto me in my misery and my sin thou dost uncover the secrets of the fates by thy glory.  Now I would pray thee, O Son of God, Giver of gifts to men, inasmuch as I know thou art revealed and born the 815 Glory of all kings, that thou never more be mindful of my guilt, O my Creator, which I have wrought not a few times against thee.  Let me, O God of power, dwell with holy joy among the number of 820 the kingdom in that fair city where my brother is exalted in glory, for he, Stephen, held covenant with thee, even though he was stoned.  He hath the reward of the fight, joy unceasing, and the wonders 825 that he wrought are set forth in books.’

Then, glad and zealous, he digged in the earth under the sod for the tree of glory until he uncovered and came upon three crosses together in a mournful home, hid twenty feet below, concealed 830 in their dark grave beneath the steep cliff, and covered over with sand, even as in days of yore the 835 host of the sinful, the race of the Jews, had clothed them over with earth.  They stirred up hatred against the Son of God, as they would not have done had they not hearkened to the teachings of the prince of evil.