Amazingly active, as though running upon a dozen feet, laughable and terrible in his fury and entreaties, he threw himself madly in front of the crowd and charmed it with a certain strange power.  He shouted that the Nazarene was not possessed of a devil, that He was simply an impostor, a thief who loved money as did all His disciples, and even Judas himself:  and he rattled the money-box, grimaced, and beseeched, throwing himself on the ground.  And by degrees the anger of the crowd changed into laughter and disgust, and they let fall the stones which they had picked up to throw at them.

“They are not fit to die by the hands of an honest person,” said they, while others thoughtfully followed the rapidly disappearing Judas with their eyes.

Again Judas expected to receive congratulations, praise, and thanks, and made a show of his torn garments, and pretended that he had been beaten; but this time, too, he was greatly mistaken.  The angry Jesus strode on in silence, and even Peter and John did not venture to approach Him:  and all whose eyes fell on Judas in his torn garments, his face glowing with happiness, but still somewhat frightened, repelled him with curt, angry exclamations.

It was just as though he had not saved them all, just as though he had not saved their Teacher, whom they loved so dearly.

“Do you want to see some fools?” said he to Thomas, who was thoughtfully walking in the rear.  “Look!  There they go along the road in a crowd, like a flock of sheep, kicking up the dust.  But you are wise, Thomas, you creep on behind, and I, the noble, magnificent Judas, creep on behind like a dirty slave, who has no place by the side of his masters.”

“Why do you call yourself magnificent?” asked Thomas in surprise.

“Because I am so,” Judas replied with conviction, and he went on talking, giving more details of how he had deceived the enemies of Jesus, and laughed at them and their stupid stones.

“But you told lies,” said Thomas.

“Of course I did,” quickly assented Iscariot.  “I gave them what they asked for, and they gave me in return what I wanted.  And what is a lie, my clever Thomas?  Would not the death of Jesus be the greatest lie of all?”

“You did not act rightly.  Now I believe that a devil is your father.  It was he that taught you, Judas.”

The face of Judas grew pale, and something suddenly came over Thomas, and as if it were a white cloud, passed over and concealed the road and Jesus.  With a gentle movement Judas just as suddenly drew Thomas to himself, pressed him closely with a paralysing movement, and whispered in his ear—­

“You mean, then, that a devil has instructed me, don’t you, Thomas?  Well, I saved Jesus.  Therefore a devil loves Jesus and has need of Him, and of the truth.  Is it not so, Thomas?  But then my father was not a devil, but a he-goat.  Can a he-goat want Jesus?  Eh?  And don’t you want Him yourselves, and the truth also?”