LONGINUS. Yes, Lord. PILATE. Have you a scroll? [_Takes paper._] Right. Now some wax. [_Writes._] Give into his control The body of the teacher; see it laid Inside the tomb and see the doorway made Secure with stones and sealed, then bring me word. This privilege of burial is conferred On the conditions I have named to you. See you observe them strictly. JOSEPH. I will do All that himself would ask to show my sense Of this last kindness. I shall go from hence Soon, perhaps far; I give you thanks, my lord. Now the last joy the niggard fates afford; One little service more, and then an end Of that divineness touched at through our friend. [_Exit._ PILATE. See that the tomb is sealed by dark to-night. Where were you hurt, Longinus? You are white. What happened at the cross? LONGINUS. We nailed him there Aloft, between the thieves, in the bright air. The rabble and the readers mocked with oaths, The hangman's squad were dicing for his clothes. The two thieves jeered at him. Then it grew dark, Till the noon sun was dwindled to a spark, And one by one the mocking mouths fell still. We were alone on the accursed hill And we were still, not even the dice clicked, Only the heavy blood-gouts dropped and ticked On to the stone; the hill is all bald stone. And now and then the hangers gave a groan. Up in the dark, three shapes with arms outspread. The blood-drops spat to show how slow they bled. They rose up black against the ghastly sky, God, Lord, it is a slow way to make die A man, a strong man, who can beget men. Then there would come another groan, and then One of those thieves (tough cameleers those two) Would curse the teacher from lips bitten through And the other bid him let the teacher be. I have stood much, but this thing daunted me, The dark, the livid light, and long long groans One on another, coming from their bones. And it got darker and a glare began Like the sky burning up above the man. The hangman's squad stood easy on their spears And the air moaned, and women were in tears, While still between his groans the robber cursed. The sky was grim: it seemed about to burst. Hours had passed: they seemed like awful days. Then ... what was that? PILATE. What? Where? LONGINUS. A kind of blaze, Fire descending. PILATE. No. LONGINUS. I saw it. PILATE. Yes? What was it that you saw? LONGINUS. A fiery tress Making red letters all across the heaven. Lord Pilate, pray to God we be forgiven. PILATE. "The sky was grim," you said, there at the cross. What happened next?