Then said John, "Good Hagar, I have a companion with me; can he not also come in?" "Where is he?" said Hagar. "Let him come in; why does he stand out in the cold?" John went to where Peter was standing, but came back alone. "Where is he?" said Hagar. "He stands on the threshold, but does not trust himself to come in," replied John. Then Hagar went to the door and said, "Come in, good friend; do not be afraid." All the soldiers cried, "Friend, come also in here to us and warm thyself!" Peter without saying a word timidly drew near to the fire and warmed his hands in the smoke. The men went on talking round the fire and Arphaxad said, after a pause, "We still see and hear nothing of the prisoner." Several then asked together, "How much longer must we wait here?" Then said Panther, "Probably he will come out from the trial as a man condemned to death." "I wonder," said Arphaxad, "whether his disciples will be sought after?" Peter trembled as the band with hoarse laughter cried aloud, "That would be a fine piece of work if they all had to be captured!" Then said Panther, "It would not be worth the trouble. If the Master is once out of the way, then the Galileans will fly and never let themselves be seen again in Jerusalem. But," said Panther, "one at least ought to receive sharp punishment; he who in the garden drew his sword and cut off Malchus' ear." "Yes, yes," cried the band, laughing, "that should be, as it is said, an ear for an ear!" "Ha, ha, ha, a good idea!" laughed Panther, "but that rule would here find no application, for Malchus has his ear back again." During this time, while the soldiers were laughing and talking, Hagar was curiously looking at Peter. Immediately a pause took place, Hagar said to Peter, "I have been observing thee for some time. Now, if I do not mistake, thou art one of the disciples of the Galilean. Yes, yes, thou wert with Jesus of Nazareth." Peter started up from the fire over which he had been warming his hands and stammered out, "I? No, I am not. Woman, I know him not, neither know I what thou sayest." When Hagar thus spoke all the soldiers looked at Peter, who fearing his attack on Malchus might be resented, tried to slip through the band and escape unobserved. Passing the fire, he came close to the other waiting maid, Sarah, who, looking him full in the face, said in a shrill voice, "See, this man was also with Jesus of Nazareth." The attention of the whole band being aroused, they all clustered around Peter, asking, "Art thou also one of the disciples?" Levi said, "Thou art one of them, quite certainly." Peter in the midst of armed and violent men, looked confusedly from side to side and declared, "Upon my soul--I am not--I do not know the man."