After the lightning came deeper darkness. Close to the litter was heard the sobbing of women, who also drew near the cross. There was something ominous in this sobbing amid silence. Those who were lost in the multitude began now to cry out. Here and there were heard terrified voices,-- "O Yah! oj lanu! [woe to us!] O Yah! Have they not crucified the Just One?" "Who gave true testimony! O Yah!" "Who raised the dead!" And another voice called,-- "Woe to thee, Jerusalem!" Still another,-- "The earth trembles!" A new lightning-flash disclosed the depths of the sky, and in them gigantic figures of fire, as it were. The voices were silent, or rather were lost in the whistling of the whirlwind, which sprang up all at once with tremendous force; it swept off a multitude of mantles and kerchiefs, and hurled them away over the height. Voices cried out anew,-- "The earth trembles!" Some began to flee. Terror nailed others to the spot; and they stood fixed in amazement, without thought, with this dull impression only,--that something awful was happening. But, on a sudden, the gloom began to be less dense. Wind rolled the clouds over, twisted and tore them like rotten rags; brightness increased gradually. At last the dark ceiling was rent, and through the opening rushed in all at once a torrent of sunlight; presently the heights became visible, and with them the crosses and the terrified faces of the people. The head of the Nazarene had fallen low on his breast; it was as pale as wax; his eyes were closed, his lips blue. "He is dead," whispered Antea. "He is dead," repeated Cinna. At this moment a centurion thrust his spear into the side of the dead. A wonderful thing: the return of light and the sight of that death seemed to appease that crowd. They pushed nearer and nearer, especially since the soldiers did not bar approach. Among the throng were heard voices,-- "Come down from the cross! Come down from the cross!" Antea cast her eyes once more on that low-hanging head, then she said, as if to herself,-- "Will he rise from the dead?" In view of death, which had put blue spots on his eyes and mouth, in view of those arms stretched beyond measure, and in view of that motionless body which had settled down with the weight of dead things, her voice trembled with despairing doubt. Not less was the disappointment rending Cinna's soul. He also believed not that the Nazarene would rise from the dead; but he believed that had he lived, he alone, with his power, good or evil, might have given health to Antea. Meanwhile more numerous voices were calling,-- "Come down from the cross! Come down from the cross!" "Come down!" repeated Cinna, with despair. "Cure her for me; take my life!"