“Quite,” replied Tertullus. “I have documents and witnesses enough to prove his guilt twenty times over.” “Why, then, need we go to the trouble of a public trial? Since you are certain of his guilt, I will do as did Antipas with him that was called ‘The Baptist’--send an executioner to his cell. How say you? Speak the word, and within an hour you shall have his head here upon a charger.” “Antipas’ act is a bad precedent,” returned Tertullus. “Your predecessor Festus, as Ananias there can testify, was more equitably minded. ‘It is not the manner of the Romans,’ said he, ‘to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.’”[4] “Words deserving to be written in letters of gold,” commented Crispus, to the manifest displeasure of Florus. “Moreover,” observed Rufus, “the people will never believe Simon dead if he be secretly executed.” “They will, when they see his head over the Prætorium gate.” “His crimes have been open and public,” said Tertullus, “let his trial be so.” “To-morrow?” said Florus. “Why not the next day?” “The day after to-morrow is a sabbath,” replied Tertullus. “The Jewish witnesses will refuse to attend court on that day.” “The sabbath! the sabbath!” repeated Florus pettishly. “Why is the sabbath greater than any other day?” “Why are you greater than other men?” asked Berenice gently. “Because, princess, it hath pleased Cæsar to make me so.” “Well, then, it hath pleased the Lord to make the Sabbath a greater day than any other,” smiled Berenice, never at a loss for an answer where her religion was concerned. “Will not the noble Florus,” said Crispus, “state the reasons for his delay in bringing this prisoner to trial?” The noble Florus did not reply to this pointed question. He frowned, and hesitated; but, with a son of the all-powerful Legate of Syria present as a witness of his irregularities, he felt he could not do otherwise than grant the just request of Tertullus. “Have, then, your way,” said he. “In the morning Simon shall be put upon his trial.” And with that he resumed his conversation with Berenice. “He’ll be sorry for that concession,” laughed Tertullus quietly; and then, turning to Rufus, he added, “See that Simon’s guards sleep not to-night. Florus is quite capable of taking him off secretly.” “You mean----” “I mean,” whispered Tertullus, “that the deferring of the trial is due to the fact that this Zealot, if brought into open court, could say something to the detriment of Florus; what, I would fain find out. Therefore, I say again, look well to the prisoner to-night.” Rufus promised that he would see to the matter. At this point the ears of the guests were attracted by a sound like that of cords passing over pulleys, and looking whence it came, they saw a curtain that draped a wide archway ascend, revealing behind it a stage.