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wn。　Seriously；　O　my　friend；　in　what　am　I　not　the　Messala　I　went　away？　I　once　heard　the　greatest　logician　in　the　world。　His　subject　was　Disputation。　One　saying　I　remember'Understand　your　antagonist　before　you　answer　him。'　Let　me　understand　you。〃

The　lad　reddened　under　the　cynical　look　to　which　he　was　subjected；　yet　he　replied；　firmly；　〃You　have　availed　yourself；　I　see；　of　your　opportunities；　from　your　teachers　you　have　brought　away　much　knowledge　and　many　graces。　You　talk　with　the　ease　of　a　master；　yet　your　speech　carries　a　sting。　My　Messala；　when　he　went　away；　had　no　poison　in　his　nature；　not　for　the　world　would　he　have　hurt　the　feelings　of　a　friend。〃

The　Roman　smiled　as　if　complimented；　and　raised　his　patrician　head　a　toss　higher。

〃O　my　solemn　Judah；　we　are　not　at　Dodona　or　Pytho。　Drop　the　oracular；　and　be　plain。　Wherein　have　I　hurt　you？〃

The　other　drew　a　long　breath；　and　said；　pulling　at　the　cord　about　his　waist；　〃In　the　five　years；　I；　too；　have　learned　somewhat。　Hillel　may　not　be　the　equal　of　the　logician　you　heard；　and　Simeon　and　Shammai　are；　no　doubt；　inferior　to　your　master　hard　by　the　Forum。　Their　learning　goes　not　out　into　forbidden　paths；　those　who　sit　at　their　feet　arise　enriched　simply　with　knowledge　of　God；　the　law；　and　Israel；　and　the　effect　is　love　and　reverence　for　everything　that　pertains　to　them。　Attendance　at　the　Great　College；　and　study　of　what　I　heard　there；　have　taught　me　that　Judea　is　not　as　she　used　to　be。　I　know　the　space　that　lies　between　an　independent　kingdom　and　the　petty　province　Judea　is。　I　were　meaner；　viler；　than　a　Samaritan　not　to　resent　the　degradation　of　my　country。　Ishmael　is　not　lawfully　high…priest；　and　he　cannot　be　while　the　noble　Hannas　lives；　yet　he　is　a　Levite；　one　of　the　devoted　who　for　thousands　of　years　have　acceptably　served　the　Lord　God　of　our　faith　and　worship。　His〃

Messala　broke　in　upon　him　with　a　biting　laugh。

〃Oh；　I　understand　you　now。　Ishmael；　you　say；　is　a　usurper；　yet　to　believe　an　Idumaean　sooner　than　Ishmael　is　to　sting　like　an　adder。　By　the　drunken　son　of　Semele；　what　it　is　to　be　a　Jew！　All　men　and　things；　even　heaven　and　earth；　change；　but　a　Jew　never。　To　him　there　is　no　backward；　no　forward；　he　is　what　his　ancestor　was　in　the　beginning。　In　this　sand　I　draw　you　a　circlethere！　Now　tell　me　what　more　a　Jew's　life　is？　Round　and　round；　Abraham　here；　Isaac　and　Jacob　yonder；　God　in　the　middle。　And　the　circleby　the　master　of　all　thunders！　the　circle　is　too　large。　I　draw　it　again〃　He　stopped；　put　his　thumb　upon　the　ground；　and　swept　the　fingers　about　it。　〃See；　the　thumb　spot　is　the　Temple；　the　finger…lines　Judea。　Outside　the　little　space　is　there　nothing　of　value？　The　arts！　Herod　was　a　builder；　therefore　he　is　accursed。　Painting；　sculpture！　to　look　upon　them　is　sin。　Poetry　you　make　fast　to　your　altars。　Except　in　the　synagogue；　who　of　you　attempts　eloquence？　In　war　all　you　conquer　in　the　six　days　you　lose　on　the　seventh。　Such　your　life　and　limit；　who　shall　say　no　if　I　laugh　at　you？　Satisfied　with　the　worship　of　such　a　people；　what　is　your　God　to　our　Roman　Jove；　who　lends　us　his　eagles　that　we　may　compass　the　universe　with　our　arms？　Hillel；　Simeon；　Shammai；　Abtalionwhat　are　they　to　the　masters　who　teach　that　everything　is　worth　knowing　that　can　be　known？〃

The　Jew　arose；　his　face　much　flushed。

〃No；　no；　keep　your　place；　my　Judah；　keep　your　place；〃　Messala　cried；　extending　his　hand。

〃You　mock　me。〃

〃Listen　a　little　further。　Directly〃the　Roman　smiled　derisively　〃directly　Jupiter　and　his　whole　family；　Greek　and　Latin；　will　come　to　me；　as　is　their　habit；　and　make　an　end　of　serious　speech。　I　am　mindful　of　your　goodness　in　walking　from　the　old　house　of　your　fathers　to　welcome　me　back　and　renew　the　love　of　our　childhood　if　we　can。　'Go；'　said　my　teacher；　in　his　last　lecture'Go；　and；　to　make　your　lives　great；　remember　Mars　reigns　and　Eros　has　found　his　eyes。'　He　meant　love　is　nothing；　war　everything。　It　is　so　in　Rome。　Marriage　is　the　first　step　to　divorce。　Virtue　is　a　tradesman's　jewel。　Cleopatra；　dying；　bequeathed　her　arts；　and　is　avenged；　she　has　a　successor　in　every　Roman's　house。　The　world　is　going　the　same　way；　so；　as　to　our　future；　down　Eros；　up　Mars！　I　am　to　be　a　soldier；　and　you；　O　my　Judah；　I　pity　you；　what　can　you　be？〃

The　Jew　moved　nearer　the　pool；　Messala's　drawl　deepened。

〃Yes；　I　pity　you；　my　fine　Judah。　From　the　college　to　the　synagogue；　then　to　the　Temple；　thenoh；　a　crowning　glory！the　seat　in　the　Sanhedrim。　A　life　without　opportunities；　the　gods　help　you！　But　I〃

Judah　looked　at　him　in　time　to　see　the　flush　of　pride　that　kindled　in　his　haughty　face　as　he　went　on。

〃But　Iah；　the　world　is　not　all　conquered。　The　sea　has　islands　unseen。　In　the　north　there　are　nations　yet　unvisited。　The　glory　of　completing　Alexander's　march　to　the　Far　East　remains　to　some　one。　See　what　possibilities　lie　before　a　Roman。〃

Next　instant　he　resumed　his　drawl。

〃A　campaign　into　Africa；　another　after　the　Scythian；　thena　legion！　Most　careers　end　there；　but　not　mine。　Iby　Jupiter！　what　a　conception！I　will　give　up　my　legion　for　a　prefecture。　Think　of　life　in　Rome　with　moneymoney；　wine；　women；　gamespoets　at　the　banquet；　intrigues　in　the　court；　dice　all　the　year　round。　Such　a　rounding　of　life　may　bea　fat　prefecture；　and　it　is　mine。　O　my　Judah；　here　is　Syria！　Judea　is　rich；　Antioch　a　capital　for　the　gods。　I　will　succeed　Cyrenius；　and　youshall　share　my　fortune。〃

The　sophists　and　rhetoricians　who　thronged　the　public　resorts　of　Rome；　almost　monopolizing　the　business　of　teaching　her　patrician　youth；　might　have　approved　these　sayings　of　Messala；　for　they　were　all　in　the　popular　vein；　to　the　young　Jew；　however；　they　were　new；　and　unlike　the　solemn　style　of　discourse　and　conversation　to　which　he　was　accustomed。　He　belonged；　moreover；　to　a　race　whose　laws；　modes；　and　habits　of　thought　forbade　satire　and　humor；　very　naturally；　therefore；　he　listened　to　his　friend　with　varying　feelings；　one　moment　indignant；　then　uncertain　how　to　take　him。　The　superior　airs　assumed　had　been　offensive　to　him　in　the　beginning；　soon　they　became　irritating；　and　at　last　an　acute　smart。　Anger　lies　close　by　this　point　in　all　of　us；　and　that　the　satirist　evoked　in　another　way。　To　the　Jew　of　the　Herodian　period　patriotism　was　a　savage　passion　scarcely　hidden　under　his　common　humor；　and　so　related　to　his　history；　religion；　and　God　that　it　responded　instantly　to　derision　of　them。　Wherefore　it　is　not　speaking　too　strongly　to　say　that　Messala's　progress　down　to　the　last　pause　was　exquisite　torture　to　his　hearer；　at　that　point　the　latter　said；　with　a　forced　smile；

〃There　are　a　few；　I　have　heard；　who　can　afford　to　make　a　jest　of　their　future；　you　convince　me；　O　my　Messala；　that　I　am　not　one　of　them。〃

The　Roman　studied　him；　then　replied；　〃Why　not　the　truth　in　a　jest　as　well　as　a　parable？　The　great　Fulvia　went　fishing　the　other　day；　she　caught　more　than　all　the　company　besides。　They　said　it　was　because　the　barb　of　her　hook　was　covered　with　gold。〃

〃Then　you　were　not　merely　jesting？〃

〃My　Judah；　I　see　I　did　not　offer　you　enough；〃　the　Roman　answered；　quickly；　his　eyes　sparkling。　〃When　I　am　prefect；　with　Judea　to　enrich　me；　Iwill　make　you　high…priest。〃

The　Jew　turned　off　angrily。

〃Do　not　leave　me；〃　said　Messala。

The　other　stopped　irresolute。

〃Gods；　Judah；　how　hot　the　sun　shines！〃　cried　the　patrician；　observing　his　perplexity。　〃Let　us　seek　a　shade。〃

Judah　answered；　coldly；

〃We　had　better　part。　I　wish　I　had　not　come。　I　sought　a　friend　and　find　a〃

〃Roman；〃　said　Messala；　quickly。

The　hands　of　the　Jew　clenched；　but　controlling　himself　again；　he　started　off。　Messala　arose；　and；　taking　the　mantle　from　the　bench；　flung　it　over　his　shoulder；　and　followed　after；　when　he　gained　his　side；　he　put　his　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　walked　with　him。

〃This　is　the　waymy　hand　thuswe　used　to　walk　when　we　were　children。　Let　us　keep　it　as　far　as　the　gate。〃

Apparently　Messala　was　trying　to　be　serious　and　kind；　though　he　could　not　rid　his　countenance　of　the　habitual　satirical　expression。　Judah　permitted　the　familiarity。

〃You　are　a　boy；　I　am　a　man；　let　me　talk　like　one。〃

The　complacency　of　the　Roman　was　superb。　Mentor　lecturing　the　young　Telemachus　could　not　have　been　more　at　ease。

〃Do　you　believe　in　the　Parcae？　Ah；　I　forgot；　you　are　a　Sadducee：　the　Essenes　are　your　sensible　people；　they　believe　in　the　sisters。　So　do　I。　How　everlastingly　the　three　are　in　the　way　of　our　doing　what　we　please！　I　sit　down　scheming。　I　run　paths　here　and　there。　Perpol！　Just　when　I　am　reaching　to　take　the　world　in　hand；　I　hear　behind　me　the　grinding　of　scissors。　I　look；　and　there　she　is；　the　accursed　Atropos！　But；　my　Judah；　why　did　you　get　mad　when　I　spoke　of　succeeding　old　Cyrenius？　You　thought　I　meant　to　enrich　myself　plundering　your　Judea。　Suppose　so；　it　is　what　some　Roman　will　do。　Why　not　I？〃

Judah　shortened　his　step。

〃There　have　been　strangers　in　mastery　of　Judea　before　the　Roman；〃　he　said；　with　lifted　hand。　〃Where　are　they；　Messala？　She　has　outlived　them　all。　What　has　been　will　be　again。〃

Messala　put　on　his　drawl。

〃The　Parcae　have　believers　outside　the　Essenes。　Welcome；　Judah；　welcome　to　the　faith！〃

〃No；　Messala；　count　me　not　with　them。　My　faith　rests　on　the　rock　which　was　the　foundation　of　the　faith　of　my　fathers　back　further　than　Abraham；　on　the　covenants　of　the　Lord　God　of　Israel。〃

〃Too　much　passion；　my　Judah。　How　my　master　would　have　been　shocked　had　I　been　guilty　of　so　much　heat　in　his　presence！　There　were　other　things　I　had　to　tell　you；　but　I　fear　to　now。〃

When　they　had　gone　a　few　yards；　the　Roman　spoke　again。

〃I　think　you　can　hear　me　now；　especially　as　what　I　have　to　say　concerns　yourself。　I　would　serve　you；　O　handsome　as　Ganymede；　I　would　serve　you　with　real　good…will。　I　love　youall　I　can。　I　told　you　I　meant　to　be　a　soldier。　Why　not　you　also？　Why　not　you　step　out　of　the　narrow　circle　which；　as　I　have　shown；　is　all　of　noble　life　your　laws　and　customs　allow？〃

Judah　made　no　reply。

〃Who　are　the　wise　men　of　our　day？〃　Messala　continued。　〃Not　they　who　exhaust　their　years　quarrelling　about　dead　things；　about　Baals；　Joves；　and　Jehovahs；　about　philosophies　and　religions。　Give　me　one　great　name；　O　Judah；　I　care　not　where　you　go　to　find　itto　Rome；　Egypt；　the　East；　or　here　in　JerusalemPluto　take　me　i