Christ the Lord - Anne Rice [18]
She said nothing.
Finally I looked at her. I touched my chest with my fist lightly. “It hurt,” I said. “But it was to be cherished . . . forever.”
Reluctantly, she nodded.
We were both quiet.
At last I broke the silence.
“Now, tell Avigail,” I said. “Let her know that Jason asked for her. Jason is devoted to her, and I must confess, life with Jason would never be dull.”
She smiled. Again she kissed me, and she leaned on my shoulder as she rose to go.
James had come in. He made his pillow from his folded mantle and lay down to sleep near the wall.
I stared at the reddened coals.
“How long, O Lord?” I whispered. How long?
8
THE FACT WAS, all the maidens of Nazareth sighed for Jason, in their modest ways. And nowhere was it more obvious than the following evening, when the town went mad, packing into the synagogue, men and women and children alike, overflowing the benches, huddling in the doorway, and crowded together on the floor right up to the feet of the Rabbi and the elders.
At the first darkening, the signal fires had flashed the news into Galilee, which had already spread throughout Judea. Pontius Pilate's men had indeed installed their ensigns within the Holy City, and refused over the protests of the angry populace to remove them.
Blast after blast came from the ram's horn.
Pushed and shoved, we took our places as close to Joseph as we could, James struggling to control his sons, Menachim, Isaac, and Shabi. All my nephews were there, my cousins—in fact, every able-bodied man in Nazareth, it seemed, and those who couldn't walk on their own were being carried in on the shoulders of their sons or grandsons. Old Sherebiah who could no longer hear was being carried in.
Avigail, Silent Hannah, and my aunts were already seated among the agitated but largely silent women.
As Jason moved forward to declare the news in full, I saw Avigail's eyes fixed on him with the same absorption as the others.
Jason climbed up and stood on the bench beside the seated elders.
How dazzling he was in his daily white linen and blue tassels, with a bleached mantle over his shoulders. No teacher under Solomon's Porch ever looked more commanding, or ever so elegant.
“How many years ago was it,” cried Jason, “that Tiberius Caesar expelled the entire Jewish community from Rome?”
A roar went up from the assembly, even the women crying out, but all fell silent as Jason went on: “And now as we all know, this equestrian, Sejanus, rules the world for this heartless Emperor, whose own son, Drusus, Sejanus murdered!”
The Rabbi rose at once, demanding silence. We were all shaking our heads. This was a dangerous thing to say even in the farthest corner of the Empire. Never mind that everyone believed it. The ancient elders clamored as well for Jason to be still. Joseph motioned sternly for him to be silent.
“Reports of these ensigns in the Holy City have already gone to Tiberius Caesar,” cried the Rabbi. “Surely they have. You think the Lord High Priest Joseph Caiaphas stands by and watches this blasphemy in silence? You think Herod Antipas is doing nothing? And you know full well, every one of you, that this Emperor wants no riots in these parts, or anywhere in the Empire. The Emperor will send an order as he has done in the past. The ensigns will be removed. Pontius Pilate will have no choice in it!”
Joseph and the elders vigorously gave their agreement. The eyes of the younger men and women were fixed on Jason. And Jason only watched, unsatisfied. Then Jason shook his head No.
Again came the murmuring and suddenly shouts as well.
“Patience is what is required of us now,” Joseph said, and some attempted to hush others so that he could be heard. He was the only one of the elders even attempting to speak. But it was useless.
Then Jason's voice rang out sharp and mocking, above the noise.
“What if the Emperor himself never sees such a report?” demanded Jason. “What assurance do we have that this Sejanus, who despises our race, and always has, won't intercept