And placing him in kindly charge, I left,
Joining my men who stayed for me below.
"Straight to the high priest's house we hurried on,
And Christus in an inner room we placed,
Set at his door a guard, and then came out.
After a time there crept into the hall
Where round the blazing coals we sat, a man,
Who in the corner crouched. 'What man are you?'
Cried some one; and I turning, looked at him.
'Twas Peter. ''Tis a fellow of that band
That followed Christus, and believed in him.'
''Tis false!' cried Peter; and he cursed and swore.
'I know him not--I never saw the man.'
But I said nothing. Soon he went away.
"That night I saw not Judas. The next day,
Ghastly, clay-white, a shadow of a man,
With robes all soiled and torn, and tangled beard,
Into the chamber where the council sat
Came feebly staggering: scarce should I have known
'Twas Judas, with that haggard, blasted face:
So had that night's great horror altered him.
As one all blindly walking in a dream
He to the table came--against it leaned--
Glared wildly round a while; then, stretching forth,
from his torn robes, a trembling hand, flung down,
As if a snake had stung him, a small purse,
That broke and scattered its white coins about,
And, with a shrill voice, cried, 'Take back the purse
'Twas not for that foul dross I did the deed--
'Twas not for that--oh, horror! not for that!
But that I did believe he was the Lord;
And that he is the Lord I still believe.
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