Thomas B. Costain - The Silver Chalice

“You did it on an impulse.”

Her mood underwent another change. Her eyes began to flame with the same passion he had seen in them when she urged the crowd to attempt the rescue of Paul. Gone was the quiet lady of the house with a jingling ring of keys on her wrist, the patient companion of the aged merchant. Here was the Deborra for whom she had been named, the Deborra who roused the people of Israel against Sisera and the hosts of Canaan many centuries before in the days of Shamgar. “I would do it again! Did you see them come marching in, those lords of creation? They were saying to themselves, ‘We are Romans. Out of our way, Jewish scum!’ Did you see the arrogance of their eyes? And the brutal way they cut through the crowds with their swords? I could not stand it. Yes, I would do the same thing!”

“I think all Jews must be Zealots at heart,” said Basil.

“We are proud,” she said. “And we have always been so few. We have been surrounded by powerful neighbors who have made war on us. Because we have been so proud, they have tried to break us, to make us forget our ways and to worship their gods. They have led us away into captivity, and burned our temples, and tumbled down the walls of our cities. But we have never changed; and because of this, we are Zealots at heart, all of us.”

They turned back to the house then, but before they reached the door Basil came to an abrupt stop. He struck an angry hand to his forehead.

“I left everything behind!” he cried. “My tools. My materials. And—and the head of Paul! Now what am I to do?”

She became all contrition at once. “I am so sorry. It was my fault. My carelessness has done this to you.” Her eyes seemed on the point of filling with tears. “Was the head finished?”

He nodded. “Yes. And I was pretty well satisfied with it. I must go back at once and find it.”

Deborra gave her head a hasty shake. “That would not be safe. They may be on the watch for you to come back. No, Basil, we must wait and do nothing. I think it would be dangerous even to send anyone else to look.”

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