Read Online Mary of Nazareth by Marek Halter - Free Book Online Page B

He can never go back to his workshop. The mercenaries will destroy your house. You and your mother will have to hide in Galilee all your lives….”
    Miriam pulled herself free. “And what
you
don’t understand is that it’s better to die fighting! Better to die confronting Herod’s mercenaries than to be humiliated on the cross! Herod is winning, Herod is stronger than the people of Israel, because all we do is bow our heads when he tortures our loved ones in front of our eyes.”
    These words were followed by a stunned silence.
    Obadiah was the first to break it. He went up to Miriam and Barabbas. “She’s right. I’m going with her. I’ll hide, and at night I’ll go and take down her father from the cross.”
    â€œYou keep quiet or I’ll kick your backside!” Barabbas began, testily. Suddenly, he broke off, and he turned to his companions with a gleam in his eyes. “You know something? The little monkey’s right! It’s stupid to get ourselves slaughtered trying to enter the fortress. But once Joachim’s on the cross, that’s another story!”
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
    â€œ T HEY won’t let your father rot for too long in jail,” Barabbas explained eagerly. “Their jail’s too full. Once they’ve sentenced you, they can’t wait to crucify you. That’s when we’ll be able to save him. Taking him down from that damned cross. Obadiah’s right. We’ll do it at night. On the quiet, if we can. I’ve been dreaming of pulling off a stunt like this for a long time. With a little luck, we’ll even be able to save a few others with him. But we’ll have to be like foxes: get in there quickly, take them by surprise, and get away even more quickly!”
    His anger had passed. He was laughing like a child now, delighted to have thought up the trick he was going to play on the mercenaries of the Tarichea garrison.
    â€œRescuing people from the field of crosses in Tarichea! By God, if he exists, this is going to cause a stir. Herod will eat his beard! There’ll be hell to pay for the mercenaries!”
    They all laughed, already imagining their success.
    Miriam was worried. Wouldn’t it be too late? Before they tied him to the cross, her father could be beaten, badly wounded, even killed. People were often hung on the cross already dead.
    â€œThat only happens to the lucky ones. Those who’ve been granted a special favor to shorten their suffering. But in the case of your father, they’ll want to see him suffer as long as possible. He’ll hold out. They’ll hit him, insult him, starve him, that’s for sure. But he’ll grit his teeth and survive. And we’ll get him down off the cross on the first night.”
    Barabbas turned to his companions and informed them of what awaited them. “They won’t like us saving people from the cross. The mercenaries won’t leave us in peace after this. We won’t be able to come back here, it won’t be safe anymore, and in any case we won’t be able to show our faces around town again. Once we’ve pulled this off, we’ll have to separate for a few months and live on what we have—”
    One of the older ones interrupted him, raising his knife. “Don’t waste your spit, Barabbas! We know what’s in store for us, and we don’t mind. Anything that hurts Herod is fine by us!”
    They all cheered. In an instant, Herod’s former pool became the scene of intense activity, as Barabbas cried out orders and everyone prepared to depart.
    Obadiah pulled Barabbas impatiently by the sleeve. “I have to go and tell the others. We’ll leave without waiting for you, as usual, right?”
    â€œBut bring the mules and donkeys first. We’ll need the carts.”
    Obadiah nodded. He walked away, turned after a few steps, pointed at Miriam, and smiled, showing his bad