"Roads by Seabury Quinn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Quinn Seabury)

when he came into the city but four days agone. Milk of mein
he was, and very meek and humble, riding on an ass's colt,
which was a good sign, for the Jews have a tradition that
when kings go forth to war they bestride horses, but when
they go in peace they use an ass for mount. I think he is a
prophet rather than a priest or king, for afterwhiles he went
into the temple, and instead of making sacrifices preached
unto the people, bidding them to live as brethren, fear God,
honor the King, and render unto Caesar that which is his."
"Ha, sayest thou? I had feared otherwise. Caiaphas, the
chief priest, tells me he foments sedition, and urges that I
throw him into prison or give him over to be crucified as one
who preaches treason to the Empire."
"A priest's word -" the centurion began, the Governor
laughed as he completed the vulgar proverb.
"I know. A priest's word, the laughter of fools and the
anger of apes are alike to be regarded with contempt.
Natheless...." He paused in pensive silence.
"Caiaphas!" the big centurion pursed his lips as though
to spit. "That fatted swine! No wonder his religion bids him to
refrain from pig's flesh. Were he to eat of it he would be a
cannibal!"
Pilate nodded somberly. His quarrel with the high priest
was one of long standing, and one in which the victories were
even. Caiaphas had on occasion sent appeal to Rome, subtly
intimating that unless the Governor yielded some disputed
point there would be danger of rebellion. Word came back to

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Pilate that the Caesar held him personally responsible for
conditions in Judea, and that in case of revolution his would
be the blame. Thus the high priest triumphed in some
controversies. On the other hand the Governor had advantage
in that appeal in criminal cases and matters of taxation lay
with him, and by asserting this authority he would often bend
the prelate to his will.
"I would we had another pontifex," he mused. "One
more pliant to suggestion than this sacerdotal fool who rules
their priestly council."
The jingling clink of metal sword sheath on mailed kilts
sounded as a legionary hurried out upon the roof, halted and
saluted, then handed Claudius a scroll. The chief centurion
returned the military salutation and in turn delivered the rolled
missive to the Procurator.
"By Pluto's beard," swore Pilate as he broke the seal and
read the message by the light of a small lanthorn set upon the