the cloaks which they had borrowed, and stationed themselves in a place from whence they could see the judges, and hear everything that was going on.  Caiphas was seated in the centre of the raised platform, and seventy of the members of the Sanhedrin were placed around him, while the public officers, the scribes, and the ancients were standing on either side, and the false witnesses behind them.  Soldiers were posted from the base of the platform to the door of the vestibule through which Jesus was to enter.  The countenance of Caiphas was solemn in the extreme, but the gravity was accompanied by unmistakable signs of suppressed rage and sinister intentions.  He wore a long mantle of a dull red colour, embroidered in flowers and trimmed with golden fringe; it was fastened at the shoulders and on the chest, besides being ornamented in the front with gold clasps.  His head-attire was high, and adorned with hanging ribbons, the sides were open, and it rather resembled a bishop’s mitre.  Caiphas had been waiting with his adherents belonging to the Great Council for some time, and so impatient was he that he arose several times, went into the outer court in his magnificent dress, and asked angrily whether Jesus of Nazareth was come.  When he saw the procession drawing near he returned to his seat.

CHAPTER VIII.

Jesus before Caiphas.

Jesus was led across the court, and the mob received him with groans and hisses.  As he passed by Peter and John, he looked at them, but without turning his head, for fear of betraying them.  Scarcely had he reached the council-chamber, than Caiphas exclaimed in a loud tone, ’Thou art come, then, at last, thou enemy of God, thou blasphemer, who dost disturb the peace of this holy night!’ The tube which contained the accusations of Annas, and was fastened to the pretended sceptre in the hands of Jesus, was instantly opened and read.

Caiphas made use of the most insulting language, and the archers again struck and abused our Lord, vociferating at the same time, ’Answer at once!  Speak out!  Art thou dumb?’ Caiphas, whose temper was indescribably proud and arrogant, became even more enraged than Annas had been, and asked a thousand questions one after the other, but Jesus stood before him in silence, and with his eyes cast down.  The archers endeavoured to force him to speak by repeated blows, and a malicious child pressed his thumb into his lips, tauntingly bidding him to bite.  The witnesses were then called for.  The first were persons of the lowest class, whose accusations were as incoherent and inconsistent as those brought forward at the court of Annas, and nothing could be made out of them; Caiphas therefore turned to the principal witnesses, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who had assembled from all parts of the country.  They endeavoured to speak calmly, but their faces and manner betrayed the virulent envy and hatred with which their