Laodice and the Maccabee were unable to see the woman; only her voice, mystic, musical, pitched at a singing monotone, intoning rather than speaking, reached them from the distance.  The long harangue, delivered as a chant, had long ago had a mesmerizing effect on her audience.  Absolutely she controlled them; along the dead level of her preaching they maintained a low continuous murmur, accompanied by a slight slow swaying of the body; in the climaxes of the appeal they responded with cries and wild gestures, flinging themselves about in attitudes characteristic of their frenzy.  In their faces was the reflection of a peculiar light that proved that derangement had settled over Jerusalem.  It was the end of the reign of reason.

“It is the abomination of desolation.  Even so, it is finished!  It is the time, it is full time, and Michael hath come.  There are seventy weeks; behold them.  The transgression is finished and the end hereto of all sins.  Approacheth the hour for the reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most Holy!  Prepare ye!”

Somewhere in the city a voice that was heard even by the fighting-men on the wall in Akra cried: 

“The Sacrifice has failed!  The Oblation is ceased!  There is no Offering for the Altar; none is left to offer it!”

The vast gathering heard it, and immediately from the high place of the prophetess came back the words, prompt and effective: 

“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:  and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease!”

Posthumus, buried in the midst of the crowd, was shouting, but over him the splendid mesmerism of the prophetess’ voice soared.

“The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children; they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people ...  The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; ... and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate!”

Among the crowd now growing frantic, people began to cry: 

“A sign!  A sign!”

Others shouted: 

“Lead us!”

“Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the Heaven of the Lord!”

“Lead us!” they still shouted.

They were hungry; they had been abstinent; they had surrendered their riches and their comforts.  It was not independence but necessities that they wanted now.  The primal wants were at the surface.