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prisoner's dark eyes.
A woman's shrill laughter roused him. Around the fire, he saw

two soldiers of the garrison, the prisoner, and two ragged women. In
the shadows lurked a huge hulk of another man. The soldier watched
the scene as if he were dreaming and unable to move. One of the
women said something about a follower, and the soldier caught the
hoarse reply of an emphatic, "No!" from the shadows where the
stranger stood.

"Are you sure you don't know him?" mocked one of the soldiers.
And again came the hoarse reply, "No, I don't."
The soldier sat up. "Are you talking about the prisoner? Who is
he?"
The others looked for reply toward the big man in the shadows.
The man lifted his head toward the brightly lighted governor's house.
Inside an angry official was shouting something about "truth". The
big man turned back to the group around the fire. Slowly, emphasiz-
ing each word, he said, "I'm sure you are mistaken. I do not know the
man."
Off in the distance a rooster crowed. This seemed to arrest the
big man's attention, for he jerked his head in the direction of the
sound. The soldier watched him raise his clenched fists above his large
head as if to shout. But no sound came. As the fire shone in his face,
tears streamed down the man's cheeks. Suddenly he began to sob,
and the soldier thought he sounded much like the little. man who had
come to the house earlier. The big man turned then and ran down
the back alley, into the shadows of the morning.
And now the soldier stood before the flames, warming himself and
thinking of these things. The others had left the fire, so he put it out
himself and began to prepare for the day's work ahead. He had
heard that the detail for today for his detachment was to lead three
thieves up to Golgotha ..

First Memory

I remember being three,
not very big.

And we moved to another house.
The rooms were high

and I
Was very near the floor.

F. Fay

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