The Robe Page #5

I wasn't angry. A man is not cheated

when he's satisfied with the price.

But you weren't the real loser.

They were only cheating themselves.

Good day.

Wait.

I'd like to camp overnight here.

Can you suggest a place?

I'd be glad to.

You seem to have great influence here.

Well, when age speaks,

youth listens, sometimes.

That's not what I mean.

- Are you their leader?

- I'm only a weaver.

Few travellers come to Cana.

What's the news from the great world?

The world's the same. But I've heard

that some new ideas have sprung up.

Ideas are...

Ideas are important. They grow like children.

- Have you any children?

- Several. And a grandchild.

We call him Jonathan, because he was born

with a crooked foot, like Jonathan of old.

Jonathan of old?

I don't suppose they teach

our history in Roman schools.

- Jonathan.

- Yes?

Wait for me.

- Didn't you tell me he was crippled?

- He's well now.

Jonathan, this is...

Caius Marcellus. How are you, Jonathan?

- I'm fine, thank you. Are these your donkeys?

- Yes.

Behind this house there's

a good place to camp, and a well.

Jonathan, come along.

It's time for you to eat.

- Already? It's early.

- Perhaps he would like a ride on a donkey.

- May I?

- Of course.

What's more, you can keep him.

From now on he's Jonathan's donkey.

- Mine?

- You are very generous, sir.

No. I'm still in your debt.

Is he one of us, Grandfather?

You are, or you wouldn't be giving things

away. Did Jesus tell you to do that?

You must have known him.

He straightened my foot.

- There you are.

- Go. Go.

Fast, go. Grandfather, look, I'm riding.

I'm riding my own donkey.

Look, everybody. He's mine.

David, look. He's my donkey. Mine.

Look, everybody. The man

down there gave him to me.

Jesus used to live near here,

you know. In Nazareth.

Almost everyone in Cana knew him.

Now upon the first day of the week

Very early in the morning

We came unto the sepulchre

And found the stone rolled away, rolled away

The great stone

Was rolled away

And we entered into the sepulchre

And found not the body of Jesus

And lo, a voice spake to us, saying:

"Why seek ye the living

among the dead, among the dead?"

"O seek not the living among the dead. "

"For he said unto you in Galilee

The Son of Man must be delivered

Into the hands of sinful men

And be crucified and rise again, rise again. "

"The Son of Man must rise again. "

And lo, Jesus appeared to us

And showed us his wounds

And he said unto us there:

"Go ye therefore, the blessed

And teach all the nations. "

"And I am with you always. "

"I am with you. "

"I am with you

Even to the end of the world. "

- Who is she?

- Her name is Miriam.

You've seen my grandson.

Miriam is another on whom Jesus looked.

Another miracle?

If you want to use the word.

When she was 15,

she was struck down by paralysis.

It left her hopelessly crippled,

and hopelessly bitter about life.

She ate herself away with hate and consumed

everyone with her envy and malice.

- But she's still a cripple. She can't walk.

- No, she can't.

If he was such a magician,

why didn't he cure her?

He did.

I don't understand.

- Have you had supper?

- No.

Perhaps you will honour my poor house.

Thank you.

Then one day there was

a wedding here in Cana.

The whole village took

part in it, all but Miriam.

She stayed home and wept.

A wedding, you see, when no man

would look at her and her twisted body.

But when her parents returned to the house,

they found her, as she is now,

as you saw her, smiling and singing.

Was Jesus at the wedding?

Yes. But he came late.

So now she spends her time

singing fables about the man.

But they're not fables.

Surely you don't believe

that he rose from the dead?

He lives more surely than we do.

He's dead. And no moonstruck girl

can sing him back to life again.

How do you know that he's dead?

A soldier told me.

A soldier who saw

the lance thrust into his side.

A soldier who was...

who was out there!

What's wrong?

Were you out there?

You're ill. Let me help you.

No. Let me alone.

Since the voyage, I've been indisposed.

Forgive me.

My master. These Romans drink

like pigs, but they pay well.

- What do you want?

- I have news.

This pedlar outside is fresh from Jerusalem.

He says the governor has ordered the arrest

of all these fanatics called Christians.

And for the leaders

they pay in gold, generously.

Justus is a leader, no?

I act under an imperial commission,

and I report to Tiberius, not to Pilate.

Fine. You are a rich tribune.

But what harm is it if I get

a few extra coins out of this?

Justus on the cross is worth

a year of good wine to me.

- Get back to Damascus, Abidor.

- But...

Leave now. Tonight.

You won't get rid of me

so easily, worthy merchant.

These Galileans are poor, but

they might pay well to know who you are.

And you are the man who crucified him.

You are his murderer, they are saying.

Stop! You are hurting me!

Let's go. Come on.

Kick him. Kick him.

- Kick him harder. Let's go.

- I'm kicking.

Go on, kick him. He'll go.

Kick him, that's it. He'll go. Kick him.

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning.

- Kick him.

- Jonathan, isn't it?

- Yes.

- Letting your friend have a ride?

- No, I gave him the donkey.

- You gave him the donkey?

- Did your grandfather tell you to do that?

- No, sir. I did it myself.

Why are you so angry?

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop.

I sit here so that I can watch people pass.

Well, wouldn't you be angry?

I gave him the donkey for himself.

Then it doesn't matter what he does with it.

I suppose not.

Is it that you resent

what our master taught us?

Why should I resent it?

He means nothing to me.

Then why do you consider him your enemy?

You see, we know

why you're here, Marcellus.

It's simple, really. No merchant, even

a stupid one, would have paid those prices.

And the look of you, those shoulders.

We guessed at once what you were.

Sit down, please, here in

the shade. The sun's hot.

Why must you do this, Marcellus?

Is it for Rome?

Yes.

And for myself, to save my reason.

Justus said you were ill.

- There's one who can help.

- No.

- He was crucified. That was the end of him.

- That was the beginning.

He's with his Father, but he left his word

with us and taught us how to use it.

Don't confess to sorcery.

You'll make things worse.

He was no sorcerer, Marcellus.

He cast no spells.

He only asked two things of us: "Love God",

he said, "and love ye one another. "

And he meant not only the Jews, but

Romans and Greeks, slaves and soldiers,

the strong and the weak, everyone.

He asked us to build our lives

on this love, this charity.

- To build a new world.

- Worlds are built on force, not charity.

Power is all that counts.

Perhaps we have something

better than power. We have hope.

That you of all people should say that.

What do you mean, Marcellus?

You say he could work miracles,

but he left you as he found you.

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