At its end the Roman
received a password. Then a door swung and again he was on the
pavements of Jerusalem, and, far away, could see the lights of Temple
Hill.
His conductor, returning, announced the departure of "the new voice."
"We will now hear from the keeper of records," said one.
A voice quickly answered: "He secured a lock of his hair."
"And what says the keeper of the hidden light?"
Then said another voice: "He now sees but one obstacle."
"And what says the Angel of Death?"
A low, deep tone broke the silence in which all waited. "The sixth day
before the kalends, he shall claim his own," so it answered.
"Enough," said the questioner. "The ways lead to safety. I bid you
go."
One by one the councillors began to leave. There was no treading upon
heels, for one was well out of the way before another was allowed to
go. So cunningly was their room devised that half the exits led to one
thoroughfare and half to another; and so many were they, it was said,
no more than two councillors came or went by the same door.
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