Titus was walling against a wall; turning upon the Jews that same thing which they had reared against him.

As the Maccabee stood gazing transfixed at this grim work, he heard beside him an old voice say, with terrible conviction: "_O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!...

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation._" The Maccabee, shaken with the culmination of Rome's resolution and afraid in spite of himself, whirled angrily upon that voice speaking doom at his side.

There in the old ragged tunic bound about him with rope, stood the old man he had rescued and had sheltered persistently for many days.
The old man faced the young man's rage with supernatural composure and strength.

With clenched hands, the Maccabee stood away from him and felt that he threatened with his fists a hoary citadel that armies had beaten themselves against in vain.
The Maccabee did not speak to his old pensioner.