Joseph’s cheek paled, and Cleophas, noticing the pallor and interpreting it to mean Joseph’s anger against his friend for his insistence in putting questions which Joseph could not answer—for had he not rolled up the stone of the sepulchre and sealed it and gone his way?—took his friend by the arm and said: we must leave Joseph of Arimathea some time to attend to his business. We are detaining him. Come, Khuza, we are trespassing on his time. Joseph smiled in acquiescence; but Khuza, who was still anxious to learn how many Roman soldiers equalled one angel, hung on until Joseph’s patience ran dry. At last Cleophas got him away, and no sooner were their backs turned than Joseph forgot them completely as if they had never been: for Esora had said that she hoped to be able to get Jesus to swa
