midday
Pilate 's wife , nervous and overwrought , must claim Miriam to her apartments , so that nothing remained for me but to go to bed and doze off to the buzz and murmur of the city of madmen . * * * * * Events moved rapidly . Over night the white heat of the city had scorched upon itself . By midday , when I rode forth with half a dozen of my men , the streets were packed , and more reluctant than ever were the folk to give way before me . If looks could kill I should have been a dead man that day . Openly they spat at sight of me , and , everywhere arose snarls and cries . Less was I a thing of wonder , and more was I the thing hated in that I wore the hated harness of Rome .