When the cruel men heard this, far from being moved to compassion, they
began to make game of the grief of this most afflicted Mother: they
pointed at her, and one of them took the nails which were to be used
for fastening Jesus to the cross, and presented them to her in an
insulting manner; but she turned away, fixed her eyes upon Jesus, who
was drawing near, and leant against the pillar for support, lest she
should again faint from grief, for her cheeks were as pale as death,
and her lips almost blue. The Pharisees on horseback passed by first,
followed by the boy who carried the inscription. Then came her beloved
Son. He was almost sinking under the heavy weight of his cross, and his
head, still crowned with thorns, was drooping in agony on his shoulder.
He cast a look of compassion and sorrow upon his Mother, staggered, and
fell for the second time upon his hands and knees. Mary was perfectly
agonised at this sight; she forgot all else; she saw neither soldiers
nor executioners; she saw nothing but her dearly-loved Son; and,
springing from the doorway into the midst of the group who were
insulting and abusing him, she threw herself on her knees by his side
and embraced him. The only words I heard were, 'Beloved Son!' and 'Mother!' but
I do not know whether these words were really uttered, or whether they
were only in my own mind.

A momentary confusion ensued. John and the holy women endeavoured to
raise Mary from the ground, and the archers reproached her, one of them
saying, 'What hast thou to do her, woman? He would not have been in our
hands if he had been better brought up.'

A few of the soldiers looked touched; and, although they obliged the
Blessed Virgin to retire to the doorway, not one laid hands upon her.
John and the women surrounded her as she fell half fainting against a
stone, which was near the doorway, and upon which the impression of her