poured some fresh vinegar upon it, and fastening it to a reed, put the
reed at the end of a lance, and presented it for Jesus to drink. I
heard our Lord say several other things, but I only remember these
words: 'When my voice shall be silent, the mouths of the dead shall be
opened.' Some of the bystanders cried out: 'He blasphemeth again.' But
Abenadar compelled them to be silent.

The hour of our Lord was at last come; his death-struggle had
commenced; a cold sweat overspread every limb. John stood at the foot
of the Cross, and wiped the feet of Jesus with his scapular. Magdalen
was crouched to the ground in a perfect frenzy of grief behind the
Cross. The Blessed Virgin stood between Jesus and the good thief,
supported by Salome and Mary of Cleophas, with her eyes rivetted on the
countenance of her dying Son. Jesus then said: 'It is consummated;' and,
raising his head, cried out in a loud voice, 'Father, into thy hands I
commend my spirit.' These words, which he uttered in a clear and
thrilling tone, resounded through heaven and earth; and a moment after,
he bowed down his head and gave up the ghost. I saw his soul, under the
appearance of a bright meteor, penetrate the earth at the foot of the
Cross. John and the holy women fell prostrate on the ground. The
centurion Abenadar had kept his eyes steadfastly fixed on the
disfigured countenance of our Lord, and was perfectly overwhelmed by
all that had taken place. When our Lord pronounced his last words,
before expiring, in a loud tone, the earth trembled, and the rock of
Calvary burst asunder, forming a deep chasm between the Cross of our
Lord and that of Gesmas. The voice of God--that solemn and terrible
voice--had re-echoed through the whole universe; it had broken the solemn
silence which then pervaded all nature. All was accomplished. The soul
of our Lord had left his body: his last cry had filled every breast
with terror. The convulsed earth had paid homage to its Creator: the