addressed them in a few mournful words, which they accompanied with
tears. Everyone appeared to regard John with feelings of respect;
because he had remained with Jesus until he expired; but with these
sentiments of respect was mingled a deep feeling of shame and
confusion, when they reflected on their own cowardly conduct in
abandoning their Lord and Master in the hour of need. John spoke to
everyone with the greatest charity and kindness; his manner was modest
and unassuming as that of a child, and he seemed to fear receiving
praise. I saw the assembled group take one meal during that day, but
its members were, for the most part, silent; not a sound was to be
heard throughout the house, and the doors were tightly closed,
although, in fact, there was no likelihood of anyone disturbing them,
as the house belonged to Nicodemus, and he had let it to them for the
time of the festival.

The holy women remained in this room until nightfall; it was lighted
up by a single lamp; the doors were closed, and curtains drawn over the
windows. Sometimes they gathered round the Blessed Virgin and prayed
under the lamp; at other times they retired to the side of the room,
covered their heads with black veils, and either sat on ashes (the sign
of mourning), or prayed with their faces turned towards the wall; those
whose health was delicate took a little food, but the others fasted.

I looked at them again and again, and I saw them ever occupied in
the same manner, that is to say, either in prayer or in mourning over
the sufferings of their beloved Master. When my thoughts wandered from
the contemplation of the Blessed Virgin to that of her Divine Son, I
beheld the holy sepulchre with six or seven sentinels at the
entrance--Cassius standing against the door of the cave, apparently in
deep meditation, the exterior door closed, and the stone rolled close