第23章

　　Towardseveningtheygotup，andwenttomidnightMassatthegreatChurchoftheResurrection，wheretheLord’sSepulchreis。

　　ThepilgrimkeptclosetoEf&iacute；mandwentwithhimeverywhere。

　　TheycametotheChurch；agreatmanypilgrimswerethere；someRussiansandsomeofothernationalities:Greeks，Armenians，Turks，andSyrians。Ef&iacute；menteredtheHolyGateswiththecrowd。A

　　monkledthempasttheTurkishsentinels，totheplacewheretheSaviourwastakendownfromthecrossandanointed，andwherecandleswereburninginninegreatcandlesticks。Themonkshowedandexplainedeverything。Ef&iacute；mofferedacandlethere。ThenthemonkledEf&iacute；mtotheright，upthestepstoGolgotha，totheplacewherethecrosshadstood。Ef&iacute；mprayedthere。Thentheyshowedhimthecleftwherethegroundhadbeenrentasundertoitsnethermostdepths；thentheplacewhereChrist’shandsandfeetwerenailedtothecross；thenAdam’stomb，wherethebloodofChristhaddrippedontoAdam’sbones。ThentheyshowedhimthestoneonwhichChristsatwhenthecrownofthornswasplacedonHishead；thentheposttowhichChristwasboundwhenHewasscourged。ThenEf&iacute；msawthestonewithtwoholesforChrist’sfeet。Theyweregoingtoshowhimsomethingelse，buttherewasastirinthecrowd，andthepeopleallhurriedtothechurchoftheLord’sSepulchreitself。TheLatinMasshadjustfinishedthere，andtheRussianMasswasbeginning。AndEf&iacute；mwentwiththecrowdtothetombcutintherock。

　　Hetriedtogetridofthepilgrim，againstwhomhewasstillsinninginhismind，butthepilgrimwouldnotleavehim，butwentwithhimtotheMassattheHolySepulchre。Theytriedtogettothefront，butweretoolate。Therewassuchacrowdthatitwasimpossibletomoveeitherbackwardsorforwards。Ef&iacute；mstoodlookinginfrontofhim，praying，andeverynowandthenfeelingforhispurse。Hewasintwominds:sometimeshethoughtthatthepilgrimwasdeceivinghim，andthenagainhethoughtthatifthepilgrimspokethetruthandhispursehadreallybeenstolen，thesamethingmighthappentohimself。