Page 143 - Eggs and Ashes pages

142 Eggs and Ashes

the way the boss intended to go but our man had no intention of following him.
Twenty-two
Our man went to the establishment and spilled the beans. They wanted to inter-
view the boss in person and he agreed to lead their militia to him. They paid our
man well – in silver.
Twenty-three
One night, while the firm, still blissfully unaware, enjoyed their annual dinner, the
boss hinted strongly that he knew what our man was doing. After an exchange of
words with the boss, our man left the meal early to do the deed.
Twenty-four
He led the militia to a secret garden where he knew that the boss and his partners
would be – he pointed to the boss and then kissed him. The soldiers acted on his
signal and the boss was arrested and taken away.
Twenty-five
Our man breathed a sigh of relief – he was now on the side of the establishment;
even if the partners tried to get back at him (they had little chance) their reputa-
tions, with the boss arrested, would be in tatters.
Twenty-six
Later he heard the news: the establishment had sentenced the boss to death. He’d
not meant that; he thought they’d just … well, he wasn’t sure what he’d thought
– but he hadn’t wanted anyone to be killed. And he certainly didn’t want to be
blamed or held responsible for the boss’s death.
Twenty-seven
He went back to the establishment; he tried to tell them that the boss was really a
good man, foolish maybe, deserving punishment perhaps, but not death. He tried
to give them back the money they’d paid him, said he’d made a mistake, and they
laughed at him and told him to go away; and he did, throwing the money down
on the floor as he ran out.
Twenty-eight
Our man could not cope. He hung himself.
He died by his own hand and his boss died at the hands of strangers.
Twenty-nine
The firm broke up. The partners went into hiding
Thirty – yes, that’s it, thirty pieces of silver:
The money they paid our man Judas to betray his boss, Jesus.
They’re going to use it, somewhat fittingly, to buy a burial ground.

Ruth Burgess