With some disciples, the master went down from the mount on which he had peregrinated towards the level ground, and he came near to the wall of a great city, to whose doors a great crowd had been assembled. Approaching himself to it, the master and his disciples noticed that a scaffold was erected and that the executioners were at work, intented to tear from the barrow a man weakened from the jail and the tortures, in order to drag him to the fetters. The crowd gruoped in order to assist to the show, throwing lassoes to the condemned and covering him with spits, and anticipating the decapitation with noisy and joyful greed. "Who is him?" asked each other the disciples "and what has he done to make the crowd desire with so much passion his death? Here we don't see nobody that shows to have mercy or that pours out a tear".
"I believe" the master sadly said "that he is a heretic". And they came a little closer, and when they were in contact with the crowd, the disciples asked informations with interest among people about the name and the crimes committed from the one that in that moment they saw forced to kneel down in front of the fetter. "He is a heretic" they shouted while interrogated. "Here, here, look how he fold the head, the damned! To death! As a matter of fact that mangy dog expected to teach us that the paradise city has only two doors, while we know very well that they are twelve."
The astonished disciples addressed to the master, and they asked him: "How did you understand it, master?" But he just smiled and to continue his road. "It has not been difficult" said finally in a whisper.
"Indeed, if he would be a thief or a murderer or a criminal of any kind, we would have noticed compassion and participation in people. Many would have cried, some would have sworne on his innocence. But if one has his own faith, people will attend without feeling pity for his martyrdom, and his body will be thrown the dogs".

Hermann Hesse

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