. . . the learned Topsius came in excitedly with a fine piece of historical news. During our pilgrimage to Galilee, the Commission for Biblical Excavations had discovered in some ancient rubbish one of the marble tablets which, according to Josephus and Philon and the Talmud, were placed on the Temple near the Beautiful Gate forbidding the Gentiles to enter. And he insisted that we should go, as soon as we had swallowed our soup, to gaze at this marvel. For a moment in my memory flashed a gate beautiful indeed, precious and triumphant above the fourteen steps of green marble of Numidia. But I shook my arms roughly in revolt: “I will not go; I have had enough,” I shouted. “Once for all, I tell you, Topsius, solemnly, that from today I will not look at a single stone or holy place. I have had my dose, Doctor, and a pretty strong one too.”