Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/138

126 "Go and fetch him!" cried a voice. But, even whilst the voice was lost in the tumult of disputings, two old people of the poorest class, leaning on sticks, approached, and the Jewish crowd, courteous in all its laws and ways, fell back to let age pass by unmolested.

"Here are his parents; mayhap they will know if he be their son," cried a scornful voice. "Give ear, give ear," cried the people; and then a dead silence ensued, while one of the Pharisees stepped up to the old couple.

"Speak," said he, with a tone of authority. "Is this your son who, ye say, was born blind? How, then, doth he now see?"

The crowd seemed electrified into silence, and a great hush fell on all while they waited for the answer. So sudden was the silence that Caiaphas could contain his curiosity no longer, but strode to the window and, laying a powerful hand on Nicodemus's shoulder, drew him back to make room for his own portly figure.

Too excited to resent this insult, Nicodemus explained the situation to the High Priest.

"See, there are the parents of the blind man, but they are so old and full of fear that they are slow to answer."

Then, in a voice he strove hard to make steady, the old man answered: "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind, but by what means he seeth, we know not; he is of age; ask him; he shall speak for himself."

Then, turning to the man again, the crowd shouted as with one voice: "How were thine eyes opened?