Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/175

Rh opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?"

The hour of temptation was fast passing away, the patient submission to God's will was near to its reward. The answer to the prayer of the Messiah was close at hand, His groanings and His trouble were about to have their fruit.

Gently, in a voice that reached only the two women, the Nazarene murmured: "Where have ye laid him?"

And the crowd, hoping and half believing that, at last, it was to see the miracle the nation had been expecting, howled and shrieked: "Show us Lazarus and we will believe.

Mary, in much humility, entreated the Lord to come and see the tomb where they had laid him.

Then, when the cry grew ever louder, "Show us Lazarus and it sufficeth us," Thomas approached the crowd and, raising his hand to still the tumult: "Men of Israel," he said, "wherefore call ye for Lazarus? Do ye not remember how our Lord spake in parables? How the rich man did call to Abraham from hell, and cried and prayed that Lazarus be sent unto his brothers from the dead, and how Abraham gave answer: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead'?"

But they cried only the more: "Show us Lazarus, show us Lazarus," though the shouts were now less boisterous.

Then Thomas perceived that Jesus was already following the two women towards the tomb of Lazarus, and that half the crowd were already beginning