Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/176

164 to go after Him. Many faces he recognised amongst them, among others that of Nicodemus, eager and anxious. Presently he came up to Thomas.

"Why asketh He where they have laid Lazarus?" he inquired of the disciple. "Surely He knoweth all things?"

"Methinks it is lest the Jews should imagine that we have agreed upon some trickery, for they seek daily to destroy the Lord."

"Thinkest thou that He will raise Lazarus?" he continued.

"I know not; it seemeth like it; but who can tell?" And so, discussing, arguing, inquiring, bickering, the little band of Jews, that was growing every moment thicker as one passer-by after the other swelled its ranks, followed the two bereaved sisters, who showed the way to the Nazarene.

Who can tell what thoughts filled the soul of the God-Man? Thoughts of God, thoughts of friendship, thoughts of loving sympathy at the joy He was going to restore to the house at Bethany. Thoughts, perhaps, of His own death, which was soon to follow the resurrection of Lazarus.

They stood opposite to the grave now. It was a cave hewn from one single piece of rock, and at the entrance, hiding the ghastly sight, the corpse, hateful to the Jewish eyes as a thing defiled and unclean, stood the stone that Martha had insisted on having rolled in front of it at the words of Annas. From between the apertures came forth the sickly odour of frankincense and myrrh and other spices, with which the body had been embalmed.

In silent awe, the crowd ceased the cries that were