Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/187

Rh law. Withal I reckon Him not the Christ. "Then, with more earnestness he asked: "Dost thou?"

"Yea, I know it, noble Pilate. He is the Lord, and I am here to implore thee to come and see Him raise Lazarus, for then thou, too, wilt believe." As she said these words, she fell down at the feet of Pilate. "I beseech thee, oh, I beseech thee, O Pilate, come and believe!"

Pilate frowned, and a great melancholy and a look of doubt came over his face.

"Thou temptest me sore," he said, "and to refuse so fair a woman doth go against my wish; but what would all Judæa say; nay, more, what would Cæsar say, if he should hear that I had assembled myself with the believers in this Nazarene to see His miracles?"

"What matter what they say?" pleaded the Magdalene. "Surely if to follow the Nazarene bring even death, 't were better far to die in Christ than to live denying Him."

More moved than he durst show, Pontius Pilate answered: "Thou speakest but lightly of death, fair woman. Surely this Nazarene hath wondrous power, for even I, a Roman, quail when I think of death."

" 'T is no death to die in Christ," rejoined the Magdalene. 'T is but to live again forever."

"That is His creed, I know, but I cannot accept it. I dare not come." Then, fearing that she would press him further, he murmured something about the hour.

Rising to go, the Magdalene shot yet a wistful glance towards him. But his eyes were gazing at