Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/192

180 him that he would stay away; but the proud Roman would brook no such messages.

"Tell the High Priest that his writing must needs wait until to-morrow, for that I must have speech with him, and that I am even now upon my road. Ye Jewish people have yet to learn courtesy of speech," he muttered to himself; but, on the road, his strange musings returned to him, and, weary with the searchings of his heart, he forgot his anger and impatience.

For one moment there was an awkward silence, the two men reclining on couches drawn close together, a custom the Romans had introduced. Caiaphas was puzzled to know what had brought Pilate there; and Pilate was debating how to begin his questionings without exhibiting too great an interest in the Nazarene.

"I have much to discuss with thee, Caiaphas," he began. "The Feast of the Passover is at hand, and the question of whom we shall release is not to be lightly settled. The people do expect that one shall be delivered unto them. Who sayest thou, then, should be released?"

The wily Jew joined his finger-tips and appeared to muse awhile; though, in reality, he was watching Pilate's face from the corner of his eye. Pilate, too, looked away to hide the anxiety that was gnawing at his heart, lest another name than the Nazarene's should cross the lips of the priest he had begun to hate. For he knew that Caiaphas would lay hands on Jesus; and, in such case, Pilate desired to set Him free. Both men were silent, while each tried to cheat the other. Brain against brain was pitted,