Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/204

192 hear through her sister, Susanna, who is married to a tanner near to Bethany, that this Man did work such miracles, she too went and besought Him. And He turned to her in the crowd and said to her: 'Woman, thy sins are forgiven thee'; and straightway she was cured, and returned unto me whole."

"What said Antipas to this miracle?" asked Caiaphas, with the same self-satisfied, scornful smile. "Is he not wroth that thy wife doth thus run after the Nazarene?"

"He said only, ' 'T was a pity that she had been cured, for else, perchance, she had not returned,' " said Chuza, simply, at which both Caiaphas and Pilate laughed.

"But touching Lazarus? 'T is of him that we would hear," said Pilate. Then, remembering that he would be on dangerous ground should any remark of his be carried back to Antipas, he went on with assumed indifference, that Caiaphas did not fail to note, and, later, profit by. "What tales are told?"

"Nay, they are no tales, my lords," replied the Jew, his whole face changing when his thoughts reverted to the strange phenomenon of that night. " 'T is even so. When Joanna, my wife, heard that Lazarus was dead, she entreated me to accompany her to the house of Martha of Bethany, but my master Antipas hath had two great feasts at his house, and I could not take her thither for four days. But late last night we travelled the fifteen furlongs' journey to comfort Mary and Martha and to carry spices to anoint Lazarus. Then when we reached the dwelling a great multitude stood around, and we feared lest something had happened to the Nazarene.