Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/210

198 "Lazarus is risen, Lazarus is risen!" which all through the night had whipped Caiaphas's blood into foaming waves of fury.

"It seemeth to me that if thou dost murder one the other will still remain," said Annas, shrugging his shoulders; "for, whether Lazarus was really dead or not, I know not; but now he liveth. Of that there is no doubt."

"Call it not murder," answered Caiaphas, "because a blasphemer shall meet His just reward. Wouldst thou, too, be a believer?" he added scoffingly.

"I believe not that He is the Christ," replied Annas seriously; "but I do believe that 't is a man of hidden power. We know not how or whence; perhaps of Satan, or who knoweth? And I think that we must use caution, lest some hidden danger spring upon us."

Caiaphas looked at him for one moment, as if debating whether he had gone mad; for the voice of Annas was the only one he ever listened to, the advice of Annas the sole advice he ever followed. Perhaps no man in Jerusalem was so much the counterpart of his own vileness.

"What thinkest thou then, Annas?" he said impatiently.

"I hardly know," replied the older man. "If thou wouldst have me tell thee what I would have done had I still remained High Priest, and such strange event befallen in my reign," here he lowered his voice, "I would have had Him caught by stealth and murdered, for to make a sacrifice of a man is ever to make him a martyr. To make a