Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/214

202 the Pharisaical party, many of whom were friends of Lazarus and Nicodemus.

Here and there a voice rose, crying out: "He is not worthy of death."

Then Caiaphas, with that arrogant impatience which, from its very daring, so often carried the day, exclaimed roughly, insultingly: "Ye know nothing at all. Who are ye to set yourselves against the prophecy of one who is of the lineage of Aaron? Have I not prophesied to you that it is expedient for one man to die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not? If this man live, the nations of God will run hither and thither to seek after vain  preachers; but, if He die, they will gather themselves together in one fold henceforward, in patient obedience to the laws of Moses. To save one man's life will ye sacrifice a nation? Will ye not rather by one man's death deliver all the children of God?"

Silence, that unwilling silence that might yet be intrepreted as consent, reigned in the building for some moments, while one after another those who were against the condemnation of the Nazarene, yet felt themselves powerless to oppose the will of Caiaphas, rose and left the council, hoping thereby to show their disapproval. Caiaphas followed each with eyes that gleamed with satisfaction.

"Cowards!" he muttered from his place. "Cowards!" despising the very characteristic that yet caused his satisfaction. "They dare not gainsay me."

The exit of these people was followed by a sudden buzzing of voices, murmuring, arguing, expostulating.