Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/23

Rh "Surely thou speakest strangely," answered Lazarus, "and we must beware of blasphemy. I, too, would see this Man, yet I fear me greatly; for, if He have such power, maybe I, too, would think Him the Son of God and fall in worship at His feet; and then if 't were not after all the Messiah that shall come?"

"If thou wouldst but see Him," urged Mary, "thou couldst ask Him, and thou wouldst not doubt."

Then Martha's voice was heard calling them to the evening meal, which, in the ardour of their conversation, they had forgotten. Darkness was falling quickly; only over Jerusalem still hung a lurid glow, that made the houses stand out vividly against the background of the darkening trees, and lighted up with steely gleamings the rivulet of Kedron, that lay like some great serpent waiting to seize upon the heart of Jerusalem. Then, suddenly, a distant sound of voices rose.

"Hosanna, Hosanna!" cried children's voices on the stilly air, and they seemed to pierce the darkness and fall like notes of holy music into the hearts of the little group.

"Martha," said Nicodemus, leaning over the low wall of the terrace, "hearest thou how they salute the Nazarene?"

Then Lazarus, too, stood up and listened, and, as the cry came nearer, something strange and hard seemed giving way within his heart. He saw, as in a vision, earth and sea and sky all rolled away, and crowds falling to the ground in worship and fear and adoration; and a great, white light that paled the glory of the sun; and notes, in power and harmony