Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/235



HEN the Spirit of Truth took me by the hand and said: 'Come now and I will show thee the earth as it really is; not as it seemeth to thee. Thou shalt see into the hearts of men.'

"And, hand in hand, we flew over the houses of Jerusalem, and over the golden canopy of the Temple, and, as we passed, it was as if the roofs of the houses were removed, and we saw into the houses, and then it seemed as though a veil were torn from the hearts of them that dwelt therein, and we could read their thoughts. First the Spirit took me to the house of Pontius Pilate. His room was dark, but, while we stood at the window, our own radiance seemed to light it up and show us where he lay, tossing on his couch; and we heard him say: 'This Man hath done no evil by the Roman law. He shall not die.' Then he rose from his couch and paced the room, his fists clenched, and his voice rang out with a bitter cry: 'If I could but know whether He be the Christ! Is it, oh, is it indeed He?'

"Then I said to the Spirit of Truth: 'This man would fain believe; why, then, hath he not the power?' And the Spirit of Truth made answer: 'He will not let himself believe, for fear of Caiaphas. He knoweth the Roman law, and the Christ hath