Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/26

14. Supposing, after all, that this were indeed the God; how terrible every moment that was not pressed into His service; how unforgivable the sin of hesitation; yet how impossible to receive Him as befitted Him! Bewildered and flustered, she made obeisance to Him, then led the way to the inner hall. It was of tesselated marble, roofed overhead, its walls pierced all round with apertures, that let in light and air. A side door, supported by columns of porphyry, and opening on stairs of Shittim wood, gave access to the garden; for Lazarus was wealthy, and Simon his father, when he had fallen ill with leprosy, had given up to his children almost all that he possessed. The lovely house in Bethany and all his gold and silver and jewels were theirs, and they gloried in them.

As those holy feet stepped noiselessly across the chamber, Martha now was convinced that it was no ordinary man who had entered their dwelling. All the beautiful things she and Lazarus had amassed or inherited seemed shadowy and unreal in the presence of the lowly carpenter. Yet, for all that, she could not sever her mind from the conventional hospitalities of life. She hurried away, while Mary came and cast herself at Jesus' feet, and, far away in inner halls and passages, she could be heard summoning her maidens to bring forth their best, to set before the Lord. But Lazarus and Mary remained by His side, realising how precious was every moment in which their Christ was with them; conscious that He, who could command that the stones be made bread, required no serving, no preparations; only the worship and living passion of adoring hearts.