Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/320

308 to power, while he held those vital secrets, like swords, over the heads of half the rulers of Judaea. He had promised to counsel Caiaphas how to proceed with this Nazarene. By base jobbery he had succeeded in turning even political events to his account. By playing upon their greed he had pressed into his service all those who could be bribed and otherwise corrupted, and they were not a few. But, to possess this power, a man must needs have money. Accordingly he levied tithes in secret on all Judæa.

Usurers, money-changers, sellers of doves, all these privily sent their contributions, that went to swell the bursting hoards of this ex-High Priest. And it was this Nazarene who had inveighed against these men—"Woe unto you, usurers!—"who had upset the tables of the money-changers, and opened the cages of them that sold doves to let them soar upwards to heaven. Needs must that Annas should see this Man, to find out how much He knew; for if He were to come before Pilate and to divulge these things, the reign of Annas and of his viperous brood would surely come quickly to an end.

The great gates were swung back, while soldiers, holding their lances in front of them, with both hands thrust back the crowd that strove to force itself into the very courts of the High Priest's house. But Peter, only, of the disciples, succeeded in pressing in.

"This is no time," cried the servants of Annas, "to enter this house; in the morning ye shall see the prisoner at the trial before the Sanhedrim."

"This is no hour for trial," cried the populace.