Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/327

Rh he had struck off. While he sat there his thoughts could not do otherwise than wander back to all the words of the Nazarene.

Why twice had the Christ told him He would deny Him? Surely it would only be in the face of some terrible temptation. What, then, so awful had yet to come to pass? Or spake He only of the heart that deceiveth and denieth alway? His eyes wandered out into the darkness. Surely midnight was long past. Yet no cock had crowed. Could it be that Caiaphas and Annas allowed them not within the precincts, looking upon them as unclean birds? Yet in the Roman quarters, not so far away, there must be some; and surely they had crowed already. There must be some parable in his Master's speech. Would there ever be an opportunity of asking Him?

A serving-woman paused while she began to place the early morning meal on the rough table, and eyed him curiously.

"Surely thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee?"

A blinding of the senses, a terrible panic, a madness of dark terror. "I know not what thou meanest." And he rose and walked to the porch, fearing that they would recognise him, should they look him in the face.

Then the maid turned to the others. "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth; I myself opened the gate to him. Wherefore doth he deny it?"

"Well, what matter?" said one. "Leave him in peace; the end is near at hand."

"But Annas hath given order that none but this fisherman, whom he knoweth, should enter," said the chief steward, referring to John; and all the