Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/333

Rh their course, and instead of dawn, a cold twilight seemed to have settled on his heart and brain forever. As in a vision, he saw the Son of man descending in the clouds with power. It seemed to him that the voice of the God whom he had pretended to represent on earth, but had mocked and insulted by his actions, called down a curse on him forever. In the twilight he seemed to see his own figure standing in eternal greyness, groping between rocks, seeking, seeking for a light that once had flashed across his eyes and lain for one instant on his soul. A great doubt rose in his heart when he looked round on those upturned faces, exultant in their petty victory, exultant at their High Priest's hesitation. Then over that heart, all riddled with corruption, there stole a sombre pall, like the cloud that settles over the last pale ray of a struggling sun and ends the day; and the decision that ranked him as the foulest murderer on earth was made. But, as moral cowards always do, he needed comrades in his crime.

"What think ye?" he cried at last to the silent crowd; knowing full well their answer, the only answer they durst give, the only answer his soul craved for. And with one voice rose on the stilly night the words "Ish maveth! Ish maveth! [A man of death.] He is guilty of death."

And, all the time, Rebekah looked on mute, and thought of Lazarus.