Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/344

332 to see the Master. And while Pilate's messenger did go to Herod, the multitude did shout continually, 'He hath blasphemed! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!' Aye, 't was like beasts waiting to lick warm blood. Then, all of a sudden, a silence fell on all; then rose a murmur, and a soldier sent by Herod entered, and soon came forth again walking before the Christ and crying out, 'Make way, make way for the King of the Jews!' And as all looked to see what this might mean, behold the Master, arrayed in gorgeous robes and with a crown of thorns upon His head, came forth, and the eyes of all were blinded with His glory; and Caiaphas did bend his head forward to his breast, and looked upward with his eyes, as is his wont; and into his face there came such fear that methought surely Caiaphas hath been defeated and they have in truth proclaimed Him King; but 't was a sorry jest of Herod to Pontius Pilate. Yet Pilate smiled not when his eyes fell on the Christ, but murmured, 'No man saw I ever so like a king.' 'But the people feared to lose Barabbas, and cried out, 'Crucify Him!' and, the while, Pontius Pilate read the missive from the Tetrarch. Then Pilate stood once more on the steps of the Tribunal, and cried out, 'Chief priests, rulers, and people of Israel, ye have brought this Man unto me as one that perturbeth the people, and, behold, I having examined Him before you, have found no fault in Him, touching those things whereof ye do accuse Him; no, nor yet hath Herod, for I sent Him unto him; and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto Him nor spoken of by Herod. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.' But, with one