Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/356

344 yet. But, should Caiaphas seek to take thee, or to do thee hurt, and I do hear of it, it shall be the worse for him; for, while I am Governor of Judæa, I will protect thee. In my foolishness, but now I suffered this Sadducee to prevail; but it shall not be thus again. By my hand no man again shall die unjustly, for this thing was unjust."

When Lazarus was about to retire, a soldier announced Joseph of Arimathæa, who, on entering, glanced at Lazarus half in astonishment and half in fear that he was a prisoner.

Pilate greeted him with a friendly smile.

"Hail, noble counsellor, what wouldst thou of me?"

"I would crave of thee the body of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God."

"How sayest thou the Son of God," asked Pilate, thirsting for a further understanding of these mysteries, "since it is reported that He is the Son of Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth?"

"For the glory of God and the salvation of the world was this thing done," said Joseph. "He is no man—begotten man—for His mother hath known no man; she is yet a virgin (Blessed be she amongst women!); and He is the Son of God."

Pilate paused a moment before he made answer. What if all this were a trick? What if Lazarus had not been dead? What if they required the body to perform some pretended miracle of resurrection?

Doubt, Satan's strongest instrument, that enfolding cloak he throws over the heads of those he would ensnare, so that they cannot see nor hear, nor yet cry out for help, seized him again. Then, turning