Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/368

356 on Martha, her task becoming more difficult as she became conscious of Rebekah's want of sympathy, "that they will also take my brother Lazarus and crucify him." Here her voice trembled.

Rebekah thought for a moment; then she shrugged her shoulders. Yet she had a liking for Martha.

"How can I help thee? What is thy brother to me? How can I stay the Jews?"

"But thou dost love him," urged Martha gently, repeating what to her had become the very essence of truth, that to love much was to overcome every obstacle.

I did love him," the other answered, shrugging her shoulders, "but, since he doth not love me, it mattereth naught to me whether he be alive or dead."

"Yet surely love needeth but to love," urged Martha, little knowing how wide the compass she embraced, imbued as she was with the Messiah's teaching. "Love desireth but to love."

"That is new teaching which doth savour of the Galilean doctrine," replied Rebekah. "Of such a love I know nothing. But this I know, that, if thy brother will take the proud daughter of Caiaphas to wife, then he need fear nor Jews nor Romans, but be safe always."

Then Martha spoke the words which though she knew it not were later to return to her with all the bitterness of death.

"How can he wed thee, maiden, seeing that he loveth another?"

Words of truth from one who, through daily contact with the Spirit of Truth, could not lie; yet