Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/369

Rh Martha would have recalled them, when she saw the burst of rage and bitterness they called forth.

"Loves another!" cried Rebekah. "Thy brother Lazarus doth love another? He who, we thought, did so disdain me because his heart was given to good works? Dost speak the truth? Is it for this that I must save him, to give him to some other woman? By the beard of Aaron, Martha, thou knowest me not, to ask me such a thing. Perchance I would have given him up to lead a life of purity and sacrifice. If so be that he believeth that this Man is the Son of God, he doeth well to worship Him. But, if the stainless Lazarus can love an earthly woman, then I will be that woman, or he shall die. Dost hear, woman? Either thy brother Lazarus doth wed me, or he dieth."

Fear and horror fell on Martha. What horrible perplexity was this? Would that she had never come! Of a truth the Lord had said that she was over-troubled about many things. She had sought the proud maiden in order to help her brother, and now it seemed that she had but increased his peril.

"Who is this woman that thy brother loveth?" asked Rebekah scornfully.

"Nay, but I cannot tell thee that, proud maiden. It seemeth me that I have already told too much. I will go home, for I am very weary, and at dawn I must bring spices to the sepulchre of my Lord, for 't is the Sabbath. Farewell, maiden; methinks that still thy love will triumph over this tempting of the devil. Thou wilt yet think of my poor brother and of his two sisters whose lives are bound up in his,