Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/379

Rh Then, on the throbbing silence, words arose that were to be treasured up through life and death, till they should be heard once more within the gates of heaven: "Peace be unto you."

And, while He spoke, He raised His hand, that they might recognise Him by the cruel marks of the nails.

Then again, with deep solemnity, He said, "Peace be unto you." And with His hand He pointed to His side, the side which Pilate, out of mercy, had ordered to be pierced. "As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you."

Then, in the midst of the utter silence, it seemed that He heaved a sigh, and that from those lips there issued some holy essence which, in the semi-darkness, took the image of a golden dove. At the same moment the voice of Jesus rose distinct and clear: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

And, at these words, it was as though lips and heart had been smitten with a lightning flash, and a curtain rolled away from before brain and soul. And then a great peace fell on them softly, like evening dew on moss, and Life and Death and Immortality and Faith and Christ had become certainties for evermore. And all the earth seemed alive with whirring, rushing sounds of wings that filled the heart with breezy gladness.

Then, in the gloaming of that spring evening, He led them forth, as heretofore to Bethany, where He had ever loved to be; and, in those last hours of sweet companionship, He unfolded to them many things that they could now the better understand—things that before had seemed mysterious and unreal