Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/80

68 enemies of her father. She cast herself on her knees beside the bed and seized his hand in hers.

"Dead! dead!" she wailed, "verily and truly dead. 'T is no jugglery nor fooling. He is dead indeed." Then excitedly she turned to the assembled crowd. "Where, then, is this wonder-working Nazarene, this performer of miracles?" she asked scornfully, trying to disguise by haughty and disdainful tone the burning excitement she felt within. "Why is He not here? Where is the friendship that hath been spoken of so much, if He cometh not to the sick-bed of His friend? Go fetch Him, one of you. Tell Him that Caiaphas's daughter doth command His presence, and would witness a miracle." She talked excitedly, almost madly; but none stirred, only looked at her in wonder. "Can ye not move?" she shrieked. "Will none obey my bidding? Or do ye know that He, too, cannot conquer death? That He is no Christ, but only some poor, juggling carpenter, that doth bewitch the people?" Then Martha, fearing a disturbance, went up to the girl and drew her gently away.

"Noble maiden," she said softly, "didst thou then love Lazarus, that his death doth grieve thee so?"

All Rebekah's haughtiness returned at the directness of this question.

"Who art thou, woman, that dost presume to question me? What is it to thee whether I loved Lazarus or not?"

"To me 't is very much," said Martha, with a gentle impressiveness that was not without effect upon Rebekah; "for all who loved Lazarus I love."