Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/98

86 ill-fame created terrors for her she had never felt before; but, full of new-bidden strength and faith, she raised her heart in prayer, and drawing her veil around her face, she started at a running pace across the soft herbage of the by-path.

"Mary, Mary Magdalene, whither goest thou?" a soft voice called after her. She half paused to listen; then, with redoubled energy, began to run again. Then she became conscious of a presence near her; she durst not turn her head, but her heart breathed a prayer for help.

A sudden light brought her movements to a full stop; a flashing light that diffused a strange, inexplicable glow, illumining the grey-green olive trees and enveloping the path and bushes with a curious, iridescent halo, that, while giving light, showed neither flame nor fire. It was like a fairy web of gold hanging on tree and bush.

A great terror seized upon the Magdalene. It was not physical fear, but the dread of being brought face to face with the supernatural. While she gazed, with dilated eyes and parted lips, the glory seemed blurred by a shadow. It was as though the centre of the glowing light were forming itself into a little cloud. Her heart beat so violently that in its throbbing it seemed to make to vibrate every nerve and fibre of her body. With one hand she held tightly across her bosom the blue veil which was worn by all the women of Jerusalem in that day. With the other she smoothed back her lovely golden tresses, straining her eyes to bursting to pierce the glory that hung from tree to tree. Then, with a sudden thought, she fell on her knees, and bowing