Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle/Chapter 34
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SCARCE had the fateful cry died out on the awe-charged air, when a scuffle was heard outside, steps rushing hurriedly by, and cries as of a madman broken loose.
A chill blast struck the heart of Caiaphas. What, if, after all, this Man had followers at His back ready and able to avenge Him? What if there were a plot abroad, if the little room with its group of rulers and scribes and priests were invaded by the Romans?
The door was flung open and, unannounced, almost unrecognisable, with eyes that shifted wildly, as though the nerves had lost all power of keeping them in their place, with hair dishevelled and clothes disordered, and with the grin of madness on his features, Judas Iscariot rushed in, holding aloft a bag. At the sight of the figure of the Nazarene he recoiled, as with a sudden memory of horror, but the mind had given way and with difficulty could unfold the one object of his mission.
In and out of the crowd he rushed, holding up his bag and crying out: "Where is the High Priest, where is Caiaphas? I have sinned, I have sinned, I have betrayed the innocent blood. I would find the High Priest and give him back his money." And he held up his bag piteously to each one of the priests.
"What is that to us?" said one. "See thou to that."
"Thou hast thy money; go thy way. Thou hast done thy work well and art well paid. Begone!" another said.
Then, with such lightning rapidity that none could stop him, with fingers trembling with excitement, he undid the mouth of the bag, his hands and fingers shaking so that he could hardly do it; and, before any could stop him, he had thrown the silver from the window into the courts of the Temple, where it clinked on the tesselated pavement with a sound that seemed to cry out: '"Blood money, blood money."
At that, a number of the priests ran out tumultuously, jostling each other like a herd of blinded cattle, to gather up the money before the people should be admitted to the Temple in the morning. But Caiaphas only shrugged his shoulders and smiled scornfully, as though the thirty pieces of silver and the presence of the madman were no affair of his.
Only the Nazarene turned an eye of pity on the wretched man; and, when that look of love and mercy fell upon the traitor, he bent his head and shuffled from the room.
Then, to end the horrible situation, Caiaphas gave a sign to the soldiers to lead the Christ away to the guard-room, where He would remain till early the next morning, when His trial before Pilate would take place.
Weary with all His drawn-out agony, anguished with the foretaste of a death of torture on the morrow, the Son of God was not yet allowed to rest. The shapely form was buffeted with the blows of those who guarded Him, the divine face spat upon; those eyes that held in them the rays of eternal sunlight were blindfolded, for Him to be the sport of the lowest of earth's creatures.
"Prophesy who it was that smote Thee?"
Blasphemy after blasphemy fell upon ears that quivered in their purity. Taunt and oath and curse echoed round the prison walls; but the Nazarene neither spoke nor moved, nor asked even for a glass of water in His thirst and faintness. The dregs of the cup were thickening, slowly the drops were being swallowed. It would soon be finished now. The grey streaks of His last dawn on earth—before His resurrection,—the few bands of white on the walls of the filthy cell lighted the pale face of the Nazarene. A little more pain, a few more taunts, what mattered they? A little more strength only needed to go through twelve hours more. Ere that same sun should sink blood-red behind the hills, the agony would be over; the earth be bathed in the blood that would surge for ever over men's sins in a tide of endless patience till the Judgment Day; and the stupendous gift of the world's salvation would be offered, for men to take or leave.