he began--but Martha interrupted him, saying: they are all in hiding, in
great fear of the Pharisees, who have power over Pilate, and he will
condemn them all to the cross, so they say, if they do not escape at
once into Galilee. But since we can vouch that we found the stone rolled
away and a young man in white garments in the sepulchre, we are
uncertain that they may not take courage and delay their departure, for
they can no longer doubt the second coming of the Lord in his chariot of
fire by the side of his Father, the Judgment Book upon his lap. Those
that have already gone will return, Mary answered; and our testimony
will cause the wicked Pharisees to repent before it be too late. His
words were that his blood was the means whereby we might rise into
everlasting life.

Martha then broke in with much discourse, which Joseph interrupted with
a question: had the young man they saw in the tomb spoken to them? The
sisters were taken aback, and stood asking each other what he said,
Martha saying one thing and Mary another; and so bewildered were they
that Joseph bade them return to Bethany and relate to Lazarus, and any
others of their company they might meet, all they had seen and heard: if
you've heard anything, he added. Then thou believest Jesus to be risen
from the dead, they cried through the bars as he locked the gates. Yes,
I believe that Jesus lives. Will he return to us? Martha cried; and
Joseph as he crossed the garden heard Mary crying through the dusk:
shall we see him again? A fine story they'll relate, one which will not
grow smaller as it passes from mouth to mouth. Sooner or later it will
reach Pilate, and Pilate's first thought will be: the centurion told me
that Jesus died on the cross after three hours; and I believed him,
though it was outside of all reason to suppose the cross could kill a
man in three hours. But if the Pharisees should go to Pilate and say to
him: the rumour is about that Jesus has risen from the dead. Will you,
Pilate, cause a search to be made from house to house? Pilate would
answer that the law had been fulfilled, and that the testimony of his
centurion was sufficient; for he hated the Pharisees and would refuse
any other answer; but Pilate might send for him, Joseph; and Joseph fell
to wondering at the answers he would make to Pilate, and at the
duplicity of these, for he had never suspected himself of cunning. But
circumstances make the man, he said, and before Jesus passe