to buy bread for a thousand?'"

"And, Lazarus," Joseph said, "with the words of Judas did the first
shadow fall across thy sister's face. Faint it was, yet not too faint
for his eye who loveth her. And he said, 'Why trouble you the woman?
She hath wrought a good work. The poor ye have always with you. But
me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my
body, she doeth it for my burial.' Aye, Lazarus, aye, Martha, that I
might forget thy sister's face as these words did pass his lips. It
turned white as the alabaster in her hand. Stillness fell on the
company about the table like that of the tomb. And then the sob!
Lazarus, that sob did wound my heart. Then did thy sister drop at the
feet of Jesus and there spill out her fragrant oil. And on the oil her
tears fell, even like rain fell they, and bending low her cheek did
press his foot. And then she dried away the tears with the tresses of
her hair--sobbing--sobbing--sobbing! Sobs are a part of life, the sobs
of women and children. But this woman--aye, greater love hath never
woman known than this which Mary beareth the brave young Rabbi."

"And hath man e'er given back to woman greater love than he beareth
her? Saw thou his face as she did sob at his feet? Did thou catch the
message he did speak to comfort the heart of Mary? In a voice that did
mean more than words, both to the woman and him who had condemned her
spoke he saying, 'Truly, truly say I unto you, wheresoever this message
that I bring shall be preached, there also what this woman hath done
shall be told for a memorial of her.' Joseph--friend Joseph, meaneth
it not much to her heart, meaneth it not much to this household, that
wherever the name of Jesus shall be spoken there also shall be known
the name of Mary?"

"And if he is King," Martha exclaimed, "King of the Jews, then shall
her name be exalted above that of all women."

"And if he is condemned on some false charge and given to the cross,
Martha? But no, that can never be," and Lazarus ceased speaking
abruptly.

"Neither can a throne give nor a cross take away a woman's crown when
he who is her king doth crown her with his love. So it is that the
alabaster vase which hath poured out fragrance from its fragments,
shall shed its perfume down the ages so long as love is of life a
part." It was Joseph who spoke.

"Lazarus doth utter strange, yea, evil words about a cross and a
malefactor. What meaneth it?