Jesus Christ -- Fiction; Religious fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction
Had they really beheld a miracle? No; they had not. Archibald Redfern
burst out laughing. "Didn't you see it, King?" he jeered. "Where are
your eyes?"
* * * * *
That evening it was said that He would heal the sick who would come to
Him. The boat party, interested in what they had already heard, went
ashore again after dark. The town that had seemed to be dead and empty
when they were there before, was now full of people. There were crowds
everywhere. The night was hot and oppressive. The sadducees followed
whither the crowd seemed to move, the press growing ever thicker and
thicker, until, by-and-by, they reached a street densely packed with
the throng.
It was a dark and narrow street in the suburbs. It was packed full of
people, and it was only after much difficulty they were able to reach
a point of vantage--a broad flight of wooden steps that led up to the
door of a frame church. Thence they could see over the heads of the mob
of men and women who filled the street beyond. They could see that the
people were bringing the sick through the crowd. Near them was a man
carrying a little child in his arms. Its poor little legs were twisted
into a steel frame. A woman followed close behind the man. The child
lay with its head upon the man's shoulder and appeared to be crying,
though it was too dark to see clearly. The man moved, step by step,
forward, and presently was swallowed into the dark mass of humanity
beyond. In the distance was a doorway in which stood a figure of a man,
black against the dull light of the lamp behind. There appeared to be
a number of other figures crowded in the passageway behind Him. People
were looking out of the windows of the neighboring houses. They could
not see from the church-steps where they stood what He was doing, but
He was constantly moving and stooping forward. The tumult and din were
dreadful. It appeared a pandemonium of wild, unmeaning excitement. As
in the afternoon, it was an excitement that was contagious. "Do you
suppose He really is curing them?" said Norcott, and again Archibald
Redfern burst out laughing.
"Why, of course He is," said he.
He had seen no miracle and could see none. How was it possible for
a sadducee, who believed in no resurrection, to see a miracle? The
wisest sadducee that ever lived, had he seen a miracle, would not
have believed it. Had the Almighty blotted out the sun and the moon
and written the sign of His Truth in letters of fire all across the
blackened canopy of the heavens, Redfern or Corry King would not have
believed--they would have misdoubted their own eyesight.
After they had satisfied their curiosity, the party went back to the
boat and played poker until nearly two o'clock in the morning.
VI
THE YOUNG MAN WITH GREAT POSSESSIONS
DR. AND MRS. CAIAPHAS were spending the latter part of the summer at
the sea-side with their son-in-law, Mr. Henry Herbert Gilderman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account