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 passes out of my keeping I shall have learnt to speak even as he did in double meanings.

He lay down to sleep, and when he rose it was time to go to help Esora to change the bandages, and while they were busy unwinding them (it was towards the end of the afternoon) they were interrupted suddenly in their work by Matred’s voice in the garden calling:  Esora, where are you? and, not getting an answer from Esora, she cried:  Master!  Master!  A moment after her voice came from a different part of the garden, and Joseph said to Esora:  she’ll be knocking at the door in another minute; she mustn’t come hither.  Go and meet her, Esora, and as soon as the girl is safe come back to me.  It shall be as thou sayest, Master; but meanwhile hold the man forward; let him not fall back upon the pillow, for it will stick there and my work will be undone.  To which Joseph obeyed, himself quaking lest the Pharisees had come in search of Jesus, saying to himself:  the Pharisees might be persuaded that Jesus is risen from the dead, but the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection.  What answer shall I give to them?