The Brook Kerith | Page 7

scribe to be
seated Joseph followed him, and standing beside his chair asked him if
he would teach him Hebrew, a question Azariah did not answer. You
will teach me, he insisted, and Dan and Rachel kept silence, so that
they might better observe Joseph working round Azariah with
questions; and they were amused, for Joseph's curiosity had overcome
his shyness; and, quite forgetful of his promise to listen and not to talk,
he had begun to beg the scribe to tell him if the language they spoke
had been brought back from Babylon, and how long it was since people
had ceased to speak Hebrew. Azariah set himself to answer these
questions; Joseph gave him close attention, and when Azariah ceased
speaking he said: when may I begin my lessons? And he put the
question so innocently that his father could not help laughing. But,
Joseph, he said, Azariah has not yet promised to teach you, and I
wouldn't advise him to try to teach a boy that has refused to learn from
four preceptors. But it will be different with you, Sir, Joseph murmured,
taking Azariah's hand. You will teach me, won't you? When will you
begin?
Azariah answered that it could not be this week, for he was going to
Arimathea. The town we came from, Dan said. I am still known as Dan
of Arimathea, though I have lived here twenty years. I too shall be
known as Joseph of Arimathea, Joseph interjected. I'd like to be Joseph
of Arimathea much better than Joseph of Magdala.
You needn't shake your head at Magdala, Dan said. Magdala has done
well for us. To which Joseph answered nothing, but it was not long,
however, before he went to his father saying that he would like to go to
Arimathea, and in charge of Azariah.
You are asking too much, Joseph, his father answered him. No, I don't
think I am, and his honour Azariah doesn't think so, Joseph cried, for
his heart was already set upon this holiday. Azariah has perhaps
promised to teach you Hebrew. Isn't that enough? his father remarked.
Now you want him to take you to Arimathea. But if he likes to take me,
Joseph replied, and he cast such a winning glance at Azariah that the
scribe was moved to say that he would be glad to take charge of the boy

if his parents would confide him to his care. Whereupon Joseph threw
his arms about his father, but finding him somewhat indifferent he went
to his grandmother, who welcomed his embrace, and in return for it
pleaded that the boy should not be denied this small pleasure. But Dan,
who only half liked to part with his son, tried to hide his feelings from
his mother, who had guessed them already, with a joke, saying to
Azariah that he was a brave man to undertake the charge of so wayward
a boy. I shall not spoil him, and if he fails to obey he'll have to find
someone else to teach him Hebrew, Azariah answered. I think the rain
is now over, he said. Some drops were still falling but the sky was
brightening, and he returned from the window to where Joseph was
standing, and laying his hand on his head promised to come for him in
the morning.
We shall hear no more about fleas preventing thee from study, Dan said
to his son, and very much offended Joseph withdrew to his room, and
stood looking at the spot in which he had seen Samuel, asking himself
if the prophet would appear to him in Arimathea and if it would be by
the fountain whither the maidens used to come to draw water. Samuel
and the maidens seemed to jar a little, and as he could not think of them
together he fell to thinking of the rock on which the seer used to offer
sacrifices. It was still there and somebody would be about to direct
them to it, and it would be under this rock that Azariah would read to
him all that Samuel had said to Saul. But we shall be riding all day, he
said to himself, Arimathea must be a long long way from here, and he
fled downstairs to ask his father if Azariah would call for him at the
head of a caravan, whether he would ride on a camel or a mule or a
horse: he thought he would like to ride a camel, and awoke many times
in the night, once rolling out of his bed, for in a dream the ungainly
animal had jolted him from off his hump.
And the old woman's patience was nigh exhausted when he cried:
Granny, it is day, and bade her leave her bed