The Brook Kerith | Page 9

that the
messenger was cast sprawling upon the ground. The cavalcade roared
with laughter and Joseph, overjoyed at the success of his prank, begged
Azariah to wait a little longer, for he was curious to see if the
messenger would succeed in coaxing his horse. At present the horse
seemed in no humour to allow himself to be mounted. Whenever the
messenger approached he whinnied so menacingly that everybody
laughed again. Is there none amongst ye that will help me to catch the
horse? the poor messenger cried after the departing travellers. We have
a long day's march in front of us, Azariah said; and he warned Joseph
not to beat his mule into a gallop at the beginning of the journey or he
would repent it later, words that came true sooner than Joseph had
expected, for before midday he was asking how many miles would
bring them to the caravansary. In about another hour, Azariah answered,

and Joseph said he had begun to hate his mule for it would neither trot
nor gallop, only walk. Thou'rt thinking of the nomads and would like to
be after them flourishing a lance, Azariah said, and--afraid that he was
being laughed at--Joseph made no answer.
After the rest at midday it seemed to him to be his duty to see that his
mule had been properly fed, and he bought some barley from the
camel-driver, but while he was giving it to his mule Azariah remarked
that he was only depriving other animals of their fair share of
provender. It is hard, he said, to do good without doing wrong to
another. But the present is no time for philosophy: we must start again.
And the cavalcade moved on through the hills, avoiding the steep
ascents and descents by circuitous paths, and Joseph, who had not seen
a shepherd leading his flock for some years, became all of a sudden
delighted by the spectacle, the sheep running forward scenting the fresh
herbage with which the hills were covered as with dark velvet.
A little later they came into view of a flock of goats browsing near a
wood, and Azariah sought to improve the occasion by a little
dissertation on the destructive nature of the goat. Of late years a sapling
rarely escaped them, and still more regrettable was the carelessness of
the shepherd who left the branches they had torn down to become dry
like tinder. He spoke of many forest fires, and told all the stories he
could remember in the hope of distracting Joseph's thoughts from the
length of the journey. We are now about half-way, he said, disguising
the truth. We shall see the city upon the evening glow in about another
hour. The longest hour that I have ever known, Joseph complained two
hours later; and Azariah laid his cloak over Joseph's saddle. Dost feel
more comfortable? A little, the child answered. At the sight of the city
thy heart will be lifted again and the suffering forgotten. And Joseph
believed him, but towards the end of the day the miles seemed to
stretch out indefinitely and at five o'clock he was crying: shall we ever
get to Arimathea, for I can sit on this mule no longer, nor shall I be able
to stand straight upon my legs when I alight.
Azariah promised they would be at the gates in a few minutes, but these
few minutes seemed as if they would never pass away, but they did

pass, and at the gateway Joseph toppled from his mule and just
managed to hobble into the inn at which they were to sleep that night:
too tired to eat, he said, too tired, he feared, to sleep. Azariah pressed
him to swallow a cup of soup and he prepared a hot bath for him into
which he poured a bottle of vinegar; an excellent remedy he reported
this to be against stiffness, and it showed itself to be such: for next
morning Joseph was quite free from stiffness and said he could walk
for miles. Samuel's rock cannot be more than a few hundred yards
distant, so miles are not necessary, Azariah answered, as they stepped
over the threshold into a delightful morning all smiles and greetings
and subtle invitations to come away into the forest and fields, full of
promises of flowers and songs, but in conflict with their project, which
was to inquire out their way from the maidens at the fountain, who
would be sure to know it, and in its shade to read the story of David
and Goliath first and other stories afterwards. But the gay morning
drew their thoughts away from texts, and without being aware of their
apostasy they had already begun to indulge in hopes that the maidens
would be