"And last night thou wast too absorbed in thy reading?" put in Miriam. "That is how it came to pass, Miriam." "But why did not Helena warn thee?" This time it was Joseph that started. But he replied simply-- "We were reading in Tasso. She hath rare parts. Sometimes she renders Plato and Sophocles to me." "And thou, our future Rabbi, didst listen?" cried Rachel. "There is no word of Christianity in these, mother, nor do they satisfy the soul. Wisely sang Jehudah Halevi, 'Go not near the Grecian wisdom.'" "Didst thou sit near her at the mass?" inquired Miriam. He turned his candid gaze towards her. "She did not go," he said. Miriam made a sudden movement to the door. "Now that thou art safe, Joseph, I have naught further to do here. God keep thee." Her bosom heaved. She hurried out. "Poor Miriam!" sighed Rachel. "She is a loving, trustworthy maiden. She will not breathe a whisper of thy blasphemies." Joseph sprang from his feet as if galvanized. "Not breathe a whisper! But, mother, I shall shout them from the housetops." "Hush! hush!" breathed his mother in a frenzy of alarm. "The neighbors will hear thee." "It is what I desire." "Thy father may come in at any moment to know if thou art safe." "I will go allay his anxiety." "Nay." She caught him by the mantle. "I will not let thee go. Swear to me thou wilt spare him thy blasphemies, or he may strike thee dead at his feet." "Wouldst have me lie to him? He must know what I have told thee." "No, no; tell him thou wast shut out, that thou didst remain in hiding." "Truth alone is great, mother. I go to bring him the Truth." He tore his garment from her grasp and rushed without. She sat on the floor and rocked to and fro in an agony of apprehension. The leaden hours crept along. No one came, neither son nor husband. Terrible images of what was passing between them tortured her. Towards mid-day she rose and began mechanically preparing her husband's meal. At the precise minute of year-long habit he came. To her anxious eye his stern face seemed more pallid than usual, but it revealed nothing. He washed his hands in ritual silence, made the blessing, and drew chair to table. A hundred times the question hovered about Rachel's lips, but it was not till near the end of the meal that she ventured to say, "Our son is back. Hast thou not seen him?" "Son? What son? We have no son." He finished his meal. III