He held her tighter. “Surely, child, you couldn’t marry him?” “But of course I could! Isn’t he tried in the Kingdom, so he is sure to have all those thrones and dominions and power?” “But child, child! That old man with all his wives—” “But they say old men are safer than young men. Young men are not tried in the Kingdom. I shouldn’t like a young husband anyway—they always want to play rough games, and pull your hair, and take things away from you, and get in the way.” “But, baby,—don’t, _don’t_—” “Why, you silly father, your voice sounds as if you were almost crying—please don’t hold me so tight—and some one must save me before the Son of Man comes to judge the quick and the dead; you know a woman can’t be saved alone. I think Bishop Wright would make a fine husband, and I should have Mattie Wright to play with every day.” “And you would leave me?” “Why, that’s so, Daddy! I never thought—of course I can’t leave my little sorry father—not yet. I forgot that. I couldn’t leave you. Now tell me about my mother again.” He told her the story she already knew so well—how beautiful her mother was, the look of her hair and eyes, her slenderness, the music of her voice, and the gladness of her laugh. “And won’t she be glad to see us again. And she will come before Christina and Lorena, because she was your first wife, wasn’t she?” He was awake all night in a fever of doubt and rebellion. By the light of the candle, he read in the book of Mormon passages that had often puzzled but never troubled him until now when they were brought home to him; such as, “And now it came to pass that the people Nephi under the reign of the second king began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulged themselves somewhat in wicked practises, like unto David of old, desiring many wives—” Again he read, “Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.” Still again, “For there shall not be any man among you have save it shall be one wife.” Then he turned to the revelation on celestial marriage given years after these words were written, and in the first paragraph read: “Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David, and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives—” He turned from one to the other; from the many explicit admonitions and commands against polygamy, the denunciations of the patriarchs for their indulgence in the practise, to this last passage contradicting the others, and vexed himself with wonder. In the Book of Mormon, David was said to be wicked for doing this thing. Now in the revelation to Joseph he read, “David’s wives were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant.”