“He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.
“As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever.”[2]
“I tarried until Elizabeth’s son was born. He is to be the herald of mine! Joseph was amazed. The wisdom and stately character of her magnificent description and ascription were unaccountable. But he doubted still her integrity. Yet his wrath was softened into pity a little. He hesitated, and then, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.”
“Ha, ha;” laughed Rizpah, bitterly; “I see now, ’tis a beautiful fable thou art reading! Put her away privately! a man do that under such circumstances! Bah! rather would a real man parade the woman’s guilt from the house tops. In truth, to show that he was sinless because he was such a Nemesis of sin; or to get the pity of light-headed fools, who would gladly take the place of the discarded! A pretty, baby face can catch unerringly the man who pities himself well, if she will only gush with real or affected pity for him. Pity and flatter a man and he’ll be—a Lucifer! But read it all. This is refreshing; its so absurdly uncommon!”
The girl continued:
“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
“And she shall bring forth a son, thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,