“My book is both curious and philosophical; it’s interesting to both sexes therefore. Shall I read?”
“On thy promise to tell me later whence it came, who its author, thou mayst read it to me.”
Miriamne, perceiving that her mother was curious to hear the whole story, though the former placated her conscience by a show of indifference, responded: “I’ll begin with the return of the wanderers.” So saying, she read:
“‘But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
“‘And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
“‘Being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
“‘And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets. He shall be called a Nazarene.’”
“Nazarene!” Rizpah ejaculated, interrupting the reader. “Does the word not taste like wormwood, girl?”
The maiden replied, adroitly: “We read the pagan inscriptions on the monuments about us without being harmed! Surely we may safely read these nobler peoples’ words and deeds.” So saying, the maiden continued:
“‘Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.