“Could’st thou drive from thy bosom a fleeing kid, there seeking refuge from pursuing lions?”
“I do not know ’till tried. Thou art at any rate no kid; there is no lion. If thou desirest refuge, see the path of departure is the one by which thou cam’st hither.”
“Well, then, farewell.”
The knight made as if he would go, but he knew he would not. The motion gave him excuse for looking sad, and he knew that next to a handsome face a sad one most easily conquers a woman.
“Tarry a moment ’till I think. Can I trust thee?” she was hesitating.
“I’ve trusted thee, and that’s ever the best proof of fidelity.” Women like to think they are especially trusted.
“Well——but, see, my father comes; there’s no time for argument; let me speak!”
As the aged priest drew near, Esther saluted him, and said, “Father, let me take this Galileean stranger to the youths and their games? He claims our hospitality.”
The priest, wont to be on the alert, was disarmed by the magic word hospitality; then, too, for a long time before, having been wifeless, he had been wont to put his daughter forward, according large confidence to her; hence his reply:
“If thou knowest him, Rizpah.”