"Why, Ivy, I've just told you why. You know quite well. And now I am going to show you my most particular pet picture of all."
"But I want to see Daniel and the nice lion," complained Ivy.
"Well, you shall see them again presently. I want to show you David and the giant. David was another nice good man—there's such lots of nice men in the Bible. And I do like that giant, he's so big and fierce, and he's got, oh, such a big staff and sword. And David is such a little mite of a man. But David's face is pretty, and the giant's is ugly. Isn't that a beauty picture?"
Ivy was so long taking it in, that Hecla grew impatient.
"Why-because is that man so big?"
"Why, he was a giant, and his name is Goliath. All giants are big, you know. If they weren't, they wouldn't be giants. Now I'm going to show you a lovely picture—it's the man that got hung in a tree. Oh dear, where is he? I can't remember his name, but he was King David's naughty son—King David that killed the wicked giant. And he's got a most beautiful dress—lots of colours."
Hecla was frantically turning over the pictures, forgetting her promise to be careful of the edges; and the rustle tried poor Aunt Millicent not a little. She said nothing, however, as Hecla was trying hard to keep Ivy happy.
"Here he is—stuck right up in the tree," exclaimed Hecla, with triumph. "And look, he's caught by his chin. Auntie Anne says the painter's made it wrong, 'cause he really was caught by his hair. He'd grown lots and lots of hair, more like what you've got, and his hair caught tight, and he was running away, and the horse galloped off, and he just hung there and couldn't get down, and he was killed. And now I'm going to show you—"
"But I want to look at that man. Why-because didn't he get down out of the tree?"
"Why, he couldn't, Ivy. His hair was all twisted in and out of the branches. Don't you see? I know his name—it's Absalom. You can look at him while I'm hunting for the next. I want to find the little Syrian maid. She's such a dear; and her mistress is sitting all doubled up, so funny, on a big cushion. Auntie Anne says they do sit like that in some places, and not properly on chairs like we do."