“Then St. Peter and St. Paul came by——”
“But St. Paul—” interposed Clamer.
“Don’t interrupt, but listen,” said Giuseppa. “St. Peter and St. Paul, though not younger than the others like St. John, were always in the front in all matters, because of their eagerness and zeal, and the important post which was assigned them in the Church. They came next, therefore; but they, seeing the men working on Sunday, were filled with indignation, and chid them so fiercely that they only made them angry, and they took up stones to throw at them, and drove them out of the ground. One by one the other Apostles all came by and warned them, but none of them seemed to have the right way of getting at their hearts. And they went on working, with a worse sin on them for having been warned.
“Last of all, the Lord Himself came by, and His heart was moved with compassion by the perversity of the people. He saw that all the preaching of all His Apostles had been in vain, and He resolved to save them in another way, and prove them, to see if there was any charity or any good in them at all.
“Instead of threatening and warning, He came leaning on His staff, weary and way-sore.
“‘You have a fine Berg-Segen[82], my friends,’ He said, sweetly, as He sat on a great heap of fresh hay placed ready to load the returning wain.
“‘Oh, yes! first-rate crops,’ replied the rich proprietor, with a look of contempt at the travel-stained garments of the wayfarer; ‘but they’re not meant to serve as beds for idle fellows who go prowling about the country and live by begging instead of by work, so you just get up and take yourself off!’
“Our Lord looked at him with a piteous glance, but his heart was not softened. ‘Move off quicker than that, or you’ll taste my stick!’ he cried, assuming a threatening attitude.
“Our Lord passed on, without uttering a word of complaint, till He reached the holding of the next proprietor.
“‘Where there are such fine pastures there must be fine cattle and a fine store of produce,’ He said.