Chapter 19

Esther nodded. ‘That was my Hannah,’ she said. ‘And it was a miracle. I was there. I saw it.’

Myra laid her hand lightly on Esther’s arm, and murmured, ‘Don’t let my grandfather hear you say that. He gets very angry. That’s what he has against Joel.’

They gradually improved their pace, putting a little distance between themselves and the others. Myra wanted to pursue their talk about the Carpenter.

‘I never heard him speak; never saw him,’ she went on. ‘I wasn’t allowed to. But I don’t like him because he has come between me and Joel.’

‘Joel believes in him, then,’ said Esther.

‘He not only believes in him,’ said Myra. ‘He has left his job, for days on end, to follow him about! He was gone so often that Jairus discharged him. And my grandfather was glad of it and said it served him right…And then, when it was told that the Carpenter had cured the sickness of little Sharon, Jairus’ child, Joel was taken back and his wages were raised. We all thought my grandfather would have a fit.’

‘Did your grandfather ever see Jesus?’ Esther inquired.

‘Not he!’ rasped Myra. ‘Grandfather’s got it into his head that this Jesus person is down on the Synagogue, and encourages people to break the Sabbath, and consorts with publicans and sinners. You should hear him!…I hate religion,’ she added angrily. ‘Any kind of religion!’

‘I don’t believe you would hate Jesus, if you knew him,’ said Esther quietly.

‘Well—I’ll never know him,’ snapped Myra. ‘My family will see to that…Come—let us talk about something pleasant.’

So they talked about Joel.

That night they camped at Hammath. The next morning they passed through Cana. Grandfather Asher, learning that this was Esther’s first trip to Jerusalem, took her in hand and pointed out memorable landmarks. She listened attentively, but asked no questions that might betray her ignorance of Jewish history. As they passed through Samaria, the old man gathered his flock around Jacob’s Well and told them all about it. It was the first time Esther had ever heard of the hallowed well—or of Jacob; but she managed to show a becoming reverence. Indeed, she was much more deeply affected by the story than Myra, who patted a yawn and gazed at an excited dog that had chased a cat up a tree.

That afternoon, Asher hobbled forward, grasped Esther’s arm and pointed to a distant mountain-peak.