Chapter 28

Fara’s heart raced as her intuition informed her of the amazing experiment he had in mind. He was going to try to heal Deran!

‘No direct command has come to me,’ Peter was saying, ‘but surely it would please God, and advance the Master’s Kingdom of peace and goodwill among men, if some act of kindness might cure the ancient enmity between the Arab and the Jew. Perhaps it is my task, by God’s help, to do this thing.’

Fara made no comment; did not lift her eyes. After a moment’s waiting, Peter continued:

‘Would it not soften the heart of Arabia if a Jew should be the means of restoring the heir to their throne?’

‘I do not know,’ murmured Fara; adding, when Peter’s searching look called for an explanation of her doubt, ‘It has been a bitter enmity for ages.’ She could not bring herself to tell him that it would be no great favour to Arabia to put Deran on his feet. Who was Fara—to discourage the healing of any man’s paralysis? And how dared she pit her judgment against that of the man whom God had invested with superhuman power?

‘Think you, Fara, that the Queen will let me see the Prince?’ wondered Peter.

‘I do not know,’ she replied. ‘The Queen is much overwrought by the recent afflictions. There’s no telling what attitude she might take.’

‘Will you go with me tomorrow,’ entreated Peter, ‘and tell her why I have come?’

‘Queen Rennah is not friendly to me,’ said Fara.

‘Your Voldi is a Councillor,’ said Peter. ‘Could you persuade him to present me?’

‘No! No!’ exclaimed Fara. ‘I couldn’t ask Voldi to do that!’

There was a long, tense silence. Peter sat gnawing his bearded underlip in perplexity. At length he spoke almost sternly.

‘Something tells me that you do not want the Prince to be healed! Is this true?’

There was no use trying to evade this query. Fara straightened for her task.

‘The Arabians do not like Prince Deran, Peter,’ she said firmly. ‘From his childhood he has been detested for his selfishness and arrogance. They will want—and they deserve—another kind of King.’

‘But if, by a miracle, the Prince should be healed, might he not change his ways and become acceptable?’ argued Peter.

‘It is not for me to say,’ replied Fara.

‘You remember what happened to the rich Zacchaeus? How the people’s hatred of him was changed to loyalty and affection when Jesus redeemed him?’

Fara slowly nodded her head, without looking up.

‘I’ll go with you, Peter, in the morning,’ she said.

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