Chapter 4

‘Yes—I suppose so,’ admitted Fara with a companionable sigh. ‘Do you think the prophet is finished—for the day?’

‘Oh no, he will speak again when the people have had their supper. It should not be long now.’ The young Jewess tipped her head toward the groups who were rising and stirring about.

The girl’s plump mother, now that her family had been fed, wrapped up what was left; and, scrambling to her feet, came over and sat down beside her daughter. She and Fara exchanged amiable smiles.

‘I am glad you made friends with our Ruth,’ she leaned forward to say. ‘There are so few young people here of her own age. Hundreds of us older ones and swarms of small children; but it seems that our young people nowadays—’ She broke off abruptly in response to an imploring look from her daughter, but immediately continued, ‘They don’t seem to know that they have souls to save from the wrath to come!’

Ruth turned her head slowly toward Fara, with an expression that apologized for her zealous mother. Quite at a loss for a suitable comment, Fara mumbled, ‘Probably not,’ quickly aware that it was the wrong thing to have said, for it showed a deplorable unconcern. The woman’s eyes were alive with reproach.

‘Young man,’ she said severely, ‘may I ask whether you have come to seek salvation?’

‘I came to see and hear the prophet,’ replied Fara.

‘But not your own soul’s salvation?’ demanded the woman.

‘The prophet is interested only in his own countrymen, I think,’ said Fara.

‘Of course! But you are an Israelite, are you not?’

‘I am an Arabian.’

‘Then you have no right to be here at all!’

‘But—mother!’ pleaded Ruth.

‘Never mind! You come with me!’ Rising, the indignant Jewess drew her embarrassed daughter to her feet.

‘Good-bye.’ Ruth turned to say softly.

Fara, who had risen, bowed and said with her lips rather than her voice, ‘I’m sorry.’ Striding through the milling crowd she observed that the people well forward were seating themselves compactly in rows. Finding an unoccupied spot, she sat down to wait. Presently a murmur of expectation swept the great audience. The prophet John, who had evidently been resting by the river’s brink, appeared over the top of the embankment.