Chapter 6

There were more whispers of sandal-straps. That would be Salome’s tall slaves, bearing her costly litter. Simon had often seen Salome on the road, always with a detachment of mounted guards. She was a graceful rider; very pretty, too. It was common talk that she had no more chastity than a cat. It was also rumoured that her mother hated her because the Tetrarch showed her too much attention. You couldn’t believe everything you heard, but where there was so much smoke there must be some fire. You couldn’t blame the Galileans for believing any evil tale about this young woman. They hated her: why, indeed, shouldn’t they?

Simon shook away the contemptuous thoughts about Salome; and, for better comfort, shifted his position against the tree. He absently plucked a dry seed-pod and slowly tore it apart. How wretchedly he had handled all that business with Johnny! It was Johnny’s fault, of course, but he needn’t have been so rough on the boy. After all, he had only reported what he imagined he had seen and heard; and they had all urged him to tell it. He said he had seen it with his own eyes, in broad daylight; had been standing beside the fellow; and a woman had seen it and fainted; and the man had made funny little squeaks, though you couldn’t tell whether he was laughing or crying. Simon tried unsuccessfully, a couple of times, to make a funny little squeak like that; for this detail had impressed him deeply.

Now there was much clamour on the highway. The air was full of dust and the raucous shouts of the donkey-boys and the thud of blows on the bony rumps of over-burdened beasts. The Romans were cruel to animals; seemed to enjoy beating anything or anybody who couldn’t fight back. And they ruled the world! If God was going to concern Himself with the behaviour of mankind, here would be a good place to lend a hand. Maybe we could have another flood; like the one that had drowned everybody but Noah and his family. Simon grew drowsy waiting for the donkeys to pass and the dust to clear. Noah had spent forty days in the big boat, along with all the animals; landed on a muddy mountaintop; nothing living but a grapevine. And Noah had made some wine—and got drunk. Well, you couldn’t blame him much.

Of course, if Johnny had really seen what he reported, he wouldn’t care whether he had a job or not. He would follow along after this Carpenter, and be content to live on bark and berries. Well, we would have to wait—and see. The boys might come creeping back in a day or two. They had to eat, didn’t they? Nobody could nurse a grievance very long on an empty stomach. Simon came to his feet, stretched his long arms—and yawned mightily. Yes—they would be coming back. Their silly mother would see to that. Naomi would raise all hell until they returned to their jobs.

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