Chapter 6

‘Stables!’ Esther’s tone indicated that her Uncle Joseph was not likely to be at work on a stable, not even the Tetrarch’s.

‘Stone stables!’ explained Simon.’ White marble stables! The Tetrarch’s Arabian horses live in mansions, while most of his subjects live in hovels; and they eat good food while the little children of Galilee often go to bed hungry…The Tetrarch’s stables are beautiful—ornamented with statues!…But your uncle would not be found at work on such carvings.’

‘No?’ Esther’s uplifted brows wondered why her uncle wasn’t competent enough to do sculpturing.

‘He is a Jew, isn’t he?’ demanded Simon; and when Esther had nodded he said gruffly, ‘You should know that the Children of Israel are not permitted to make graven images.’

‘I thought that rule applied to the carving of idols,’ said Esther.

‘Apparently you Idumean Jews do not know the Commandments. High time you learned them! Hear the law: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness—of anything! Anything—that is in heaven above—or in the earth beneath—or in the water that is under the earth!”‘ Simon pushed back his chair, still glowering over Uncle Joseph’s defection and his attractive niece’s ignorance. ‘However,’ he added, as he moved toward the door, ‘I have an errand at the palace this morning. I shall make inquiries. Perhaps you would like to go with me.’

‘Let her rest here today, Simon,’ urged Hannah. ‘Tomorrow will do as well.’

The Big Fisherman paused in the doorway to remark testily that he wouldn’t be going to the palace tomorrow; that if Esther wanted to find her uncle she might as well be about it without further delay; and Esther, thus advised that she had worn out her welcome so far as Simon was concerned, promptly consented to accompany him.

His frown cleared momentarily, but deepened again as he noted Hannah’s expression of disapproval. For some reason she didn’t want the girl to go. Simon shrugged and petulantly mumbled something that meant he didn’t care a damn whether she ever found her uncle. Embarrassed by his asperity, Esther was tardy with a reply: and Simon, tugging on his cap, left the house without a farewell word to either of them. After the outer door had banged, Hannah remarked gently that Simon seemed to be upset about something.

‘Me—perhaps?’ inquired Esther.

‘I don’t think so,’ said Hannah. ‘You have done nothing to annoy him, my dear…I never saw him—quite like this—before. Perhaps it has something to do with the fleet. I feel sure that Andrew knows, but it’s hard to get anything out of Andrew. I never knew anyone who could keep his mouth shut as long—and tight—as Andrew. He was unusually quiet this morning; didn’t say where he was going: perhaps to potter about the old house in Capernaum, for the fleet won’t be going out today. It’s a holiday.’