And the old woman’s patience was nigh exhausted when he cried:  Granny, it is day, and bade her leave her bed and come to the window to tell him if day were not breaking; but she answered:  get thee back to thy bed, for ’tis the moon shining down the sky, simpleton.  The sun won’t give way an hour to the moon nor the moon an hour to the sun because thou’rt going to Arimathea.  And methinks, Joseph, that to some the morrow is always better than to-day, and yesterday better than either,—­a remark that puzzled Joseph and kept him from his rest.  Didst never hear, Joseph, that it is a clever chicken that crows in the egg? the old woman continued, and who knows but Azariah will forget to come for thee!  He won’t forget, Granny, Joseph uttered in so doleful a tone that Rachel repented and promised Joseph she would wake him in time; and as she had never failed to keep her promise to him he allowed sleep to close his eyelids.  And once asleep he was hard to awaken.  At six in the morning sleep seemed to him better than Arimathea, but once awake Rachel could not hand him his clothes fast enough; he escaped from her hands, dressing himself as he ran into the lanes, and while tying his sandals at the gate he forgot them and stood at gaze, wondering whether Azariah would come to fetch him on a horse or an ass or a mule or a camel.

At last the sound of hooves came through the dusk, and a moment after some three or four camels led the way; and there were horses too and asses and mules, and the mules were caparisoned gaily, the one reserved for Joseph’s riding more richly than the others—­a tall fine animal by which he was proud to stand, asking questions of the muleteer, while admiring the dark docile eyes shaded with black lashes.  Now why do we delay? he asked Azariah, who reminded him—­and somewhat tritely—­that he had not yet said good-bye to his parents.  But they know I’m going with you, Sir, he answered.  Azariah would not, however, allow Joseph to mount his mule till he had bidden good-bye to his father and grandmother, and he brought the boy back to the house, but without earning Dan’s approval, who was ashamed before Azariah of his son’s eagerness to leave home; a subtlety that escaped Rachel who chided Dan saying:  try to remember if it wasn’t the same with thee, for I can remember thine eyes sparkling at the sight of a horse and thy knees all of an itch to be on to him.  Well, said Dan, he’ll have enough riding before the day is over, and I reckon his little backside will be sore before they halt at the gates of Arimathea; a remark that caused Rachel to turn amazed eyes on her son and to answer harshly that since he had so much foresight she hoped he had not forgotten to tell Azariah that Joseph must have a long rest at midday.  But thy face tells me no order has been given for the care of the child on the journey.  But Azariah cannot be far on his way.  I’ll send a messenger to caution him that Joseph has his rest in the shade.