Joseph promised to be good and quiet and to keep himself from putting questions.  I will listen attentively, he said, and he seized on the last chance available to his tongue to tell that he had often seen Azariah in the lanes.  He doesn’t see us, he walks like one in a dream, his hair blowing in the wind.  But when he does see us he speaks very kindly ...  I think I’d like to learn Hebrew from him.  Rachel laid her finger on her lips; the door opened and Azariah advanced into the room with a long grave Jewish stride, apologising to Dan as he came for his sudden intrusion into their midst, mentioning the heavy rain in a graceful phrase.  Joseph, who was on the watch for everything, could see that his father was full of respect for Azariah, and hearing him say that it was some years since Azariah had been in his house he began to wonder if there had been a quarrel between them; it seemed to him that his father was a little afraid of Azariah, which was strange, for he himself did not feel in the least afraid of Azariah but an almost uncontrollable desire to go and sit on his knee.

Here is my boy Joseph:  and, Azariah, you will be interested to hear that we were talking about you for the last quarter of an hour.

Azariah raised his thick eyebrows and waited to be told how he had come to be the subject of their talk, though he half knew the reason, for in a village like Magdala it soon gets about that four preceptors have been sent away unable to teach the rich man’s son.  He has made up his mind, Dan said, to learn Hebrew and Greek from none but you.  No, Father, I didn’t make up my mind.  But I couldn’t learn from the others and I told you why.  Are you sure that you can learn from me?  Azariah asked.  Joseph became shy at once, but he liked to feel Azariah’s friendly hand upon his shoulder, and when Dan asked the scribe to be seated Joseph followed him, and standing beside his chair asked him if he would teach him Hebrew, a question Azariah did not answer.  You will teach me, he insisted, and Dan and Rachel kept silence, so that they might better observe Joseph working round Azariah with questions; and they were amused, for Joseph’s curiosity had overcome his shyness; and, quite forgetful of his promise to listen and not to talk, he had begun to beg the scribe to tell him if the language they spoke had been brought back from Babylon, and how long it was since people had ceased to speak Hebrew.  Azariah set himself to answer these questions; Joseph gave him close attention, and when Azariah ceased speaking he said:  when may I begin my lessons?  And he put the question so innocently that his father could not help laughing.  But, Joseph, he said, Azariah has not yet promised to teach you, and I wouldn’t advise him to try to teach a boy that has refused to learn from four preceptors.  But it will be different with you, Sir, Joseph murmured, taking Azariah’s hand.  You will teach me, won’t you?  When will you begin?

Azariah answered that it could not be this week, for he was going to Arimathea.  The town we came from, Dan said.  I am still known as Dan of Arimathea, though I have lived here twenty years.  I too shall be known as Joseph of Arimathea, Joseph interjected.  I’d like to be Joseph of Arimathea much better than Joseph of Magdala.