Jew to the inmost fibre of his being, and he answered himself out of his
own mouth that it was his own sinful wish, and not God's will, that
had sent Naomi into the world as she was. Then, on the day of the great
account, how should he answer to her for her soul?

Visions stood up before him of endless retribution for the soul that
knew not God. These were the most awful terrors of his sleepless nights,
but at length peace came to him, for he saw his path of duty. It was his
duty to Naomi that he should tell her of God and reveal the word of the
Lord to her! What matter if she could not hear? Though she had senses as
the sands of the seashore, yet in the way of light the Lord alone could
lead her. What matter though she could not see? The soul was the eye
that saw God, and with bodily eyes had no man seen Him.

So every day thereafter at sunset Israel took Naomi by the hand and led
her to an upper room, the same wherein her mother died, and, fetching
from a cupboard of the wall the Book of the Law, he read to her of
the commandments of the Lord by Moses, and of the Prophets, and of the
Kings. And while he read Naomi sat in silence at his feet, with his one
free hand in both of her hands, clasped close against her cheek.

What the little maid in her darkness thought of this custom, what
mystery it was to her and wherefore, only the eye that looks into
darkness could see; but it was so at length that as soon as the sun had
set--for she knew when the sun was gone--Naomi herself would take her
father by the hand, and lead him to the upper room, and fetch the book
to his knees.

And sometimes, as Israel read, an evil spirit would seem to come to him,
and make a mock at him, and say, "The child is deaf and hears not--go
read your book in the tombs!" But he only hardened his neck and laughed
proudly. And, again, sometimes the evil spirit seemed to say, "Why waste
yourself in this misspent desire? The child is buried while she is still
alive, and who shall roll away the stone?" But Israel only answered, "It
is for the Lord to do miracles, and the Lord is mighty."

So, great in his faith, Israel read to Naomi night after night, and when
his spirit was sore of many taunts in the day his voice would be hoarse,
and he would read the law which says, "_Thou shalt not curse the deaf,
nor put a stumbling-block before the blind._" But when his heart was
at peace his voice would be soft, and he would read of the child Samuel
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