lside
was not altogether unwelcome, and Joseph, to his surprise, surveyed the
young man's ringlets and bracelets with consideration; he admired his
many weapons, and listened to him with interest. He talked well, telling
that the sword that hung from his thigh was from Damascus and
recommending a merchant to Joseph who could be trusted to discover as
fine a one for him. It was not wise to go about this lonely hillside
unarmed, and Joseph was moved to ask him to draw the sword from its
scabbard, which Nicodemus was only too glad to do, calling Joseph's
attention to the beautiful engraving on the blade, and to the hilt
studded with jewels. He drew a dagger from his jacket, a hardly less
costly weapon, and Joseph was too abashed to speak of his buckler on his
left arm and the spear that he held in his right hand. But, nothing
loath, Nicodemus bubbled into explanation. It was part of his project to
remind his fellow-countrymen that they too must arm themselves if they
ever wished to throw off the Roman yoke.

So long as the Romans substitute a Hebrew word or letter for the head of
Tiberius on the coin we pay the tribute willingly, he said as they
followed the crooked path through the rocks up the hillside towards
Joseph's house. And in reply to Joseph, who asked him if he believed in
the coming end of the world, he answered that he did, but he interpreted
the coming end of the world to mean the freeing of the people of Israel
from the Roman yoke, astonishing Joseph by the vigour of his reply; for
Joseph was not yet sure which was the truer part of this young man, the
ringlets and the bracelets or the shield and the spear.

He was partial to long silences; and the next of these was so long that
Joseph had begun to wonder, but when they reached the crest of the hill
he burst into speech like a bird into song, asking what was happening in
Galilee, avouching much interest in Jesus, whom he had heard of, but had
never seen. Joseph, guessing that it was to obtain news of Jesus that
Nicodemus sought him on the hillside, told him that he had not spoken of
Jesus for many weeks, and found a sudden relief in relating all he knew
about him: how Jesus said that father, mother, brother and sister must
be abandoned. Yes, he had said, we must look upon all sacrifice as
naught if we would obtain our ancient kingdom and language. But the
Essenes have never spoken like that, Nicodemus urged: he is not an
Essene, nor Moses, nor Elijah, nor Je