Azariah promised they would be at the gates in a few minutes, but these
few minutes seemed as if they would never pass away, but they did pass,
and at the gateway Joseph toppled from his mule and just managed to
hobble into the inn at which they were to sleep that night: too tired to
eat, he said, too tired, he feared, to sleep. Azariah pressed him to
swallow a cup of soup and he prepared a hot bath for him into which he
poured a bottle of vinegar; an excellent remedy he reported this to be
against stiffness, and it showed itself to be such: for next morning
Joseph was quite free from stiffness and said he could walk for miles.
Samuel's rock cannot be more than a few hundred yards distant, so miles
are not necessary, Azariah answered, as they stepped over the threshold
into a delightful morning all smiles and greetings and subtle
invitations to come away into the forest and fields, full of promises of
flowers and songs, but in conflict with their project, which was to
inquire out their way from the maidens at the fountain, who would be
sure to know it, and in its shade to read the story of David and Goliath
first and other stories afterwards. But the gay morning drew their
thoughts away from texts, and without being aware of their apostasy they
had already begun to indulge in hopes that the maidens would be late at
the fountain and leave them some time to loiter by the old aqueduct that
brought the water in a tiny stream to fall into a marble trough: an
erstwhile sarcophagus, maybe, Azariah said, as he gathered some water
out of it with his hands and drank, telling Joseph to do likewise.

There were clouds in the sky, so the sun kept coming and going. A great
lantern, Joseph said. That God holds in his hands, Azariah answered; and
when tired of waiting for maidens who did not appear their beguilement
was continued by shadows advancing and retreating across the roadway.
The town was an enchantment in the still limpid morning, but when they