wept away by the descending flood. You will remain with us for to-night
and for as long after it as pleases you--to the end of your
probationship and after, if you prove yourself worthy of admission.
Meanwhile you will be given a girdle, a white garment and a little axe.
You will sleep in one of the outlying huts. Come with me and I will take
you round our village. We shall meet on our way some of the brothers
returning from their daily tasks, for we all have a craft: many of us
are husbandmen; the two coming towards us carrying spades are from the
fields, and that one turning down the lane is a shepherd; he has just
folded his flock, but he will return to them with his dogs, for we
suffer a great deal from the ravages of wild beasts with which the woods
are thronged, wolves especially. In our community there are healers, and
these study the medicinal properties of herbs. If you resolve to remain
with us, you will choose a craft.

Joseph mentioned that the only craft he knew was dry-salting, and it was
disappointing to hear that there were no fish in the lake.

There is a long time of probationship before one is admitted, the
president continued, and when that is concluded another long time must
pass over before the proselyte is called to join us at the common
repasts. Before he breaks bread with us he must bind himself by oath to
be always pious towards the Divinity, to observe justice towards men,
and to injure no one voluntarily or by command: to hate always the
unjust and never to shrink from taking part in the conflict on the side
of the just; to show fidelity to all and especially to those who rule.
Thou'lt soon begin to understand that rule doesn't fall to anyone except
by the will of God. I have never deserved to rule, but headship came to
me, he added half sadly, as if he feared he had not been sufficiently
exacting. After asking Joseph whether he felt himself strong enough to
obey so severe a rule, he passed from father to teacher. Every one of
us must love truth and make it his purpose to confute those who speak
falsehood; to keep his hands from stealing and his soul from unjust
gain. He must never conceal anything from a member of the order, nor
reveal its secrets to others, even if he should have to suffer death by
withholding them; and above all, while trying to engage proselytes he
must speak the doctrines only as he has heard them from us. Thou'lt
return perhaps to Jerusalem....

He broke off to speak