a! ha!"

"Lazarus is much taken with this man," Martha observed. "Art thou,
too, gone after him, Joel?"

"Nay. I like him not. Far be it from the business of a Galilean
peasant to tell a merchant of Jerusalem that riches be a curse."

"And hath he said this to thee?" Martha inquired in astonishment.

"Yea, at the gate where my camel did stick and skin his nether
quarters."

Lazarus laughed again as he exclaimed, "Enough it were to make dry
bones shake! Such a sight! Tell it, Joel."

"Lazarus doth make light of matters sorely vexatious," Joel said
without smiling.

"What did happen, Joel?" and there was concern in Martha's question.

"My camel train bearing great stores of silks had come from Damascus.
The city gates were gorged with pilgrims so that my men did lead their
beasts to the far side of the city wall where the small gates are.
Here, when the camel would have walked under, he could not for the
bales of silk that did wedge against the stones. Then did we strip the
beasts, yet were their frames too large. Then did we get them on their
knees and while some did pull, others did push. I stood with those in
the rear and most mightily did I push until sweat did drop from my head
and much straining did rend my _kittuna_."

"Didst get the camel through?" Martha asked anxiously.

"Yea, save the patch of hide he did leave sticking on the stone walls."

"Thou shouldst have seen," Lazarus laughed, "thou shouldst have seen
thy Joel. Like a dog of the hills did he pant and like the swine of
the heathen did he grunt."

"Were there bystanders to witness thy sad plight?" Martha asked the
question of Joel.

"Yea, hard by stood a small company, one of them in the garment of a
Rabbi. Beholding the struggling he said, 'Verily, verily, it is easier
for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get
into Heaven.' Then did those about fasten searching eyes on me, and I
like him not."

"The truth doth fit close, friend Joel. Now to me did he also make a
hard speech, yet I like him the more for his plain speaking."

"And hast thou too had speech with the Galilean? Tell me, my brother?"
Mary asked.

"Lazarus would be his disciple," Joel remarked.

"Lazarus! Our brother? The son of a Sanhedrin Pharisee be the
disciple of a Galilean?" and there was consternation in the voice of
Martha.

"Thou hast spoken," he replied quietly, arranging himself more
comfortably on the couch. "The Law