Joseph told him that he was on his way to his lessons and that he passed through this lane every morning.  At these words the sculptor’s eyes lighted up, for he had accepted Joseph’s answer as a tryst, and when Joseph came through the lane next day he caught sight of the sculptor waiting for him and—­flattered—­Joseph entered into conversation with him, resisting, however, the sculptor’s repeated invitation that Joseph should come to sit to him—­if not for a statue, for a bust at least.  But a bust is a graven image, Joseph answered, and as the point was being debated a rich merchant came by, riding a white horse that curveted splendidly, and Joseph, who was interested in the horse, referred the difficulty they were engaged in to the merchant.  After some consideration of it he asked the meaning of the scrolls that Joseph carried in his hand, feigning an interest in them and in Azariah.  Who is he? he asked, and Joseph answered:  a very learned man, my tutor, to whom I must be on my way.  And with a pretty bow he left merchant and sculptor exchanging angry looks.

But the sculptor knowing more of Joseph than the merchant—­that he would be passing through the lane on the morrow at the same time—­and as the boy’s beauty was of great importance to him, kept another tryst, waiting impatiently, and as soon as Joseph appeared he began to beseech him to come to Tiberias and pose in his studio for a statue he was carving, offering presents that would have shaken many determinations.  But Joseph was as firm to-day as he was yesterday.  I must be going on to my Hebrew, he said, and he left the sculptor cast away in dreams.  He had not gone very far, however, before he met the merchant, who happened to be passing through the lane again, and seeing Joseph his eyes lighted up with pleasure, and after speaking to him he dismounted from his mule and showed him a beautiful engraved dagger which Joseph desired ardently; but a present so rich he did not care to accept, and hurried away, nor did he look back, so busy was he inventing reasons as he went for the delay.

I do not deny, Sir, that I’m past my time, but not by an hour; at most by half an hour.  Playing at ball again, and in the purlieus of the neighbourhood, against your father’s instructions!  Azariah said, his face full of storm.  No, Sir, I have put ball-playing out of my mind; or Hebrew has put it out of my mind, and Greek too has had a say in the matter.  The delay was caused by meeting a sculptor who asked me to pose before him for a statue.  And what was thy answer to him?  That we were forbidden by our laws to look upon graven images.  And what answer did he give to that very proper answer?  Azariah asked, somewhat softened.  Many answers, Sir, and among them was this one:  that there was no need for me to look upon the statue he was carving.  The answer that one might expect from a Greek, Azariah rapped out, one that sets me thinking that there is more to be said against the Greek language than I cared