Julius Harrison

{75}

PAUL had finished his day’s work at the quay-side of Thessalonica unloading a cargo¹ of timber, and now sat watching two young men, followers² of Christ and dear friends of his own, who, naked to the waist, were washing the day’s sweat and dirt from their arms and faces. They were Greeks—handsome, athletic³, and full of gaiety.

“Art thou tired, Master?” asked the younger of the two, walking up to the great traveller and preacher and offering him a wet cloth for his face.

“What—with this kind of work?” said Paul, smiling. “Thou thinkest I am old and weak, I know,” he added, taking the cloth from his young friend and pressing it gratefully against his bared throat.

“No, dear Father, I don’t.... I will sit by thy side until Aristarchus has finished cleansing⁴ himself.... Father, I want to ask thee something.”

“Well, my son: ask.”

But the young man stared across the sea to Olympus and would not speak. Paul, divining the mood that was upon him, touched his arm gently.

“Ask me any time, my son.” Then he added eagerly and with some passion: “Hast thou told Aristarchus thou wishest to marry?”

“Marry?”

The young man laughed nervously⁵ and self-consciously.

“Father, I might have known thou wouldst guess,” he said. “No, I have not told Aristarchus. I have told no one: not even her.”

“And it is ab{76}out her thou wishest to speak with me?”

“Yes, Father, it is,” answered Lycastus.

But again he sat silent, not being able to speak one single word; and presently Aristarchus came over to them, his bronzed face wet, his neck and arms bare.

“Jason will be expecting thee,” he said to Paul.

“Yes,” assented⁶ Paul. “And thou, Aristarchus? Whither art thou going?”

“I am going home to my wife and little son to talk of Jesus Christ. But I will walk some way with thee, Master,” he said. “Come, Jason will have his food spread for thee, and, I doubt not, some wine for thy tired body.”

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