. The story of Jesus Christ; an interpretation . theraud I have sought thee for these three days ! Wehave sorrowed for thee ! What didst thou mean ?What hast tiiou done ? She caught him to her, sobbing as she did so. Joseph did not join in her reproofs; he stoodsilently by. Both parents were as much puzzled asthey were troubled. Ought they to blame the lad ?Ought they not to blame him ? Mary was not a scolding mother, and her gentlereproaches died away before the boys quiet andabstracted mien. He looked at her with perfectself-possession. Nay, truly, the right of reproachseemed, strangely, to
. The story of Jesus Christ; an interpretation . theraud I have sought thee for these three days ! Wehave sorrowed for thee ! What didst thou mean ?What hast tiiou done ? She caught him to her, sobbing as she did so. Joseph did not join in her reproofs; he stoodsilently by. Both parents were as much puzzled asthey were troubled. Ought they to blame the lad ?Ought they not to blame him ? Mary was not a scolding mother, and her gentlereproaches died away before the boys quiet andabstracted mien. He looked at her with perfectself-possession. Nay, truly, the right of reproachseemed, strangely, to rest with him. lie did notspeak until he chose, then: How is it, he said slowly, that ye soughtme? Mary hastened to explain, to expostulate : but heregarded her steadily. Before his unboylike eyesher own diuuned with the pang that mothers knowwhen they see the first signs of manly will and in-dividualism in a frrowinjr son. Knew ye not, asked the boy, that I must bein my Fathers house ? I must be, he said peremp-torily, about my Fathers iEN THE BOY 55 His manner was as solemn, as mysterious, as hiswords. Mary and Joseph did not answer did not know how. His look was high andunfamiliar. He glanced back at the rabbis, upwardat the splendid background of the Temple, thendownward on the tiles. Whatever his thoughts, hedid not try to share them with any person. Withthe sigh of one awaking from a thrilling dream toa dull reality, he passed down the terraces and outfrom the Temple courts. His mothers hand heldhis anxiously. He suffered this, without childishfret or petulance. There seemed to be the decisionof a man in the heart of a boy. It was as if hesaid to himself : I will trouble her no more. My time is notcome. After all, I am but a lad! I will defer tomy parents and be subject to them. And this without protest or rebellion he did andwas. He went back with them to Nazareth like anyother child; and there, like any other child, helived and grew, and did the things
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