There, as she could not dispose of him
otherwise, he was given over to the Essenes, to be educated in their
doctrine, and, should he wish it, to enter their order when he reached
full age. This lad, it was now decreed, should become the playmate of
Miriam, a decision that pleased both of them very well.
Caleb was a handsome child with quick, dark eyes that watched everything
without seeming to watch, and black hair which curled upon his
shoulders. He was clever also and brave; but though he did his best to
control his temper, by nature very passionate and unforgiving. Moreover,
that which he desired he would have, if by any means it could be
obtained, and was faithful in his loves as in his hates. Of these hates
Nehushta was one. With all the skill of a Libyan, whose only book is
that of Nature and men's faces, she read the boy's heart at once and
said openly that he might come to be the first in any cause--if he did
not betray it--and that when God mixed his blood of the best, lest Caesar
should find a rival He left out the salt of honesty and filled up the
cup with the wine of passion. When these sayings were repeated to Caleb
by Miriam, who thought them to be a jest fit to tease her playmate
with, he did not fly into one of his tempers, as she had hoped, but only
screwed up his eyelids after his fashion in certain moods, and looked
black as the rain-storm above Mount Nebo.
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