Original - The Preterist Archive

30 NAOMI.
hand, and she would have fallen to the ground,
if Naomi had
not sprung forward and caught her. She thanked her kindly
and gratefully, and then resuming her staff, she would have
proceeded alone but as it
;
appeared that she also was bending
her steps towards Bethany, Naomi insisted on her leaning on
her arm, and promised to take care of her as far as the village,
where she and her nurse were going.
Deborah did not quite approve of this proposition, as she saw
that the old woman moved very slowly, and she found that if
they tarried for her it would be very late before they returned to
the city ;
she therefore reminded her young charge that the day
was wearing away, and that her mother would be alarmed if
she did not return before sunset. But Naomi was not to be
turned from her purpose, whether for good or for evil ;
and on
this occasion she was determined not to abandon the aged
stranger, for whom she felt a peculiar and increasing interest.
She informed Deborah of her intention, begging her to proceed
to Bethany, and execute the commission of her mother, while
she would remain with her new friend for such she already
felt her to be and join her nurse on her return.
Deborah had never opposed her, and she saw no necessity for
doing so on the present occasion ; though, could she have fore-r
seen the ultimate consequences of that meeting, she would
doubtless have considered it her duty to exert an unwonted
degree of authority, and check the dangerous friendship that
Naomi was about to form. But she anticipated no evil from
Naomi's exercising towards this infirm old woman the benevolence
and kindness that she always showed for those in suffering
or distress ;
and she therefore hastened forward with an activity
that was surprising at her time of life, and left Naomi to exert
her endeavours to discover the cause of the tears which had so
greatly excited her sympathy.
" Will you tell me," sho timidly began, for she almost feared
to intrude on the feelings of the venerable stranger, "will you
tell me wherefore you are in grief, good mother ? It pains me
to see you weep, and I should be so happy if it was in my
power to wipe away those tears."
" Bless thee, my child," replied the old woman, with emotion,
" these are the kindest words that I have heard addressed to me
for many years. I am. a solitary being now. All those who
loved me best are long ago laid in the grave, and the friends
whom I have found in later years have almost all retired to distant
and more secure counties. But it was not for this that I
wept ; my tears were not those of sorrow for my own condition,