Read Online The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth George Speare
Tags: Ages 8 and up, Newbery Medal
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coat, allowing Joel a glimpse of the torn and scanty garment underneath.
"Never mind," Joel said hastily. "Better wear it after all. It doesn't matter really."
Propelling his guest along the corridor, Joel was all at once aware of his sister, who still stood just inside the archway. "Thacia," he said, an uncertain note in his voice. "Do you remember Daniel—the one who—" He floundered to a stop.
Her fine dark eyebrows lifted. "I remember," she said, in a cool light voice. Then she turned on her embroidered sandal and walked away from them.
Joel looked after her with annoyance, then he shrugged. "Don't mind Thacia," he said. "She's putting on city airs lately. Come, we'll go up to my room where we can talk. If you knew what it's like to see someone from home!"
Daniel had to follow so rapidly through the courtyard that he had only a blurred impression of green beauty. They passed beneath a row of slender columns into another corridor, up a flight of shallow steps and into a small square room. Apparently Joel slept in this room, and did not even have to share it with anyone. There was a single low couch, with a striped linen covering, two carved wooden benches, a painted chest, and a desk with quills and an inkpot and a scroll propped open as though Joel had just been working on it.
Joel poured water from a fine pottery jar and laid out a smooth linen towel. Self-consciously Daniel washed his hands and feet and retied his turban. It was plain that Joel did not care whether he was respectable or not, that the boy was overjoyed to see him. Daniel's wiry self-confidence reasserted itself. He would not let himself be shaken again by a silly girl.
"Did Rosh send you?" Joel demanded. "Have you held up any more caravans? How about the slave, the big black one? I didn't envy you when you led him off that day."
"I should have kept my mouth shut," Daniel answered.
"What happened?"
"The minute I took his chains off he took charge of me instead. He's made me the laughingstock of the camp. He works like a mule to keep my fire going. But he won't let me out of his sight."
Joel was amused at the picture. "Can he talk? Does he understand what you say?"
"The others don't think so. I'm not sure. Sometimes it seems as though he's trying to tell me something."
"You're not afraid of him?"
"Not for myself. But I have to watch him all the time. That strength of his—it's like a rock on the edge of the cliff. A feather could start it down. One night I got into an argument with Joktan, and Jok started at me with his fists. I looked up just in time. There was Samson reaching for Jok with those great arms of his. It was all I could do to stop him."
Joel whistled. "I should think—" he began, when a chiming gong interrupted him, and he rose to his feet. "Father insists that we're on time for meals," he said. "We'd better talk later."
Near the fountain in the courtyard Hezron stood waiting, a tall, narrow-faced man with graying hair. He bowed with a cool courtesy at Joel's introduction.
"Peace be with you," he said. "You are welcome." He gazed with distaste at Daniel's unlawful garment.
A camel would be as welcome, Daniel thought. The man will have to purify his whole house when I leave!
Side by side two women moved gracefully across the tile pavement, Malthace and an older woman who must once have looked much like her daughter. A tiny bird of vivid blue darted from a dwarf pear tree and lighted for a breath's space on the girl's shoulder, then flashed away. The corner of Thacia's mouth curled slightly as site looked at Daniel, hinting, "I could tell them much if I cared." The mother smiled warmly and held out her hand to him.
They led Daniel through an archway into a spacious room. His muscles stiffened at the array of couches. Was he expected to eat his meal lying down like a Roman? But after an awkward wait he lowered his body gingerly and, imitating Joel, propped himself up on one elbow, aware of Thacia's amusement. For all her
"Never mind," Joel said hastily. "Better wear it after all. It doesn't matter really."
Propelling his guest along the corridor, Joel was all at once aware of his sister, who still stood just inside the archway. "Thacia," he said, an uncertain note in his voice. "Do you remember Daniel—the one who—" He floundered to a stop.
Her fine dark eyebrows lifted. "I remember," she said, in a cool light voice. Then she turned on her embroidered sandal and walked away from them.
Joel looked after her with annoyance, then he shrugged. "Don't mind Thacia," he said. "She's putting on city airs lately. Come, we'll go up to my room where we can talk. If you knew what it's like to see someone from home!"
Daniel had to follow so rapidly through the courtyard that he had only a blurred impression of green beauty. They passed beneath a row of slender columns into another corridor, up a flight of shallow steps and into a small square room. Apparently Joel slept in this room, and did not even have to share it with anyone. There was a single low couch, with a striped linen covering, two carved wooden benches, a painted chest, and a desk with quills and an inkpot and a scroll propped open as though Joel had just been working on it.
Joel poured water from a fine pottery jar and laid out a smooth linen towel. Self-consciously Daniel washed his hands and feet and retied his turban. It was plain that Joel did not care whether he was respectable or not, that the boy was overjoyed to see him. Daniel's wiry self-confidence reasserted itself. He would not let himself be shaken again by a silly girl.
"Did Rosh send you?" Joel demanded. "Have you held up any more caravans? How about the slave, the big black one? I didn't envy you when you led him off that day."
"I should have kept my mouth shut," Daniel answered.
"What happened?"
"The minute I took his chains off he took charge of me instead. He's made me the laughingstock of the camp. He works like a mule to keep my fire going. But he won't let me out of his sight."
Joel was amused at the picture. "Can he talk? Does he understand what you say?"
"The others don't think so. I'm not sure. Sometimes it seems as though he's trying to tell me something."
"You're not afraid of him?"
"Not for myself. But I have to watch him all the time. That strength of his—it's like a rock on the edge of the cliff. A feather could start it down. One night I got into an argument with Joktan, and Jok started at me with his fists. I looked up just in time. There was Samson reaching for Jok with those great arms of his. It was all I could do to stop him."
Joel whistled. "I should think—" he began, when a chiming gong interrupted him, and he rose to his feet. "Father insists that we're on time for meals," he said. "We'd better talk later."
Near the fountain in the courtyard Hezron stood waiting, a tall, narrow-faced man with graying hair. He bowed with a cool courtesy at Joel's introduction.
"Peace be with you," he said. "You are welcome." He gazed with distaste at Daniel's unlawful garment.
A camel would be as welcome, Daniel thought. The man will have to purify his whole house when I leave!
Side by side two women moved gracefully across the tile pavement, Malthace and an older woman who must once have looked much like her daughter. A tiny bird of vivid blue darted from a dwarf pear tree and lighted for a breath's space on the girl's shoulder, then flashed away. The corner of Thacia's mouth curled slightly as site looked at Daniel, hinting, "I could tell them much if I cared." The mother smiled warmly and held out her hand to him.
They led Daniel through an archway into a spacious room. His muscles stiffened at the array of couches. Was he expected to eat his meal lying down like a Roman? But after an awkward wait he lowered his body gingerly and, imitating Joel, propped himself up on one elbow, aware of Thacia's amusement. For all her
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