Nicholas moved on, devouring the beef in one hand and carrying the basket of fish in the other. In short time, he had it nearly finished. He made certain never to bring it home. His uncle and aunt never bought meat from the temples, so he was certain they wouldn’t approve.
He spotted his uncle approaching and whipped the remaining beef behind his back. His uncle said, “Chrysanthe said she saw you.” He added, “Eating meat sacrificed to idols?”
There was no use hiding it. Young Nicholas brought the last scrap of beef out from behind his back and said, “I’m not joining in the sacrifice, just getting a cheap lunch.” He popped the last bite in his mouth.
“Then why hide it?”
“I thought it would bother you that I felt the freedom to eat it.”
The older Nicholas said, “It does not bother me. I am free to not eat it.”
The two Nicholases made their way together through the crowds. As they cleared the forum, the elder Nicholas said, “What bothers me, is that you do something you’re not certain is right...”
Young Nicholas opened his mouth to protest, but old Nicholas said, “I’m not looking for a defense. I’m sure you would win your case in court.” He smirked. Young Nicholas returned the smile. It was a compliment at how well he was doing in his lawyer apprenticeship. Old Nicholas continued, “When you were young, I’m sure you could see right and wrong clearly, for they were etched in your parents’ faces. You only had to do as they did... But now you are a man. You will need to see it for yourself, as they did... In the face of Christus. If you do what he would have you do, you need never feel ashamed.”
Young Nicholas didn’t feel that was quite so. He could think of Anicetus mocking Christus and having nothing to say. He felt very embarrassed at times like these. Nevertheless, he said, “Yes sir.”
That night after his uncle and aunt had gone to sleep, Nicholas slipped away to Mount Taurus. Coming to the tombs, he climbed the crags and shuffled along the stone ledge into the old tomb he had purchased. Inside, he fumbled for an oil lamp he had left there with a steel blade and some flint. He struck the blade on the flint to light the lamp and leaned a bowl over it to dim its brightness. In its light, he made his way back to an urn standing behind a cracked sarcophagus. He sat on the floor beside it, reached under his tunic and pulled out a thick leather belt. Inside, he had sewn pockets for carrying gold coins. He uncovered the urn with the coins he had stowed there already. It was only a quarter full, just a small fraction of what he still had in Patara. It bothered him a bit that he had not used it for anything, but as he drew out the coins from his belt that he had brought from Patara, it made him feel better that he was preparing to do something with it, someday.
He spotted his uncle approaching and whipped the remaining beef behind his back. His uncle said, “Chrysanthe said she saw you.” He added, “Eating meat sacrificed to idols?”
There was no use hiding it. Young Nicholas brought the last scrap of beef out from behind his back and said, “I’m not joining in the sacrifice, just getting a cheap lunch.” He popped the last bite in his mouth.
“Then why hide it?”
“I thought it would bother you that I felt the freedom to eat it.”
The older Nicholas said, “It does not bother me. I am free to not eat it.”
The two Nicholases made their way together through the crowds. As they cleared the forum, the elder Nicholas said, “What bothers me, is that you do something you’re not certain is right...”
Young Nicholas opened his mouth to protest, but old Nicholas said, “I’m not looking for a defense. I’m sure you would win your case in court.” He smirked. Young Nicholas returned the smile. It was a compliment at how well he was doing in his lawyer apprenticeship. Old Nicholas continued, “When you were young, I’m sure you could see right and wrong clearly, for they were etched in your parents’ faces. You only had to do as they did... But now you are a man. You will need to see it for yourself, as they did... In the face of Christus. If you do what he would have you do, you need never feel ashamed.”
Young Nicholas didn’t feel that was quite so. He could think of Anicetus mocking Christus and having nothing to say. He felt very embarrassed at times like these. Nevertheless, he said, “Yes sir.”
That night after his uncle and aunt had gone to sleep, Nicholas slipped away to Mount Taurus. Coming to the tombs, he climbed the crags and shuffled along the stone ledge into the old tomb he had purchased. Inside, he fumbled for an oil lamp he had left there with a steel blade and some flint. He struck the blade on the flint to light the lamp and leaned a bowl over it to dim its brightness. In its light, he made his way back to an urn standing behind a cracked sarcophagus. He sat on the floor beside it, reached under his tunic and pulled out a thick leather belt. Inside, he had sewn pockets for carrying gold coins. He uncovered the urn with the coins he had stowed there already. It was only a quarter full, just a small fraction of what he still had in Patara. It bothered him a bit that he had not used it for anything, but as he drew out the coins from his belt that he had brought from Patara, it made him feel better that he was preparing to do something with it, someday.
Click here to go to beginning of the book
No comments:
Post a Comment