Part 45 (1/2)
”It certainly is worth coming for,” said papa. ”Our journey realises more than all I had hoped from it, Daisy.”
”I am so glad, papa!”
”But you, Daisy, how is it with you? You seem to me a little, and not a little, _distraite_.”
”I have so much to think of, papa.”
”More than I have?”
”Why, yes, papa,” I said, half laughing. ”I think so.”
”You must have fields of speculation unknown to me, Daisy.”
”Yes, papa. Some time I want to talk to you about them.”
”Isn't now a good time?” said papa, carelessly.
I was silent a while, thinking how to begin. It was a good time, I knew, and I dared not let it pa.s.s. I had been waiting till Mr. Dinwiddie should have left us and papa and I be quite alone; and he was to join us again as soon as we started on our northward journey. Now was my best opportunity. All the more, for knowing that, my heart beat.
”Papa,” I began, ”may I ask you a few questions, the better to come at what I want?”
”Certainly. Your questions, Daisy, I have always found stimulating.”
”Then first, what is it you think of most, in looking over from this place to Jerusalem?”
”Of course,” said papa, rousing himself, ”the prominent thought must be the wonderful scene that was acted there eighteen hundred years ago; not the course of history before or after. Is that what you mean?”
”I mean that, papa. I mean the death of Christ. Papa, what was that for?”
”Why, as I understand it, Daisy, it was a satisfaction to the justice of G.o.d for the sins of the world. Are you going to put me through a course of theology, Daisy?”
”No, papa. But do you think it was for all the world, or only for a part of them?”
”For all, of course. The Bible words I take to be quite clear on that point, even if it were possible that it should have been otherwise.”
”Then it was for you and me, papa?”
”Yes.”
”And for those ignorant Moslems that live in the city now?”
”Yes, of course it was; though I think they will not have much good of it, Daisy.”
”Never mind that, papa. Then it was for my old June, and for Maria and Darry and Pete and Margaret, and all the rest of our people at Magnolia?”
”Yes,” said papa, rousing up a little. I did not look at him.
”Papa, don't you think the Lord Jesus loves the people for whom He died?”
”Certainly. It is inconceivable that He should have died for them if He did not love them. Though that is also a great mystery to me, Daisy.”