"
"Solomon was not always good," said Babie; "and Uncle Robert told
Allen it was a fearful responsibility. What is a responsibility,
Armie? I am sure Ali didn't like it."
"Something to answer for!" said Armine.
"To who?" asked the little girl.
"To God," said the boy reverently. "It's like the talent in the
parable. One has got to do something for God with it, and then it
won't turn to harm."
"Like the man's treasure that changed into slate stones when he made
a bad use of it," said Babie. "Oh! Armie, what shall we do? Shall
we give plum-puddings to the little thin girls down the lane?"
"And I should like to give something good to the little grey
workhouse boys," said Armine. "I should so hate always walking out
along a straight road as they do."
"And oh! Armie, then don't you think we may get a nice book to write
out Jotapata in?"
"Yes, a real jolly one. For you know, Babie, it will take lots of
room, even if I write my very smallest."
"Please let it be ruled, Armie. And where shall we begin?"
"Oh! at the beginning, I think, just when Sir Engelbert first heard
about the Crusade."
"It will take lots of books then."
"Never mind, we can buy them all now. And do you know, Bab, I think
Adelmar and Ermelind might find a nice lot of natural petroleum and
frighten Mustafa ever so much with it!"
For be it known that Armine and Barbara's most cherished delight was
in one continued running invention of a defence of Jotapata by a
crusading family, which went on from generation to generation with
unabated energy, though they were very apt to be reduced to two young
children who held out their fortress against frightful odds of
Saracens, and sometimes conquered, sometimes converted their enemies.
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