Man of God by Debra Diaz Read Free Book Online

the
wrinkles around them deepened. “Either you are a very humble man,
or you’re hiding from something.”
    The sinking sensation was getting stronger,
but Paulus forced a smile. “If I needed to hide, sir, it wouldn’t
be here. I enjoy my freedom, and I’ve never liked politics. Any
skilled worker on a project of this magnitude will be responsible
to others, including politicians, on many different matters. These
seem to me sufficient reasons to decline such a generous offer, for
which I do thank you.”
    Martinus was silent for a long, suspenseful
moment. “Very well. I don’t have much use for politicians myself—I
suppose they’re not all dishonest and power-hungry, but—” He
gave an eloquent shrug. “I would appreciate it if you would look at
these drawings.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “I may put you in charge of overseeing the
conduits and pipes as they are sent to us. I want a man I can trust
to make sure they are of the finest quality. Someone who isn’t
being—paid off, shall we say, to turn a blind eye to any defects.
And clay pipes rather than lead, as you suggested to the
foreman.”
    Not wanting to press the matter further,
Paulus gave a slight bow to show his assent. The contractor seemed
satisfied, and left the building as Paulus sat down to examine the
drawings and calculations.
    Vanity and pride, he thought, disgusted with
himself. He would have to pray about that.
    * * *
    Alysia looked over the wax tablet in her
hands, satisfied that they had covered the main topics for the day.
She sat in a chair in the spacious hallway of her house and smiled
at her students, who sat on cushions against the cool stucco walls.
The shutters to the windows were open, letting in the westerly
breeze that swept through the city each evening.
    Her life in Athens, before her father’s
arrest and her own enslavement, had been a sheltered and privileged
one. She had been well educated in grammar, philosophy, history,
literature, and even mathematics. Her students were the children of
those men and women brought to the faith by Paulus and herself;
their parents, for various reasons, had taken them out of the Roman
schools. She taught each of these subjects, but instead of Greek
philosophy and literature she taught from the Hebrew Scriptures—the
books of Moses, the psalms of David, the prophets. This was
knowledge she had recently acquired, having read and studied
intensely while she lived in Bethany, after she had come to know
Jesus of Nazareth.
    Mary, younger than she but full of spiritual
insight, had been her teacher. She’d also recently begun lessons in
Aramaic—to parents as well as their children—so that they would be
able to communicate with believers who were Jewish. Even though
most people spoke Greek these days, there were many foreigners who
didn’t—especially the women.
    Two of the children besides Rachel were eight
years of age; they were twins, a boy and a girl. Two other boys
were both nine, one girl was ten, and her sister was eleven. Most
of them were quiet and well behaved—occasionally she did have
trouble with the two nine-year-old boys.
    “The next time we have a meeting with your
parents,” she said, laying aside the tablet, “you will recite the
verses you’ve memorized. Are you ready?”
    They nodded eagerly—all but one of the boys.
She noted a slightly sullen look on his face.
    Someone knocked on the door. The parents were
arriving; soon the children were gone, and Rachel began
straightening the hallway and putting up cushions. Alysia went into
the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. Paulus was rarely late
because he knew that it worried her, but when the meal was ready
and he still hadn’t appeared, she had to struggle to hide her
anxiety. Rachel was not fooled, however, and after eating her
supper she took out her pages of verses to memorize and pretended
to read them… she already knew them perfectly.
    Alysia went to one of the front windows and
looked out. The dirt lane in