No Woman So Fair Read Online Free PDF

going to talk to you, son, as straight as I know how.”
    Abram looked up with surprise. “Why, yes, Father. What is it?” He knew what was coming, for he had heard it before, but he let nothing show in his face.
    â€œYou left the flocks yesterday to go to the temple, and the day before that.”
    â€œYes, I did, Father. And I’m going back today.”
    Terah leaned forward and put his hands flat on the table. “Son, I’ve tried to talk to you before about this, but evidently you’ve got a hearing problem.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Father.”
    â€œLook, I’m not saying anything against religion. Why, I’ve got religion myself. I make my offerings when it’s convenient, but I don’t go running to the temple every day. There is no need for that. You’re losing your balance over this, son. You’ve got to put religion in its proper place. There’s nothing wrong with washing your face occasionally, but if you start washing it every day, or five times a day, people will think you’ve lost your mind. Too much washing is worse than none at all. And too much religion is worse than none at all.”
    â€œI’m not sure I agree with that, Father. With all due respect, of course.”
    â€œWhat don’t you agree with me about? The washing?”
    â€œOh, you’re probably right about that, but not about religion. It seems to me that religion is the most important thing there is.”
    â€œMore important than making a living? Son, I’m surprised at you!” To hear such words was heresy to Terah. He had not realized his son had sunk to such depths. “A man’s first business is to make a living. To marry and have children. A family is what’s important, son. We keep religion in its place. We pay enough in offerings so that we can ward off plagues and droughts and floods, but you can’t go around praying nonstop.”
    â€œI don’t think that’s what I do, Father.”
    â€œYou go almost every day to that temple! And you’re driving the priest crazy with your questions. Why can’t you just be normal like the rest of us?” Terah’s tone had taken on a strange pleading quality.
    Metura stared at him, for she was more accustomed to his lashing out than begging his children to reason with him. Why, he’s afraid of Abram , she thought with a shock. His own child! It was an insight that had never occurred to her before, and she could not understand it.
    Terah was surprised at himself too. He was accustomed to speaking, then having his word obeyed, but something about his youngest son intimidated him, though he had never before allowed it to show. The same thing had been true of his father, Nahor. He remembered well his father’s eyes—how they appeared to burn at times, clear down into Terah’s heart. The old man had seemed to know what Terah was thinking, and this had frightened him. He now saw some of this in Abram and covered up his feelings by insisting, “You’ve got to get over this, son. You know what happened to my own father, Nahor. Why, he went crazy over religion.”
    â€œI barely remember him, Father. I was just a child when I last saw him, but I do remember his kindness.”
    â€œOh, he was kind, all right.” Terah nodded. “I’m not saying anything against him. Up until he got mixed up with the temple and the priests, he was as good a man as you ever saw. Took care of his family. Took care of his business. But then he started hearing voices.”
    Instantly Abram stared at his father. “You never told me that before!” he exclaimed. “What kind of voices?”
    Realizing he had made a mistake, Terah threw up his hands and said, “Who knows? They were all in his head.”
    â€œBut what did he say?” Abram insisted. “I must know.”
    When Terah clamped his lips tight and turned away, Metura interjected quietly,