The Bronze Bow: Chapter 22 Summary & Analysis

On the Day of Atonement, most of Ketzah is in a holiday mood. At noon, Daniel reluctantly closes down the shop and ventures out (not before Leah throws his best cloak around his shoulders). When he reaches Capernaum, he makes a customer delivery, still telling himself he doesn’t plan to attend the festival. Nevertheless, he finds himself drawn to the vineyards. He sees festively dressed youths dancing, with a line of wreathed, singing girls drawing near them. When Daniel spots Thacia among the dancers, he loses his breath. Thacia moves with a natural grace, neither bold nor shy, looking searchingly into the crowd. Daniel is seized with fear in case Thacia sees him. He knows he is grimy and shabby compared to the rich young men in the crowd. He runs down the hill.

Thacia runs after him, her veil floating behind her. She asks Daniel why he left. Does he see her as just a child? Daniel admits he has loved her ever since she tended him in Hezron’s passageway. But he has never wanted her to know—his loyalty must lie elsewhere. Thacia points out that both she and Joel vowed to live for God’s victory, too, and have found other ways to fight. But Daniel says he knows only one way.

Daniel walks home heavy-hearted, but he can’t dodge Leah’s eager questions about the festival. When he sits down to the supper Leah has prepared for him, she brings out a basket of fine, ripe fruits, seldom seen in Galilee. When Daniel asks where she got them, Leah admits that they were a present from Marcus—the soldier who comes on horseback. Daniel immediately throws a pomegranate against the wall. He flies into a rage. Leah shrinks from him in terror.

Daniel finally calms down enough to ask Leah how she knows this man. Leah explains that Marcus has been her friend since last summer. He sits on his horse and talks to her over the garden wall—that’s all. He doesn’t even know much Aramaic; he comes from a little village in a faraway place called Gallia. She’s wanted to tell Daniel, but she’s been too afraid. Growing angry again, Daniel makes Leah swear never to speak to Marcus again, or even step outside where he can see her. He storms out of the house and walks the streets all night, until his anger abates. He realizes he should not have shouted at Leah and that she can’t be blamed. But why wasn’t she afraid of the Roman? When Daniel finally gets home, he sees Leah slumped in a corner. She doesn’t look at him.