six in the morning
the old woman continued , and who knows but Azariah will forget to come for thee ! He wo n't forget , Granny , Joseph uttered in so doleful a tone that Rachel repented and promised Joseph she would wake him in time ; and as she had never failed to keep her promise to him he allowed sleep to close his eyelids . And once asleep he was hard to awaken . At six in the morning sleep seemed to him better than Arimathea , but once awake Rachel could not hand him his clothes fast enough ; he escaped from her hands , dressing himself as he ran into the lanes , and while tying his sandals at the gate he forgot them and stood at gaze , wondering whether Azariah would come to fetch him on a horse or an ass or a mule or a camel . At last the sound of hooves came through the dusk , and a moment after some three or four camels led the way ; and there were horses too and asses and mules , and the mules were caparisoned gaily , the one reserved for Joseph 's riding more richly than the others -- a tall fine animal by which he was proud to stand , asking questions of the muleteer , while admiring the dark docile eyes shaded with black lashes . Now why do we delay ? he asked Azariah , who reminded him -- and somewhat tritely -- that he had not yet said good-bye to his parents .