While the younger Tobias lingered thus over his marriage, his father fell into an extreme of anxiety. What means this long delay on my son’s part? he asked. What has detained him?

Can it be that Gabelus is dead, and there is no recovering the debt?

Great lament he made, and his wife Anna with him, and fast fell the tears of both, that the appointed day was over and their son not yet returned.

The mother’s grief there was no consoling; My son, my son, she cried, why did we ever let thee go on thy travels? The light of our eyes, the support of our old age, our comfort in life, our hope of posterity when we are gone;

all this thou wert, and thou alone; how could we let thee leave our sight?

All in vain did Tobias try to comfort her, with, Peace, woman; never disquiet thyself; there is nought amiss with our son; it was a trusty companion we sent with him.

Comfort she would have none; no day passed but she would rise from her place and view the landscape all about, or roam the streets, hoping she might get some rumour, some distant glimpse of his return.

Meanwhile, Raguel was pressing his son-in-law to stay on; I will send a message to thy father, said he, to assure him of thy safety.

But Tobias would have none of it; No question, said he, but my father and mother are counting the days, and tormenting their hearts over me.

Still Raguel plied him with entreaties, and still could not win his consent. So at last he gave Sara into Tobias’ keeping, and with her half his goods, men and maid servants, sheep and camels and cows, and of money a great sum, and let him go his way, safe and content.

The Lord’s holy angel, said he, go with you on your journey, and bring you home without scathe, to find that all is well, Tobias and Anna both. And may my life be spared to see children born of you.

So Raguel and Anna embraced their daughter, and kissed her, and set her on her way,

full of good counsel to the last; how she was to give father-in-law and mother-in-law their due, love her husband, be mistress in her own house, order it well, and prove herself the perfection of a woman.