It was time, now, to look up the authorities for all these opinions.

I found this paragraph, which follows.

Written by whom?
Wm.

C.Grimes: "After we were in the saddle, we rode down to the spring to have a last look at the women of Nazareth, who were, as a class, much the prettiest that we had seen in the East.

As we approached the crowd a tall girl of nineteen advanced toward Miriam and offered her a cup of water.