Page:Dellada - The Woman and the Priest, 1922.djvu/118

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THE WOMAN AND THE PRIEST

The boy was speechless with joy: so he was no longer angry and was not going to dismiss him and take another boy in his place!

"Wait a moment, have you had anything to eat?"

"He would not have anything to eat; he never will," said the mother.

"Sit down there," ordered Paul, "you must eat. Mother, give him something."

It was not the first time that Antiochus had sat at the priest's table, so he obeyed without shyness, though his heart beat fast. He was aware somehow that his position had changed, that the priest was speaking to him in a way different from usual; he could not explain how or why, he only felt there was a difference. He looked up in Paul's face as though he saw him for the first time, with mingled fear and joy. Fear and joy and a whole throng of new emotions, gratitude, hope and pride, filled his heart as a nest full of warm fledglings ready to spread their wings and fly away.

"Then at two o'clock you must come for your lesson. It is time to set to work seriously with

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