of the church all the ragged urchins who made of the square their regular playground and battlefield gathered round him curiously without venturing too near, and regarded the box with respect not unmixed with terror.
"Let's go nearer," said one.
"You keep your distance, or I'll let loose the keeper's dog at you!" shouted Antiochus.
"The keeper's dog? Why, you daren't go within ten miles of him!" jeered the urchins.
"Daren't I?" said Antiochus with magnificent scorn.
"No, you daren't! And you think you're as good as the Lord himself because you're carrying the holy oil!"
"If I were you," advised one open-minded youth, "I should make off with that box and perform all kinds of sorceries with the holy oil."
"Be off, you horse-fly! The devil that came out of Nina Masia's body has entered into yours!"
"What's that? The devil?" cried the boys in chorus.
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