THE REDEEMER
The girl whined: “He’ll have to. Ellen says I can petty sessions him if he refuses.”
“For sure now, Lissi, Adam is not the father of the child,” Puah said.
“What for you talk,” Lissi replied, her spirit rising, “for was he not bad with me the night Josiah Llanwen’s bull-calf perished?”
“Iss, Lissi fach,” said Puah, “Josh Llanwen did this and that to your flesh.”
“No, indeed, he didn’t.”
“Lissi, Lissi, that night on the Road of the Romans, now. … Iss, iss, of course he was. Did he not put you on the old stone?”
“No, no.”
“Josh has repented,” Puah said. “Does he not say, ‘I am the father of Lissi’s child’?”
“Sure me, Joshua is the father,” said Lamech. “His poor old flesh couldn’t withstand the temptation. But Capel Sion won't be hard on you, Lissi, nor on
187
