The mother smiled wanly; but there passed before her eyes a fleeting vision of lovely children running about the house, and there was a pang at her heart. Antiochus laughed aloud, his dark eyes and white teeth flashing in his brown face, but there was something cruel in his laughter.

‘A priest’s wife would be a funny thing! When they went out for a walk together they would look from behind like two women! And would she go and confess to him, if they lived in a place where there was no other priest?’

‘What does a mother do? Who do I confess to?’

‘A mother is different. And who is there that your son could marry? The granddaughter of King Nicodemus, perhaps?’

He began to laugh merrily again, for the granddaughter of King Nicodemus was the most unfortunate girl in the village, a cripple and an idiot. But he instantly grew serious again when the mother, forced to speak by a will other than her own, said softly:

‘For that matter, there is some one, Agnes.’

But Antiochus objected jealously: ‘She is ugly, I don’t like her, and he does not like her either.’

Then the mother began to praise Agnes, but she spoke almost in a whisper as though afraid of being overheard by anyone except the boy, while Antiochus, his hands still clasped round his knee, shook his head energetically, his lower lip stuck out in disgust like a ripe cherry.

‘No, no, I don’t like her – can’t you hear what I say! She is ugly and proud and old. And be-, sides …’

A step sounded in the little hall and instantly they both were silent and stood waiting.

CHAPTER SIX

Paul sat down at the table, which was laid ready for breakfast, and put his hat on the chair beside him, and while his mother was pouring out his coffee he asked in a calm voice:

‘Did you take that letter?’

She nodded, pointing towards the kitchen for fear the boy should hear.

‘Who is there?’ asked Paul.

‘Antiochus.’

‘Antiochus!’ he called, and with one spring the boy was before him, cap in hand, standing to attention like a little soldier.

‘Listen, Antiochus, you must go back to the church and get everything ready for taking extreme unction to the old man later on.’

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.