On hearing what was the matter and that this was already the third day on which the little victim had behaved so strangely, always trying to escape, deaf and dumb to all persuasions, the priest had her brought in to him, and taking her by the shoulders he examined her eyes and her mouth.

‘Has she been much in the sun?’ he inquired.

‘It’s not that,’ whispered the mother. ‘I think she is possessed by an evil spirit. No,’ she added, sobbing, ‘my little girl is no longer alone!’

Paul rose to fetch his Testament from his room, then stopped and sent Antiochus for it. The book was placed open on the table, and with his hand upon the burning head of the child, clasped tightly in the arms of her kneeling mother, he read aloud:

‘And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man which had devils a long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.” ’

Antiochus turned over the page of the book and his eyes strayed to the priest’s hand which rested on the table; at the words, ‘What have I to do with thee,’ he saw the hand tremble, and looking up quickly he perceived that Paul’s eyes were full of tears. Then, overcome by an irresistible emotion, the boy knelt down beside the widow, but still keeping his arm stretched out to touch the book. And he thought to himself:

‘Surely he is the best man in all the world, for he weeps when he reads the word of God!’ And he did not venture to raise his eyes again to look at Paul, but with his free hand he pulled the little girl’s skirt to keep her quiet, though not without a secret fear that the demons who were being exorcized from her body would enter into his own.

The possessed child had ceased throwing herself about and stood up straight and stiff, her thin brown neck stretched to its full length, her little chin stuck forward over the knot of her kerchief and her eyes fixed upon the priest’s face. Gradually her expression changed, her mouth relaxed and opened, and it seemed as if the words of the Gospel, the murmuring of the wind and the rustle of the trees on the ridge were working upon her as a charm. Suddenly she tore her skirt from Antiochus’s restraining hand and fell on her knees beside him, and the priest’s hand which had rested upon her head remained outstretched above it, as his tremulous voice continued reading:

‘Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house and show how great things God hath done unto thee.…’