Her eyes rested upon him with pleasure. A new
look swept over her face. She leaned close to him.
"Stay with me, boy," she murmured, "for I want you. Your people are
gone. You shall sleep here to-night--you shall live with me and I
will be good to you--I will teach you to love me."
The Boy moved back a little and looked at her with wide eyes, as
if she were saying something that he could not understand.
"But you have already been good to me, sister," he answered, "and
I love you already, even as your brother did. Is your husband here?
Will he come soon, so that we can all say the prayer of thanks-giving
together for the food?"
Her look changed again; her eyes filled with pain and sorrow; she
shrank back and turned away her face.
"I have no husband," she said. "Ah, boy, innocent boy, you do
not understand. I eat the bread of shame and live in the house of
wickedness. I am a sinner, a sinner of the city. How could I pray?"
With that she fell a-sobbing, rocking herself to and fro, and the
tears ran through her fingers like rain.
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