And Teresa took the lamp and brought it close to Paula. "No, you hardly
have any similiarity in your face, but your voice is like hers. Now, let me
hug you once more, my treasure." And Teresa pressed to her heart the
motherless child.
"In my country they say I am like Papa. In fact, I have his portrait in the
trunk and I will show it to you."
"Show it to us now!" I shouted.
But Teresa interrupted me. "What a child you are, when poor Paula is so
tired! Tomorrow will be time enough."
The meal for the young traveler had been prepared on the end of the great
table, where Teresa had placed buttered toast and jam, and soon she sallied
from the kitchen with the rest of the food.
"There you are, Paula," Teresa said, drawing her to the table; "Sit down
and eat!"
"And the others?" said Paula, looking at us.
"Oh, we ate long ago," said Rosa.
"I think we might eat a little bread and jam to accompany her," I said.
Then everybody laughed.
"I think Lisita is right for once," said Teresa, always happy when she was
able to give us a bit of pleasure; "and I think Paula will be a little more
comfortable that way."
"Now then, Paula, are you not hungry?" asked Teresa with her hand on the
lock of the kitchen door.
"Yes, madame ... that is--yes, Teresa."
"Begin then! Lisita doesn't need any urging. Do as she does, and I trust
you will eat with a good appetite."
Paula looked at us, one after the other, and then looked at Teresa as if
she would say something. As Teresa remained, looking on in an astonished
manner, Paula got down from her chair and stood in front of her now cooling
cup of hot milk. She placed her hands together, closing her eyes and
bending her head a little, she said slowly and deliberately in a low voice,
"The food which we receive, O Lord, may it be blessed, in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen!"
CHAPTER FOUR
PAULA'S TREASURES
Naturally, on awakening the next morning, after Paula's arrival, it was
"Paula, Paula, Paula," that occupied my every thought. I found she was
still sleeping. How I did wish to wake her up! But Teresa had cautioned me
to let her sleep as long as she wished on account of her long journey of
the day before. So I simply half-opened the curtains of her bed and closed
the window to warm up the room.
I had no idea what hour it was. Teresa had the watch under her pillow, and
I could never tell the time by the sun, like Louis and Rosa, but I could
tell it was very early, for almost every door and window of the red houses
across the street, were still closed. Once in a while, I saw a factory hand
passing with his lunch under his arm, on his way to work. Among these, I
noticed one whom we called the "Breton," a terrific drunkard of whom I was
greatly afraid; but, strange to say, this morning he went on his way with a
firm, straight step, behaving himself quite like an ordinary person.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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