pushed the bushy grizzled hair, which hung in disorder over his neck and
face, out of his eyes, and said cheerfully: "No man is more than man, and
many men are less. In the ark there were many beasts, but only one
Noah."

"You are the Noah of our little ark," replied Stephanus.

"Then this great lout here is the elephant," laughed Paulus.

"You are no smaller than he," replied Stephanus.

"It is a pity this stone roof is so low, else we might have measured
ourselves," said Paulus. "Aye! if Hermas and I were as pious and pure as
we are tall and strong, we should both have the key of paradise in our
pockets. You were scourging yourself this night, boy; I heard the blows.
It is well; if the sinful flesh revolts, thus we may subdue it."

"He groaned heavily and could not sleep," said Stephanus.

"Aye, did he indeed!" cried Paulus to the youth, and held his powerful
arms out towards him with clenched fists; but the threatening voice was
loud rather than terrible, and wild as the exceptionally big man looked
in his sheepskin, there was such irresistible kindliness in his gaze and
in his voice, that no one could have believed that his wrath was in
earnest.

"Fiends of hell had met him," said Stephanus in excuse for his son, "and
I should not have closed an eye even without his groaning; it is the
fifth night."