that we never asked the blessing; but she never dreamed that anyone would
hinder her from following her own custom which she still continued at every
meal. Without any hesitation therefore, she repeated in front of my father,
the words that had surprised us so at our very first meal. "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."

"What's that you say?" said my father, hardly giving her time to conclude.

Paula, still on her feet, with her hands still joined for the prayer, fixed
her great luminous eyes on my father.

She was not smiling now, and I saw that she understood that somehow she
must have displeased him.

"Answer me," demanded my father. "What were you doing?"

"But ..."

"Repeat those words of your prayer."

Paula quietly obeyed.

"Where did you learn that?"

"My father taught it to me. We always prayed before and after eating."
Paula said this with a trembling voice, trying to restrain her tears.

"Listen to me, Paula," my father said in a voice much less severe; "I don't
wish you to imagine that I'm angry with you. In fact, I'm glad that you