Page:Gilbert Parker--The Lane that had No Turning.djvu/185

Rh Mathurin come on his knees all de way to de church, but de Curé say: ‘Not yet are you forgive.’ At de end of de year Mathurin he look so thin, so white, you can blow through him. Every day he go to him school and write on de blackboar’, and mark on de slate, and call de roll of de school. But dere is no answer, for dere is no children. But all de time de wives of de men dat he have save, and de chil'ren, dey pray for him. And by-and-by all de village pray for him, so sorry.

"It is so for two years; and den dey say dat Mathurin he go to die. He cannot come on his knees to de church; and de men whose life he save, dey come to de Curé and ask him to take de penance from Mathurin. De Curé say: ‘Wait till nex’ Sunday.’ So nex’ Sunday Mathurin is carry to de church—he is too weak to walk on his knees. De Curé he stan’ at de altar, and he read a letter from de Pope, which say dat Mathurin his penance is over, and he is forgive; dat de Pope himself pray for Mathurin, to save his soul! So.

"Mathurin, all at once he stan’ up, and his face it smile and smile, and he stretch out his arms as if dey are on a cross, and he say, ‘Lord, I am ready to go,’ and he fall down. But de Curé catch him as he fall, and Mathurin say: ‘De children—let dem come to me dat I teach dem before I die.’ An' all de children in de church dey come close to him, and he sit up and smile at dem, and he say:

"‘It is de class in ’rithmetic. How much is three times four?’ And dem all answer: ‘Three times four is twelve.’ And he say: ‘May de Twelve Apostles pray for me!’ Den he ask: ‘Class in geography—how far is it roun’ de world?’ And dey answer: ‘Twenty-four thousand miles.’ He say: 'Good; it is