“The man is a good man,” she said. “He gave bread to the hungry, he clothed the naked, and he has perished because he would fain save the life of his friend.”
“Ah, that is noble!” said the little maiden with a light of interest kindled in her clear eyes. “Ah! that is noble; why should he die?”
“Thou art too young, my daughter, to understand the reason why a man like this Alban should die. But the reason is good, nevertheless. The old faith must be protected and defended, if it be possible.”
Ebba’s lips were seen to move, but no sound passed them.
“These Christians,” the lady continued, “are trying to upset, and pull down, and destroy our religion and our worship; it is only meet that they should be hindered from further mischief.”
Again Ebba’s lips moved, and the child, looking up, thought she caught the words—
“They cannot be hindered, for God is for them.”
“Ebba is murmuring to herself, mother,” Hyacintha said. “Bid her to speak so that we may hear.”
But the curtain which fell over the entrance to the dining-hall was seen to quiver as the British slave-girl disappeared behind it.
Then the lady exclaimed, “I wish Ebba would take more heed of her ways, for if she is defiled with the foreign superstitions, there will be trouble for us. There is enough trouble as it is. Ah! me, why do people make so much of religion? Jupiter or Apollo, or the Christian’s God, it is all the same to me!”