"See, Gabriel!" said Mademoiselle as she opened the packages with delight, "Oranges!—and chocolate! What a treat! You are very good to remember me in such a lovely way. Please thank your Teresa too."
"She said she was coming to see you," said Paula.
At this the poor young woman looked disturbed. "I'm afraid she'll find things in a very bad state here," and she colored slightly.
But as we started to go away Paula assured her that Teresa wouldn't mind a bit.
"Just a moment," said the invalid; "Would you mind reading me a chapter out of this book? I have not been able to read it today, as my head ached too badly. It's a book that I love very much."
"The Bible!" cried Paula, "Oh, I didn't know that you read it too."
The young lady shook her head sadly, "I used to read it when I was a child, Paula. It was and is the beloved Book of my mother, but for many, many years I never opened it. When your uncle came to inscribe you as a pupil, he told me how much you loved your father's Bible, and that started me thinking of my own, hidden in the bottom of my trunk, and so I began to read many chapters that I remember having read with my mother, and now I believe that Gabriel would never tire if I read it to him all day."
"Tell her to read the story of Jesus healing the sick people," came the eager voice of Gabriel.
Mademoiselle smiled, "Gabriel is right. When people are sick they love to hear of the greatest doctor of all. Read about the ten lepers, Paula."
At this point the old lady returned, and she too stood and listened as
Paula began to read the wonderful story.