"What's the matter, child?" asked Aunt Tatàna in her gentle way, "have you the stomachache?"
"No, no."
"Then what is it?"
After a few minutes he revealed his remorse.
"We put pins in the place where Efès sleeps."
"You naughty boys! Why did you do that?"
"Because he gets drunk——"
"Holy Saint Catharine!" sighed the good woman, "how wicked boys are nowadays! Suppose someone put pins in your bed? Would you like it? No? Wouldn't you? Then you are more wicked than Efès. All people in the world are wicked, my little lamb, but we must have pity on one another. If we don't pity each other we shall be like the fishes in the sea which devour their brothers. King Solomon said no one must judge but God. Do you understand?"
Anania thought of his mother, his mother who had been so wicked and had deserted him; and he felt sad—so sad!