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on the straw； instead of sleeping； he built for Thais little water…mills； and
ships no bigger than his hand； with all their rigging。
He had been badly treated by his masters； one of his ears was torn； and
his body covered with scars。 Yet his features always wore an air of joyous
peace。 And no one ever asked him whence he drew the consolation in his
soul； and the peace in his heart。 He was as simple as a child。 As he
performed his heavy tasks； he sang； in a harsh voice； hymns which made
the child tremble and dream。 He murmured； in a gravely joyous tone
〃Tell us； Mary； what thou hast seen where thou hast been？ I saw
the shroud and the linen cloths； and the angels seated on the tomb。 And
I saw the glory of the Risen One。〃
She asked him
〃Father； why do you sing about angels seated on a tomb？〃
And he replied
〃Little light of my eyes； I sing of the angels because Jesus； our Lord； is
risen to heaven。〃
Ahmes was a Christian。 He had been baptised； and was known as
Theodore at the meetings of the faithful； to which he went secretly during
the hours allowed him for sleep。
At that time the Church was suffering the severest trials。 By order of
the Emperor； the churches had been thrown down； the holy books burned；
the sacred vessels and candlesticks melted。 The Christians had been
deprived of all their honours； and expected nothing but death。 Terror
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reigned over all the community at Alexandria； and the prisons were
crammed with victims。 It was whispered with horror amongst the faithful；
that in Syria； in Arabia； in Mesopotamia； in Cappadocia； in all the empire；
bishops and virgins had been flogged； tortured； crucified or thrown to wild
beasts。 Then Anthony； already celebrated for his visions and his solitary
life； a prophet； and the head of all the Egyptian believers； descended like
an eagle from his desert rock on the city of Alexandria； and； flying from
church to church； fired the whole community with his holy ardour。
Invisible to the pagans； he was present at the same time at all the meetings
of Christians； endowing all with the spirit of strength and prudence by
which he was animated。 Slaves； in particular； were persecuted with
singular severity。 Many of them； seized with fright； denied the faith。
Others； and by far the greater number； fled to the desert； hoping to live
there； either as hermits or robbers。 Ahmes； however； frequented the
meetings as usual； visited the prisoners； buried the martyrs； and joyfully
professed the religion of Christ。 The great Anthony； who saw his unshaken
zeal； before he returned into the desert； pressed the black slave in his arms；
and gave him the kiss of peace。
When Thais was seven years old； Ahmes began to talk to her of God。
〃The good Lord God；〃 he said； 〃lived in heaven like a Pharaoh； under
the tents of His harem； and under the trees of His gardens。 He was the
Ancient of Ancients； and older than the world； and He had but one Son；
the Prince Jesus； whom He loved with all His heart； and who surpassed in
beauty the virgins and the angels。 And the good Lord God said to Prince
Jesus
〃 'Leave My harem and My palace； and My date trees and My running
waters。 Descend to earth for the welfare of men。 There Thou shalt be like a
little child； and Thou shalt live poor amongst the poor。 Suffering shall be
Thy daily bread； and Thou shalt weep so profusely that Thy tears shall
form rivers； in which the tired slave shall bathe with delight。 Go； My Son！'
〃Prince Jesus obeyed the good Lord； and He came down to earth； to a
place named Bethlehem of Judaea。 And He walked in fields； amidst the
flowering anemones； saying to His companion
〃 'Blessed are they who hunger； for I will lead them to My Father's
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table！ Blessed are they who thirst； for they shall drink of the fountains of
heaven！ Blessed are they who weep； for I will dry their tears with veils
finer than those of the almehs！'
〃That is why the poor loved Him； and believed in Him。 But the rich
hated Him； fearing that He should raise the poor above them。 At that time；
Cleopatra and Caesar were powerful on the earth。 They both hated Jesus；
and they ordered the judges and priests to put Him to death。 To obey the
Queen of Egypt； the princes of Syria erected a cross on a high mountain；
and they caused Jesus to die on this cross。 But women washed His corpse；
and buried it； and Prince Jesus； having broken the door of His tomb； rose
again to the good Lord； His Father。
〃And； from that time； all those who believed in Him go to heaven。
〃The Lord God opens His arms； and says to them
〃 'Ye are welcome； because ye love the Prince； My Son。 Wash； and
then eat。'
〃They bathe to the sound of beautiful music； and； all the time they are
eating； they see almehs dancing； and they listen to tales that never end。
They are dearer to the good Lord God than the light of His eyes； because
they are His guests； and they shall have for their portion the carpets of His
house； and the pomegranates of His gardens。〃
Ahmes often spoke in this strain； and thus taught the truth to Thais。
She wondered； and said
〃I should like to eat the pomegranates of the good Lord。〃
Ahmes replied
〃Only those who are baptised may taste the fruits of heaven。〃
And Thais asked to be baptised。 Seeing by this that she believed in
Jesus； the slave resolved to instruct her more fully； so that； being baptised；
she might enter the Church； and he loved her as his spiritual daughter。
The child； unloved and uncared for by its selfish parents； had no bed in
the house。 She slept in a corner of the stable amongst the domestic animals；
and there Ahmes came to her every night secretly。
He gently approached the mat on which she lay； and sat down on his
heels； his legs bent and his body straighta position hereditary to his race。
His face and his body； which was clothed in black； were invisible in the
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darkness； but his big white eyes shone out； and there came from them a
light like a ray of dawn through the chinks of a door。 He spoke in a husky；
monotonous tone； with a slight nasal twang that gave it the soft melody of
music heard at night in the streets。 Sometimes the breathing of an ass； or
the soft lowing of an ox； accompanied； like a chorus of invisible spirits；
the voice of the slave as he recited the gospels。 His words flowed gently in
the darkness； which they filled with zeal； mercy； and hope； and the
neophyte； her hand in that of Ahmes； lulled by the monotonous sounds；
and the vague visions in her mind； slept calm and smiling； amid the
harmonies of the dark night and the holy mysteries； gazed down on by a
star； which twinkled between the joists of the stable…roof。
The initiation lasted a whole year； till the time when the Christians
joyfully celebrate the festival of Easter。 One night in the holy week； Thais；
who was already asleep on her mat； felt herself lifted by the slave； whose
eyes gleamed with a strange light。 He was clad； not as usual in a pair of
torn drawers； but in a long white cloak； beneath which he pressed the child；
whispering to her
〃Come； my soul！ Come； light of my eyes！ Come； little sweetheart！
Come and be clad in the baptismal robes！〃
He carried the child pressed to his breast。 Frightened and yet curious；
Thais； her head out of the cloak； threw her arms round her friend's neck；
and he ran with her through the darkness。 They went down narrow； black
alleys； they passed through the Jews' quarter； they skirted a cemetery；
where the osprey uttered its dismal cry； they traversed an open space；
passing under crosses on which hung the bodies of victims； and on the
arms of the crosses the ravens clacked their beaks。 Thais hid her head in
the slave's breast。