Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 1
VISIT,WEBESEECHTHEE,OLORD,THISHABITATIONANDDRIVEAWAYFROMITALLTHESNARESOFTHEENEMY.MAYTHYHOLYANGELSDWELLHEREINTOPRESERVEUSINPEACEANDMAYTHYBLESSINGSBEALWAYSUPONUSTHROUGHCHRISTOURLORD.AMEN.
Hisfingerstrembledasheundressedhimselfinthedormitory.Hetoldhisfingerstohurryup.Hehadtoundressandthenkneelandsayhisownprayersandbeinbedbeforethegaswasloweredsothathemightnotgotohellwhenhedied.Herolledhisstockingsoffandputonhisnightshirtquicklyandknelttremblingathisbedsideandrepeatedhisprayersquickly,fearingthatthegaswouldgodown.Hefelthisshouldersshakingashemurmured:
Godblessmyfatherandmymotherandsparethemtome!
Godblessmylittlebrothersandsistersandsparethemtome!
GodblessDanteandUncleCharlesandsparethemtome!
Heblessedhimselfandclimbedquicklyintobedand,tuckingtheendofthenightshirtunderhisfeet,curledhimselftogetherunderthecoldwhitesheets,shakingandtrembling.Buthewouldnotgotohellwhenhedied;andtheshakingwouldstop.Avoicebadetheboysinthedormitorygoodnight.Hepeeredoutforaninstantoverthecoverletandsawtheyellowcurtainsroundandbeforehisbedthatshuthimoffonallsides.Thelightwasloweredquietly.
Theprefect’sshoeswentaway.Where?Downthestaircaseandalongthecorridorsortohisroomattheend?Hesawthedark.
