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78 228 . the miracles of antichrist
a failure?"—"I’ll have to repeat it to-morrow."—
" Have you not recognized me, then ? "—" Yes, I
have seen you before in Catania."—"And you are
not afraid of the jettatore ? "—" I used to be, as a
child."—" But now, now you are not afraid ? "—She
avoided answering him.—" Are you yourself afraid ? "
she said.—" Speak the truth ! " he said impatiently.
" What was it you wanted to say to me, when you
conducted me hither?"
She gazed anxiously around. She must say
something, she must make some reply. At that moment
there arose in her mind a thought that appeared to
her wholly preposterous. She looked at the image
of Christ. " Do you demand this?" she seemed to
ask him. " Shall I do it for this stranger ? Ah, but
it is throwing away my only hope."
" I hardly know if I dare to tell what I wanted
with you," she said.—" I knew it, you do not dare."
—" I intend to build a railroad. Do you know
that ? "—" Yes, I know."—" I wanted you to help
me."—" Should I?"
Now that she had made a beginning, it was easier
for her to proceed. She was astonished to find how
natural it sounded when she spoke.
" I know that you are a railroad constructor. You
probably understand that, for service on my railroad,
no salary is given. Still it would be better that you
helped me work than to sit confined here. You are
only wasting your time."
He looked at her almost sternly. " Do you know
what you are saying ? "—" It is, I dare say, a
presumptuous request."—" Yes, even so, a
presumptuous request."
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