Paula the Waldensian - Eva Lecomte

found very weak that morning, gathered up his papers, also the Bible, and
started to go out.
"Uncle," Paula reminded him timidly, "you've made a mistake. You are
carrying my Bible away with your papers."
"Yes, that is true, but I've made no mistake. I'm keeping your Bible
now."
"And you will return it to me tonight, uncle?"
"And why tonight?"
"To read it, uncle, as I always do, every night."
"Well, you're not going to read it any more! My children do not read the
Bible and they're not so bad. And I've already told you that from now on,
you're going to live the same as all the other members of my family, of
which you now form a part!"
"Oh, uncle, uncle!" implored Paula, "please leave me that Bible! It is the
Bible my father gave me on his dying bed! Please let me have it, I pray you,
my dear uncle! I will be good, and I will give you everything that I brought
here from Villar. But leave me my Bible, please! please! Leave me my
Bible!" Paula sobbed, clinging to my father with a desperate courage.
Teresa, who had viewed this scene with dismay, did not dare to
interfere. She came and went, pretending to arrange things here and there in
the room.
For my part, I could not comprehend Paula's conduct, not being able to
imagine why she should dare so much for her little old black book--I, who
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