Francis.' the priest nodded. 'A good man. a god-fearing man. A man one can trust implicitly.'
Ruth knew this was a sideways knock at her father, but she didn't respond to his remarks. Instead, she indicated the newspaper parcel in her hand, and said: 'I must go. I don't want the fish to go off. Daddy wouldn't thank me if I spoiled his supper.'
'That I can believe.' retorted Father Andreas dryly. 'God go with you. my child.' and with the sign of the cross he stepped aside to allow her to continue her journey.
But as Ruth passed him she turned hesitantly: 'Father Andreas?'
'Yes?' The priest stopped, too. and looked back at her.
Ruth coloured. 'I wanted to ask you something. Father.'
'Yes?' Father Andreas was patient.
'Yes.' Ruth explored her upper lip with her tongue. 'I wondered—that is—would you say I lived an unnatural life. Father? I mean.' she hastened on. as his button-bright eyes opened ever wider in surprise. 'would you say I was cocooned? That I was missing out on—well, on life?'
Father Andreas frowned then. 'Who has been saying such things to you? This young man? This Englishman? I thought he was in a state of collapse when you found him.'
'Does it matter who said it?' Ruth exclaimed. 'Is it true?'
The priest tugged at his chin with a thoughtful hand. 'I suppose one might say your situation here was not usual.' he admitted at last. 'Most girls of your age are in school or in work. But that has always been so.'
But am I so different from them?" Ruth appealed. 'Just because my friends are black, not white, does that matter?'
'No!' Father Andreas conceded that point energetically. in fact, it might be said that your life is everything a young girl's should be. You're intelligent. you don't discriminate between races, you care for your father; this is as it used to be. Perhaps.' he hesitated, 'perhaps your life is fuller than that of other girls. It is. after all. only a rehearsal for the next world. Myself. I think what some people call life is simply the devil's alternative.'
Ruth nodded, not altogether satisfied with his answer. She should have known. A priest was hardly likely to sanction any other course. And in any case, she didn't really know what it was she was supposed to be missing. Perhaps if she had told Father Andreas that Doctor Francis had made the comparison. he would have had more sympathy for her case, but he might not have believed her. and that would have been worse.
'Does that answer your question?'
Father Andreas was looking at her anxiously now. and Ruth forced a smile. 'Thank you. Father.' she said, avoiding a direct response, and with a nod the priest went on his way. his cassock flapping in the breeze that blew up from the ocean.
*
The next morning Dominic was much improved. Celeste told Ruth as she served her breakfast, giving the news with a certain air of smugness, as if she. and she alone, had the right to such privileged information. She was in Professor Jason's confidence, and the only nurse he had. and she took great pleasure in telling Ruth how she had assisted in changing the dressing on Dominic's arm, and that she had exchanged a few words with him when she had taken in his breakfast earlier.
'He feeling more himself.' she declared, setting a rack of toast on the table. 'He even get up to go to the bathroom. Doctor Francis going to be real pleased with him.'
Ruth looked down at her plate, propping her head on one hand. 'You've been a great help,' she conceded flatly. 'I'm sure Daddy much appreciates it.'
'I think so.' Celeste was complacent. 'I think he trust me to know what's what. He ain't even seen Mr Howard for himself yet today, so I knows he don't worry none.'
Ruth looked up at this. 'What do you mean? He hasn't seen Mr Howard for himself? Where is Daddy?'
'He ain't up yet.' retorted Celeste, pouring her coffee. 'You sure you don't want no eggs?'
Ruth pushed back her chair. The night before she had insisted her father returned to his bed. and once again
Ruth knew this was a sideways knock at her father, but she didn't respond to his remarks. Instead, she indicated the newspaper parcel in her hand, and said: 'I must go. I don't want the fish to go off. Daddy wouldn't thank me if I spoiled his supper.'
'That I can believe.' retorted Father Andreas dryly. 'God go with you. my child.' and with the sign of the cross he stepped aside to allow her to continue her journey.
But as Ruth passed him she turned hesitantly: 'Father Andreas?'
'Yes?' The priest stopped, too. and looked back at her.
Ruth coloured. 'I wanted to ask you something. Father.'
'Yes?' Father Andreas was patient.
'Yes.' Ruth explored her upper lip with her tongue. 'I wondered—that is—would you say I lived an unnatural life. Father? I mean.' she hastened on. as his button-bright eyes opened ever wider in surprise. 'would you say I was cocooned? That I was missing out on—well, on life?'
Father Andreas frowned then. 'Who has been saying such things to you? This young man? This Englishman? I thought he was in a state of collapse when you found him.'
'Does it matter who said it?' Ruth exclaimed. 'Is it true?'
The priest tugged at his chin with a thoughtful hand. 'I suppose one might say your situation here was not usual.' he admitted at last. 'Most girls of your age are in school or in work. But that has always been so.'
But am I so different from them?" Ruth appealed. 'Just because my friends are black, not white, does that matter?'
'No!' Father Andreas conceded that point energetically. in fact, it might be said that your life is everything a young girl's should be. You're intelligent. you don't discriminate between races, you care for your father; this is as it used to be. Perhaps.' he hesitated, 'perhaps your life is fuller than that of other girls. It is. after all. only a rehearsal for the next world. Myself. I think what some people call life is simply the devil's alternative.'
Ruth nodded, not altogether satisfied with his answer. She should have known. A priest was hardly likely to sanction any other course. And in any case, she didn't really know what it was she was supposed to be missing. Perhaps if she had told Father Andreas that Doctor Francis had made the comparison. he would have had more sympathy for her case, but he might not have believed her. and that would have been worse.
'Does that answer your question?'
Father Andreas was looking at her anxiously now. and Ruth forced a smile. 'Thank you. Father.' she said, avoiding a direct response, and with a nod the priest went on his way. his cassock flapping in the breeze that blew up from the ocean.
*
The next morning Dominic was much improved. Celeste told Ruth as she served her breakfast, giving the news with a certain air of smugness, as if she. and she alone, had the right to such privileged information. She was in Professor Jason's confidence, and the only nurse he had. and she took great pleasure in telling Ruth how she had assisted in changing the dressing on Dominic's arm, and that she had exchanged a few words with him when she had taken in his breakfast earlier.
'He feeling more himself.' she declared, setting a rack of toast on the table. 'He even get up to go to the bathroom. Doctor Francis going to be real pleased with him.'
Ruth looked down at her plate, propping her head on one hand. 'You've been a great help,' she conceded flatly. 'I'm sure Daddy much appreciates it.'
'I think so.' Celeste was complacent. 'I think he trust me to know what's what. He ain't even seen Mr Howard for himself yet today, so I knows he don't worry none.'
Ruth looked up at this. 'What do you mean? He hasn't seen Mr Howard for himself? Where is Daddy?'
'He ain't up yet.' retorted Celeste, pouring her coffee. 'You sure you don't want no eggs?'
Ruth pushed back her chair. The night before she had insisted her father returned to his bed. and once again
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