Sealed Lips — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SHALND LIPS. 179 ful uncertainty tortures me. Will my friend be happy? With one single blow have I ruined three lives?” “Who can tell?” said the priest, turning from the window where he had been leaning with his face buried in his hands. “ You are not culpable to have devoted yourself for another. Perhaps you have prevented a great crime. What sacrifice is too oreat to save a friend’s life? Ah! my child, if you had seen what I have, your uncertainty would cease very soon. Can the words of an old priest and sinner take it away from you forever. Believe me; be calm, and courageous, and grateful for the rare strength which has been given you. What you did was well done.” They parted at these words, as it was getting very late. Upon the narrow mattress of his soldier’s bed the youngest of these two friends slept as he had not done for months before. The other prayed for a long time, sighing deeply as he knelt on the thick boards. “My God!” groaned he, “I was commencing to forget! You have punished me for it, for it is your will that I should remember it always. Now when to do your service I come here I shall find my liv- ing punishment, This young man had so much strength, and I showed so much weakness!” From that day the inhabitants of Telagh noticed that the priest’s visits were more frequent. Many times during the years that followed Patrice and Eomichbooks (E(@)