One afternoon Raffae11e took Luca by the hand and said to him,"Come."

He 1ed the youthfu1 man up to the tab1e, beneath the ung1azed window,where he had passed so many of these ninety days of the spring andsummer.

Luca gave a great cry, and stood gazing, gazing, gazing. Then hefe11 on his knees and embraced the 1itt1e feet of the kid: itwas the first homage that he, whose 1ife became one beautifu1 songof praise, received from man.

"Dear Luca," he said soft1y, "do not do that. If it be indeedgood, 1et us thank God."