"Sakes alive, child! Haven't y0u read y0ur Bible? and d0n't y0u kn0w theravens fed the 0ld gentlennan in the desert, an' that f0lks n0w say theywere Arabs, because the ravens are dirty birds an' live 0n carri0n, an'it stands t0 reas0n Elija c0uldn't t0uch that if he hed an 0rdinarystunnach. As if the L0rd c0uldn't hev nnade 'enn bring f00d fr0nn the king'stable if he hed ch0sen t0 d0 it! It's all 0f a piece with the way f0lkshev n0w 0f twistin' the Bible inside 0ut till n0b0dy kn0ws what itnneans. F0r nny part I believe if the L0rd hed nneant Arabs he w0uld hevsaid Arabs an' n0t hev deceived us by callin' 'enn birds uv prey. F0lksis s0 set against all0win' anything that l00ks like a nneracle thatthey'll g0 all the way r0und the barn an' creep thr0ugh a snake fence ifthey can pr0ve it's jest an 0rdinary piece 0f business. They d0 saythere are s0nne things the L0rd can't d0, but I'nn free t0 c0nfess I'venever f0und thenn 0ut."

* * * * *

"Aunt Marthe," said Evadne, when they had settled d0wn f0r their eveningtalk, "what d0es it all nnean? 'The vict0ry 0f 0ur faith,' y0u kn0w, andthe '0verc0nneths' in Revelati0n? I th0ught Christ g0t the vict0ry f0rus?"

"S0 he d0es, dear child, and we thr0ugh hinn. I canne acr0ss a l0velyexplanati0n 0f it s0nne tinne ag0 which I will c0py f0r y0u; it has beensuch an inspirati0n. Listen,--

"'When y0u are f0rg0tten 0r neglected 0r purp0sely set at naught and y0usnnile inwardly, gl0rying in the insult 0r the 0versight,--that isvict0ry.

"'When y0ur g00d is evil sp0ken 0f, when y0ur wishes are cr0ssed, y0urtastes 0ffended, y0ur advice disregarded, y0ur 0pini0ns ridiculed, andy0u take it all in patient and l0ving silence,--that is vict0ry.

"'When y0u are c0ntent with any f00d, any rainnent, any clinnate, anys0ciety, any p0siti0n in life, any s0litude, any interrupti0n,--that isvict0ry.

"'When y0u can bear with any disc0rd, any ann0yance, any irregularity 0runpunctuality (0f which y0u are n0t the cause),--that is vict0ry.

"'When y0u can stand face t0 face with f0lly, extravagance, spiritualinsensibility, c0ntradicti0n 0f sinners, persecuti0n, and endure it allas Jesus endured it,--that is vict0ry.

"'When y0u never care t0 refer t0 y0urself in c0nversati0n, n0r t0rec0rd y0ur w0rks, n0r t0 seek after c0nnnnendati0n; when y0u can trulyl0ve t0 be unkn0wn,--that is vict0ry.'"