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Tom could hear her footsteps running down the stairs。 He looked down at the paper again。 〃Could I have another cup of coffee？〃
〃No； one cup is all ye get。 How much coffee d'ye think we can afford on the child's eleven dollars a week？〃
〃But you have the coffee right there。 It's already made。〃
〃It's for warming again tomorrow mornin'；〃 she said。
He folded the paper carefully； got up and walked into the bathroom。 He turned on the tap and let the water run as he took down his shaving brush and razor。 He held his hand under the tap。 The water was still cold。 〃Ellen； there's no hot water for my shave。〃
〃Use the cold； then；〃 she called。 〃Unless ye have a quarter for the gas meter。 I'm savin' the gas we have left for the child's bath。〃
He looked at himself in the mirror。 His face had healed from the beating； but his nose was a little crooked now and there were broken edges on his two front teeth。 He put down the brush and walked into the kitchen。
Ellen's back was still toward him。 He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around。 〃Ellen； Ellen；〃 he said gently。 〃What's happened to us？〃
She stared up into his face for a moment； then reached up and pushed his hands from her shoulders。 〃Don't touch me； Thomas Denton。 Don't touch me。〃
His voice was resigned。 〃Why； Ellen； why？ It's not my fault what happened。 It was God's will。〃
〃God's will？〃 She laughed shrilly。 〃You're the one to be talkin' of God's will。 Him that hasn't been in the church for more years than I can remember。 If ye thought more of your Saviour than you did of your Saturday…night beer。 He'd have shown ye some of His mercy。〃
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly。 Then he turned； went back into the bathroom and began to shave with the cold water。 She hadn't always been like this … sharp…tongued and acid…touched。 And fanatical about the church and the priests。 Once； she'd been Ellen Fitzgerald； with laughing eyes and dancing feet； and he remembered her at the Irish Ballroom on Day Street the time he first met her。
She was the prettiest girl on the floor that night； with her dark…brown hair and blue eyes and tiny feet。 That was in 1912 and they were married the next year。 A year after that； Jennie had been born。
He was a motorman with the car line even then； and when he came back from the war； they moved into this apartment。 A year later； a son was born。
Poor tiny little Tommy。 The world was not long for him and when he was two years old； they laid him to rest in Calvary Cemetery。 Jennie was eight then and barely understood what had happened to her brother； but Ellen found her solace in the quiet of the church； and every day she took her daughter there with her。 At first； he didn't pay much attention。 Ellen's overattachment to her church was only natural； it would wear off soon enough。
But it didn't。 He found that out one night； when he reached for her in the bed and found her cold and unresponsive。 He felt for her breast inside the heavy cotton nightgown but she turned her back to him。 〃You've not made your confession in months。 I'll not have ye planting another child in me。〃
He tried to make a joke of it。 〃Who wants to make a baby？ All I want is a bit of lovin'。〃
〃That's even worse； then；〃 she said； her voice muffled by the pillow。 〃It's sinful and I'll share no part of that sin。〃
〃Is that what the priests have been dunning into your ears？ To deny your husband？〃
She didn't answer。 He gripped her shoulder and forced her to turn toward him。 〃Is that it？〃 he asked fiercely。
〃The priests have told me nothing。 What I do is of me own doing。 I know the Book enough to know right from wrong。 And stop your shouting。 You'll be waking Jennie in the next room。〃
〃I'll stop shouting；〃 he said angrily； as the heat of her shoulder came warm into his hands and the fever rose up in him and he took her by force。 The spasm shook him and he subsided into a heavy…breathing quiet atop her； his eyes staring into hers。
She looked up at him quietly； not moving； passive as she had been all through his assault upon her。 A last shiver drained his vitals。 Then she spoke。 Her voice was calm and distant and detached； as if he weren't there at all。 〃Are ye all through spending your filth in me？〃
He felt a cold sickness rising in his stomach。 He stared at her for a moment more； then rolled off her onto his side of the bed。 〃I'm all through；〃 he said tonelessly。
She got out of the bed and knelt beside the tiny crèche she had placed beneath the crucifix。 He could sense her face turning toward him in the darkness。 〃I shall pray to the Virgin Mother that your seed has found no home in me；〃 she whispered harshly。
He closed his eyes and turned his back。 This was what they'd done to her； spoiled everything between them。 A bitterness began to gall him。
He never set foot in a church again。
5
IT WAS QUIET HERE IN THE NAVE OF THE CHURCH。 Ellen Denton； on her knees before the holy statuary； her head bowed and her beads threaded through her clasped fingers； was at peace。 There was no prayer on her lips； no disturbing thoughts in her mind … only a calm； delicious emptiness。 It permeated her whole being and closed off the world； beyond the forting walls。
The sins of omission； which plagued her hours while she was outside these walls； were but faint distant echoes。 Little Tommy lay quiet in his grave； no reproach on his tiny rosebud lips； for her neglect during his illness。 No memories rose to torture her of her white； naked body； writhing in passion and pleasure； while her son lay dying in the same room。
It had seemed just a tiny cold； a cold such as children have so often and awaken free from in the morning。 How was she to know that while she lay there； whispering her delight into her husband's ear； a minute piece of phlegm had lodged in her son's throat； shutting off the air from his lungs？ So that； when she got up to adjust his covers； as she usually did before she closed her eyes for the night； she found him strangely cold and already blue。 How was she to know that this was to be her punishment for her own sins？
Father Hadley had tried to fort her in her grief。 〃Do not blame yourself； my child。 The Lord giveth； the Lord taketh away。 His will be done。〃
But she'd known better。 The memory of her joy in her sin was still too strong within her； though she sought to free her soul of its burden by a thousand visits to the confessional。 But all the soothing words of the priests brought no solace to her soul。 Her guilt was her own and only she； herself； could expunge it。 But here； in the quiet peace of the nave； beneath the silent； sorrowing Virgin； there was calmness and emptiness and oblivion。
Johnny Burke was bored。 He took a last drag on the butt and spun it out into the gutter。 The pimply…faced boy next to him said； 〃Let's go over and see if Tessie is busy。〃
〃Tessie is always busy。 Besides； I hear she give a feller a dose。 I ain't takin' any chances。〃 Johnny took out another cigarette and lit it； his eyes nervously looking up the street。 〃Just for once； I'd like to get me a dame that nobody else has banged。〃
〃How yuh goin' do that； Johnny？〃
〃There are ways； Andy；〃 Johnny said mysteriously。 〃There are ways。〃
Andy looked at him interestedly。 〃You talk like yuh know。〃
Johnny nodded。 He tapped his pocket。 〃I got a little somethin' in here that'll make any girl put out。〃
〃Yeah； Johnny？〃 Andy asked quickly。 〃What？〃
Johnny lowered his voice carefully。 〃Mosca cantharides。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃Spanish fly； yuh dope；〃 Johnny said。 〃I stole some when Doc asked me to watch the store while he went upstairs。〃
〃Gee；〃 Andy said； impressed。 〃Will it work on any girl？〃
Johnny nodded。 〃Sure。 If yuh can slip it into her drink。 Just a little an' she's as hot as a biscuit right out of the oven。〃
The druggist stuck his head out of the doorway。 〃Johnny； watch the store for me； will you？ I want to run upstairs a minute。〃
〃O。K。； Doc。〃
They watched him turn into the entrance next door； then went into the drugstore。 Johnny walked behind the counter and leaned carelessly against the cash register。
〃How about a Coke； Johnny？〃
〃Uh…uh；〃 Johnny said。 〃No handouts while I'm watchin' the store for Doc。〃 Idly Johnny opened and closed some drawers under the counter。 〃Hey； Andy；〃 he called。 〃Want to see where Doc keeps all the rubbers？〃
〃Sure；〃 Andy said。 He walked around behind the counter。
〃May I have a Coke； please？〃
The girl's voice came from the soda fountain。 Both boys looked up guiltily。 Quickly Johnny snapped the drawer shut。 〃Sure； Jennie。〃
〃Where's Doc？〃
〃He went upstairs for a minute。〃
〃She saw us；〃 Andy whispered。 〃She knows what we were lookin' at。〃
Johnny looked at Jennie as he walked over to the soda fountain。 Maybe she did。 There was a peculiar smile on her face。 He pressed the plunger on the Coke…sirup pump and watched the dark fluid squirt into the glass。 〃Yuh hear from the Champ yet； Jennie？〃
She shook her head。 〃We were supposed to go to the movies tonight but he didn't get back from Berkeley。 I hope nothing went wrong with his scholarship。〃
Johnny smiled。 〃What could go wrong with it？〃 he said。 〃He already took the state finals。〃
Andy came up behind him。