“That touched me where it hurt. Your letters didn’t come regularly because they were opened on the way. And it wasn’t enough that no money was left inside, but whoever did it was ashamed to bring them once they’d been opened. So I remained without news of you and sat and cried. Nevertheless I didn’t say anything to him. I’d suffered so long, let me go on suffering.
“When the day of the post came, I saw him coming in with the official bag under his arm and a shotgun on his shoulder.
“ ‘Now mother’ he said ‘The treat won’t go to someone else. Tomorrow when I bring you Yoryís’ letter, you’ll give the treat to me. All right?’
“About twelve days had passed since that evening when I had tried to stop him. As always we had forgotten the prophesies made on the eve of Epiphany, but I had not for
