"
And while Hyacinthe worked, he told,--of sunshine and dust, of the
shadow of vine-leaves on the flat white walls of a house; of rosy
doves on the roof; of the flowers that come out in the spring,
anemones crimson and blue, and white cyclamen in the shadow of the
rocks; of the olive, the myrtle, and the almond; until Hyacinthe's
fingers ceased working, and his sleepy eyes blinked wonderingly.
"See what you have done, comrade," he said at last; "you have told me
of such pretty things that I have done but little work for an hour.
And now the cabinet will never be finished, and I shall be beaten."
"Let me help you," smiled the other. "I also was bred a carpenter."
At first Hyacinthe would not, fearing to trust the sweet wood out of
his own hands. But at length he allowed the stranger to fit in one of
the drawers. And so deftly was it done that Hyacinthe pounded his
fists on the bench in admiration. "You have a pretty knack," he cried.
"It seemed as if you did but hold the drawer in your hands a moment,
and hey! it jumped into its place."
"Let me fit in the other little drawers while you rest awhile," said
the stranger. So Hyacinthe curled up among the shavings, and the other
boy fell to work upon the little cabinet of sandalwood.
Hyacinthe was very tired. He lay still among the shavings, and thought
of all the boy had told him, of the hillside flowers, the laughing
leaves, the golden bloom of the anise, and the golden sun upon the
roads until he was warm.
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