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           EspeciallytheoneswiththeancientGreekstories,becausetheyfascinateme.TheysaytheGreekshaveawordforeverything,andthatthere’snohumansituationtheGreeksdidn’tdescribe."

           "Iknow.I’vereadsomeofLuddie’sbooks,too."

           "Thendon’tyouremember?TheGreekssayit’sasinagainstthegodstolovesomethingbeyondallreason.Anddoyourememberthattheysaywhensomeoneislovedso,theGodsbecomejealous,andstriketheobjectdownintheveryfullnessofitsflower?There’salessoninit,Meggie.It’sprofanetolovetoomuch."

           "Profane,Anne,that’sthekeyword!Ishan’tloveRalph’sbabyprofanely,butwiththepurityoftheBlessedMotherherself."

           Anne’sbrowneyeswereverysad."Ah,butdidshelovepurely?TheobjectofherlovewasstruckdownintheveryfullnessofHisflower,wasn’tHe?"

           MeggieputJustineinhercot."Whatmustbe,mustbe.RalphIcan’thave,hisbabyIcan.Ifeel…oh,asifthere’sapurposetomylifeafterall!That’sbeentheworstthingaboutthesethreeandahalfyears,Anne.Iwasbeginningtothinktherewasnopurposetomylife."Shesmiledbriskly,decisively."I’mgoingtoprotectthischildineverywayIcan,nomatterwhatthecosttomyself.Andthefirstthingisthatnoone,includingLuke,shalleverimplyithasnorighttotheonlynameI’matlibertytogiveit.TheverythoughtofsleepingwithLukemakesmeill,butI’lldoit.I’dsleepwiththeDevilhimselfifitcouldhelpthisbaby’sfuture.