“John the Apostle was condemned to death!” Alfred said. “He was condemned to be boiled in oil! Yet he survived the ordeal! He was plunged into the boiling oil and he lived! He came from the cauldron a stronger man! And we shall do the same.” He paused, watching us, and no one responded. We all just gazed at him, and he must have known that his homily on Saint John was not working, for he made an abrupt gesture with his right hand as if he was sweeping all the saints aside. “And tomorrow,” he went on, “is also a day for warriors. A day to kill your enemies. A day to make the pagans wish they
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