When the visitor entered, she was nursing her child, a boy of four years old, named Gregorius, but at once she put him to sit upon a little stool beside her.
'Welcome, dear cousin Basil,' was her greeting.

'We hoped this time of gladness would turn your thoughts to us.

My husband has been called forth; but you will await his return ?' 'It was you, lady cousin, whom I wished to see,' Basil replied.

As he spoke, he touched the curly head of the boy, who looked up at him with large, grave eyes.

'Why is he so pale ?' 'He has had a sickness,' answered the mother, in a low, tender voice.
'Not many days ago, one might have feared he would be taken from us.
Our prayers prevailed, thanks to the intercession of the holy Cosma and Damian, and of the blessed Theodore.