Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CloisterandtheHearth 10080064
CloisterandtheHearth 10080064
ED I TO R S
C h a rle s R ea d e w a s born a t l p sd en i n
O xfor d s hir e i n 1 8 1 4 D u rin g h i s b oyh ood
h e w a s e d u ca t ed al m os t e nt ir ely a t h om e
.
h e h a d a brillia nt ca r ee r a nd w a s m a d e a
Fellow of hi s colle g e ( M a g d a le n) i a | 8 3 5
,
H i s fi r s t n ov el Peg Wofi n g t on w a s p ub
, .
l i sh ed i n | 8 5 3 a nd w a s f oll ow ed a lmos t
. .
of S c ot c h fi s h i n g li fe H i s fi r s t g r e a t s u c ce s s
,
wv
.
wa s , ho N ever T oo La t e t o
e er . I t is
w t
M an d a book hich fa s cina e d t h e r e a d in g
p ubli c a t onc e wt g
i h i t s th ri lli n r oman ce a nd
i ts vv pt
i id d e scri i on of convi ct life a nd
pi r s on s c e n es
1 8 6 | pp
.
I n d Th Cl i t
a e a re d th e o s er a n e
H th w h i h h
ea r b t t d by i ti
c as ee n s a e cr cs to
b h m t f i ti g f ll hi t i l v l
.
e t e os a s c na n o a s or ca no e s .
I n H d C h — p b li h l d i g 1 86 3
ar as u s ec ur n
Ch l R d
a r es v ly i ti i d h w y i
ea e se ere cr c se t e a n
wh i h l ti yl m w
c una c as d t d h t
u s e r e c on uc e at t a
t im A e. lt th
s a w r es u f l er e as a s u c ce s s u
a git ti i f v f l gi l ti
a on n a h
ou r o bj t e s a on on t e su ec
l t h w t G i fi i th G
.
Th y r ee ea r s a er t e ro e r a un
F m t hi tim h l th t g i p
,
ro s m d e e s ee e to os e a r
an d v i ilit y w h i h i
r h h c t i ti f s s uc a c a ra c er s c o
hi i vl
s e a r i er n o e s.
C h l R d w t m y pl y b w
a r es ea e ro e an a s, ut as
v f l wi t h t h m
n e e r s u cc e s s u H h d g t e e a a r ea
bilit i pl yw igh t d
.
b li f i h i
e e n s a es as a a r an
w ld v g f g g th t
.
ou e en o so ar a s to en a e a ea r e
an d mp y f
a co t if h w
an o bl a c or s e e re u na e
to o bt i a np f h i pl y
a cce t a nc e o s a
l l h A p il
.
H di d i L d
e e nh on on on t e t r .
1 88 4 . an d wa s b uried at Willes d e n .
THE C LO I ST E R A ND THE
H EAR T H
A T A LE O F T H E M I D D LE AG ES
‘
CHAPTE R I
hist oric hail sto nes striking him but to gl ance off his b o som :
-
Here .
as ; p as t th e
P
.
It w
X I . wa s sovereign of France ; E d ward IV was wr ongful .
7
8 THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
kin g of England ; and Philip the Go o d having by force ,
lib eral of th eir steel ; even at dinner a man woul d leave his
meat awhil e and carve you h i s neighb o ur o n a very mo derate
, ,
di fference of O pinion .
with rej o icings and the s aints were thanked not exp os t u
, ,
late d with ; and when p arents and chil dren were all youn g
to gether th e latter were lo oked up o n as lovely littl e play
,
older and s a w with their own eyes the fate o f larg e fam ilies
, ,
mis givings and care mingl ed with their love They b elonged .
thinkers .
sm all.
all the littl e b o dies and feed all th e great mouths and yet
, ,
you s o dear ?
There are enou gh in th e hou s e without m e .
”
you to feed .
like granite .
’
Catherine lo oked at Richart s chair and wept b itterly .
what had happ ened the last tim e ; s o it was in a low whisp er
h e sai d Sit wider d e a r s l
,
N ow until that m oment , ,
th e ch il d r en a n d y ou thou ght it wo ul d b e to o sm a ll ;
,
.
”
Tis the b est that le ave s u s sobb e d sh e ;
’
that i s th e ,
”
cru el p a rt .
women sill y .
in com .
work : and C orn elis the el dest who had made cal culations
, , ,
—
and stuck to th e hearth waiting for dea d m en s sho es ’
.
, , ,
ay ,
ey en at eight of th e clo ck at nigh t in winter when th e ,
brave and sweetly bl ended colo urs but the h eart lif ted by ,
”
th e ef fi gi es of the saints in glory Answer m e my s on .
, .
b etter even than th e gold and lapis lazuli to the ill uminator -
was th e symp athy to the isol ated enthusiast That sym p athy .
sometimes with his own wit som etimes with j ests which ,
th e monastery fi n d i n g th e vell um .
mighty hunter and coul d read and write His taste s were
, .
w i d e a n d a rdent
. H e loved j ewel s like a wom an and .
,
,
1 4 THE CL O ISTER ?A N D THE HEARTH '
o d s t y mp an a how th ey b ell ow !
Gerard turned red wi th anger the m ore s o as th e others ,
.
‘
and our m oth er shall buy m e vellum and the c ol our S t o '
English mo ney ) .
b e b eggar s ”
.
“
M ot h er l s i gh ed l i t t l e C atherine i m p l or i n gl y u fl
'
. ,
”
O h I it is in vain K at e sai d Gerard with a si gh .
:I
, , .
S he , .
”
from h er .
” ’
Th ere sweethea r t , said s h e yo u won t hav e to , .
, .
'
I wi l l a s k the go o d mo nk s to l et
, .
—
for my ground and p rime colours on e cro wn wi l l d o
,
”
.
”
Never tyne th e ship for want of a bit of tar G e r a r d ,
.
.
’
. .
at t h e S t a d t h ou s e in Rotterdam .
pu rple silk ribb o n littl e K ate ha d p asse d round him fro m the
side s of the hat au d k n ot t e d n ea t l y o n his b reast ; b elow his
,
‘
- ~
- '
was rolle d i n front into two solid waves and supp orte d ,
few yards ; b e refl e cted and turned b ack and came towards , ,
th em b ashfully .
”
Indeed my s on I a m , replied th e old m an , , ,
”
faint for lack of fo o d .
No 1 1 0 1 said th e ol d man ;
, i t i s not the distan ce fi
,
”
it is th e want of nourishment .
-
,
,
’
’ ’
th e p ot said h e
, and don t l et it spill for Heaven s sak e :
, ,
.
, ,
C HAP TER II
, An d .
Margaret s mi l ed slily .
A y ay l said th e ol d man ;
, but my p oo r b ones are
sti ff and inde ed th e fi r e i s t oo hot f or a b o d y to kneel over
,
youn g man i s a d r oi t l
F or whil e h e state d his di ffi cu l t y Gerard rem ove d it ; ,
,
'
, ,
lon g b reath :
Hipp o crates and Gal en ! h e cri ed ti s a s o u p e d a ,
-
'
sir
' ‘
1
.
,
n ot play m e fal se
M ’
[ a r g a r et Alas ! h e 5 o ff . 1
weaken h i s p owers -
Now i f th e s ou p e o u vi n had b een
.
,
,
.
, ,
, ,
th e s u mm u m m a l u m N e g a t u r ; unles s th e m an s life h as
’
.
for th e mo derns ! .
F ath er ! de a r f a t h er i
Fear : m e not girl ; I will b e brief unreaso nabl y , , .
a n d z u n s ea s on a b l y b r ief Th e s ou p e a u p i n o ccurs no t in .
; u s .
,
a n d fi r s t we fi n d that D u gu es cl i n a French k n i gh t b ei n g , , _
~
a s might -
have b een foretold kill ed a multitu de and drove , ,
more .
,
'
”
may command said she Th e straw is no t mine t i s
, .
,
’
”
yours : you cut it in yo nder fi el d .
culty : Gerard the a droit coul d not tie his ribb o n a gai n a s
C atherin e had tied i t Margaret after sl i ly eyein g his .
,
efi or t s for som e tim e off ered to h elp him ; for at her age
,
him ; and whil e it ravished his eye two white supple hands
, ,
throu gh the inno cent young man and vagu e glimp ses of a ,
not quite easy till by a m an oeuvre p ecul iar to the fem ale
, ,
b ack to tak e one last keen survey of her work ; then looking ,
Gerard blu shin g at having s cared her away with his eyes
, ,
silence .
s ens e of solitu de fell up o n him yet the stre ets were crowded , .
— —
and learning three p earls o price and never s ee th em
f
more !
Fall ing into this s a d reverie and letting h i s b o dy g o ,
his h ead and m arch ed upright and b owed with pro digiou s
, ,
'
,
Wh at i s that to m e ol d man ? ,
'
keep th e gate -
.
,
’
’
Sh e dropp ed Ger a rd s hand directly and turned roun d , ,
knows what you know not how to treat th e aged and the
, ,
weak .
”
1I a m a comp etitor s i r
‘‘
, .
“
W h a t i s yo ur nam e ? and th e m an eye d him s u s
f
p i ci ou s l y .
Gerard th e s on of Elias , .
Wh at ’
m atter ?
”
'
They are my f rien ds , and without
th em I go n o t i n .
1
Stay Without th en
That wil l I n ot .
That w e wi ll s ee .
H ER E I S O N E OF Y O U R V A R L E T S D E F I E S Y O U
. .
H ush hu sh ! ,
A ND I W I LL N OT LE T O
Y U R G U E ST S P S S I A N .
E LI A S S O E N AN D H I S C O M PA N Y ! ( Th e fi en d s go with him ! )
'
or p eep ed like fair eyes am ong the green l eaves of pl ane tre es -
mak ing them j ets and cascades of molten rub ies then ,
at a tabl e and put fi f t een many col oure d soup s b efore them
,
-
,
”
Girl h e is our guardi an an gel
, .
”
No : gu ess again .
Father ?
No .
,
”
were ab out .
, .
”
relat i ons to m y house a n d n on e will b e th e wiser
'
.
,
sweet thou ghts that h ave ever b een unfavourab l e to app eti te .
But th ere i s a deli cate kind of s ensual ity to who se infl uence ,
O p inio n ?
N o ! that i s al l a silly ol d s ong expl aine d G erard , .
,
”
it i s no t tru e .
.
,
Wh y o nl y l o ok ro u n d ! A n d th en I thou ght I ha d l o st
,
'
s ense l 1
Wh at do you admire m o st
”
of al l th es e b eautiful things ,
Gerard ?
You know my nam e ? How i s th at ?
”
Whit e magic I a m a witch .
1
.
’
An gel s are n ever wi tche s Bu t I can t think how .
you
Fo olish b oy ! wa s it not cried a t th e ga t e l ou d enou gh .
'
to d eav e on e ?
S e it w a s
. Wh ere i s my hea d ? What d o I a d m l r e .
y ou 1
Thi s way ?
s o that th e li ght m a y fall on you Th ere ! I -'
.
.
, ,
, .
m e of wh a t th e V ul gate p r a i s es i f or b eauty a n a p p l e of g ol d
'
,
'
i n a n et wor k of s i l ver
’
an d oh wh at a p ity I did not k now , ,
s
.
, ,
d ay 1
Oh fi e ! it i s wick e d to talk s e
, C omp are a p o or . .
G er a r d t I t h ou gh t y ou were a go o d y oi mg -m a n fi An d
'
'
’ '
1
.
Gerard ! 1
I l ov e y o u .
28 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEA R TH
Oh f or sham e ! you mu st no t s a y th at to m e
, and ,
”
I can t help i t I love you
’
I l ove you . . .
’
Hush hu sh ! for p ity s s ak e ! I mu st no t l isten to such
,
”
Forgive m e said h e impl oringly , How co ul d any o n e .
’
Give m e yo ur h an d th en or y ou do n t forgive ,
founta i n .
th em .
Oh , t h e m er -r y d a y s , t h e m er -r y d a y s wh en w e wer e y oun g .
-
9
Oh , t h e m er -r y d a y s , t h e m er -r y d ay s wh en we w er e
y oun g .
C HAPTER III
and were b ent with curio sity and envy on the m an that wa s
to g o to a princes s .
G erard ro s e to ob ey .
”
f That will y ou
‘
w a s th e reply : th en h e whisp ered in
,
You s a w m e an d S p ok e not t o m e ?
,
Th e idiot !
30 THE C L O ISTER A ND THE HEARTH
An d
I h ad a min d to s ee wheth er it wa s lik e maid
lik e master f or th ere i s so o th i n byw ords .
Wh o doubt s i t co s in
u ? Wh o d oub ts i t ? s aid t h e
, .
scholar .
’
not you an d your friends an d your friends fri ends if n e ed
, , ,
away to gether .
al on g .
TH E C L O ISTER A N D THE HEARTH
‘
31
Hans m
Cl ot er a n s a t waiting for Gerard , sol emn and
b u s i n es s i l i k e T h e minutes fl ew b y , but excited no i m p a t i
.
-
.
, ,
, ,
,
'
Y ou c a n t s ee — ’
th e Prince ss i t is to o l ate said o ne , .
D eu ce a ee a gain !
.
’
’
g on e -
.
,
”
go o d a s condu ct him to h er l adies .
l adies were richly b ut not showil y dre sse d and the duenna ,
She did not rise b ut sh e l aid asi de h er work and her manner
, ,
tio n at o nce .
thi s is th e youn g gentl eman who b rou ght you that p retty
miniature .
C ountes s of Ch a r ol oi s qu ietly .
”
My sovereign d emoisell e said h e gently and a littl e , ,
no rewar d .
mamma .
Oh madam ! ,
such b eaut i ful j ewel s ; and hi s gown sti ff with gol d ; and h i s
mantl e to o ; and it had a b ro ad b ord er al l p ictures ; b ut
, , ,
.
, ,
wear
Gently Marie gently : b ishopr i cs a r e fo r ol d gentl e
, ,
”
men ; and this IS a young gentl eman .
,
”
g ood en ou gh for a b ishop .
“ ” '
s a i d t h e Princess y ou h a ve n ot
'
t
, ,
h er m other s simplicity
’
.
I have Well , ,
1
.
,
.
,
“ ”
Ter g ou madam , .
half surp ris e at his resigning her s ex a nd all the h eaven they
THE C L O ISTER A ND THE HEARTH 35
her hea d with an air of sol emn misgiving but you had ,
”
b etter have b een Bishop of Li ege .
and her d eep eyes in his heart ? resi gn her and all th e worl d
of l ove and j oy s h e had op ened o n him t o day ? The ‘
-
f
r evu l s i on when it did com e was s o stro ng that he hasti ly
, ,
, ,
Ge rard n ever gu essed how imp ortant this sol emn drunk ard
”
wa s t o him : he w a s l o oking fo r B eauty and l et th e ,
pal ace : outs ide he found a crowd gaping at two great fan
lights j ust lighted over the gate H e asked them e arn estly .
36 THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
if they had seen an ol d man in a gown an d a l ovely girl ,
p ass ou t Th ey l au gh e d at th e qu estion
. Th ey were .
staring at th ese new lights that turn night into day They .
th e V irtu es and B eelz ebub and his torm entor danced merrily
round th e pl ace of etern al torture to th e fi f e a n d tab o r .
Ju stice ou t qu i b bl ed S atan -
H e walked throu gh many .
All that day heavy and heartsick h e sou ght her but coul d
, , ,
street h e said
, Sh e is not in th e town an d I shall n ever s e e
, ,
”
her a gain I will g o hom e
. H e start e d for T er g ou with .
of l ea d .
TH E C L O ISTER A N D THE HEARTH 37
C HA P TER IV
I T wa s ea r fou r o cl o ck in th e afterno on
n
’
Eli was in th e .
il
typ e ) o p ainting lib erty b ankin g gardening etc
,
-
, Ab o ve , , , .
in th e term s o f Horace
Am phora c oepi t
I ns t 1 tu1 cu r r en t e r ot a c u r u r c e u s e xi t
dents th e tabl e .
”
Yo u are th e on e for m aking mis chief .
a gain .
”
Nay mother said th e gi r l ;
, it w a s b ut a fo ol ish
,
”
L et n o on e b e in car e for m e s aid a faint voice at th e ,
-
d o or an d in tottere d Gerard p al e dusty and worn ou t ;
, , , ,
and amidst uplifte d hands and crie s of d elight curio sity and , , ,
, , , , , ,
.
, , , , , ,
but I p raye d for a b etter sp irit and pre sently I was abl e to ,
at th e feet of th e D uke
'
H e said som ething to m e b ut I .
,
h i s han d to his sid e and did no t draw a gl aive and cut off ,
”
b efore b ut I never handle d o ne
, H ere th ey are . .
Oh Gerard ! oh G erar d !
, ,
, , ,
, .
.
,
you deserv ed .
’
th e medal G erard ; I ll show it my go o d friend P eter
,
of his p arents mad e him think m ore highly of him self and ,
’
resent with more sp i rit Margaret s in gratitud e and d i s
co u rtesy . For all that s h e had p ower to co ol h im toward s
,
”
Burgomaster s ai d h e with tremb lin g voi ce ,I have , ,
not b een at S evenb ergen thes e thre e years and I know not ,
”
b ergen .
C HAPTER V I
L O O K into your own heart and write said Herr C ant ;
and earth s cu cko o s e cho e d t h e cry
’
Lo ok into the Rhine .
read s his own heart at all excep t by the habit a cqu i red , ,
’
and the light gain ed from som e years p eru s al of other ,
”
i n p r os p ec t a and don t want h er nor any of h er fi c k l e sex
’
.
,
’
H e so o n foun d out P eter Brandt s cotta ge ; and there
’
'
, ,
fi gu r e leaned on a l b n g b ow and t a l k e d t o h er
'
Gerard felt .
”
Th en I m ay a s well stay t il l h e com es .
A n d n ot of yours ?
’
had a b ed l aid for you sir at my cou sin s and h e woul d , , ,
. .
.
,
, ,
44 THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
misundersta nding h ad com e ab out Then cam e a revul sion .
An a
pple of
g l d in
o a
. ne t w or k of s il ve r .
”
Ay s aid h e
, b ut to day it is all hidden in that great
,
-
”
It is not ; it is hideou s .
and shot a gl ance h alf arch half coy and glided ab out them , , ,
And th en
C HA P TER VII
feath ers w aved and hors es ho ofs glinted and ran through
,
’
G r a m er c y l
I sp eak so oth The go o d D uk e s hut him up in priso n
.
,
”
thing . Th ere w a s a murmur of fear and th e T er g ovi a n s ,
was a vain fel low and not co n scio us of th is nor any defect
, .
b ass tones .
“
He l h e ! Ah ! ha l hal l o ! oh ! oh ! Holy saints !
h ere ! h el p l or I mu st throttl e th e imp I can t ! I ll .
’ ’
C opp ers f or i t .
.
, ,
we are go ne .
, ,
to day -
I am ou t oi p ain m o th er quite ou t of all p ain
.
. , , ,
N ob o dy b etter chil d
. Why you know I can ; , .
,
s t r u ck w i t h awe .
It is herself s h e ; cr i ed ;
, it is th e Q u een of H eaven , .
. . .
,
h e thou ght .
It i s ab out yo ur s on Gerard .
”
fallen into b ad hands .
”
i s then said h e grindin g h i s teeth and sp eaking very fast
, , , .
”
haired girl and l ove s h er lik e a cow h er c alf
, .
brecht st a re d at them .
Wh at ! you knew i t ?
Carry this tal e to tho s e who k now not my s on Gerard .
”
Women a r e nought to him .
”
has turn ed m e sick in a moment K ate if it shoul d b e tru e ? .
,
’
a youn g woman : al l youn g m en do : I can t fi n d what th ey
s e e in them to l ove s o ; but if h e did he woul d l et u s kno w ; ,
—
Curs e th e man ! h e won t h e won t curs e h i m l ’
,
’
Brandt ?
A m i rr or i s n ot truer my littl e m aid , .
W h y who el se shoul d it b e ?
,
’
Now why coul dn t you s a y s o at o nce ?
, snarl e d .
.
Gh y s b r ech t .
’’
That i s my p o or man s h e sobb ed T ell him go o d , .
,
wife s and dau ghter s distress m ade him fear som e heavy
’ ’
misfortun e .
R i ch ar t l Jacob i h e gasp ed .
m atter ?
Gh y s b r e ch t th en tol d him all that he tol d th e wom en ,
“
Is th at al l ? s ai d Eli profoundly rel ieve d VVh a t , . .
”
d eep .
d ay J
’
THE C L O ISTER AN D T H E HEARTH 51
A nd
’
what is that i n Heaven s nam e ? ask ed th e ,
,
’
says h e —
and l et m e into th e su n o nce more the s u n is
,
not l o ck up h i s own s on .
I know said Gh y s b r e ch t ;
, , h e i s at S evenb ergen -
.
-
no Gerard ! Eight o cl o ck cam e— no G erard ! Then th e ’
” ’
tru sts to morrow with t o d ay s work
-
.
he n ever com i ng I wo nd er ,
”
g enerations .
52 THE C LO ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
N ay
I hop e h e ha s l eft her by now confound her or
,
”
, ,
Eli ,
C‘
Well Kate ? ,
— —
rub s mu ch happ ier I trow than i f I had b een a a — — , ,
”
Surely .
It is s o my l ass ,
.
I t d ot h j oy d ou b l e,
A n d h a l v et h t r ou b l e ,
’
”
Ah ! here come s th e young fo ol .
C HAPTER VII I
, .
tear s in h er eyes .
’
Martin th ere s nothin g in the hou s e a n d Gerard i s
, ,
”
Nay said the sol dier
, I m ay not sho o t when the ,
’
e ith er I ll b ut step into th e skirts of th e forest h ere
. It is .
W ell if I l et yo u g o yo u mu st promis e m e no t to g o
, ,
”
Lu ck is a gainst m e said h e de sp ondin gly But h e ,
.
.
,
that mom ent a l ong sp otte d animal glid ed swiftly acro ss after
th e de er ; its b elly seem ed t o tou ch the ground as it went .
night .
o n his b ack b ounded high into the air and fell dea d
, Th e , .
bu ck s l e g
’
The l eop ard gave a frightful growl and l eft off
.
,
ol d -
fashioned an d wore n o hat b u t a s cap ulary of th e sam e
, ,
.
,
”
l eop ard H e hastily s eiz e d a few han dful s of l eave s an d
.
ow n and th e bu ck s
’ ’
H e b urst into P eter s hou s e a h orribl e .
carcass down .
’
Their mirth was stran gely inte rrup te d Margaret s .
and th ere in the twil ight crou ch ed a dark form with eye s
lik e gloww orm s .
Martin trembl ed at i t .
’
Gerard seiz ed his b ow and p ut it into th e sol dier s h and s
,
.
B e a m an h e cried ;
,
sh o ot h er and fl i n g h er into ,
”
Nay ! nay ! cried Margaret an d s eize d the arrow , .
”
No l cried Margaret I have save d you : stand.
C HAPTER IX
’
To tabl e on ce m ore , and Gerard dr ank to woman s wit
’ ”
Tis stron ger than m an s force said h e ’
, .
“ ”
Ay said Margaret
, when th o se s h e loves are i n
,
58 TH E
wa s t h e u niversal p et Bu t s h e gave him no enco u ragem ent
.
Wh at are y ou a gainst m e to o ?
,
said Gerard sadly ; ,
S evenb ergen .
—
abl e en d is reach ed b oth in th e wro ng .
wroth b ut unhappy
, H e was lo nely t oo in this stru ggl e
.
, , .
H e co u ld op en his he a rt to no on e
.
Margaret was a high .
said : ,
”
hunger marryin g thirst .
Gerard can paint Gerard can write but what can you d o
, ,
THE C L O ISTER A N D THE HEARTH 59
fath er s sho o n ’
O h w e can s ee why y ou an d S y b r a n d t
.
,
’
h e do es and s a y that w e give it him it i sn t yourn w e p art
,
“
,
”
from an d m ayhap n ever will b e
,
.
willy .
s eem s I have b een v al u ed all th ese years not for mys elf , ,
”
b ut fo r what i s to b e go t ou t of m e .
ton e ,
I thou ght w e had b een frien ds yo un g s i r , .
”
dence .
”
not hinder y ou to tell m e .
love d in her .
e sp ecially fo r Gerard .
,
”
R eicht ? su ch a s it is .
Oh I s ee n o o dd s in th em
, .
w a s n o t co nvi nced .
’
I do no t fear my father s viol en ce h e s aid but I d o , ,
ou ght .
They s a t till midni ght over this th eme And after that .
,
B esi des the mo ney s h e pro cured him for the j ourn ey ,
Mo st .
tak e your oil and p our it into a b ottl e with water In a day .
lay them on with thi s oil and they sh al l live Hub ert , .
,
”
why th e world will not forget h i m in a hurry .
ing are som e things that read uninteresting Thu s pro vide d .
O p eratio n .
Sh e refu s e d it plump .
h i m to m i s b eh a v e l Po or t h i n g l
M argaret was full of this swe e t woma n ly p ity wh en to
_
, ,
Who did i t ?
Nay I know no t , I dared not as k ; for I shoul d hate
.
y i p er s l
N ever min d Gerard said Margaret p an t ing
, S ince , , .
s uch a s it i s .
Oh Margaret ! ,
a h ol i sh e d .
C H APTER X
days with this diff erence that they were commonl y read on ,
, ,
, ,
”
him d eny it i f h e can .
”
S ta dthou se .
,
THE C L O ISTER AN D TH E H E ARTH 67
“
Oh th e lo ok that m an gave m e on the ro ad to Rot t er
‘
, :
”
I s h al l s ee no m ore th e light of d a y And h e kneel ed down .
Stadthouse .
’
was a comfort H e h el d on l o okin g at th e sol dier s r etirin g
.
,
’
m aster s eye fell instantly o n th e iron and t h en gl a n ced at ,
solemn sil ence Gerard s fi r s t imp ulse was t o brain him with
.
’
, ,
the do or .
cradl e
D eath so on er
.
energy .
She was j u st fi n i s h i n g a l etter to the C ountess
Ch ar ol oi s app ealing t o her against th e vi ol ence and
,
B u t w a s h e p al e ?
”
A littl e .
Peter had s a t sil ent all this time but p ondering an d yet , ,
around h im .
, ,
w i t h a deep sigh
’
.
, ,
”
shaws I shall buy for a cr own
'
.
.
g e o u o a r
'
s .
s o simpl e that now their won der was th ey had taken for
,
’
t o P eter 3 l earning and th eir own dexterity .
som e tim e ab ed .
’
A fi gu r e sto o d b y th e dwarf s b ed It was white and .
,
-
o n e undivided gymnastic
Kate then reveal ed to Gil es th at s he had h eard Cornelis
.
h i m on his return .
i
“
N or I w ith you said Gi l es I don t b elieve there , ,
.
’
after all
In l ess than h alf an h our G il es and Ka t e O p ene d th e
.
’
As th e sun declined Gerard s heart t oo sank and sank ,
while !
W al l b el ove o, ma k e f a s t t b e s i l h t o 1 13 9 11 1 1 1 1 6 11 1 1 0 l ower
'
'
to 1 1 5 : b ut b ot h t h i ne e no f a s t z t b en count 11 1 1 h unoreo a no
b r a vo up .
C L O ISTER A N D THE HEARTH
THE 71
, a
e nergy dra gged it to th e window : a moment a go h e coul d not
have m oved i t Standin g on th e chest and lo oking dow n he
.
,
to h i m lo w b ut cl ear
”
, D raw u p Gerard till you s e e .
, ,
and drew and drew till h e cam e to another knot and foun d
‘
p ull e d and p ull ed till the p ersp iratio n roll ed d own him :
the weight go t heavier and h eavier and at l ast h e was w ell ,
-
. .
o _
the insid e rop e with b oth hands h e felt anxiou sly with his ,
hun g outside from it b y his right hand wh ile his l eft hand ,
t eeth and nipp ed th e rop e tight with his feet and gripp e d
,
ten feet l ong The rop e m ade his hands very hot
.
H e s t ol e .
anoth er l o ok u p .
— .
, .
,
breathing h ard .
”
Fear m e not cried Gerard j oyfully and eyed the w a ll
, , ,
s eized him ere h e touch ed the groun d and all three clung ,
t o gether in on e emb rac e .
C HAPTE R X I
known .
fo ur fe et l ong .
j
G erard .
b elow .
knees .
u tte r a fe eb l e
fear To fi n d that hell had als o i t s cr y of .
m ercy .
’
p ris oner s window to th e ground
I s ee how it i s
'
s aid th e infe r io r in t elligence t aking ,
a b ro a d .
”
at once as n ev er know h app ine s s .
a n x i et y . al e fi gu r e started ou t of t h e solid
masonry and cam e flyin g at h er with m ore th an m ortal
,
V elo city .
m o aning :
Tak e my b o dy b ut s pare my s oul ! ,
M a r g a r et H ow yo u s care d m e
K a te I a m Scared enou gh mys elf Oh l oh ! oh !
‘
. .
-
76 THE C L OISTER AN D T H E HEARTH
wa s w ith y ou and y ou are h a r m l es s l But why a r e y o
,
u .
w
All the b etter You l ove him you are h ere . Then , .
P A R C H M E N T l — PA R C H M E N T l— PA R C H M E N T !
A t each rep etition it ro se in intensity They l o
, oked .
up ,
an d th ere was the dwarf with his han d s full of p arch ,
littl e Kate .
I have no hom e .
, .
.
O h ! Gerard ! G er ard !
D o n ot gainsay him now ;
_
”
These are comfortabl e words sobb ed Kate Th en , .
,
You to o Gerard ,
said K ate ;
,
kiss m e ere y ou go ;
,
”
for my h eart l ies h eavy at p arting with you this ni ght .
’
Then the tears cam e and sto o d thick in Margaret s eyes .
’
But Gerard was a man an d noticed not his sister s sigh ,
.
claw .
ours ?
Oh sp oil an enemy how you can
,
.
O h fi e ! Gerard
, .
h and .
bergen .
78 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEA RTH
C HAPTER x1 1
Ger a rd s p ms on k ey of
'
’
G H YS B R E C H T V A N S W I E T E N kept the
in h i s p ouch H e wai te d t i ll ten
. of th e clo ck ere he Vi sited
him ; for h e s ai d to himself A littl e hunger sometimes ,
wa s thought h e H e O p ened th e
,
. .
No Gerard .
Gh y s b r e ch t sto o d s t u p efi e d .
there was som ething amiss and crept clo se to him and p eep ed ,
over his shoul der A t sight of the emp ty c ell an d the rop e
.
, ,
suddenly flung hims elf on his knees b efore the empty chest ,
G ONE ! G ON E ! G ONE !
Gone ! What is gone ? Holy saints ! he is plan et ‘ ‘
s t r u ck i
ST OP T H I E F I shrieke d G h y s b r ech t and suddenly ,
, ,
'
be . It is t o b e Lo st ! lo st ! and hi s years a n d i nfi r m i t y
.
lo oked askant at the man like a fox cau ght near a hen ro o st -
‘
Oh is that all ?
,
’
Is t not enou gh ? What wi l l th e b urgher s s a y to m e ? ,
’
Tis a b argain master : th e hun d red cro wns are in my ,
,
”
and seiz e him fo r th e theft .
I ll fi n d him if h e i s ab ove ,
’
ground .
.
80 THE C L O ISTER AN D T H E HEARTH
Hush ! said s h e ; my mother kno ws not Gerard .
”
has left T er g ou .
How ?
I s a w him last nigh t .
”
A t th e foot of th e haunted tower .
u s of ou r go o d name ?
This might at another moment have struck D i er i ch as
goo d sense ; but h e was to o m or t ifi e d at this escap e of Gerar d
and th e lo ss of a hundred crown s .
what I s a y to you .
T er g ou .
m en that s eek hi nt ’ ‘
and b id him away ? Why a m I not lusty and active like '
Yes I a m strong
, thundere d Per p u s il l u s ; then , ,
82 THE C LO I S T E R A N D ,
T H E HEART H
sho u l d b e their enemies and comb ine as it seemed to p art , , ,
them .
hard fate now dra wing bright and hop eful p ictures of th e
,
’
future in th e midst of which Margaret s te a rs woul d suddenly
,
’
fl ow and then p o or Gerard s elo quence woul d die away in a
,
si gh
The morning found them resigned to p a rt b ut ne ither
.
Kate b ids you run for your life They charge you with .
b u t fly l
It was a thunder clap and l eft two white faces lo okin g -
,
then shouted for Martin ; and tol d him what h ad happ ened ,
the ro ad .
, .
T HE 83
the p archments i n .
G h y s b r ech t .
w i ll rea d this .
Martin .
.
,
noisel ess .
HEA R TH ‘
Oh Kate ! oh Kate !
,
You said fl y on th e instant
, .
C HAPTE R X IV
sleep in g ro om -
Her own lay n ext b eyo nd i t
. .
rue it .
“
Why that is D irk Brower s voice I trow What
’ ’
, , .
and four more Th ey let in their comp anion who was at the
.
b ack do or ;
N ow Martin wh ere is Gerard E l i a s s oen ?
, ,
is h e now ?
They s a y b e b as gone to Italy Why wh at is to do ? .
,
—
you his b rother Gil es a littl e misb e gotten imp al l z h ea d an d ,
b awled out som ething I was to o far off to h ear the creature s ,
’
’
D i er i eh s cou n tenance fell lower a n d lower at this a c
co unt There w as no fl aw in i t
. A cunninger m an than .
vented nothin g .
f ‘
Mates ”
s a id D i er i ch I doub t h e S p eaks so oth
, I , .
’
tol d th e b urgom aster how twould b e H e met the dwarf .
’
g al l oping P eter B u y s k en s s mule from S evenb ergen They .
’
h ave s ent th at imp to G erard says h e s o t hen Gerard is at , , , ,
q uoth I
‘
H e r efl ec t e d a moment
‘
”
‘
migh t no t b e d one ?
Martin then hel d t h e b a ek door aj ar and watched The ’
’
.
,
f ‘
H e b egan t o thi n k .
They h ave taken him gro aned Mar tin ; they have ,
g o t h im .
'
’
’
It now fl a sh e d a c ro ss Martin s mind that if t h ey to ok
Gerard away his l i f e was not worth a button ; and that if
, ,
He .
H e then to ok up his b ow
,
.
, , ,
th e right side .
, .
, , ,
°
,
THE C L O I STER A ND THE HEARTH 87
up o n that flo or h e sto o d on .
D i er i ch
Brower and his men found P eter in his fi r s t sleep .
’
Th en th ey went on to Margaret s ro om and th e very ,
- 1
Presently sh e awoke and sat up in th e b ed l ike on e , ,
Gerard ! in my r o om ?
Why not ? They s a y that you an d he
Cru el ! you know they have driven him away from
m e— dr i ven him from his n ative place Thi s is a blind . .
’
e d ge d d a g g er and a girl is a woman with h er mother s
,
”
t h e burgomaster how twoul d b e
’
.
THE C L O ISTER A ND TH E H E ARTH
C HAPTER
W H ERE is th e woman that cannot a ct a p art ? Wh ere is sh e
who will not do i t and d o it well to save th e man sh e loves ?
, ,
the stairs .
the chest “
Sh e b ore h i m in her arm s t o the window
. Sh e .
C HAPTER XV I
at a s
Stu f f ! said M artin recoverin g h i s s t ol i d c om p os u r e ;
'
,
’
There ! I ll unstring my
“
”
b ow if you think th at
,
.
b edro oms .
s udden s c reams and app reh endin g danger fro m the man s ’
.
,
and call ed on the others to keep him The man that had .
, ,
and b indi ng him hand and fo ot with a rop e th ey had brou ght
for Gerard .
’
way to Margaret s ro om during th e stru ggle and here was ,
he p owerl ess .
'
Ay g rind
, your t ee t h y ou ol d ro gue said D i er i ch , , ,
another .
”
and s ee a fter him som e of u s , .
THE C L O ISTER . A N D THE HEARTH
-
91
o verh ead .
“
Oh here h e comes at last
.
, Well Jorian what is to , .
, ,
do now up th ere ?
C HA P TER XV I I
b ut th e white face in h er l ap .
’
girl s dumb an d froz en desp air m ove d him .
’
,
work : all for a few skins ! B etter have gon e with u s than
.
try wheth er
H e to ok down a lit tl e round mirro r no b igger than hi s ,
’
han d and put it to Gerard s m outh an d no strils and hel d it
, ,
, ,
fi er c el y .
, ,
'
-
-
, ,
q uive rin g for fear sh e shoul d hurt him Sh e had lo st all '
c on fi d en c e in herself .
l
’
92 TH E
’ ’
. .
like as i f h e w a s an ol d man .
work ?
No no ! It is not th e fi r s t tim e I have don e you two
,
”
Jo an and th e ch i l dren y ou know , .
”
Ah ! they sh all have tho se hundre d crown s .
No ; b ut I know where th ey ar e ; an d by Go d an d S t .
n dred crowns .
, .
, .
”
w a s in a kind of fi t .
“
after the p arty a gree d that the kitchen of the Thre e
Kings was mu ch warmer than Peter s house and they ’
T hu s
Gerard in , on e terribl e nigh t gra zed , th e p r i son
and the grave
.
.
C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
'
THE 93
,
’
in life s p assage from the fi er c e extrem es of j oy and anguish
,
M arga r et s — a
’
j oy to b alance y ears of sorrow It wa s .
wife '
.
woul d p art th em ?
But as no woman s nerves c a n b ear with imp unity s o ’
, , ,
h a ppy !
Then it was Gerard s turn to sup port that d ear h ea d with ’
,
’
Sweetest of all h er charm s i s a wom a n s we akness to a m anly
h eart y
.
,
hearts and their inexp erience now that V isibl e d anger there ,
was none .
C HAPTER XV I I I
them furiou sly and h eard the story of t h ei r unsu cce ssful
,
ei th e girl 3 b ed ?
’
y e u n d °
”
him call m e a hors e and no m an
, .
’
I n a few minutes Pete r s h ou se was again surrou n ded .
hou se .
T h e hou se wa s empty .
, .
C HA P TER X IX
'
.
, _
,
'
Gh y s b r e ch t an d his m en were in h ot p u r s u 1 t .
Wo o d ! o nl y win t h e wo o d !
Th ey h a d t oo go o d a start for th e m en on fo ot an d their ,
g a HO i
p g n in a semicircl e an d got on th e edg e o
,
f the wo o d ,
exultin g cry and struck at him with al l his heart and soul
, ,
’
face with a frightful crash an d l aid him u nder his mul e s ,
men at that terribl e blow which fell ed the ir l eader tol d the ,
”
b ow and I have this an d he sho ok h i s blo o dy sta f f
, ,
.
Mar t in to ok on e B en d l ow s aid h e An d h al f
.
, .
,
fast .
to their lo oks .
C L O ISTER A ND T HE HEARTH
Wh om ? Oh ! l et that p a s s f h e is cheap s erved .
.
, .
”
I doubt they will no t from my sight th is whil e .
“
K i l ling ? k i ll ing Martin ? Sp eak not of killin g !
,
“
I a m mu ch misto ok if yo u h ave not said Martin ,
che rfully
eN ow Heaven forb id !
.
H ere s 1 n u m m er y
’
A t this Martin lo st his p atien ce . .
you have done that ol d sho pk eep er ; mal iso n on his m emory .
P aul wh at a m il k s op l
Tush Martin ! cried Margaret r epro achfull y : the r1 sh e
,
”
S w eet h ea r t 1 m u r m u r e d she you forget : y ou went ,
You ne d from h i m
.
,
Y
o ften .
THE C L O ISTER A ND THE HEARTH 99
'
—
It al y to It aly ? a y to earth s remote st b ound s ”
,
’
.
W hat i s it ?
D o yo u hear nothing Margaret ; my ears are gettin g ,
descr ib ed it so to Martin °
.
. .
_
What ! th e on e we p assed ?
T h e on e we p assed .
, , .
”
re a ch a b etter place than this .
1 —
A b etter p ace for what ?
‘
”
To stan d at b ay Gerard said Martin gravely ; and , ,
I T IS THE AV EN GER OF B L O O D .
W
,
C HAP TER X X
,
'
.
,
Al as ! go o d M ar t 1 n ”
cr i e d Gerar d d espai r n ot so ,
.
,
’
not on this man 5 track or that ; he is on th e track of blo o d .
’
My life on t they have taken him to where Gh y s b r ech t fell
‘
’
The hound s m ell ow voice rang throu gh th e wo o d _
.
A er y m ore t u n a b l e .
I n Cr e t e in S pa r t a or in Th es sa l y , , . 1
it. Yet the deer that sees it lo ses all p ower of m otion and ,
’
Martin s last words had daunted him H e had stru ck an .
1 02 THE C L O ISTER A ND ,
THE HEARTH
’
I hear a h orse s feet .
” ’
No said Gerard ;
,
I doub t it is a mul e s That .
glo omily .
, ,
said Gerard .
”
I care not ‘
, ,
“
The ho u nd ? There are more than on e
’
I hear b ut one
Ay l but one sp eak s th e others run mute ; but l et th e
.
gh
’
will b e two do gs at least or devil s in do g s .
, ,
”
1 i ere
es .
they are dead into the copp ice a gai n and g o ri ght b ack
, , .
up heart .
Hu sh ! th e m en a re in th e wo o d .
, ,
r) a y
It wa s terribl e ! th e b ra n ches ru stling nearer and nearer ,
”
that high a sh tree we cam e in b y .
"
TH E CL O I ST E R AND T H E HEARTH
' ‘
1 03
com e here al l ou t in th e op en ! ,
, ,
“
’
.
, ,
, ,
o nes we re m aking th e m o st of i t .
”
I h ear no more h ounds whis p ere d Martin to Mar garet , ,
a n d h e w a s himself a ga i n .
.
, ,
T o th e a s h tre e !
Ay ! but with less n ois e .
”
N o m atter whisp ered Martin to h i s tremblin g,
which was broken ; but ove r this his eyes p eer e d k e enl y ,
m outhed crying , , ,
Oh my b eloved fl y ! s h e gasp ed
, L eave m e for I
, .
,
”
a m faint .
shri eke d Gh y s
brecht suddenly rising on his h ams
, .
by th e th ro at as m en crush an adder .
for ou r lives !
But even a s the mul e urged suddenly by ,
‘
canter and even a s Gerard with drew h i s f o
,
’
brecht s throat to r 1 1 n D i er i ch Brower and ,
, ,
g r ou n d 1 n,u l e a n d all .
“
C H A PTER X X II 1
comp anions to j oin him in eff ectin g t h e capture and him s elf ,
A ND T H E 1 07
C HAPTER XX I I I
L I F E and lib erty whil e safe are littl e thou ght oi z for why ?
, ,
mind s e ars
’
.
ankl es .
cro ssb ow !
No n o t ,
s ai d Margar et smilin g to reassure him ; ,
’
But what 1 s i t then in Heaven 5 nam e ? cried Gerard
, , ,
i n great agitation .
D id I ever s col d y ou ?
1 08 THE C L O IS TER AND THE HEARTH
No dear Gerard,
W el l t l 1 en Martin said it w a s
.
, ,
—
, '
i
my arm with Martin s kn fe fo rgive m e ! Wh o s e el se ’
”
c ou l d I t a k e ? Yours Gerard ? Ah no
‘
You forgive m e ?
, , .
”
L et m e s ee this s cratch fi r s t said Gerard chokin g , , .
.
, ,
recent danger s h e wept on his n eck for p ity and l ove ; and
'
h e wept with h er .
m e ! ah m e l ah m e !
A t this Margaret wept afresh but p atiently a n d s il ently , .
’
to G erard s misery at p arting s o s h e wept in sil ence ,
.
s t opp ed .
”
Com e a step with m e M artin whisp ered Gerard , , .
'
all the worl d ; and were sh e nou ght to m e ev en for thy sak e
.
1 1 0 TH E AN D T H E HEART H
Wh ere ?
Ou t other s i d e of th e b ourn No need to ride down
’ ‘
”
the h il l I trow
, .
, ,
, , ,
b itterly up on th e forei g n so il .
rose and dashed th e tears from his eye s like a man ; and n ot
c a sting a single glance more b ehin d him to weak en his he a rt , ,
His l ove and h eavy sorrow l eft no ro om in him for vul gar
mis givings Comp ared with rending himself from M argaret
.
,
”
the b etter n ow .
C H APTER X X IV
N OT f a r on this ro ad h e cam e up o n a l ittl e group Two .
o e i n
’
Ul ric ?
H e sp eak s so oth y o un g man said Ulri c warml y
, , .
1
Wh at i s the gentl e man drunk ?
,
th en give
.
, , ,
ma n a n d lai d it on th e b east
U nder th e in spirin g i n fl u en c e of comin g tr ink g eld two
.
hich b ein g a ,
v
'
m
‘
=
1
TH E C LOISTER AN D
.
HE AR T H
'
'
rH E
, ,
, ,
, ,
in his headl ong b u t zigza g career down the nar row l ane .
Th e su n w
ne arly s etti n g and Ger a rd who h ad n o
as w
f or som e ti me b een hoping in vain t ofi nd an inn b y th e way
, ,
s u n — for his rays already fadin g coul d not cop e with thi s
, ,
‘
new assail ant Gerard tru d ged ou dark and wet and 1 1 1 an
.
, , ,
a s h e wen t ,
, , ,
°
, ,
There was no wind ; and his excite d ear heard light feet
1 1 4 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEAR TH
could fi n d th e landlord ?
’
A t this fresh displ a y of ignorance the native s contemp t ,
.
, ,
, ,
t o e at .
against my w i ll .
stirru p
THE
'
C L O ISTER A N D THE HE AR TH 1 1 5
G erard lo ok ed blank
.
May I go to b ed then dame ? .
, ,
”
The b eds are not com e yet replied the landl ady , .
You will sl eep When the rest d o Inns are no t b uilt for .
”
on e.
’
not co m e ! what in H eaven s nam e did s h e m ean ?
, But ,
audibly .
arms .
’
th ey know no b ett er ; how shoul d th ey b red a n b orn in a ,
”
P ut it in the stove sai d s h e ; you are to o young to
,
”
lie down fasting .
said h e b eseechingly .
into steam .
, ,
,
H e went to , .
’
’f
her bundl e side Sh e i s waiting f of y ou
. whisp ere d th e ,
I wo t n ot whence y e com e ’
said s h e with a relic ’
, ,
b ail .
s en i or i t y i 3 p riority of arrival
, . . .
o cean .
1 1 8 TH E
’
Gerard ob eyed th e lofty b ehest and kissed th e wife s ,
ch eek .
A blessing go with you b oth go o d p eopl e sai d , ,
he
And Go d sp e ed you youn g m an ! replied th e h onest
,
in thi s worl d .
resolve of overnight .
'
way .
,
’
a tortois e s fro m its shell an d eyed Gerar d stolidly b ut , ,
1 ,
g au dy r uf fi a n s .
were onl y a few live emb ers that d i ffus ed a mil d an d grateful
hea t .
”
on h i s fingers Wh en I s ee thrice a s m a ny here as n ow
'
. .
Ger a rd sigh ed .
ou t ,
inmates i n cl u d ed a n d m ade their toilet co nsisti n g , , ,
1 20 TH E A ND T H E HEARTH
ewers .
G erard p ounced on on e of these but at sig h t of th e ,
hands withal .
next i n n .
’
Then G erard appreciate d th e gr im pleasantry of t h
unb endin g sire .
from th e mai nsail of some worn out ship The H oll ander -
.
,
who had never s een such linen even in nightm are ; uttered
a faint cry .
.
.
est mort .
, ,
, ,
F r an cais p eu 5 en faut
’
l l
a on his fi n g er s sup erciliou sly like Abraham tellin g sheep ;
.
,
1 2 9; AN D T H E
’
b ack C est b ien m o n gars : plus fi n qu e to i n est p as
.
’
,
b ete ,
and administered his fo rmula of encoura gement ;
and Gerard edged away from him ; for next to u gly sights
and ill o dours th e p o or wretch dislik ed p rofaneness
'
.
,
were duly eaten and relishe d by the comp any and s erved ,
all round and th eir ton gues were unl o o sed and oh th e
, , ,
,
-
than th e oth er s .
’
road h e hadn t an idea what it was an answer to S eeing .
cold an d foun d that his drunken comp anion had got all th e
,
.
,
.
,
“
A cheerful vo i ce hail e d him in French W h at h o !
”
you are up with the s u n comrade , .
’
H e rises b etime s th at lies in a do g 8 l air answere d ,
That i s not my ro ad .
Al l r oa d s t a k e to R o m e .
for the sak e of go o d comp any for thy face lik es m e and thou , ,
”
for you s aid h e ; ,
‘
, ,
trust in him .
, ,
”
heart is very heavy said Gerard yiel ding , , .
, .
’
”
I think y ou would said Gerard sweetly and sore ,
S o b e i t th en
’
said Gerard , But tak e ba ck yo ur , .
”
avant !
”
i t but it wakes them u p
, said h e But whenever th ey fell , .
1 26 THE CLO I S T F R AND THE HEA R TH
Wh ere i s th e hardship ? I h ave lain amon g th em all
my 1 i f e L ook at me ! I a m f oursco re an d never had a
. ,
slammed th e b edro om do or .
Wh at are y ou d oing ?
I know not ; b u t a s near a s I can gu ess I think I ,
”
I a m sayin g my prayers .
—
,
— —
D esp atch th em ! for I feel au gh like fl oa t i n g m
—
th e s k y on a warm clou d .
D enys !
Au gh ! eh ! hall o ! is it tim e to get u p?
Alack no There I hurried my or i sons t ot a
, . l k ; and
,
”
N ot I in s ooth
~
, .
Cu d dl e th e cow .
”
Thank y ou .
’
o n th e fi el d of b attl e on a fro sty night as I did t oth er d ay , ,
this is sweet
Well we had a littl e b attl e m Bra b a n
.
, ,
f —
in minstrel phrase or augh I m sl eepy — a
‘
Au gh now — .
‘
, .
th e
ff me ; th e y w
,
was n o n ee d .
’
C est convenu This mu st have b ee n at sund own ;
.
from a trance .
Tu dis ?
I s a y — oh what stout h earts som e m en h ave !
,
? S — h i
‘
—
N est c e p a s p tit after that s ort g this
’
t
’
; -
o n
,
— —
r
r a d a n c ow — — — —
co u a ge d l a b l e m or n k l
’
s qu i r t .
he to ok a h or n ou t of h i s wall et .
Fill this ! b ut indeed . ,
Ha l h a !
Ou waking I had to hun t for my h ead an d foun d i t ,
e ,
.
I S t B avon b e my witness !
,
.
m
neith er .
sight of a farthin gal e and his whole soul b ecam e o ccup ied ,
with that garm ent and its inmate till th ey ha d disapp e a red ;
and sometimes for a go o d whil e after .
“
What b reedin g ca n y ou expe ct fro m wom en that wear
no h o se ? inqu ired Gerard ; and s om e o f them no s ho on ?
They s eem to m e res erved and m odest as b ecom es their ,
”
A little a fi a b il i t y ado rn s even b e auty sighed D e nys , .
m
”
Th en l et t h e al one sith they are not to your taste , ,
“
retorted Gerard What is there no sw eet face m Burgu ndy
.
,
Well then !
1 30 THE CLO ISTER AND T H E HEARTH
b een long enou gh in t h e country to gu ess that th e whole
town woul d take p art in any b rawl wit h the native a gainst
a stranger But D enys twisted away from him and th e
. ,
plain linen coii on her head a littl e gro gram clo ak over h er ,
co at of b right red cl oth and feet and l egs quite b are thou gh, ,
,
’
th e tail or s and sittin g on th e step p rotecte d it from th e
, ,
n eighb ourly .
”
Thos e yonder s a i d the di g nity b riefly p ointin g with
, , ,
and h anded two p air of yel low and on e p air of red sho es
out to her s ervant Th en wa s h eard a sigh. I t b u r s t fro m -
.
'
,
”
well sewn .
Thes e th e natives , .
lai d a hand on his shoul der and strung his cro ssb ow with ,
he is hit ! h e is hit !
Gerard darted fo rward an d a s h e ran a youn g b ear burst , .
g rown O p en ed
,
formidabl e j aws an d l on g cl aws Ger ar d .
,
”
I to ok it for a robb er said Gerard p anting I , ,
.
”
b ear thou my cro ssb ow .
we slay i t ?
For supp er and the reward th e b aillie of the n ext town
shall give u s .
What know you not that his mother was cau ght in a
,
his father was stu ck ful l of cloth yard shafts t oth er day -
’
can sho ot ten times whil e they are putting th eir char coal
and their lead into their l eathern smo k e b elchers a n d th en ,
’
fi el d of b attl e ; there a sol d ier s weap on n eeds b e aye ready ,
like h i s heart .
a h ot s cent .
up on th em a n d i i ,D EATH . .
,
-
,
’
D en y s s evil star ha d l ed him to a d ead tree a m ere shaft , ,
ere he coul d re cover the fal l and mak e short work of him , .
”
like a m an H e kn eele d down an d grasp ed a sm all sho ot
.
’
The monster s hea d an d neck were scarce vuln erabl e
for b on e and masse s of h air Th e man wa s going to sting .
’
friend s m ortal danger an d p assed at once from fear to ,
away idiot !
,
tree and climb ed it s wiftly But whil e his l egs were dan g .
s h e cau ght sight of him She eyed him steadil y then quietly
. ,
cro ssb ow twan ged and the b ear snarl ed and cam e nearer
, , .
Again the cro ssb ow twan ged ; and th e next m oment the b ear
was clo se up on Gerard where h e sat with h ai r standin g 5 1 1 11
, ,
on end and eyes startin g from their s ock ets p al sied The , .
b ear O p ened her j aws lik e a gr ave and h ot blo o d S p outed '
,
e1
1 38 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HE AR TH
who has saved b oth ou r lives a gai nst su ch fearf u l o dds ?
An d Gerard kn eel ed an d prayed al oud And presently h e
,
.
”
Go o d D enys said h e Heaven wil l reward thy p iety
, , .
”
Ah b ah l I did it ou t of p oliteness sai d the French ,
’
twas well and o rderly prayed and e di fi e d m e to th e c ore ,
b y the cub !
,
Oh no n o ! cried Gerard
, , .
any wh ere .
”
Quick ! qu ick ! b efore it s t i fi en s he cried an d , ,
hurried h i m on .
’
D en y s s reply was a very indire ct on e .
”
B e pleased to n ote said h e that I have a b ad , ,
D enys !
Plait il ? -
‘
You lie .
p a m .
TH E C L O I STER AND T H E HEA R TH 1 39
At last h e co ul d b e a r it n o lo nger .
”
L et m e l i e d own and d i e h e gr oan ed for this i s , ,
”
intol erabl e .
W ere now fro sty ; an d col d and hun ger ill comp anions ;
and that i t woul d b e u nreasonabl e to lo se heart a certain ,
gave him his cro ssb ow and b olts enj oining him strictly to ,
axe and
,
s e t off r —
u nning not a s Gerar d exp ected towards , ,
that s eemed s o near at starting lo oked far far off now that , , ,
’
b e on e day to hol d Marg a ret s han d an d tell h er all he had ,
wa s still .
D enys my f ri en d ! m y f r i end !
,
I t wa s the b ea r s sk i n
’
l
under a ha i r y b u n d e . .
1 40 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HE ARTH
Gerard welcomed him with a burst of j oy that asto ni shed
him .
‘
you in the b attl e ?
No What b attl e ?
.
”
It is well said h e ; ,
thou art a goo d l imner ; and
fever is a great spur to the im a gination One day I lay i n a .
and
May t h e foul h ends fl y away with m e i f I b elieve a
word of i t .
Wh y it lo oks lik e
,
— i t i s — a bro a d arrow as I live ,
.
”
A n English arrow .
b eside him with one h and on his arb al est and drew the b ear
, ,
Ger a rd .
indulgence .
.
, ,
w ol e the dress of the country folk and the hat of the di strict , ,
’
They had of late m et s cores of these do g s eare d ru stics ; -
gallows Wh at for ?
.
,
“
through them b egan to to ast th em
,
Tw ill b e e atin g .
”
coined money said b e ;
,
for th e b urgomaster oi D ii s s el
dorf had given u s a s i x doll ar for th es e ear s a s p roving the
-
,
h er e
"
'
, , ,
gr i ml y at this b it of b ypl ay .
askant .
retirin g .
”
S it down friend said D enys gri ml y in French
, , , .
a word of French .
”
I wist not y e were stran gers said h e to Gerard ,
.
’
D enys cut a pi ece of b ear s e ar and ofi er ed it with grace ,
and thrust his han d into the heap of leaves h e sat on ( Gerar d
grasp ed his axe ready to b rain him ) and pro du ced a l eathern
b ottl e holding full two gall ons H e put it to his mouth .
,
D enys ! D enys !
My sp ir it woul d cut the cord an d womp wo uld com e ,
1 44 THE C L O ISTE R AND THE H E A R TH
in h i s ears .
thee and
H e to ok a l on g drau ght of th e Rh enish wine : it ran
gl owing throu gh his veins and war med and stren gthene d ,
age constantly b a ffl ed
, B ut yester ev e a p arty of m er .
gal lop ed u p and with thes e new diab olical en gines of war
, ,
b ones ?
Nay go o d sirs but you have s een to night how
, ,
-
”
y o u ; for I know no t on e .
”
Fewer words had served replied Gerard coldl y I , .
”
asked a qu estion I a m answered and suddenly d otfi n g
, ,
h i s b o nnet
T HE C L O I STER A N D THE HEARTH 1 47
Ob s e cr o
D eum omnip o tentem u t qu a cru ce j am , ,
And s o go o d day .
” ”
Latin h e muttered
, an d more than I b argained for
, So .
indeed it was .
—
b oth ou r lives b y Go d s will ” ’
.
Wh en ? when ?
Ere we had l eft it fi ve minutes .
,
”
My head ! my h ead ! was a l l p o or Gerard co ul d
r ep l y .
o
nature to o s everely .
It wa s no on of th e sam e day .
— —
M a rgar et l Margaret l Margaret !
1 48 THE CL O ISTER AN D THE HE ARTH
C H APTER XXV I
shop s for th em .
heavy .
”
Urchin g o heat thine iron
, .
“ ”
.
But s i r edged in Gerard
, , twas no d og but a b ea r ,
’
, .
”
A b ear ! Young man remonstrated the senior ,
,
,
,
‘
,
foll owe d Aristo tle who gave u s the a orta the larg est bl o o d
, ,
t
.
Gerard humbly .
,
”
and the p ia mater .
said that mortal man b est owe d the p arts whi ch Adam our
father to ok from Him who made him of t h e cl ay and us ,
”
his sons .
ri sin g
.
”
I a m p u t to sil ence s i r , .
of late in this town a p estil ent Arab ist a m ere emp iric , ,
’
re comm ends a ligature of the vein ; b ut how tis to b e do ne
h e s aith not n or kn ew h e hims elf I wot nor any of th e
, ,
thou s o simple as to let him put hot iron to thy living flesh ?
didst ever keep thy littl e fi n ger b u t ten m o m ents in a
candl e ? and this will b e a s m any minutes Art n ot co n .
we kil l ; but you smo oth go w nsmen with soft phras es and ,
”
b are b o dkins tis y ou that thin m ankind
,
’
.
“
A sick chamb er is no place for j estin g cried the ,
physician .
”
Com e youn g man ,
s ai d th e s eni or kindly ,
be ,
whol e life has b een given to thi s art I stu died at Mont .
”
It w a s the act of a goo d Chr i stian s i r , .
”
Oi a go o d blo o dhound cried D enys co ntemptuou sly ,
.
i —
lan d lords are in l eague with certa n of their fe l ow citiz en s
l ,
No ir ? D i t es l
D enys D enys who tau ght you t othink so ill of m an ?
, ,
travel .
tell his right hand from his left in a whole family of idi ots .
p erni ciou s Arab ist cau ght it hi mself and died of i t aha
, , , ,
”
Oh my p oor ear s sigh ed Gerard
, , .
c am e a n d put them do w n ?
You foul mouthe d ol d charlat an
-
cried D enys the , ,
THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH 1 55
”
b oth at J er i ch o b ellowing , .
’
Th ank you comrad e Then I l l b ark no more but a t, .
,
’
need I ll b ite
,
If h e has a lance I have a sword ; if he
.
,
, . .
s
”
I have said i t .
gl o omy an d dangerous .
well ; b u t y ou a s s a s s i n a t e m e b et ween y ou
, ,Calmness and .
growling over a b on e .
lon g.
”
I mu st needs b elieve you .
a m no felon .
in a ra ge .
'
Th en— B IL I OUS VO M IT Ah a ! .
—
Then C ON FUS ION OF ALL THE S E NS E S .
Then— B L O OD Y V O M IT .
And after that nothing can save you not even I and ,
train .
A n d —
after that MAD NES S !
1 58 THE CL O ISTER AN D TH E HEARTH
CHAP TER XX V I I
’
.
.
,
An d I N A N A F F I D A V I T I .
invalid .
h e owns t o ther b o at
’
.
”
at fi r s t .
ill m an s p art ’
Had it b een a thunderb olt from H eaven
.
,
“
Wh at weak arm ? inquired D enys with twinkling ,
e y es
. I have lived amon g arm s and by S amson s hairy ,
’
thou ! and ab ove all from their weak arms— th ou diab olical
”
young hyp o cri t e .
D enys ,
said h e with an al mo st al a rm ed lo ok
,
this i s no t ,
”
your ro ad .
’
eagerly with a littl e tou ch of s elf deception
,
Twere a s i n -
,
th eir own chap el lie the three kings th at b rou ght gifts
,
brave with col ours ; an d two bro ad strip es run to and fro ,
b e b areheaded ; b ut h e of ZE t h i op eb o ny an d b eareth a ,
and day Holy eyes h ave watch ed and renewed that light
.
and n ew .
, ,
’
If tis a s I doubt whisp ered one of th e youn g men , ,
I s a y pl ea s e you r selves
, .
Th e dark water bub bled lou dly over his head an d then h e ,
p ale and his eyes staring W ide and turned d esp airingly on
, ,
his dear friend Gerard uttered a wil d cry of love and terror
.
,
C HAPTER XXV I I I
, ,
and the oth er went b etween the b ow and the cord which ,
b o dy b ob b ed up ou t of water .
”
thee . G erard had caught hold of D en y s s long h ai r an d ’
are worth living for a y three score years and ten And, , .
b ank hand in hand l ike a p air of swe eth earts scarce knowing ,
”
Let u s on and b riskl y , .
”
I fare not to Colo gne was the calm reply
‘
, .
W h y whi ther th en ? ,
To Bur gundy .
’
S o oth t i s and sense into the b a rgain , Wh at matters .
it to m e how I go to R ome ?
Nay nay ; you but s a y s o to pleasure m e Th e chan ge
, .
1 66 THE CLO ISTER AND THE HE ARTH
a s so on as they h ad p assed th e b row of the h ill said There , ,
without stopping .
said h e dr i ly .
”
.
This wa s no more
'
.
,
’
than commo n prudence on the ol d sol dier s p art .
The offi ci al n etwork for catching law bre a kers esp ecially - -
,
in straw and h eap ed it h igh ab ove him lea ving him onl y
, ,
, .
dorf and the woo den bar n vib rated a s they rattled p ast
,
’
.
it quite wet D enys then in his qual ity o f nurs e forb ore
.
’
m an ,
said h e I know that far though I ne er mince d
.
,
”
ap e nor g all ows b ird -
.
”
Gerard c al l ed him a lazy lo o n H e quietly grinned . .
they went .
”
this tiresom e leg .
’ ‘
Wh at is t ? aske d Gerard sp arkl ing with curio sity , . ,
ON FLEET HORSES ,
Oh !
1 68 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
C HAPTER XX IX
with ire For men of any S p irit at all are like the wil d b o ar ;
.
h e will run from a sup erio r force owing p erhap s to his not ,
”
that Village ; hun ger said b uy fo o d .
nettl es .
Vil lage .
and for au ght I know p assed like gho sts clo s e to their fo es
, .
C olo gn e has no
.
A y it i s
, We are in the s ee of Juliers
. .
p ower here .
hind his b ack and sh ak ing h i s fi n ger h alf threat eningly hali ,
”
a m not s o simpl e a m on k as you think m y l a d cried t h e ’
o
, ,
but— V acancy
,
,
”
chap el fl o or and prayers in a right go od tub ot c ol d water
,
.
Noth .
, ,
.
,
—
, ,
”
After th e so ul the b o dy said h e ; know that I a m ,
tau ght by her wisdom and our own traditio ns still search
"
, ,
w ill they nil l th ey can draw corp oral Vi rtu e fro m th eir ,
’
in the recip ient i s for much in a l l th ese cures But s o twa s .
,
'
.
,
his cell and they had an eager chat and th e fri ar incident
, ,
’
.
—
th e sp iteful ol d saint up on earth had sent y e to Cant er ,
’
Then at Gerard s earnest requ est one more heave nly
, ,
, ,
’
A y a y I forgive thee littl e one ;
, ,
t i s not thy fault ,
”
And the only clapp er you l ove i s a woman s put i n
,
’
.
—
checked If I do but p ut my fi n g er in the salt cellar straight ,
clo t h ! 1
,
O h sm all of so ul ! these littl e p eevish p edantries
f al l chill up on go o d fellowship like we e i cicles a m elting -
”
do wn from straw en eaves .
”
l earn b etter manners o nce for al l .
’
Nay ; tis they who lack manners Th ey stop a .
bl asph emous on e .
‘
.
Plait il s a y I
-
,
’
D o esn t h e whe el an d wy te on m e in a
.
’
”
I had mu ch a do not to lau gh in his fac e .
What .
’
avail s o many j argo ns excep t to put a frontier atwixt m en s
he a rts ?
But what s aid h e ?
What s i gni fi e s it what a fo ol says ?
O h not a l l t h e zw or d s of a fo ol ar e folly or I sh oul d
, .
“
not listen to y ou .
neither his missal s nor his b reviary had ever let him know
’
the crime s for whi ch a l l oth er men are broke on the wheel ;
”
a savo ir murder rap e and p i llage , ,
.
’
And i s t not tru e ?
Tru e or not it wa s il l ma n ners replied D eny s
, ,
1 76 THE CLO ISTE R AND THE HEARTH
gu arde dly And s o says this courteou s ho st of mine
. ,
o f his P s into B s ? ’ ’ ’
”
Nay sai d Gerard eagerly
, that m odest downcast ,
, , ,
l o a mo nk
,
Tell m e not they will ever b e abl e to lo ok
.
’
Go d Almighty in the face when they can t even l o ok a tru e ,
C HAPTER XXX I I
”
have b estowed on m e a p o or wayfarer .
his wall et with some trep id ation a vellum deed ; the b ack
of which he had cl eaned and written upon by way of sp eci
men The monk gave qu ite a start at sight of i t and very
.
,
1 78 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
Thank y ou ! tha n k you ! Go o d D enys .
”
I was a s curril ous va gab ond .
’
lie and I o ffer tho se I mi sunderstoo d all my esteem
,
Tis .
unj ust that thou san ds sho uld b e defam ed for the hyp o crisy
of a few .
said ?
Nay it is th ei r own doin g
,
.
Th e fi en d b e in g d ea d ,
”
Th e fri a r s a r e s p ed .
’
exp ense . Well y ou are th e monk for m e s aid I
,
An d , .
’
out of th e qu e stion qu oth I and th en I had th e l au gh
, , .
’
’
—
to stay anoth er day a t Gerard s requ est ’
.
Gerard gro an ed .
And s o sh u t u i n m e l con t en t
”
p a s ur e es s .
d ark and then down som e step s into a cryp t b elow the
,
”
Tis there the holy fath ers ret i re to pray
’
put in ,
Gerar d .
’
put in three words for himself and on e for m e ; if he didn t ,
”
(with a sigh ) I had lo st a merry t i me .
off his cap to folk for w ant of thou ght ; and the women ,
a woo d .
’
Fall to my ma sters said s h e cheerily ;
, y h a v e but ,
”
on e enemy here and he lies un der your knife ( 1 shrewdl y .
the tabl e ; and provi ded comp any as well as meat ; go ssip ed
genially with them l ik e ol d acqu aintan ces : but this form
go ne through the bu sy dam e was so o n off and sent in her
,
it is lik e home .
with gr a t ifi ed pride .
to morrow
-
But inde ed who b etter m erits pity and kin d
.
”
another .
a b out twenty fi ve
-
with a co cke d no se a l arge laugh ing
, ,
mouth and a S p arkl ing black eye and a b are arm very stout
, ,
all b efore it sp oken : not wit s rap ier ; i t s blud geon Nature ’
.
”
almo st a n ew variety of that interestin g sp ecies homo , .
mie l e, etc .
‘ ’
It is washing day my m asters said she with , , ,
su dden gravity .
”
I aimed not your way anci ent m an replie d Mario n , ,
ter ) . But what I sp oke for I thou ght— this young sire ,
an d silky .
”—
F u ll of s t ra n g e oa t h s ,
and b ea r d ed li k e t h e pa r d . A3 You Li k e I t .
“
h ad littl e p ersonal vanity Nay sai d .
,
b e with a smil e
,
mine is a l l unworthy your p ains ; tak e
,
vegetable .
Wh il st they were all sho uting o ver this p alp abl e hit th e ,
lau ghter .
”
Now dame said Gerard ,
what is to p ay , ,
Wh at for ?
Our supp er .
written Ici— oh n e lo ge
B ah ! L et that flea stick o n th e w a ll ! Lo ok hith er ,
”
can t refus e them plump you know
’
Th e l aw forb ids u s , . .
here ?
Sh e eye d him c al mly Not su ch a goo d one as t h e .
”
For al l that added she drily an I were ten years younger
, , ,
home .
face for .
sp eech .
’
o ser than ere an archer in th e D uk e s b o dy guard H e is -
.
”
Man al ive that is j ust the contrar y sai d t h e ho stess
, , .
”
Margar et my dear I hop e s h e is an honest girl
, . .
D ame s h e is an an gel , .
’
A y a y th ey are all that till b etter acqu ainted
, , I d .
”
never m ade for th e go o d of your soul .
“ ”
Nor of his p ou ch e i ther said Marion str i king i n , , ,
’
O d s b o dikins mistress ; y e di dn t hire m e to b e one ,
’
0 your three fi sh es di d y e ? and M arion s ul k ed t h i r t y ,
'
seconds .
”
Hol d your whi sht said his w i fe sharply ; it i s not ,
, ,
”
a n day ?
Yo u can crow as l ou d as you like my man — out 0 ,
’
D o y e now ? out wi t ,
’
F e m m e v eu t eu t ou t e s a i s on ,
E s t r e d a m e e n s a m a i s on ”
.
’
I n ever hear d it b efore ; but t i s as sooth a s go sp el .
”
m e an ol d saw .
“
An d m e a young husb and sai d Marion N ow , .
”
it is to o late now I ve changed my mind ,
’
.
was c a ll ed the little mistress was the signal for them all
.
,
CL O ISTER AN D
'
TH E TH E HEARTH 1 87
”
of the saints and made th em all shu d der d el iciou sly ; b ut
,
”
Either i s p aradise said h e I ll take this on e, Do .
’
.
my hom e in Holland .
’
Wh at do th ey m ake a b u sines s on t ?
,
w
.
s o how is t to b e ?
’
”
H e i s muliero se ; I a m not .
th ere !
A la b onne h eu r e l Wh at will not p ers everance e f fect ?
But note now the frowardness of a m ad wench ! I cared not
for t a b utton
’
I a m dead sick of that sp ort this fi ve years
. .
and s o go o d n i gh t l -
was for rising but found himself a clo se prison er His linen
,
.
had vanished Now this was p aralysis ; for the night gown
.
-
long after m en did not play fast and l o o s e with clea n sheets
,
t a ble .
"
Al ack have yo u foun d m e out at last
,
”
mistress .
commentator .
Oh are y e there
, said l e s p i e gl e I tak e that to ,
’
.
”
have lasted well enou gh sai d Gerard the j ust ,
.
’
This is to keep the burghers feet d r y a walk ing o ’
,
-
to wo o by l
Nay s a i d D enys ,
a comfortabl e sight ; for every ,
these was a hu ge wheel clo sely stu dde d with iron prongs ;
and entangled in thes e were b on es and fra gm ents of cloth
mis erably disp erse d over th e wh e el .
"
Excusez ! a thing that went on two l eg s a n d stole ;
are we no more than that ?
How know y e h e stole ? Have tru e men never s u fi er e d
d eath and torture to o ? ‘
Th e blaspheming ol d hound !
Oh fi e ! fi e ! a holy and a b o ok le arned man Ay
’
-
, .
,
’
D enys y h a d read them that suffered there by the b are
, , ,
’
roués Yet of tho se little three one w a s the fi r s t Christian
.
saint and another was the S avi our of the world which
,
”
gib b eted h i m .
than once m ade h i m curs e and swear with rage when tol d
by t h e go od curé in h i s native vi llage at Easterti de : but
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HE AR TH 1 91
”
l ove thee dearly all th e sam e h e a dded with i n fi n i t e gra ce
, ,
and wom en .
civi lity which was imme diately returned said For our , ,
, .
,
”
to know what we are doing an d the two machines were ,
tickl ed that there shoul d b e a man who did not know some
thing they happ ene d to know I n al l ages thi s has tickl ed . .
1 92 THE C L O ISTER A ND THE HEARTH
However the chu ckl e was brief and mod erate d by their
,
C e qu e nous i a s o
i n s m on gars ? — Mais dam N O US
— — ,
TRAN S V AS ONS .
’
al dermen had written to th e duke s s ecretary ; and th e
duk e h e sent f ar and wide to know what town wa s to o full .
”
s end four or fi ve score of your to wnsfolk was the order , .
Was not this t o decant th e full town into the empty and ,
D UKE!
The p i k em en of course were not to b e outdone in loyalty
s o th ey shouted with stentorian lungs L ON G L IV E THE
D UK E! Then the decanted on es p artly b ecause loy al ty ,
—
was a non reasoning sentiment in tho s e days p artly p erhap s ,
l i ve t h e D u k e
”
E m avant roared th e sergeant and they m arched
, ,
”
would thi nk we were thru stin g th em forth from Bur g und y .
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
Hé
bel gars ; as you
l as l and th e hands
came down from the s k y and 1 1 9 t h p o inted at the fra gm ents .
”
me D o they not al r eady ( with a fresh burst of wo e )
'
‘
i l donc m ere d e D i eu ? ,
7
'
W h a t a fi n e t h i ng
I s a l u t e w i t h on e s t rin g ”
,
said h e .
i
" '
’
Th e littl e girl s face br ok e into warm suns h ine .
1
”
neath S o then. said s h e they will no l onger b e abl e,
-
, ,
sai d .
li t
t t rt l e D enys it would seem had found th e min d h i s consign e
,
t e ci
j erkin and a litt l e face p eeped round his wai st ; Curio sity
w a s n ow the dominant p assio n in t hat sm all but vivid .
countenan c e .
,
”
Oui ma mie sai d D enys a s gr u fll y a s ever he could,
’
, , ,
J e croi s b en A ie l aie l .
CLO ISTER EA ND T H E ~HE ARTH
'
TH E 1
1 95
'
Qu
’
n
u
tu 2 as -
‘
é z
‘
g a p i qu e !
y piqu e ! '
1
-
’
Nein c e 1 1 es t rien ; et p isque t a s tu é c c m échant
,
’
”
’
t es b en m i ex qu e ,
’
,
”
m a grande s oeur .
doulce celle ci Ah ! qu e j a i m on s l es h om m e s l D e s
-
.
’
ca m a u r a i t ri a u n ez
, ,
' ‘
’
C est s i p eu d e ch os e l es fam es ’
‘
~
»
.
, .
S erviteur b ea u l x s i r e s l
’
, Bon voi a ge ; et n ou b l i ez p oint ~
la J ea n n et on l
Adieu p etit c oeur said Gerard and on they m ar ched ;
, , ,
, ,
i n g a n d decanting
, Come on thou l a g ga r d l forward ! .
,
, .
the D uk e 5 Fl emish p rovi nces and sol diers were ord ere d
’
trow .
will h e b e s o go o d s o kind ? ,
his way to do i t .
And ,
.
1 96 THE CL O ISTER A N D THE HEARTH
with m any endearing expressions b ade her b e of go o d
cheer ; som e trouble and p eril there had b een but all th a t ,
rare p enmanship
D enys proud of hi s friend s sk ill let him alo ne till
.
, , ,
”
and may ( etc ) but thy l ove for th e wench tou che s
.
“
Wh ereup on I h a d cu t thy comb for the e retorted .
,
th e other .
ever they fell i n with a ro adside aub erge and D enys seein g
, , ,
why y ou weep .
For you .
F or m e ? Art mad ?
No ; I a m not mad Tis you that were mad to op en .
’
”
your purse b efore him .
”
k il l m e since h e is dead ? S ol dier the lan dl o rd i s ou t
, ,
-i
.
Oh i s h e ?
,
Th e b and ! what b an d ?
Tho se who wi l l cut your thro at and tak e your gold ,
”
face l
The blow cam e s o unexp ecte dl y it staggered even D enys ,
Gerard !
Gerard ! Wh at is that ? Oh ti s thy comrad e s na m e ,
’ ’
,
"
p o or lad Get him ou t quick ere they c om e ; a n d fl y to
.
And thou ?
They w i ll kill m e .
’
Twill avail m e n ou gh t z on e of the b a nd W ill b e sent
‘
”
t o k i ll m e Th ey are sworn t o slay all who b etray them
'
. .
’
I ll tak e thee to my native place full th ir ty lea g u e s
from hence and put thee under my own mother s win g
,
’
and with all th e iron stren gth excitem ent lends t o women .
”
Stay me not ! for p ity s sake h e cried ; tis l ife or ’
,
’
”
d eath .
“ —
Sh l s h l wh i sp ered th e gi rl shuttin g h i s m outh ,
hard with her hand and putting her p ale lip s clo se to him
,
’
He listened .
“
whisp ered in his ear T h e y a r e c om e , .
S even .
How arm ed ?
Sword and dagger : an d the gl a n t with h i s axe They .
”
call him the Abb o t .
And my comrad e ?
Nothing can save him B etter lo se one l i fe than .
two . Fly !
’
D en y s s blo o d fro z e at this cynic al advi ce .
’
creature you know not a sol dier s heart
, .
away in th e storm .
”
the kitchen ! Then I mu st not give them tim e .
”
Why then thou ght h e ,
nou ght is l eft b ut to k i ll and b e
, ,
, ,
syll ables .
( Thieve s )
( Thy doublet ) .
( Thy sword ) .
Aid .
Corning .
”
No not I, .
Ti r ed
Ay , b ut I am to o wearied ,
said Gerard .
’
Give tho s e honest fell ows t oth er b ottl e I will p ay for t .
’
”
in th e morning .
’
And now they grasp ed hands and lo oked i n one another 5 ’
’
eyes ; oh such a lo ok ! D enys 5 h and was cold and Gerar d s
, ,
warm .
“ ”
G ood n e ws 1 breathed D enys lis t ening at th e do or ,
.
T h ey a r e ca s ti n g l ot s .
Pr a y t h a t i t m a y b e t h e A b ot b .
”
Ye s . Why 1
I f he com es a l on e I ca n ma k e s u re of him .
D en y s
3,
Ay
“ I f ea r I s h a l l o m ad i f t h e d o n ot com e s oon
g , y .
g
S h a l l I f e i n s l e ep ? S h al l I s n or e 1
W i ll t h a t
”
Pe r h a ps .
D o t h en , a n d G od h a ve m er c y on us
the door
But h e or they wh oh ad dr awn the l ot s eemed deter
.
, , ,
hur ry .
. .
’
as a mouse s an d the f al se d oo r p ost op ened by de g ree s
,
-
,
man s hand
’
.
THE C L O ISTER '
AND T H E HEARTH 2 03
H e wa s . i n sp ect i n g t h
~
b eds from th e threshol d s a t i sfi ede ,
a cha i r It wa s done
. .
“ H el
pm” e s et h im up .
”
D ea d ?
Pa r b l eu .
Wh a t f or l ‘
.
g
F r i h t en t h em Ga i n t i m e .
do or .
D en y s , I ca n d o b e t t er S a i n t s f or i ve m e
. g
‘
k
W h a t 1 Be qu i c t h en , w e h a ve n ot m a n y m om en t s .
not return .
Wh at ’
i n H e a ve n 3 n a m e , i s t h i s h e w h i s pe r e d
u
,
B u sh 1 t i s b u t p h os ph or s , b u t t w 1 l l s e r ve
’
.
A w a y 1 t h ey w i l l s u r pr i s e t h ee .
drol e r i fl i n g them ?
It wa s th eir comrad e th ey susp ecte d then not th e ,
on his return .
Ba c k , m a d m a n wh i s per ed D en y s .
Na y , n a y g
I k n ow t h es e i n or a n t b r u t es ; t h ey wil l n ot ve n t u r e
.
h e r e a w h il e . k
I ca n m a e h i m t e n t i m es m or e f e a r f u l
”
.
“
A t l e as t c l os e t h a t Op en i n g
Le t t h em n ot s e e y ou a t y ou r d evil i s h
w or k .
’
ated his dead enemy 5 face to frighten his living fo e : th e
staring eyeb alls h e made glob es of fi r e ; th e teeth h e l eft
white for s o th ey were m ore terribl e by the contrast ; b ut
,
’
courage is not another s ; and th e b and of miscreants b elow
were qu arrel lin g an d d isputin g lou dl y an d now without ,
dis g uise .
’
Call m e a coward I 1 1 give th ee my dagger 5 p o i nt an d ,
’
, ,
”
and s end y e where y e shall all g o so on or late .
“
L oo k ou t , G er a r d .
Ay . W h a t w i l l t h ey d o n ext 3
We s h a l l s oon k n ow .
Sh a ll I w a i t f or y ou , or c u t d o wn t h e fi r s t t h a t o ens t h e d oor 1
’1
p
.
20 6 THE CL O ISTER AN D THE HEAR TH .
.
"
descended and s evered the wrist with two swift blows A .
p o st
s ai d D enys with terr i bl e cyni cis m
.
“ T wo .
,
a gain 2 l i ;
‘
t
“-
T h e n ext W i ll b e t h e Ab b ot
wounded man m oved
.
Th e , an c r awl ed
t hi s comp an i ons on th e sta i rs ch en d oor ,wa s
g
.
, .
s ut
ere nothin g wa s h eard now bu t 1 2m}
.
Th
last inci d ent ha d reve al e d the mort al
w eap ons u s ed by th e b e s ieged
I b e gin to think th e A bb ot s st omach is n ot so gr e
.
’
at
”
,
as his b o dy s ai d D enys
m
.
,
his face and th e red light on the other hal f and inside his
,
cha pfallen j aws : he stared h i s arms fell his knees kno cked
.
, ,
teeth an d curses .
D enys strung his b ow and put his hand int ohis b reast .
H e drew it ou t dismayed .
”
My last b olt is gone he groaned , .
207
a
'
”
Arm ed m en ! f And h e dashe d h i s s wor d t h r ou gh th e
'
‘
. o
.
i
‘
1
"
; yelled D enys ; they co n e ! strike non e b ut ,
h1m
That very m om ent the Abb ot a nd two rrl en with naked
weap ons rushed into the ro om Even as th ey came the .
,
, ,
.
'
,
, ,
"
b oth in pieces .
’
D en y s s fac e and tu r nin g j ob b e d with t h e ste el at Ger ard
, , , .
viol ent shudder and his heel s hammere d the gro und con
'
w
Ju st then t h e str eet do or was forced
Suddenly the Abb ot s a rms whirl ed like indm ills and
.
0 11 their legs .
208 THE . C L O ISTE R A N D THE HEARTH
He ll win clear yet
’
,
cried D enys out steel ! and in
again )
They tore o ut their smoking swords b ut ere th ey could ,
stab agai n the Abb ot leap e d full fi ve feet high and fel l
, ,
,
'
But ere a blow was stru ck o n either side the stai rcas e ,
, ,
C HAPTER XXX IV
W H ERE b e the tru e m en ?
Here we b e Go d bless you all ! God bl ess y ou !
.
”
Y h a ve s a ved our lives lads cried D enys
'
’
y h a ve saved
’
, , ,
.
An d h e ro se with unsure j oints a nd ofi er e d t o lead the
'
'
.
.
.
.
a re all in th e d a rk c om r a d eS u H e i s i n le a gu e W ith t h e
‘
- - -
,
”
thieves .
“
Al ack g oo d sol dier m e in l ea gu e wi th th e accur s ed
, ,
‘
robb ers ! Is that reasonabl e ?
Th e girl said s o any w a y , .
"
The g i rl ! Wh at g i rl ? Ah ! Cu r s e h er t r a i t r es s l o
,
”
Well inte r p o sed th e o th er a rcher ; t h e gi r l is n ot
‘
here b ut gone on to th e h a il i fi
, S o l et the burgh ers settl e .
W e do .
sh e had b elied m e .
thief that canno t lie with a smo oth face ? Th e r efore h old
. -
b e not b ound .
'
.
Halt !
Wh at is t ? ’ ‘
ofi his scabb ard and wa s prob in g the heap the landl ord had
j ust b een crou ch ed up on .
”
next cell ar There is nothin g th er e
. .
said t h e l andlord .
,
’
”
b a t t l efi el d n or a churchyard ; tis an i n n
‘
' -
, .
,
’
b ut y on k n a ve S a sh y fac e is as go o d a
‘
light to m e as a fi el d o f b attle
. I read the b on e y i t . .
,
‘
, .
,
.
,
-
.
, ;
us l
Hol d thy p eace d thy words are air .
Thou hast not , .
'
.
- '
t his thou ,
an d h e thrust a small obj ect su ddenly
:
in his face .
“
Alas ! I know not .
’
flings them h ere : I swear by Go d s h oly mother by holy ,
ah !
D enys held out a b one under h i s eye in dead s i le nce .
and his knees gave way a s if his limb s had b een stru ck fr om
under him But t h e archers dragged him fi er cel y u p an d
.
,
rage ,
lo ok on the so ck ets out of which thou h ast p icked
th e eyes and l et them blast thine eyes that crow s sh al l
, ,
p ick out ere this week shal l end Now hold thou that .
,
i t al mo st fainting
,
.
, .
CHAPTER XXX V
anxi ety .
”
It was a bl ess ed sl e ep
_
said Gerard ; m eth i nks ,
art
No fear of cut thro a t s h ere sa i d h e I know the -
, .
; ,
’
b e b ail iff Tis h ere I was making for yestreen But we lo st .
,
'
,
'
, ,
’
you ?
P arbleu .
Where shall we fi n d h e r ?
Mayhap th e al derman will tell u s We mu st g o to .
him fi r s t .
a n swers . .
,
\
.
.
,
“
looked very blank at this
twill not b e lon g th e culp rits
.
However said h e , ,
’
,
know in any case you coul d not leave the place this week
,
.
1
H e now went to that which was neare s t b o th th eir
°
.
.
, ,
b enefactress i n th e '
,
21 6 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
Wh
why th e go o d girl t h a t c a m e to you b y night
‘
o?
and s ave d our lives at p er i l of h er own Oh s i r ou r .
,
CHAPTER XXX V I
’
they show som e s ense But now I think on t there were .
,
”
m e tho se dep o sition s young s i r And he put o n h i s
, .
’
b an d f
A lou d disclaimer burst from D enys and Gerard at once .
”
N o need to d eave m e said the al derm an Here , .
’
t i s in bl ack an d white Jean H a rdy ( that i s one of th e .
here tis ’
And that the gi rl Manon was th e de coy and
.
,
”
foot ?
The al derman was tou gh b ut mortal ; the prayers and .
,
. .
”
fretful . Th ere get u p do said h e I doubt whether
, , , .
’
Tush youn g man tis a matter of l aw
, The al der , .
’
trave l lers li ves An d th i s was lu cky for Manon : f or the
.
fi v e gol d pieces with him and th e girl prom i sing not without , ,
and havin g heard the whol e sto ry from the archers who ,
a gam .
, ,
, ,
wom en w il l .
i
fi ll ng th e m arket — pl ace m ore than on e artisan threw ,
a go o d l ad H e added d r ily
. Shouldst have told m e this ,
su ddenly falling ) ’
ti s i ll lu ck t o g o b ack up on a b argain
, .
’
But I ll bro ach a b ottl e of my ol d Medo c for th ee : and few
b e th e gu ests I woul d do that for The curé went to h i s .
lasts story for sto ry I care not if I tell you a littl e tal e
, , .
’
Gerard s eyes sp ark l ed .
‘
. 1 .
sei g neur I have b een cur e of that p arish seven year s and
, ,
bu ried in a i r
'
'
.
,
, ,
'
g reed there b e of
, th em th at wi ll di e in t h e i r b e d s li k e tru e
’ ’
m en er e the Church shal l g ain tho s e fun eral fees for nou ght
'
s
,
-
. .
, ,
, ,
,
'
a '
,
"
such as are worthy of i t T h ei r n a m e it i s not l e gion
'
'
'
.
. .
”
I .
, ,
’
la ! a stranger ! An d burst ou t .
The cur e ro se d ire ctly but woul d not p art with Gerard , .
, ,
THE C L O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH 22 3
’
I vow in rye m eal of th e b est whate er this j ch i l d shal l
, ,
b een th e font .
”
s i gn There is pl enty o f life h ere to b attle its troubl e
. .
”
Now bl est b e the tongu e that tells m e s o said th e
, ,
wink ed .
tol d Gerard My lord had b een sick unto death and vowed
, ,
'
. .
t h e oth er .
.
, ,
air ,
If th at your lord ship grudges Heaven full weight y ou
5 ‘
,
.
h
’
po or fowl the b en efi t of Holy Church ? I d as lieve th e
.
”
the year .
Swee t is a f fection
.
s o ill the go o d curé has b een oli c i tin g th e lord of the manor
,
s
to step into the church an d give order wh at shall b e do ne ,
’
It i s h e ! Tis h e ! said his des cendant qu ickening ,
b i s p ace L et u s go s ee the ol d b oy
, Th i s youth i s a .
”
stranger I think , .
Ger a rd b owed .
qu oth h e ,
’
ST OMACH P este l an d even whil e sp eakin g his lord
.
,
saint m ethink s I shoul d side with the inno cent dove rather
, ,
”
than with th e cru el hawk that rends h er .
”
B y S t D enys you ar e right
. said th e curé But , .
,
-
,
f or his b ird .
Wh at desecration !
Nay ! nay ! thou knowest we m ak e the m do f f b oth
glove and h awk t o tak e th e blessed eu ch arist Th eir .
”
a graciou s youth Com e an d s ee m e wh enever thou w ilt
. .
Not s o Yo u a r e my prisoner
. .
Prisoner ?
S OR CER Y ?
S orcery .
C HAPTER
'
XXXV I I
,
They sto o d however th e whol e p erio d and no o ne
, , ,
’ ’
Nay twas at this on e , .
”
Nay nay said anoth er , twa s at y on hangdo g with
, ,
’
”
m e b ack my child An d s h e s eize d th e glo ssy gol den hair
.
pl exio n high .
said th e constable .
—
Th e Vice b ai l lie ? Al as ! what h ave I a stran ger ‘
, ,
.
“
”
Show m e th e trick o n t said b e al l curio sity ’
, ,
.
”
I c a n n ot s i r u nl ess th e ro om h e d arkened
, ,
.
?
But on wh a t s h al l I put i t s aid Gerard H ere is
'
”
’
tis my p atron saint .
,
”
a saint obj ected t h e s or c er er
,
'
subtly .
'
'
b an ds and a co ck ed hat
,
.
”
well known to m e and all churchmen
-
.
when their cattl e and th eir h ens are p o ssess ed and at what ,
pictorial H e stammered ou t
. I resp ect Holy Church ,
m e : I do withdraw th e plaint .
, , .
.
23 2 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
’
As so o n a s h e was in th e street Gerard cau ght th e priest s
hand and kissed i t
,
.
”
ill b ecom es my functio n to utter fal seh o o ds .
Th ey itch ed .
’
Where th ere s a heart there s a Rub icon ’
.
N ou b l i ez p o int la J ea n n et on i
’
Ger a rd wa s hurt .
said h e colouring u p
, .
m oi s el l es ?
We say that none ru n wom en down b ut su ch a s are ,
”
to o ol d or t oo i l l favoured or to o witl ess to pl eas e th em
,
-
, .
“
Witl es s quotha ? Wise m en have n ot folly enou gh
,
with a m a n at fi r s t si ght .
-
, .
full .
b e a rer .
’ ’
,
’
’
Lions an d E a gles your Mo ons Stars an d Mo ors
,
’
,
’
,
’
deniers Tis r u i n a t i on l 1 1
.
’
For w e m ay not raise ou r
p r i c en with the mark et Oh no I tell th ee th e sho e is tro.de ,
I AM A L IV IN G S INNER
'
-
,
La b i t ur et l a b et ur i n o
m ne v o ub
l ili s aevu m .
this inj ure d orator w a s arr ested in mid car eer Another .
“
D id tho s e hu ssies p ass this way ? who are th ey ?
'
”
There n ow cried th e lan dl ord to Gerard
, .
b efal len .
N ot I said D enys
, I hate th e law No : a s it
. .
cam e s o l et it g o .
head .
‘
N e h ave n o clue to o cca sional thieves that work ,
”
then I did o f1 er marriage to th a t M anon
, .
23 8 THE C L O I STER AND THE HEA R TH
fem m es Al s o do b ut s ee how the greyb ear d s of our own
.
’
, ,
,
”
l es homm es
I se e women have a shrewd ch am pi on in th e e sai d
.
G erard w ith a sm il e
, q uired .
’
I ha d tol d th ee strai ght But t i s a rul e with u s sol d iers . .
”
we clai m n ot a Victory .
, , ,
”
were more fi t t i n g .
, Hast a go o d .
the dice with tho s e j ades Now tak e thou thi s sword a n d .
”
p ass it through my b o dy forthwi th .
”
F or an exampl e ro are d D enys For a warnin g to '
, .
”
all f al s e l o ons th at p r oi es s fr iendshi p an d di s grace i t
‘
, .
, , . .
’
N ever more wil l I b e a s ervant in an inn I ll g o to my .
m other .
l an dl a dy of Th e White Hart ?
”
You do ill to m o ck m e s ai d s h e sorrowf ul l y , .
f or b etter fo r worse .
landl ord .
Ay said s h e ;
, b ut m eantim e prithe e give m e linen
”
to h em or work to do for the tim e hangs on m e l ik e l ead
, .
’
Her b etrothe d s eye b rightene d at this ho u sewifely
re qu est and h e brou ght h er up two do z en fl a gon s of variou s
,
shall I s a y th e word ?
D enys in reply m erely O p ened hi s eyes wid e with am az e
m ent .
24 2 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
mu ch p uz zle d p upil of anti quity whisp ered
- Le p eu que , ,
so nt l es hommes ,
gir l execute d .
g e r e d an d crowe d,
over h i s d ead fo es T i m es are changed . ,
”
B a h ! th i s i s nothin g to u s s ai d D enys and wa s fo r , ,
resumin g th eir m ar ch .
”
A y b ut t i s r em onstrated Gerard
,
’
, .
N o b ut we m ay b e th e next p air
, .
”
A y n eighb our s aid an an ci ent man tis th e town s ’ ’
, , ,
fault for not ob eying th e du cal ordin ance which b ids every ,
it ti l l sunrise
“hat
.
’
Tis n ot th e fat vain m an but th e light All il l, , .
'
things hate light ; e sp eci ally wolves and t h e imp s that lurk ,
”
my s on tell s m e H e is a great voyager my so n N i ch ol a s
.
, .
marvel then that un der the i r rul e our n eighb ours of France
—
shoul d b e wolf eaten ? This lo gi c was to o Suited to th e
tim e and place not to b e received with accl a mation But .
”
S ir said G erard
, y ou seem co nversant with wil d ,
’
Youn g man I trow twere an idl e ri sk
, It lacks b ut .
unteachabl e fools .
as most hotel —
”
keep ers and h er h ouse indi ff erent clean , .
244 T H E CL O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
Hey for th e T ete d Or
,
stru ck in D enys decide d
‘
.
’
,
’
,
”
Holy S t B avon cried G erard
. Twas th e l an d lady
,
.
’
a ll th e whi l e .
,
.
,
’
cast n g sheep 5 eyes and Gerard daggers at on e come di an , , .
, ,
s ent th ee t o ou r aid .
, _
,
-
'
'
.
,
s ai d h e sur lily .
wh o wa s onl y a t o ol extern al l y
'
”
A y rotten rip e
, ob s erve d another i n sp ect i n g t h em
, , .
”
he h as don e h i s orisons someb o dy s ai d sh e m in cingly , , .
, ,
started from her reverie lo oked him down into the earth s ,
’
admitted .
.
S p ort s h e was s o taken up with h er hands that s h e forgot ,
of her littl e knu ckl es p eep ing b etween their soft white
cu shions D enys pr op os ed a compromise
. Thre e silver .
'
”
this white h and and we ll e en cry quits
,
’ ’
.
”
You are malap ert sai d th e lady with a to ss of h er
, ,
timidly ,
Will you do m e a kindness go o d sol dier ? ,
”
A thousand fair ho stess an you will
, ,
.
of th e d a y a r e not worthy of h i m
. u n tas des m ij auré es ,
.
him ?
Ou this fair han d I swear i t ; a n d thu s I s e al th e
”
pl ed ge .
the face .
’
c a rry th ee h er chall enge to Love s lists ! for so I rea d h er ,
”
m essage .
”
S orry friendship th at would marry m e to a mij auré e
, ,
,
”
catch u s .
Tete d or wh 1 l e
’
They p aid t h e s core an d l eft th e , ,
C HAPTER XXX V I I I
’
We di d well to tak e th e ol d m an s advice D enys ,
.
‘
b urgh er did p ity th e p o or vagab onds an d drop ou t o ,
-
window .
Wh at do st m editate so profoun dl y ?
Thy go o dness .
,
’
”
rather to th e tete de veau dorée and left thyself solitary ,
’
.
Oh a r e y e th ere l ad ?
, said D enys recoverin g hi s, '
,
’
to do t b ut rem emb ering how thou hatest p ain thou gh it
, ,
p o sed .
own , pray ?
Oh blind ! B ecau se h e rides with no discretio n
,
.
"
I trow y e are from th e Tete d Or 2 They assented ’
.
Wh ich of y e is th e younger ?
H e that was b orn th e later said D enys winking at , ,
Com e divine t h en l,
’
And shall Thy b eard is rip e thy fellow s is gr een ;
.
,
”
he shall b e th e younger ; here you n gster An d h e h el d , .
,
’
“
Nay go o d fellow m ethinks I l eft nou ght
, ,
.
”
N ay thou shalt have p ourb o ire and h e gave him a
, ,
small coin .
”
earth as his nation is pleased to call i t
,
.
affectatio n .
woman s go o d wit ’
D oubtl es s th e wrap s co nt ai ned s om e
.
’
thing wh ich out of d elicacy or h er sex s lovely cunnin g , ,
”
I we ar none .
l o ok at this !
It wa s a gol d ring with a great am ethyst glowin g a n d ,
You t hw i t h t h e e m y h ea r t i s fl ed d e,
,
C om e b a ck t o t h e g old en B edd e
‘
W il t; n ot ? y e t t h i s t oken k e ep e
Of h i r w h od oet h t h y g oei n g w e e p e .
G y f t h e w or ld p r ove h a rs h a n d c old,
C om e b a ck t o t h e B edd e of g old
‘
.
, , , ,
’
d on e fi
No my will shall b e don e this tim e shouted D enys
, , .
g o
'
w i t h the e to -Ro m e There is my h an d on i t . .
’
Thin k what y ou s a y ! Tis imp o ss i bl e T i s t oo s el fi sh .
’
of me .
’
I tell th ee tis settl ed N o p ower can change m e
, .
,
f
we g o ; tis fi x ed ; irrevo cabl e a s fate .
’
tomtit ss ; and that is the captain for m e .
northward ?
D enys replied resp ectfu l ly that h e was goin g on leave ,
he stands— f or an example .
”
Strip him naked said th e B astard in the col d ton e, ,
”
to wear them .
slain ?
Oh nay ! nay l nay ! cried Gerard awaking fro m th e
, ,
s tup or into which this thunderb olt of tyr anny had thrown
’
him . H e shall g o with you on the i nstant I d liever .
p art with him for ever than s e e a hair of his dear head
harmed . Oh s i r oh my lor d give a p o or b oy but a
, , , ,
what a lo ok !
And after this mute interchange of an g u ish they S p ok e ,
, ,
”
O a m m ad
’ ’
g o b ack to th e Tete d r I . .
’
dam Margaret is th ere : I go thith er
.
I ll tell h er tho u .
”
art coming We sh a ll all b e to geth er
. .
“
H ush D enys hu sh ! blasphem e not !
,
0 11,
G o d for ,
, ,
fel l and his h ea d sank on his chest and h e sto o d motionl ess , ,
taking it al l th e s am e .
as
I a m a we a ry a —we a ry
’
Margaret s . I will sl eep and -
, .
'
, .
,
. .
.
’
me . They s a y t i s i ll sle ep in g on th e snow D eath steal s .
- -
, .
CHAPTER XXX IX
RUDE . t r a vel
is enticing to u s English And s o are its .
, .
Gerar d h aving escap ed into foreign p arts and prob ably taken ,
TH E .
H E AR TH
z
.
,
. .
,
'
, ,
: . .
’
.
. z .
ab o ut b ut t o c om f or t y ou G od w i ll i h g N OW 1 ch eei u p
,
i '
‘ , . .
'
“
N a y ; ma dam I k n ow y ou t h ou gh I n ev er s a w yo u '
’
,
: ’
,
'
'
,
' '
. .
,
'
' ‘
. -
,
.
.
,
'
'
wo man s side ) Sh e knows what t o sa y a n d wh a t t o avoid
’
. -
,
'
c t e d ly
,
, .
”
that love .
TH E C L O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH 263
’
They are greater fo ol s that do n t said the ol d lady ,
sharply .
her m eanin g .
h si t t e ,
and the man oeuvre by which they g ot him ou t and all the ,
”
have all th e luck An d h e was indignant at the p artiality
.
”
of Fortune L o yo u now ! this was a man hunt said -
. ,
”
he I n e ver h ad the luck to b e at a m an hunt -
.
”
My luck was none s o g reat replied Mar tin bluntly : ,
” ’
I was o n th e wrong side of th e do gs no ses .
”
Ah ! s o you were I forgo t that An d roy al ty was .
For what ?
Fo r prison —b reakin g .
T i s instinct
’
G o to ; th e b ird will fly from the c a ge . .
?
el s e
F or striking down the burgom aster .
else ?
F or kill ing of th e blo o dhounds .
’
Th e d u k e s countenance fell
’
”
’
Twas their life or m ine s aid Martin ea gerly , .
blo o dhounds s a cr i fi c ed to ,
Wh o s e do gs then ? ,
The ranger s ’
.
’
saying I can t h ave my ol d soldiers s a cr i fi c e d to his blo o d
,
”
hounds Thou shal t have thy free p ardo n
. .
”
And p o or Gerard .
~
. .
,
'
pressi n g p o or folk .
the p archm ent and crying A free p ardon girl for Gerard
, , , ,
266 THE C L O ISTE R AND T H E HEAR TH
Th r ou g h t h e w h i t e b r ea k er s Wr a t h I b or e
’
E xh a u s t e d M or t r a m t o t h e . s h or e
A n d w h e n h i s s id e a n a r r ow f ou n d ,
I s u ck ed t h e I n di a n s ven om d w ou n d
’ ’
.
T h e s e t h ou g ht s lik e t or r en t s r u s h ed a l on g
T o s w eep a w a y m y pu r p os e s t r on g .
of b en efi t s received b ut b e n efi t s conferred ,
.
, ,
.
,
Wh en therefore s h e s a w th e ro s es on Margaret s ch e ek
, ,
’
addressed — ”
My Gerard Italy might chance t o miscarry
, , ,
co m i ng to my littl e p earl
Meantime Martin s a t in th e kitch en with t he bl ack j ack
.
-
, ,
“
shor t ,
. u eb a t ; and
amo ng th e miscell aneou s m atters that o oz ed ou t h e must ,
b ody .
”
Ye lie y e cur ro are d Hans taking instantly th e
, , ,
,
.
,
with al l sp eed .
every letter .
,
’
tis writ by a famous hand ; by Margaret sister o f Jan V an ,
of Cornelis .
. :
th ere ?
Ke ep him th er e? Nothin g woul d k eep him l o n g fro m
”
h i s Margaret .
m ; h
wh en s h e was ab out i t ?
S h e die ? Sh e would outlive th e p est to v e x u s An d .
and taintin g each oth er worse and wors e till at last their ,
stance .
all th e tim e .
I t h a ck s
’
.
r
,
n o fl esh an d b reaks h o b o n e s
’
.
,
A curt al ax e ? s a id S y b r a n d t ; 1 1 6 ; n o r e v en l i k e a
st rok e with a cu dgel An d h e shot a s l y e h ven om e d
.
’
gl ance at th e b urgomaster s b rok en no se .
Gh y s ,
.
h im alOn e .
1
.
th em co nvers e in l ow b u t ea ge r ton es It en de d by Gh y s .
e , .
t oo late
Wh ere is h e ?
A t t h e ho stelry drinking ,
, .
’
And h e s ent th em off d i s c om fi t ed
‘
, ,
’ ”
D eath s do or Sh e then invite d him to foll ow h er and
.
,
still ?
I will O p enly tak e the blam e if human h an d hath
”
tou ch e d them .
that to ok them .
”
shoul d know a dded Jorian ora cularly , f or I wa s b rou ght ,
mo st that w en t fi r s t
,
Mother was a notabl e woman s o .
,
oil with his awl h i s wax and his twine After that mak e
, ,
.
,
”
I b el i eve you are right said Gh y s b r ech t and I h ave , ,
”
vexe d myself mo re than n ee d .
Jorian reassure d h im .
’
nothing to d o with taking them I ll b e swo rn ; an d h e l e d ,
.
,
”
m o ckin g m e ? D ig deep er ! Th ere m u s t b e another .
m oo d had changed .
’
T i s fal se crie d Jorian m ade su sp iciou s by the oth er s
, ,
’
’
susp icion . Tis a trick to rob m e of my hun d re d crowns .
”
Oh ! I know you b urgom aster An d J or i a n wa s ready
, .
°
to whimp er .
’
genuin e contempt Here s a venomou s ol d to ad ! H e
knows a kick from this f oo t woul d s end h imto hi s l ast h om e
.
,
”
Heaven 5 nam e ? an ol d go at skin b ag f u ll 0 rotte n b one s
’
~
’
.
.
,
I l l m a k e th eir hearts
'
. .
For the fi r s t time i n their live s they were sorry they had '
a ll S p eed said h e , .
We cannot 1 e a d s a i d Cornelis
°
, .
D ol t s l
N ay b ut said S y b r a n d t I heard th e w ord s read ; an d
, , ,
"
,
.
’
Tis well .
,
was i t ?
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
'
275
, .
’
Tis well Wh ere is h e ? .
”
A t th e ho stelry .
hostelry .
'
, . .
D i er i ch Brower .
h e is go ne Is h e mounted ?
.
NO .
’
No ! no ! we don t hate our b r other We wo n t get .
’
’
master ? How can y e b e hanged ? I s ee how tis : y e fear to
tackl e on e man b eing two : h earts of hare that y e are ! Oh !
’
, ,
’
why cannot I b e young again ? I ( 1 d o it singl e handed .
energy .
I swear i t .
N o ; on th e c r u c ifi x .
Gh y s b r ech t swore up o n th e c ru ci fi x .
”
S o b e it then Live ! b ut emp ty thy w al le t
. . :
l et t er fi
’
Th ere said S y b r a n d t
, tak e b a ck thy letter ; a n d ,
l oon s i Com e ou l
It wa s a plain invitatio n ; yet they misund ersto o d it s o
u tt erly as to tak e t o th e i r he els with Hans after them h e , ,
to o mu ch of Gerard .
H e an swere d ou t lou d N o h e wo u l d n ot ; h e w a s
n o t in th e vei n to do kindnesses to m a n o r wo m an
, ,
If h e .
, , ,
”
p retty comra de s a i d Mano n humbly , g
“hat is t to d o ?
’
’
te eth this d ay An d s o twi ll b e ever wh il e h e h an gs th ere
. .
’
I woul d have hi m ta eu d own ; we l l a day ! “
With a ll m y h eart .
An d non e d are I a sk b ut t h ee W i1 t d o t ? .
’
’
N o t I even were I no t a p riso n er
On this stern refusal th e ten d er M a no n s i ghed and
.
,
Fling h im i h eh ? ,
—
gently i h with som ewhat weighty ?
-
Mano n demurred to th at .
”
di e than see it done .
A y f or sore is my n eed
, Tim es are chan ged . .
, ,
CHAPTER XL I I
L E T T ER S of fi r e on th e church wall ha d j u st inquir ed with ,
”
This reb ellio n of ours i s a b ite growled a soldier ,
"
hi gh as th e curtain an d kep t it re ady for u s e a n d j u st ou t
, ,
of sh ot .
'
I ll not die t i ll I v e ha d a sh ot a t Lo nd on w al l
’
ell s h af t
’ '
o
. .
Ou th e side of th e b esieged wa s a fi gu r e th at so on
attracte d gr eat notice by promenadin g under fi r e It was a .
’
,
sure to b e co ncern e d in i t .
.
‘
TH E HEARTH 28 3
. .
.
,
.
h e w a s sho t
"
H e walked his batt l e m en t s under fi r e a s
.
.
'
‘
.
W a r wa s always '
d et r i
m en t a l t o th e s ol i d i n t er es t s mf Im a n k i n d x But in ol d time s
’
l
“
r ow Suave etia m i n gen t em caliginem ’
H e didn t say
.
,
”
tu eri p er camp o s i n s t r u c t a m .
serve d an end .
‘
It wa s a b right day clear b ut n ot quite fro sty Th e , , .
p o r t : n ea r l
y clo sed Th e curtains were overlapp ed with .
'
.
,
, ,
- ' .
, ,
,
'
, ,
'
, , ,
t h e m o at wi t h f a s c i n e s an d r u b b i sh
’
w h i eh th e w orkm e n ,
' '
u gly h ol e .
of the p erio d .
A t the .
.
__
hides an d fast fi ll i n g up th e m o at
,
The k night ston e d i t
.
.
,
-
.
,
,
, , ,
'
, ;
. . .
- -
,
.
, ,
,
'
was at t h e e d g e of th e m o at T h e k n i gh t b a de fi r e th e
'
'
.
,
th e o th er neither m oved n or sp ak e .
'
,
th e tall knight fell heavil y from the wall lance and all , .
The kni ght his arm our glitterin g in the m orning s u n fell
, ,
What then ?
”
A ho sier .
— — — — —
N n n n no l du da du da du da duda don t
m — — ’
do that .
Why not ?
Tuta— tuta— tuta —townsfolk will— h — h h — hang t fi
’
What whom ? ,
Th e warlike ho sier n o dd ed .
, ,
,
F or .
And B al dwyn ?
I
’
l l gega— gega — ge ga — ge ga— an d send h im with
g o
th e m on ey .
, ,
”
sh a ll m eet with him .
Holland .
2 90 T HE C L O ISTER AN D TH E HEARTH
p al e girl on crutches Margar et V an Eyck was pushin g .
” ”
I s ee said s h e
,
Mind th en I leave it to you . Re , ,
.
—
and I h a y e s ee n an angel in th e fl esh w ith a i a e e i f I h a d , _
p aint i t .
my own .
’
’
tel l it wa s Gerard s han dwr itin g .
to b elon g to h i m .
fo ot inclusive
,
The young p erson wore an ordinary
.
read ?
Yes .
”
to a p o or l on gin g m other .
th e fi n g er s clo se d on i t .
~
en , , .
“ Ay l
Go d and th e saints h ave yo u in H i s h oly ke ep in g ,
a l on g farewel l .
’
’
Still tis comfort .
”
hou se . B e kin d to h er Ah l ,
,
'
m e Gerard !
— f or p o or Gerard s sak e : since gri ef to her i s d eath ’
—
to m e Ah ! And Nature resentin g the p o or girl s ’
stru ggl e for unnatural comp osure su ddenly gave way and , ,
s h e sank from her cha i r and lay insens i ble wi th the letter ,
V an Eyck aside .
I wo u l dn t let h er go b ack to S e ’
venb ergen to night ,
then .
nl gh t .
T h e re sh e i s b egin ni ng to notice ”
(
,
or thou ht it se l f
. ‘ I .
g
T h e ol d lad y st art ed a n d w hi sp ered b a
.
ck ,
’
it i s s o .
’
Then mu ch to Margaret V an E y ck s ysu r p r i s e s h e went
, ,
2 95
CHAPTER X LV
TH E
’
littl e p arty at the ho sier s house s a t at tab l e discu ssing
the recent event when their mother returned an d castin g
, ,
.
, ,
blo o d into a far land and robb ed the m other that b ore you
,
, , .
But you are all of a p iece from end to end Wh en you were .
early and industry rises b etimes ; where there are two lie
,
’
a b eds in a h ou se there are a p air of n e er do weels
-
O ften - -
'
last m onth you have b een roll ing in i t You n ever wrou ght .
has shown m e how you will guid e our gear if ever it com es
to b e yourn I have watche d you my l ads this wh i l e
.
, , .
and done your b est to k ill ; after that n ever call m e mother
a gain ! But you h ave mad e him tenfol d dearer to me ‘
’
is quick and it i s Gerard s an d what i s Gerard s i s m ine ;
, ,
’
’
B u y s k e n s cart and go co mfort Gerard s wife under her
,
’
b ur d en Sh e is his wife
. Wh o i s Gh y s b r e ch t V an S wi et en ?.
AN D : THE HEARTH
and t h e l es s on n e er do ne ; w e p ut down on e fa ul t an d tak e
’
, , ,
”
till we blunder i nto our graves and there s an en d of u s ,
’
.
”
Mother said K ate timidly
, .
wen ch s o s care d ?
A 1 1 avowal s h e b ath to m ake fa tered K at e faintly ,
l
.
”
Now there is a n obl e wo r d f or y e
. .
,
sai d Catherine '
,
”
Ay s aid Catherine h al f s a dl y h alf b itterly
,
lik e ,
f
, ,
a
, ,
,
' ’
s a y that I me er wish ed to s e e h e
’
r that I will not b ut I ne er
’
t
,
”
went nor sou ght to s e e her
sai d Catherine disputatively ;
.
There n ow , said I
n ot twas a l l u nl ik e my girl to s eek h er unb ekno w n to m e ?
’
”
Com e now for I m all ago g ,
’
.
“ ’
Th en thu s twas It cam e to my ear s no m atter .
,
’
how and prith ee go o d m other oh my kne es n e er ask m e
'
, , ,
Ah !
B y fath er s b ehest a s tw
’ ’
as pretended .
L o ok ee th ere n ow K ate , .
,
-
’
0 d i vel s an d we whitened a b it i n mo on shine
, But n ext .
’
moment qu o I , , An d you are K ate
-
.
’
,
’
h
’
.
THE CL O ISTER AN D THE HEART H 299
’
D id on e ever ? Twas Gerard H e will h ave b een .
thee .
1 Q uite correct
. .
4 Etc . .
”
Alas what a m I saying ? would to Heaven h e were
, .
“
Well th en m other s h e is com ely and wron gs her , , ,
”
p icture b ut littl e !
Eh dear ; hark to youn g folk ! I a m f or go o d acts
, ,
”
tower for mil es ! It i s not feasibl e .
T is so oth thou gh
’
She and an ol d man sh e b rou ght .
fi r s t I s a w it hang I said
’
Thi s i s glam our But wh en th e , ,
-
.
’
tis love For s h e i s n ot like me but lusty an d abl e ; and
.
’
'
, ,
But
But what lamb ? ,
”
She is no wife y ou know m other when all is don e , , ,
.
,
.
Th e p arson saith he s o ? ,
’
, ,
0
’
gol d and silver .
was all ago g with curio sity a p otent p assio n with u s all , ,
from T er g ou .
‘
From T er g ou ? th en you mu st h a m et th e soldi er ’
.
”
stran gers I warrant , .
”
tel l m e m ore ab ou t this s oldier go o d m an , .
ci a n s
’
And .
says h e th e d evil fl y a way with thee for
, ,
’
lie said h e
, And yo u think s o said I
.
g o and s e e I ,
’
, .
’
’
will s aid h e and b urst ou t w i a hantl e o gibb erish : my
, ,
’ ’
’
wife thi n k s twas curs es ; an d hied him to the cottage .
heart brok en
-
Gerard h a s b een sore abu s e d : 5 The chil d
.
'
‘
A s k m e no m ore girl ; b ut never m en t i on h er nam e to
'
hom e to gether .
’
What makes you here ? wa s Catherine s gr eeting .
”
I c am e to seek after Margaret .
Margaret Bran dt .
e —
We have h ear d of her f or t h a t m atter t o ou r co st
'
We l l I lo ok ed t o fi n d m y s el f i n a n en em y s
'
’
h i s lip
' ' ‘
‘
.
,
” "
‘
t h e do or .
'
down an d b urst into tears H er dau ghter fo l lowe d suit .
A ND THE HEARTH 3 03
”
He . Then you are invincible .
, , ,
’
Littl e K ate what is t ? fo r r u ffi a n s (1 0 not u s e t o call
,
”
th emselve s r u i fi a n s said Eli th e sensible , .
s i t y e down !
Wounded ? cried mother and dau ghter in a b reath .
.
’
si r
. Why lo ok y e now sweeter temp er than ou r G erard
, ,
”
Your se r van t soldier ro ared th e newcom er ,
'
D enys , .
with a p etard .
than th eir dep ortment now did him Th ey all three cam e -
.
nom e n on .
3 04 T H E CL O ISTER AND THE HE ARTH
An d grow i n g agitatio n su cceeded to amazem ent .
m an ,
s aid he solemnl y in Go d s nam e who are you ,
’
,
Bur gu ndy ?
H e hath writ b u t thre e l i nes an d n a m e d n ot D enys
‘
, ,
”
of Burgundy no r an y stranger ,
.
Wh o dam e a n t p l ea s e you
,
”
,
’
.
.
”
Why Mar garet Bran dt
, .
’
How can my comrad e s sweetheart b e m in e ? I know
her no t from No ah s niece ; how shoul d I ? I n ever s a w ’ ’
”
h er .
and your son did his d evo ir lik e a man and m et th e stoute st
'
pi g
. Els e I h a d not b een h ere But j ust when all wa s .
'
'
.
-
z ,
,
,
.
.
at h an d w oul d I b e alive ?
,
,
.
his narr ative for this drawb ack Falli n g p ersonally into .
"
p ermitte d him self to land exhau sted : an d t h e p r es s u r e ,
rel a xed .
L1 1 1 c S .
T H E CL O I S T E R A N D THE HEART H 3 07
'
'
.
b rows and eyed them thou ghtfully and rather glo omil y
‘
-
,
late .
”
for s eeing I spun th e fl a x and wove th e web
, .
”
Th en would I lie in them blindfold was the gallant ,
byword s and
Oh Eli ! E l i l doth not ou r s on com e b ack t o u s at
,
»
each word ?
Ay Bus s m e my p oor K ate
. You and I know all , .
’
that p a sseth i n each other s hearts this night '
No ne other .
”
can but Go d
, .
CHAPTER XLV I I
— ”
not to tell the enemy au ght but lies .
cut ?
Cath erine had n ever felt s o kin dl y toward s the truant
Margaret as now ; and s h e was fully as anxious to fi n d h er ,
“
Can I not ? s aid D enys grimly That w e sh al l .
s ee
. H e adde d after som e r efl e c t i on that th ey mu st
, ,
divide their forces ; s h e stay h ere with eye s and ears wid e
O p en and h e ransack every t ow n i n Holl and for her if
,
r
,
”
That is s ense s ai d Catherine , But s h e insiste d on .
’
.
”
y e not give u s th e clu e my go o d demo is ell e ? ,
Prithe e n ow .
”
I have it not to give sai d th e el der lady rather, ,
p e evishly .
HEAR TH
great l etters an d l i t t l e b eet l es o m itting su ch small t r y
’
on ,
, , ,
“
and even th es e ins ects qu o I and N a ture h er slim e i n ’ ’ '
, ,
,
"
m etal prison s l ik e fl i e s i n honey p ot s a n d gl u el p ot s , but -
A h l m y d ea r
'
’
do crawl or hover a t fl l a r g e infestin g air
‘
.
,
friend says s h e
,
’
I s ee now whith er you drive ; b ut this
,
( to m a ke an end 0 r ,
a nd a l l th e gang ;
’
Th at for Gerard him s elf quoth I , ,
gi e m e a b rush !
’
“
Then cho s e I ; t o sha de h er fruit an d rep ti l es a colour
‘
D id sh e now ?
'
a s i gh wh en h er b r ot h er s d i ed an d to p aint th e Mado nn a ,
‘
Inci d en t all y s h e .
” ” ” '
Ay
’
i s ador a b le
’
sai d I Why tis red
, qu o s h e.
.
~
, , .
,
, ,
‘
"
Enfee b le her chin ? Al a ck l what may that m ean ? -
Ye g o b eyond m e m istress , .
’
Tis a resolut e chin Not a j ot to o resolute for th i s
'
'
”
D en y s The darlin g . .
g , .
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 31 1
"
y ou a p ainter must not b e p eevish in su ch matters 2
,
But kno w that for this Very reason half th eir craft is lo st
on m e which fi n d b en eath their an gel s white wings th e
,
’
”
Well you know dam e ob serve d Cathe rine
, you , , ,
fon d of y e ?
Margaret V an Eyck only sighed .
.
,
”
R eicht I was going ,
.
said les s or els e do ne m ore But with your wor d s you did .
, , ,
”
hinder m e .
,
31 2 TH E C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
your fl es h er s m eat nou ght had prevail e d to keep you from
’
W ith du e tact had gon e into amb u sh ; She now sp ran g out
of it . S in ce you disresp ect my guests s eek another ,
place !
With a ll my b eart i sai d R eicht stoutly .
”
Nay mistress p ut in th e go o d nature d Catherine
, ,
-
.
’
Here th e water cam e into th e sp eak er s eyes by way of
c on fi r m a t i on B ut b etter sh e said it than thou ght i t
. So .
’ ’
now t wo n t rankl e in her An d p ar t with her fo r m e th at .
,
, ,
’
wom an a g a in S o s aid I n o m ore go o d s ervants shall
.
, ,
, .
,
indiff erence .
t heir eyes o n h i m .
”
Mistres s R eicht sai d D enys with gre at di g nity and , ,
’
at l ast dissolve d by th e artist s wrist b ecoming cramp e d
from disus e ; this was not however unt i l s h e ha d m ad e , ,
”
a rou gh but n obl e sk etch I can work no m o re at pres ent . ,
s aid s h e s orrowfu l ly .
A y a y g o to your p ot !
,
And get i nto i t do ; y ou will
, ,
”
fi n d your soul in i t : s o th en yo u will a ll b e to gether .
Wel l b ut R eicht ,
said Cath erin e lau ghing sh e , ,
ou u ca n say
y , ,
so; , ,
”
H ey n es .
coul d disgu is e from h ers elf that this blunt girl s olitary ,
.
, , _
,
interval s of war an d dan ger p eace and tran qu il life a cqu ire ,
But tho s e .
tra n quillity . 1
hab it with the o ther But now for the fi r s t tim e he fou n d
.
—
months h e wa s a demi Sp artan ; sob er p ru dent vigilant
,
, , ,
CH APTER X LV I I I
CA T H ERI N E was in dismay when s h e r efl ect ed that Gerard .
'
’
certainty a s to the gi r l s f a t e ; and this uncertainty som e
‘
Oh Kate s h e groane d
, , i t s h e should h ave gone and ,
m a d e l i er s el f away !
Mother s h e wou l d n ever b e s o wicked
, .
’
s ee ev e n a b ou t su ch a tri ne as yon And then there s .
, ,
Mother !
’
Monsters and no le s s - to go m akin g su ch heap s o
.
, ,
‘
shall not cut ou r thro ats hati n g the sight of blo o d and ,
31 6 THE CL O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
rating our skins a h antl e higher n or ou r live s ; and as for
han ging whil e sh e i s a fi x i n g o f th e n a il and a m akin g of
But a j ump
,
for th e n once ?
Nay m other I ll n ever b elieve it of y b u
, ,
’
.
.
,
a m a k in g f or on e thing an d hard u p on fi n i s h e d i S oI I
'
, ,
, ,
'
’ ”
of al l I s a i d t an ger the e wa s so oth but this I l ove thee , ,
.
qu a rrel S o I fl u n g my ar m s ab out h i s ne ck an d s ob b e d a
.
place m ore faith in him that i s unb orn than on him that i s ,
very ve i ns .
31 8 ,
T HE AND T H E H E A R T H .
'
I h a ve g ot m y m arriage
'
?
t h i s t o st e p s l a n d er o s t o gu es -
'
u n z
li nes b ut I c a n n ot s h ow t h em y ou Wh a t w om a n w ou l d
‘ ’ ‘
'
' '
.
,
stron g m in de d wom an
-
h ad n ot yet b e en invente d ; and
Marg a ret thou gh b y n ature an d b y havin g b een e a rly
,
,
,
, .
~
,
advanta ge .
,,
to h er —
It was th e ever pres ent dread s ent the colour of
'
’
Margaret V an Eyck s Her co nditio n wa s discovere d an d .
,
th e natur al l ove of b ab bl in g .
”
0 1 1 ! s el fi s h wretch said s h e to l eave thy father , , .
G erard l o s e all his p ain and p eril undertaken for thy sight .
”
I will tell fath er all a y ere th is s u n shall s et And s h e
, , .
, ,
Sp eak ou girl , .
—
W il t listen to m e ? And and not— and try to
—
'
excuse my faults ?
We have all ou r faults Margaret thou no m ore than , ,
-
”
th e rest of u s ; but fewer unl ess p arental feeling blinds m e ,
.
.
,
make y ou s a d ?
'
do or And I th e culprit
. Oh father turn yo u r he ad away .
, ,
.
lines .
Is that a l l ? Tw as an o versight ’
.
”
is not the worst .
”
G erard will assuredl y come b ack and keep tro th .
”
Nay for p ity s s a ke turn away your h ead father
,
’
, .
”
But y ou s a y n ot a word .
, ,
ol d father ?
Why are my ch eek s on fi r e ? B ecause —b ecau se
father kill m e ; s en d m e to heaven ! b id M a rtin sho ot m e
,
”
Give m e thy h and mi stress s aid P eter a littl e , , ,
s ternly .
”
Al as nay said s h e
, Ti s my so ul that b urn s no t
, .
’
”
B e cal m now s ai d th e ol d m an so othin gly ,n or ,
Wh a t l
'
”
liever die .
3 22 THE CL O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH
had lon g m erite d a reputation in vain m ad e on e rapidly ,
b y 1 u ck
’
T h i n g s lo ok ed b right
. Th e ol d m an s pri d e wa s .
rather inarticulate .
j u st s en sibl e .
not tru stin g to h ers elf s h e ran for a do ctor one of tho s e
, .
cam e ,
H e was for .
«
.
had com e to tal k on a fam ily m atter an d with thi s glan ced ,
b ut no t as exp ecte d .
man ?
A t this famil iarity Margaret turne d very red and said ,
b est friend .
and ask herself how her father who s e system sh e had lon g ,
no reader or
, with admiration , Nay mistress nou ght , , ,
”
can I make on t ’
.
,
”
p raye d G o d to forgive her fo r th e sak e of h er ch il d .
an d drunk enness .
r ob e s a n d square cap s
.
accu sin g h er of p ractising unl aw
,
t oo frightened t o s a y a word
.
, ,
”
That will I fo r thy s ak e s ai d th e sol di er , .
thee .
w ent o ut in du d geon .
”
Oh a y , s ai d th e fem al e
, Well I have s om e .
,
’
Now Martin you mu st help I ll n o m ore cats than
'
, , .
can sl ay m i ce .
headpiece wo rs e luck , .
’
head to d o t with h i s ho ofs a h y e coul d drive him into ,
’
”
I am your m an sai d the brave ol d s ol di er stripp in g , ,
T H E CL O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH 3 27
’
f or th e unwonte d to il . I ll risk my arm in s oa p suds an ,
My what ?
Your glory an d h on ou r a s a — wash erwom an .
’ ”
i the su ds .
b ut no mo re .
”
I was s aid s h e b ut n ow I m your worship s w as h er ’ ’
w oman
, ,
”
Th e di gnitary coloure d an d said that was
.
,
”
h er '
.
”
law I do e n force on o thers I may no t break myself Mar .
s h u n n et h
'
-
, .
a m ou r e d of s om e on e evil
’
and s eeth it with h i s b at s eyn ,
s essio n L et m e s ee her
. We are of a s ex and t h at i s .
,
”
mu ch . An d wh en h e st i ll h esitated s aints of h eaven ! ,
,
”
to th e sick ro om An d t w o viol et eyes fl a s h e d fi r e
. .
A woman ! ,
an d s om e contemp t .
”
anythin g Now cure m e an d g o
. .
“
Patience a whi l e ! Yo ur fo o d is it ta ste l es s l ik e i n ,
'
your mouth ?
Ay How kn ew you that ?
N ay I knew it not till you did tel l me
.
, I tro w yo u . ,
r efl e ct e d .
\ Vh en
you wak e 1 the morning you fi nd you rself
qu iver a s on e may s a y ?
,
HEAR TH
.
3 30 TH E CL O ISTER A ND T H E
Nay .
W hat then ?
Love .
,
”
aff e ctions
Oh h ow fo olish b e th e w i se ! sai d Mar gar et ;
.
,
what ,
Viol en ce an d fo l ly .
his p eopl e the ir sal aries in his dau ghter 5 p res ence a ri d h ers ’
.
tim e ro s e an d went ou t
, Th e m ayor foll owe d her . .
Th at i s Ul rich my clerk , .
’
Well t h en tis h e
'
, .
” '
How kn ow y e ti s h e ? ’
Na y b u r go ma st er
,
.
,
l o ok n ot on m e s o scared : n o witch or m a g i c i an I b ut a
o
this hath b een done b efore thou sands o f y ears ere We were ,
not with out a stru ggle ; an d with its marks on his fac e
h e accomp anied Margaret t o his dau gh ter But a s m en .
him Ulrich .
’
S ays h e Oh sweet mistre ss give it m e , I had tol d
, ,
.
’
them all who se twas Nay sai d I sellin g is my liveli .
,
’
,
’
ho o d not giving
, S o h e o f fere d m e this he o f fered m e
.
,
’
that b ut nou ght less w oul d I tak e than his next quarter s
,
”
wage s .
.
, , ,
Father ! father !
Tis s o girl sp eak thy mind
’
, , .
I — — — —
w ll ob ey m y father i n all things
i stammere d ,
, ,
a day l
-
W h y shoul d I ? inquired h e .
’
I ll t h ink on t
’
sai d s h e ,
.
”
I ll starve fi r s t
’
sai d sh e ; what p ay a craft an d a mys
, ,
”
m e than th e to wn wall .
I ca n t say as mu ch ’
says a thir d ,
.
’
tak e th e t o ol s pla ce .
”
are sick Oi u s that b id e i n Ho l lan d .
'
“
Com e w i fe, sai d h e n ever lower thy fla g to such
, ,
.
well a s th ey .
’
M e cu l p ee ?
Nay I woul d not hurt th eir b o di es for all the i r cru el
,
”
hearts .
Th en y e mu st e en lau gh at th em wi f e Wh a t l a
’
, .
,
CL O ISTER AN D
'
TH E 335
You are a buxom wife ; they are a b undl e of thread pap ers -
.
You are fair and fresh ; they have all the D u tch rim un d e r '
circl e saying
, No th e Thief s alive and h as b roken my
, ,
’
”
great to e .
“ ”
N ay nay said h e go o d h u m ou r ed l y
’
,
ti s nou ght , ,
-
,
mistaking .
”
D enys ?
Well ? —But— Hallo ! How know you my nam e is
D enys of Burgundy !
Why o d s b od i k i n s l I know you not an d y ou know
, ,
’
By Gerard s letter Cro s sb ow ! b eard ! han dsom e ! .
Th e divell i s de a d .
Sword of G ol i a h l this mu st b e sh e R e d h a i r v i ol et .
,
,
.
,
y e
Tell m e my name said sh e quickly , .
”
Margaret Bran dt .
tell m e l p
.
, , , , ,
”
thy purp le eyes no m ore .
”
at l ast Ho o l ho o l h o o l
.
fl e d quadriviou s shrieking , .
C HAP TER LI
since it b rou ght h er a tru e fri end and il l n ews for now fi r s t ,
h e w as go ne th eir h ea r t s t u r n e d no t to m e as th ey wo ul d
,
”
an i t th ey had rep ent ed th eir cru elty to him .
“
A y an d is sh e turne d th at b itter a gain st u s ?
, , s ai d
that go o d woman Sh e stole our s on from u s an d n o w
.
,
’
338 TH E HEARTH
'
Ah cried Margaret
,
Then swiftl y turned h er b ack .
friend s errand
’
I b ring y e a letter from foreign p arts
. .
”
Mo ck m e not ol d m an a n d s h e t u r n e d slowl y round
, ,
.
’’
Nay see ; an d he h eld out an eno rm ou s letter
,
.
’
’
the i ll you ever wrou ght m e
‘
with h er l etter .
C HAPTER LII
'
, ,
“
Wh at, do es s h e think there ar e no ne ca n ead b u t
’
THE C L O ISTER AND THE HE ARTH 339
”
will read i t .
”
sp ok e a b ad heart said h e L a c amarade hates you all , .
b ut s o tis ; yet mau gre her spl een at a word from Gerard
’
, i —
mouth an d hath a voice l k e honey sure tis a fair proff er -m
’
.
’ ”
Tis s o mine honest soldier said th e fath er of th e
, ,
fl esh and blo o d and will then to her s o surely and faithfully
,
”
Ay and a man who is b etter than his word
, cried ,
” l
Art a man of sense Eli a dirk a cho se a ch os e , , , , ,
, ,
What next ?
Wh at next ? why whenever th e brat is in the world , ,
1
A n g l i c e, a Th in g -
e m -b ob .
3 40 THE C L O IS TER AND THE HEARTH
I knew woul d n ot s ai d Cornelis
sh e , .
’ ’
Nay sai d I , b ut b e rule d b y m e Not I qu oth
, .
’
,
’
sh e. We l l b ut q uoth I , that sam e h oney Ob edience
, ,
‘
’ ’
y e sp ak e oi Yo u a r e a fo ol says s h e ;
. o b e dien ce to ,
l e tter .H e a r k en l
An d sweetheart an i t th es e lin es shoul d travel s afe
, ,
’
to the e m ak e th ou trial o f my p eopl e s heart with al
, Mayb e .
’
tis s e th ey will show it to th e e sin c e now to m e they m ay
,
-
”
m ethinks tis fo r h er to com e to u s n ot w e to h er , .
Mu ch said Eli
, Tell h er w e are o ver m any to .
”
com e to her an d b i d her hither th e so on er th e b etter
, , .
”
o
g “ u nbl ess ed a s s h e cam e unwelcom
,
e .
”
M ak e your m in d easy s ai d Catherin e Sh e w i ll , .
, , ,
D enys !
Well s h e general ?
,
-
‘
”
I mu st g o ho m e ( p iteou sly ) .
Wh at ?
My cou ra ge Oh l oh l oh l .
gin gerly .
,
”
co m ra de is w ith out .
“
Fetch h er i n sai d Eli Now whisht all of y e
, .
, .
Non e sp eak to h er b ut I .
TH E -
A ND T H E HEARTH
'
she had b een alone ; then dis po sed h erself to read i t with ,
t o com e b y h er
H e went with an ob e d ient start a s if s h e had crie d
Ma r ch l an d sto o d at her shoulder like a sentinel ; but
t hi s z ealous m anner of doing it reveal e d to the comp any
th at h e h ad b een ordered thi t her ; and at that sh e col oured .
will have sou ght thee out and tol d the e th e m anner of ou r ,
, , , .
D enys leaned his head on Margaret s high chair and gro ane d ’
alou d .
9
She turned quickly as sh e sat and found h i s hand and ,
‘
pressed i t .
,
’
o n h orseback and h a d l i k e d to h ave ri d o er m e And h e ’ ‘
.
,
,
'
D enys .
, ,
sl eep I n e er h ad wak e d ; s o al l d o s a y
’
I h ad slept an ho ur .
’
s e r vant girl in her holiday suit Are y e m ad q uoth sh e .
,
, ,
n ow s ai d s h e m ore k i n dl y
,
’
get up lik e a go o d lad ;
,
so ,
A l a ck l
‘ f
th e p o or s ai d th e wench
.
’
N ath el ess an y e .
,
’
had b een rich y e might h a lai n down a gain in the snow for
an y u se I had for y e ; and then I trow y e had so on fare d
out 0 th is worl d a s b are as y e cam e i n t o t
’
But b ein g
’
‘
.
, , ,
p o or y ou are ou r m an : s o com e w i m e
,
Th en I went ,
’
.
’
-
A t T er g ou said I
’
s h e sp eere d wh ere I was b orn S ays .
, .
sh e ,
And when a g entlem an di es i n that country s erve ,
ground an d s et s om e p o or m an to i t ?
, I told her ; nay .
m ore p o ints over her b o som She wore a red k i rtle with .
M a rgar et continu ed :
But oh ! how I misse d my D e nys at every step ! o ften
I s a t down o n the ro a d an d g ro an ed An d in the afterno on .
of th ee my p o or s w eet h e a r t
, a n d of my lo st friend an d of ,
.
,
’
sweeth eart a n d friend thy father s h earth thy m other s
, , ,
’
,
”
and b oth le gs gone at the knee .
cackl i ng .
”
N a y l a s s s a i d Eli
, h ee d h i m n ot l
, Th ou unm anner ,
, .
’ ‘
Then said I m ay this thing b e ?
, An d I to ok ,
E li . Whisht dam e W h i sh t l , ,
I saw and groaned for him and to excu se myself let him ,
’
starve in this thievish land Travel teaches e en the young .
’
an thou wilt But thou wilt never b ide in Italy nor any
.
, .
honest land are fewer knaves to b ite the honest man and ,
my p al said h e ;
,
’
I go to Nurnb erg ; we w i ll reach it wi th
fu ll p ouches I ll learn y e th e cul d e b ois a n d th e en ] de
.
’
, ,
E li Go o d l a d l go o d l a d l
.
, ,
’
tho se favourite s of th e saints The saints were no fo ols
'
.
,
’
,
honesty please Go d ,
Well th en s i nce I had not sp irit to .
,
, ,
’
er s ? qu o h e j eering What else ? , I could p aint . .
’
That was b etter I was lik e to tear my hair to hear .
,
’
—
for two reasons fi r s t I h a go t no ch ai r ; and next go o d ’
’
B ut said h e
,
‘
servants shoul d not drive the i r m asters
,
,
350 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
’
I have mad e a go o d b argain said h e Art a master , .
or sippin g f ou l e s t m e d i c i n e
'
“
Z ound s stop th at b elly a ch e bl eth er qu oth h e th at ’ ‘
-
, , ,
'
'
, ,
"
Why B on B ec wh a t i s to do ? qu oth h e I h ave
'
, , .
G ood p eopl e l et u s p ea k a n d pi n e
, ,
Cu t t r i s t fu l m u g s a n d m i a u l a n d w h i n e ,
Th or ou g h ou r n os en ch a u n t s d i v i n e
n ever n ever n ever
, Ye m ight as well g o throu g h L orrain e
, .
cryin g Mu ll ey gr u b s Mu l l ey gr u b s who 1 1 b uy my Mu l l ey l
, , ,
’
,
'
C or n el i s He l he l h e l .
”
b oy . H e is wiser than y e ; wiser than his years .
’
What tomfo olery i s this , said b e ; yet h e yielded to
me , and soo n I garnered three of his melo dies ; b ut I woul d
n ot let Cul d e Jatte wot th e thing I m editated Show n ot .
’
sto o d th e taking o f th e burgomaster s purse Ti s theft .
,
’
I ex or .
’ ’
, ,
352 TH E CL O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH
’
I . p rick ed my no str i l s with a straw
Ay , ay , But y e '
’
fo am e d at th e lip s Oh a littl e s o ap m akes a mickl e .
,
’
di nner an d l eft his wh eelb arrow
, S o says h e, I ll ti e .
-
, ,
’
ol d dad we l l bleed th e b umpkins o f a d acha saltee I did
’
-
.
, '
”
in b egging An d wh eelin g an . ask er in a b a rrow i s ,
, ,
’
S aid I Whe eling a p air 0 lies on e stony on e fl es h y may
, , , ,
master
.
,
And s a id I .
,
’
, ,
’
sham e him I n ever will D ear Margaret with thi s kn ave .
,
’ ’
a kn i fe Ti s well said my m aster glo omily ;
. I have ,
’
m ade a b ad b argain Presently h e halts an d eyes a tre e .
,
-
. .
'
,
"
kicks all d ay in lieu of s a l t e es a n d that is Y et ,
.
hi s b are bl oo dy b a ck H e s t ou t f k n a v e s o whipt di d no t
.
, , ,
’ ’
S oo n or late B on B e c qu oth h e S o o n or late
, , . .
’
a town who s e n am e hath slipp ed m e b ut twas o n a fair ,
.
, . .
, ,
’
s aid h e th ey ar e j ustifyin g th er e
, S o n o ught woul d s erve .
, .
’
twa s ou t of th e t ryin g p an a s th e word For th e -
,
u p a n d crie d
, Hel p ! h elp ! and I ff or g et t i n g all an d he ar , ,
;
, .
b rea dth of a ro om .
’
r eader s wom anly
graces s ai d kindly enou gh Tak e t h y , ,
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 355
tim e lass
, And m ethink s som e of y e might fi n d her a
.
”
I d do more for h er than th at an I durst sai d Ca t he
’
,
”
rine. Here Cornelis and s h e held out her littl e wo o den
, ,
sto ol and that worthy who hated Margaret wors e than ever
, , ,
”
Yo u are very kind dam e
'
s h e faltered I will , , .
’
rea d on ; tis all I can do for you in turn .
Th e Lor d i s d eb on a i r ,
Le t s i n n er s n ou g h t d e s pa i r .
’
’
This la d did the b u siness said h e slapp in g his one le g , ,
face showed m e a hol e in his calf you coul d have put your
n ee t i n Had I b een stran ge to hi s t rick s h ere was a leg
.
,
crazed H e fl ed ado wn th e ro ad
. I followed leisurely an d .
,
curse them .
‘
th at mu ch ? H e had m ad e a b ad b ar gain Well we l l .
, ,
folks are mu sic b itten and the y mol est not b eggars unl es s , ,
’
folk an d of th e neighb ours sn eers and th e hop e of comin g
, ,
a woun de d lily .
”
Nay nay fear m e not said Margaret fe ebly
, , I will ,
so ; .
'
T w a s hi s wife
’
an alm s of u s and tol d u s his hard case , .
o
I cried F or b ea r l f or b ea r l
,
S he knoweth not what sh e -
‘
Wh at ! said I ; that reveren d m an ? ‘
On e oi us !
cried Cul de Jatte ; on e of u s ! In France we call the m ‘
.
Co qu i llarts ; b ut h ere Ca l m i er er s R a il es t on m e f or .
'
,
’
A truce to thy irreverend sophistries said I an d ,
, ,
I a m mu ch misto ok
,
Him followed wives an d b ab e s on .
, .
’
farce ; som e ro de sticks with hors es heads b etween their , , ,
riders s o sore they sto o d sto ck still and wept which cava
'
, ,
saucep an on his b ack and a trem endou s thre e —fo ote d clay ,
d own lying scarce able t o dra g hers elf yet still p o or soul
-
, , , ,
’
helping the weaker on the way .
C a th e
r i ne . Nay nay Margaret Wh y , , .
, wench pluck ,
”
up heart . Ce r t es thou art no B ohemian .
3 60 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
’
K a le N ay m oth er tis not th at I tro w b ut h er
.
, , , ,
the blush ?
R i ch a r t S o I say. .
”
An d h e derided m e Why that is a b il t r e g e r .
,
' ‘
,
’
s aid h e an d you waste your b owel s on a p i llow or so forth
, , .
’
I tol d him he lied Tim e woul d show sai d h e wait til l
.
, ,
~
wed ged an urchin turnin g st i ll th e chain to eep t h e m eat
k
from burning and a gay sp ark with a feather in his cap
, ,
,
-
_
”
V 0 p p er and I lo oked incredulou s an d lo oke d again
, ,
"
'
.
,
, ,
, ,
.
.
, ,
, .
‘
-
Isi d ore ”
crie d I in a So rt of rap ture
, W h y S t I sid ore
, .
, .
wounds .
,
o n e did say , ,
m e d ro wn ed for a pl ai n i m p os t b r Pr ofi t n ow b y th e .
”
a nd mend thy way s
’
Church s g race Sai d th ey , So , .
th e breth r en lai d on .
'
’
cant I wonder ?
, S o ) I tol d h im th e words m eant th e
monast ery i s i n want of a miracl e b u t t h e a pp l i c a t i on ,
’ ‘
, .
,
’
,
m en
’
, said I A t on e that afterno on I got armo ries to
.
s a fi r on water face-
d i d fi l l his hat N ow in all th e town s , .
o ther side the street and knew him by his tricks for an ,
of his misd eeds but demanded his accu ser like a trump et , . .
’
An d blin d Han s b oy cam e forward b ut wa s sifted narrowly ,
’
chief constabl e This is but hearsay said my m aster .
, .
But stand thou forth blind Envy and vent thine own lie , , .
’
a civi c o ffi cer in his gown of state and gol den chain a D ign ity ,
, ,
3 64 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
’
you fi r s t let u s s ee why h e weareth h i s hair s o thick and l ow
,
.
, ,
T i s no
’
w ere mad e at on e tim e an d by m easurement , .
’ ’
b unglin g soldier s work my m asters said h e ’
tis ourn , , ,
.
’
I thou ght y e ha d b een m o ckin g m e said h e ; oh B on , ,
,
’
m i nstrel s weeds _
.
b ein g humbly requ ested to p resent th e inn with his arm orial
b ear ings h e consente d loftil y ; b ut p ai n te d th em h i mse l f
, ,
and d rew h i s sword to cut off th eir ears heads inclu ded , .
, .
DI AR Y .
10 1 21 0 u c m ade ; a n d b ab ble d li ke ol d fr i e n ds .
T H E CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 3 67
comi n g ,
I said to my servant lord For furth er p enance ,
; g
h omi ci d al hand an d give it her and hol d her in discours e , ,
,
’
I shall ob ey my lord And we drew rein and watch e d .
,
”
m oved not no r sp ak e .
“
D en y s Aie l aie l aie l Pardon th e comp any
.
, .
“ —
D en y s A em l h e says s e
b .
1
s h e comrad e B y Hanni , .
,
’
Th ey w i l l h ave su ch , .
soft voices and white skins and sunny h air and dark blue
‘
-
, , ,
eyes and
'
, ,
, ,
'
An d som e wi th th e ro se s an d b u ds m i x n u t m e g s gil de d
b ut not b y my go o d wi ll for gold b rave in itself cheek , ,
F or
’ ’
s etting wi nter s b eauty b y th e sid e of summer s glory .
r
—
qu am diu tu fi ct u s morio vos qu e veri s t u l t i a u d eb i t i s —
3 70 T H E C LO I S T E R
=
A ND THE HEARTH
an d h e that sat nearest b eh oVe d to drain i t Tis well
'
’
'
. ,
'
ear that Go d hath given him his p eopl e freely and not
, ,
-
'
,
self is it well to hou s e his h ors e s and stabl e his folk Said '
.
’
V
y e mu st d o
’ ’
he ,
Twill give s ore oft en ce
’
But said I .
, ,
‘
’
ridin g on w e heard p l a i n t i ve cr i es z Alas said I som e ~
, ,
An d we ro d e u p a n d l o ! ; i t w a s a w e d d i n g feast ;
'
'
’
b e? ,
»
J 3 —
a n n ar
y Yesterday
’
b et w e en Nurnb
. erg an d Au gs
b urg w e p ar te d comp any I gav e m y l ord l ate S ervant .
, ,
'
~
blush e d to p ut on p ap er ; y et p o or fo ol w ou l d f a i n tho u , ,
'
.
,
go o d lu ck
'
-
.
,
- '
'
.
(
f
H ere s t ood t wo gu ardi an s l ik e statu es ;
'
They n o dde d me
,
’
'
'
'
“
’
'
"
cl o s ed with a cl a n g after m e 1 I f oun d myself in a gr eat
.
.
‘
,
‘
'
, .
Tremblin g t h er e a wh i l e a do or O p ened an d s h ow e d m e a
'
, ,
i nt o i t a n d i t w en t up again
'
,
n
B eing gone ; a n ot l i er thick
'
.
It clo sed on ‘
.
THE CL O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH
me with a tremendou s cla n g and b ehol d m e in Au gsburg ,
’
city where th e very b urgomaster is cut of S olomon s cloth !
J a n nar y— 5
D ear Margaret it is a nobl e city and a
.
, ,
’
to write fairly a m erchant s acco unts o n e Fu gger a grand , ,
and wealthy trader and hath sto re of ship s yet his father
, ,
, ,
But i n arts m ech ani cal no citizens may comp are with
these . Fountain s in every str eet th at play t o h eaven a n d ,
3 72 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
in th e garden s s eeming trees which b ein g appro ach ed on e , ,
i —
humans b en e fi c a l p l i et h b y night an d day an d ca steth ,
thro u gh with two s core lan ces S eco ndly i n all great h ou se s .
,
D am e Pull et ?
This d ay Jannary 8 with three craftsm en o f th e town
, , ,
a t Au gsburg .
on a i r and so o n distance d th em a ll
,
Pres ently I cam e to .
, ,
, ,
C a th er i n e Oh my p o or b oy l th o s e black h aired
.
,
-
o nes do st i ll s car e m e to l o ok ou .
p any Th ey g rinn ed
. I was an hun gered Still th ey . .
’
th em s ee I feared th em ; b u t oh it co st m e to swallow it
'
am
’
faint with travel Th ey no dd e d an d grinn ed th eir .
H e to ok m e up a windin g staircase u p u p an d I s a w n o , , ,
thes e slits I got glimp ses of th e sky and thou ght Shall I , ,
’
e e r s ee th ee a gain ? H e to ok m e to th e ve ry to p of th e
mill and there wa s a ro om with a h eap of straw i n on e
,
was s o high that even th e mill sail s at th eir high est cam e
n ot up to my window by som e feet b ut turned very slow ,
an d m e an d turne d t o sl eep
,
.
tru ckl e b ed was gone with a l ou d cl an g all but the feet and ’
B ut sp eedily resumed .
-
. ,
3 76 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
w it h m e i t di e I must
,
An d I th o ught A ll our love and .
,
h op e s to end t h u s l
even th e w i nd ob eyeth .
o n to i t But my h eart fa i l e d m e at th e p in ch
. An d .
Gi l es . WE L L D O NE ! WE L L D ON E !
3 78 TH E C L O ISTER AN D e E HEARTH
curse d at that b ut others wail ed F or I ha d th em all at
An d doubtles s with my smoke grime d
.
,
dea dl y vantage .
,
-
,
. .
b e m en !
Margaret ha d fainted away .
C HAPTER L IV
”
A y go o d Master G i l es
, sigh ed Margaret feebly he , ,
lions ? And why did I not drive him from m e so oner than
p art him from his own fl esh and blo o d ? Forgive m e you ,
after a b rief stru ggl e with sup erior force ended in her ,
”
Read thou Richart said Eli : thin e eyes b e youn ger
, ,
than mine .
E li . W h i sh t l
3 80 THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
An d I tol d him wh at had b ef a ll en H e woul d se e my .
h o se and I s aid
,
S i r I sh all b e b ut a b urd en to you I
, , ,
J a n n ar y 1 9 — I
sit all d ay in the litter fo r w e are pu s h
.
,
”
hath no t b een an d b ou ght m e a p sal tery .
”
way l et u s b uy a hun dre d ell s of cloth of him an d no t higgl e , .
”
E li Th at will I tak e your o ath on t l
.
,
’
J a n uary 20 —
Laid up in th e litter and a s go o d as
.
,
, , ,
with fl ower s and l eave s f ai rly imitated in silk with sil ver ,
in eating an d dr i nkin g an d of al l w om en m od es t an d Vi r , ,
.
’
to th e h ou s e an d sou ght h er m an S ays sh e Yo u ll no t .
,
an d I did give it h i m .
’
T was B eck H u l se
’ ’ ’
C a th er i n e Ti s so oth ! tis s oot h l
. ,
”
Jon ah s w i fe
’
Thi s com e s of a w om a n w e d d i n g a b oy
‘
. .
. .
”
p ayer eu b lanch e .
D en y s L e s co qu ins ! h a ! h a !
.
h ow bl ow s th e wi n d . oul d ,
“
C a th er i n e Gram ercy ! that 1 8 manners F r a n c e f or m e l
—
. .
“
Nath el ess th ey s a y thi n gs in S p o rt whi ch are n ot "
.
O
C
,
m
.
’
curiou s n ot to dr ink in another man s cup In war th e
'
.
THE CL O ISTER AND TH E ‘
HEARTH
English gain th e b etter of them in the fi el d ; but th e French
are their m asters in attack an d defence o f cities ; witne ss
Orleans wh ere th ey b esiege d their b esiegers and h ashe d
, ,
w i t h ou t u n b on n et i n g
1 This I n e er wi t n es se d in Holland
.
’
.
,
'
.
,
,
,
s heep as b lack as co al .
,
-
,
'
3 84 THE A ND T H E HEAR T H
near p erfect a s earth a fi or d s ; and su ch a m a n
”
is my D eny s ,
D en y s My fo ul m outh ! I s that
. so writ , Mast er
R ich a rt ?
R i ch a r t A y , in s o oth ; s ee el se
. .
R i ch a r t How then ? .
D en y s H ump h .l a b em i why -
j ust th e contrary He .
’
Europ e . The .
”
E li I a m of your min d my l ad
.
, .
’
as si m i s a brave m an and for an harlot a courteou s p erson
‘
,
’
,
‘
,
i t but to —
,
m orrow in anoth er ship t o Rom e
, ,
.
gol den cro wn s and twelve gol den stoma chers stu dded with
j ewels from Constantinopl e ; item a m on strou s sapphire ;
, ,
,
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
picture p ainted by S t Luke very dark and th e feature s
,
.
, ,
carry in pro cession and b rings the rain I wish I had not
, .
piazza were thre e ghas tly h eads rottin g and tainting the
air and in their hot summers like to tak e ven geance with
,
three t o the slab and so sold blo o d of oth ers and their own
,
’
mired was to s ee over a gainst th e D uk e s p alace a fair
gallows in alab aster reare d exp ress to hang him and n o , ,
act enacte d last year yet o n the wall lo oks in no cent Here
, .
, ,
Q u a n d I t a li e s era s a n s p oi s on
E t F r a n ce s a n s t ra h i s on
'
E t l A n g l e t er r e s a n s g u er r e
’
,
Lor s s era l e m on d e sa n s t e rr e .
’ ’
this saying S o then h i s wo o in g i s th e earth s c on cern
,
.
R ICHART E L I A S S OE N , AMSTERD AM .
’ ’
Put m e down I sai d ; for ou r L ady s sak e put m e down
,
’
.
w ord s no m ore .
, ,
his b ack .
,
a pl ace t o halt a t ?
R i ch a r t Fath er with my duty t o you it is ea sy to s a y
.
, ,
-
on m e th ey g o through my h eart and— I cannot g o on ;
,
Cou r a g e z go o d Master R i c h a r t l
'
D en y s . Tak e your
tim e .Here are m ore eyne wet than yours Ah littl e com
. .
,
”
rade ! wo uld G od t hou wert h ere an d I at Venice for thee , .
“ '
afore h er ?
“
Tis w ell !
’
said Eli ; b ut I a m ol der than th ou .
B efore wi tn es ses ?
A y sure ,
My p o or father an d Mart in W i t t en h a a g en
. .
’
Al as s i r the more is my grief ; but I n e er doub te d
, ,
Tis a go o d answer
’
Well fo olis h or n o y a re h onest .
, ,
’
.
, ,
B id e y e i b ide y e i b e n ot s o h ot f or a wo rd ! Nath e
les s w ife m ethi nk s her re d che ek b ec om es h er
, , .
”
b l ind .
—
n ee d not mak e si g nal s to m e sh e comrade ; I a m a s b lind -
,
atom .
She gave him her sto ol : curio sity b owe d his pride to sit
o n i t ; and Margaret murmured the fi r s t p art of th e letter
into his ear very low not to disturb Eli an d Richart An d, .
little Kate .
mak e a m an of him .
p rou dly .
C HAPTER LV
-
was admir a bly co nstru cte d for go i n g ashore with her ext r a v a ,
al ternately .
b attling in him with self —resp ect sto o d a little ap art hol d , ,
, ,
shi p Wh en a p a i r of th em come it i s go o d l u ck an d
.
,
”
Therefore lik e go o d Chri stian s p rep are to die
, , .
lighten her .
shriek p ounced on i t
, Holy Mo ses ! what woul d you do ?
.
’
’
Tis my al l ; ti s the whol e fruits of my j ourney ; silver
candlesticks silver plates b ro o ches hanap s
, , ,
”
in with i t cried on e ;
, tis this E b r ew we Christian m en ’
”
are drowned for Numb ers so o n wrench ed it from him
.
,
glaring his white hair stre amin g in the wind an d was goin g
, ,
his hair and cursed them and th e ship and the s e a and
, , ,
’
teth ; an d if I pray to him it s o d d b ut I sh al l b e drowned , ,
saints and m e
,
Our Fath er which art in h eaven s ave
.
, ,
sake !
A t thi s mom ent the sailors were seen prep arin g to d esert
th e sinkin g ship in t h e littl e b o at whi ch even at that ep o ch ,
’
S ee ! s ee ! h e said th ey h ave ta en th e b o at an d ,
”
l eft th e p o or wom an an d h er chil d to p erish .
Hi s he art so on s et hi s wi t workin g .
’
Wife I ll save the e yet pl eas e Go d
, An d he ran to , .
’
and th e chil d to this Tis sore worm eaten ; b ut twill .
’
s erve .
”
I am a man a nd have no ch il d to tak e care of
, .
eye .
”
Com e s ai d h e wh il e yet th ere i s tim e
, , .
P o or y o h l Go d forgive m e 1 —m y ch il d !
.
,
u t — An d h e
‘
3 98 THE CL O ISTER AND T HE HE ARTH
He left th e m ast accordin gly an d ex tendin g hi s p owerful ,
of fi re .
s cene .
CHAPTER L V I
”
is,
said another But th e main cry was ;
. What avail s
this ? S cant is th e L a t in writ here now Can y e not wri t e .
Greek ?
Ay but not nigh so well as Latin
,
.
p assin g One day s h e mad e him din e with her and som e
.
,
what to his surprise asked him what had dashed his spirits .
. .
well for th em
’f
.
Why said s h e ,
yo ur go o d wo 1 k might put out th e , ,
and in so oth hath b een som ewhat l ess cuttin g and stab b ing
among rival factions and vindictive eating of their opp o ,
, , _ .
Th ere w a s none .
pl easure .
su ccess .
at th e do or b ut receive d n o answer
, H e kno ck e d a gain . .
"
H e ob eye d somewh at timidl y an d entere d a garret .
,
lik e a coil e d cob ra rip e for str i king th e fi r s t com er was never
se en .
”
my b ed .
”
to copy .
another .
’
Ti s wel l distin guish ed ; S i gnor But then a wri ter .
,
, , ,
one .
”
Rom e .
’
ti s th e go o d d a me cried Gerard Wh at ho l ho stess
,
.
,
”
he will l et m e h ave my humbl e dinner h ere .
L ady s sake put a spo on into this ragout with m e ; tis not
’ ’
unsavoury I promise y ou , .
, , ,
thy dinn er ?
Why s e e th ere i s m ore than on e can eat
, , .
of wind ow .
,
’
stru ggl e n ot t o b ox this hi gh soule d creature s ears An d -
.
b etter .
Tis well
’
I to ok thee for a fo o l s o transparent wa s
.
,
“ ”
Nay nay s aid th e p ainter hastil y
, , ask m e n ot ,
in it for my co f fi n !
Gerard r efl e ct e d .
”
but h ol d my p eace .
h ave y ou n ot a word to s a y ab ou t i t ?
Gerard started I cry you r m ercy ; I fo rgo t there .
”
were three of u s h ere A y I h ave mu ch to s a y An d h e .
, .
Wh at wouldst thou ?
Marry d efen d mys elf a gainst thy b o dkin S i gn or ; and
, ,
, ,
”
th e wal l lik e a co ckchafer
, .
4 06 THE C L O ISTE R AN D THE HEARTH
Well m o nster w i lt b e gentl e now and sup with m e ?
, , ,
”
p ictur e f or third m an .
”
worm s have eaten you an d m e .
”
I hop e s o sai d Pietro , .
C HAPTER LV I I
Roman m atron .
to comp o s e herself .
”
youth in s er vm g thee I ser ve myself
, .
,
”
thy m erchandis e ! As well have flun g it into Tib er .
“
Well -a day i sighed Gerard
-
Th en h ow is an .
senza lana .
t o m orrow
- .
”
som ethin g in her h ead s aid she , .
'
consol e him .
”
What have th ey l et the e brin g h om e thy m asterp i ece ?
,
As heretofore .
More t o ol s they th en , .
”
All th e b etter said Gerard cheerfully , .
with them They tried to co nceal their lon gin g for them
. .
b o ob ies .
4 08 THE CL O ISTER AND THE H E AR T H
And he fl ung down a do z en sm al l silver co ins on th e ,
eyes and th en ki cke d them assi duo u sly and s ent them
‘
, ,
to p r ofi t sai d h e
, .
”
sapphire eyes an d ab ove all soul , , .
”
Pietro sai d Gerard softly
, I p ainted that o ne fro m ,
my heart
—
.
Com e with m e S er G er a r d , .
CHAPTER L V I I I
”
i s h ard b y ; you w i ll not have far to g o .
wife .
’
The gol dsmith s wife complied in on e sense She fi x e d .
Wh o has no t ?
But go o d dam e h e is a fria r ; h e h a s m ad e v ow; of
, ,
.
p ai d .H e s ave d my chil d at s ea .
_ ,
an errand .
All y ou h ave to do c on t i n u e d Lu cr et i a i s to g o
‘
‘
, ,
’ ’
wench s hand twill do you no harm : that stands to,
-
he ,
Is this how you present S alvator Mundi ? who died
_
‘
”
Have n o t ears m adama said T eresa loftily
,
I will
,
.
”
answer for his ab ility ; h e saved my chil d .
”
No he is not a coward
, said Tere sa fi r i n g up , ,
”
i s mo dest .
”
I consent said T eresa
, .
b ond he had b rou ght all th e way from S evenb ergen and ,
gl a m our .
“
Al as dear b oy di d not thine eye rest on it with
, ,
for i t ?
I forget Addio Fiammina Ad dio S er Gerard
.
, .
, .
“
V ery well said h e
”
L et him b e s eate d
, Stay ; . .
Show it m e ?
Gerard b rou ght the wo rk to him in fe ar and trembl in g ;
th en sto o d h eart sick awaitin g his verdict -
T .
,
, ,
’
the well t oth er day .
cents l ik e wolven ?
,
s on ,
did traitorously grud ge him to th e D uke who i s th e ,
”
Avail s n ot threatenin g o ur lives whimp ered Cather ,
a s ou r m o nsters b i g o r w ee , .
n ot at all .
Giles r efl e ct ed .
” ’
Master s aid h e if we wait a mo nth twill b e still
, , ,
'
, ,
,
.
,
B awled i t .
CHA P TER L I X
Wom en .
up b y .
, , ,
But h ere his min d drew un cons ciously a droll distin ctio n .
Wh atever Christian cerem ony his l e a rnin g tau ght him was
of p ur ely p agan ori g in th at h e resp ecte d out of resp e ct
, ,
-
”
a m s o happy with y ou fath er obj ecte d Gerard
, , Fid dl e .
’
And th e friar cl app e d a t er r ifi c p rice on Ger ar d s p en .
on rhetori c .
h im l ik e a lap do g .
’
It woul d have turn ed a vain fell ow s head ; b ut the
can ny D utchm an s a w th e steel hand b eneath th e velvet
glove an d di d not p r esum e
, N everthel ess it was a p rou d
.
.
,
’
Nay tis th e Cardinal Orsini which hath invented
,
chink ran it against a col d steel halb ert Two sold iers .
,
Wh at is towar d h er e ? sai d h e .
”
S ol diers an d p op es .
gI ory
Wh o s o happ y now as Gerard ? His art w as honoured
.
E x p e d e H er cu l em ; l e on e m
°
ex u 1 1 ue
g .
p r oa ch i n g his b en efacto r .
’
S aints forb id ! s aid th e fri a r Twere h eres y to s a y .
so .
,
Pa gandom .
cast ou t .
down on his knee s b efore the altar with a s carf tie d round
his ne ck b y which th e offi ci a t i n g pri est h el d h im l i k e a do g
,
in a chain .
,
’
hims elf to l earn th e individual s nam e with whom h e h a d ‘
to deal .
ou t B elial
, Com e ou t T a t z i ; Com e ou t Ez a
. No ; h e
, , .
‘
Com e ou t F ol e t h o Com e ou t A s t y m a
, . Com e out N eb u l , .
, .
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 4 23
t h in e ol d trick s L et u s p ray ! .
their in side .
”
Go o d father said Gerard how you have their , ,
”
q u i s i t e knowled ge o f th e h ellish squ adrons .
”
hunt out .
b usiness .
’
S om e bl ack guar d chopp ed h i s w i fe s head off on th at sto ne ,
”
yo un g m an ; you tak e my word for i t An d th e friar .
Ay ,
by P oll ux said th e friar with a chuckl e , ,
antiquity ?
’
O n e af terno on wh en Gerar d h ad fi n i sh e d his day s
,
l et h er mistress know .
”
nothin g of a p o o r fell ow s t i m e H owever j u st as he was ’
.
,
writ er m ess er ?
,
I a m sign ora
, .
’ ”
Ti s well .
Gerard si gn ora , .
.
, ,
in Holland .
wh at s a y y ou ?
Th e m ai d s a s sente d w a rml y .
a n d write m e a l et t er t o E r col e Or s i ni m l ov er ; a t l e a s t
”
.
, y
h e s ays s e .
4 26 T H E CL O IS TER AND THE HEARTH
ho nour is en gaged XVh a t lie shall I tell th e Gerardo to .
S e e y ou are n early fi n i sh e d
,
.
”
at th e sam e tim e to m orrow -
.
So b e it.
And y ou Fl oretta se e that he b e admitte d
.
, ,
u s de sp atch th e letter
Wh at l e t t er f?
To th e S i gn or Orsini
_
.
ff
indi erent a s the m o o n ? Nay not indi f ferent for I have ,
j ust dis covered my real s entim ents I h ate him and d espise
,
We do We d o . .
”
Addio il Gerar d o -
And Gerard b o we d him self out of
, .
cap ari sone d with re d velvet frin ged and tassell ed with
- —
gold ; a hundred hor sem en arm ed cap a pie ro d e b ehin d , ,
’
man s thigh Th e cardinal s went uncovered all b ut on e
.
, ,
stopp ed a singl e mom ent and gave the p eopl e his bl essin g
, ,
then on a gain .
”
d ear ch il d s a i d sh e
, why woun d thy white skin s o?
,
B asta s ai d b e l aughing
, ti s for your sin s I do i t not
, ,
’
,
”
for min e .
all we ow e them .
and oth er p rel ates who s a t ab out th e al tar with th eir hats
,
430 TH E AND TH E
“
Wax en im ages ? Wh at ar e th ey not th e ap o stl es ,
th em selves emb al me d or th e l i ke ?
, ,
Th e friar m oaned .
t a m e d worthies
’
”
S t P eter a r e m o ul ded out of p ur e fancy .
Ah ! s a y not s e father , .
od i
’
Q u od c u n qu e os t en d i s m ih i sic i n cr e d u l u s .
”
w e shall vainl y hunt in th e streets of m o d er n Rom e .
th e l ib r a ry of th e V atican .
b ur den .
coul d b e ri d i cul ou s .
, ,
”
H a p p y y ou t h said h e that can h eat it self over
, ,
su ch m atters .
Plutarch?
Gerard b rought his work and kneeling on on e kn ee ,
others standing .
”
’
Tis exce l lently writ said h e , .
pl easures .
”
thou ght to b e head of th e Church .
j u d gm ent on i t ! ’
Gently gently go o d Francesco
, A Pop e s n ovel s , .
it in French L e gentilhomm e b la sé
. b red and .
,
father s p rop o s al
’
.
“
Nay b ut your h oliness fo r m o deratin g o f stri fe
, , ,
‘
Ma xa pz oc oi ec
pnvmr owL .
”
C ol on n a Hero dotu s . .
a gainst h i s demigo ds .
434 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
his visio n cloye d with sin s a w nought Th e p o or despised , .
’
sl ain th e p roph et an d sp ared th e ass b ut for that creature s ,
sp are rep entant Nin eveh ? B e caus e in that city were sixty
thou sand chil dren b es i d es m u ch ca ttl e ,
.
’
an d stran ge and viol ent d eaths m ark e d with retrib ution s ,
, ,
’
th e creature s all sub sist fo r m an s comfort th ere b e snake s ,
our toil s and d o fee d u s lik e m oth ers from th eir gentl e du gs
, .
fri en d 0 1 m an an d b ea st .
”
I se em to h ear th e o ra cl e of D elphi s ai d Fra Colonna ,
enthu siastically .
Oh captain go o d s ense !
, s ai d Gerard with a deep
, ,
an d tend er rep ro a ch .
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 435
”
wa s an unh eard of concessio n from a rival theolo gian He .
’
th en aske d for all Gerard s wo rk an d to ok it away in h is ,
it troubles m e no t .
’ ‘
Wh at all on t ? ,
”
Every do it .
C HAPTER LX I
“
B ut sh e d e clin ed Twill b e tim e to p ut a sli ght 0 1 1 .
’
, ,
,
”
I will s a y a y or n ay .
thou ght b e .
. .
G erard g ro aned .
”
1 1 1 R om e .
th e m o on ?
“
Nay m esser said th e trader laughi ng
, it shot
, ,
“
m o del . A t las t after n ear an h our in on e p o sture
, Ger ,
ardo sa id sh e faintly
,
I can stand s o no more even for
, ,
”
thee .
”
I thank thee s aid s h e ; an d s inkin g into a chair
,
turne d p al e an d sigh ed .
prith e e do no t flin g it at m e !
,
a large fan .
thre e tim es .
tim e after .
what h a s s h e done ?
’
Sh e knows right well Tis not th e fi r s t tim e Th e . .
musk cat -
.
”
A small fault ? Nay twas a foul fault Sh e adde d ’
’
, .
THE CLO ISTER AND T H E HEARTH 439
”
That were easily done .
”
D o it then Gerardo , .
”
wh ere b ut h ere .
”
thing thou gh .
A y a n d wh a t is that ?
,
said s h e gently
. .
Ay do I ,
To draw y ou signora .
, .
y ou are to m e Gerardo ? ,
No I a m not Gerardo
,
I have often b een col d to ,
.
Gerardo I a m unhappy ,
Ever since y ou cam e here I have .
m an that lies —
Gerar do teach m e thy m a gi c ; teach m e
.
,
’
A s sh e p oure d out th ese strange word s th e p rinces s s ,
wo rd .
gradation s .
Gerar do mio ?
-
’
Twas to write a l etter to yo n b arren knight E col e d Or s i ni ’
.
, ,
al ternative .
H e sigh e d d eeply b ut sp ok e n ot ,
.
“
Alas ! a l a s l sai d Ger a rd Weep not s w ee t l a d y ; .
,
.
, ,
and hi m self .
”
fi n d your l esso n well b estowe d .
clo sed
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 4 43
their p ains .
D i d I signora ? ,
”
t ru ckl e at will .
To m e fo r on e to on e whom you a tl r on t e d fo r a
, ,
‘
I will not b e s o curst Tell m e now where ab ides thy .
what ab ruptly .
b rou ght out s everal h ead s dra wn with a compl ete i gn orance
of th e art b ut with g reat p atienc e an d n atural tal ent
,
.
n ot u nl ik e O n e wa s h i s very im age
. There said sh e .
, .
”
N ot I sign e ra ,
.
, .
”
Which you will signora But , , .
”
L an dl ady said h e th ere i s on e woul d p i ck a quarrel
, ,
with m e Wh at i s to b e don e ?
.
.
,
’
”
a nobl e .
hab its .
'
.
,
o u t of his own .
He ,
-
.
”
Th e lan d is to o full of cut-thro ats fo r m e said h e ; ,
’
and t i s lovely fa i r weather for th e s ea Our D utch .
h er eyes sp ar klin g .
b etween my teeth .
What i s that ?
Oh nothin g A m I not happy d am e ? I a m goin g
, .
,
happ i er .
.
THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 447
A y th at is i t : A n s el m i n
, H e coul d scarce sp e a k a .
,
”
sp o onful .
to day ; b ut I d eserve i t
-
F or I c a re no t if I tell you I .
, ,
sake .
Who is sh e ?
’
Nay I d have my tongu e ou t ou t so o ner than
,
of h er cap aciou s p o ck et .
’
My b est friend said h e my s eco nd m oth er I ll , , ,
read it t o you .
A y do do , , .
( t
’
o .
M A R G A RET V A N E Y C K .
’
44 8 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
Ay , that is h er si gn ature sure enou gh N ow what .
d y e thi nk of th at dam e ?
’
cri ed Gerard with a grating
, ,
ah t — Then there i s no Go d ”
.
”
n o n e s h e sob b e d
, D e ath sp ar es n on e
. .
’
Hans ? I ll hunt him round th e to wn I ll cr a m his mur .
’
none .
45 0
°
elb o w H e lo oke d
. Gerard ha d Op e ned his eyes a s gently
.
as i f h e ha d b een b ut do zing .
H e stared :
H e drew him s elf up a littl e in b ed .
it is to awak e b ereaved .
b reviary .
as so o n a s th ey were uttered .
u sly a n d , ,
monsters th ey l et h er die
, D eath come s n ot with out s om e .
’
s i gns .
These th e blind s el fi sh wretch es s a w n ot or re eked °
,
‘
.
7
anxiety .
, .
s eek y e ?
Oblivion .
talk s o .
”
b rave clothes on workin g days Consider . .
”
serve another and give him a fair trial t oo
,
.
SATAN .
CHAPTER L X I I I
A A
D RK cl ou d fell on a nobl e mind .
‘
s ea of no h e p e .
was vice .
, ,
b e p atient !
A t l ast Gerard was seen at som e dist ance with a fem al e
in his hand .
from afar .
°
‘
t i n gu i sh e d th e b o at lo ad a s star s th e risin g s u n
-
Tall , .
,
,
’
d own on his knees up o n th e b o at s gunw al e an d hail ed her ,
dyin g c od fi sh -
.
‘
furiou s j erk of his pro d i giou s n eck sent him flyin g over his
head into th e air H e describ ed a b old parab ola a n d f el l
‘
the yellow Tib er The lau ghing ladies scream e d and wrun g
.
m om ent
Ger ar d s l a d y D isp ortin g in his native stream
’
. .
”
fi n d out s own riddl e
’
.
day I sh oul d n e er fi nd it ou t
,
Also wh ere is my sword ?
’
.
,
.
, ,
.
,
0 11 staring and g a p i n g b ew i l d er e d ;
,
and now sat co il e d up
snake l i ke on a b ench his m outh m u ffl e d and t w o bri ght
-
, , ,
comically .
voce an d au dibly
,
.
’
Th ere i s n ot on e of y o u th at wears Natur e s colo urs .
,
’
sai d sh e Lo ok h ere
. an d sh e p o inte d rudely in o n e s,
s i gh t .
, An d .
di straci : ro ss e — di b et t i t : b ian ch e
o — di c al cina .
shovel .
”
A t thy request my frien d Sh e then whisp ered
, .
Ha l h a t h e ! h e l h e ! h o !
Th e littl e imp o stor ! D u ck him !
”
Wh at for sig nors ? cried Andrea i n di sm ay an d
'
, , ,
lo st h i s rich c a rnation .
Oh wh at eyes an d teet h !
,
H e is a ro seb u d wash e d in d ew
An d th ey reve nge d th ems elves fo r their b eaux adm ira
.
’
Gerard s co nduct ha d b een of a p iece wit h thes e man i acs ’
.
vi rtu e his health his hab its of lab our and the calm sleep
, , ,
’
that is lab our s satellite ; ab ove a l l hi s p iety , .
hop el ess .
lad3
Th ey w ould se e w ith the i r homely b ut swif t intelligence ;
they woul d s ee and save .
gliding .
th e dark ro ad h e is going ?
Yes ; on e eye there is up on him ; watching his every
movem ent ; following him ab ro a d ; trac k in g him hom e .
CHAPTER L X IV
’
Th e l ady s b row flu sh ed .
”
not s o run up o n n ow as it was a few years a go
°
.
H e wh o S p ok e to me kn ew not t h e
.
S e b e i t signora
, .
l earn thes e ?
From myself .
.
,
, .
C HAPTER LX V
.
,
dition and doz e d with his head on his hands and his h and s
,
up o n th e tabl e .
hide all his face exce p t his b eard showed h e wa s one of tho se ,
met
Th en to p rove that crim e of o ne sor t or anoth er was
,
of th e purchaser .
, ,
CHAPTER LX V I
’
Th e form er gre w p eevish It w a s p ast nine o clo ck . .
”
T hat i s for you I trow said h e p rou d of h i s i n t el l i
, , ,
gen ce .
’
D ear Pietro
,
d ear An drea , life i s t o o great a b u rden .
S o ti s , m y l a d b u t th a t i s n o r ea s on b i b d
’
f or e n g a r oa
”
a k s u p p er t i m e
-
S u p p er i s n ot a b u r d en
. .
Wh y , A n d r ea
For my b o dy ere this y e read it will l ie in Tib er
'
, , .
O miserabl e day !
, 0 cal am ity of cal amities ! Gerard , ,
4 66 THE T H E HEARTH
a way from th e river an d to ok them t o the gate of a large ,
”
d rop s a gain crie d l i e An d this ro ad l eadeth to th e
, .
r 1 y er .
’
wetter and wetter an d to ok th em to the Tib er s e dge ,
.
.
.
th e house .
H e return ed l n l es s t h a n h a l f an h our
'
°
T h e m or n i n g b roke '
.
,
fate .
CHAPT ER L X V I I
' ’
4
,
1 me .
hand .
Is a c a n g v e y e ,
to ngue l
And with a snarl of co n te m pt h e ran fro m h i m an d fl un g ,
Margaret !
4 68 THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
th e heavy p lunge of his b o dy in th e stream th e b ravo
At
seem ed to recover from a stup or H e ran t o th e b a n k . ,
CH APTER L X V I I I
f a r away .
”
fi r s t at su ch an a t im e
, .
CHAPTER L X IX
IN
stranger exhau ste d b y su ccessive and viol ent fi t s of nau s ea
, ,
hither ?
’
B y th e h a n d of H e aven You flun g away Go d s gift . .
in g til l we a k an d w e a ri ed h e f en in to a do se
,
-
.
m ess er ?
No ne th e wors e for my gauntlet ? inquire d t h e ot h er
I was f a i n t o str ike y ou” with al
,
How ?
Well S ignor I was b y the b ank s o f T ib e r on— on— a n
, ,
,
”
w i fe an d chi l d up on th e s ea .
’
It is Teresa s husb an d An d an as sassin ? .
”
.
Ah !
My heart it cried Teresa ! H ow coul d I g o hom e
and lo ok h er in th e face did I l et thee die and by th e very, ,
’
on e Gerard a fair youth from Holl and The sam e qu o I ’ ’
, .
, .
thou art .
every day .
p ondering .
f u ll pure angelic
, , .
rend i ng an d co rruptin g th e so ul .
”
Ay h e sigh ed
,
th e Church is p eace o f m ind Til l , .
, .
An d th e p o or to rn wo rn creature wep t , .
two .
D ivin e Power which had thwarte d his will to save his s oul .
Com e p o o r laden soul p our forth thy grief p our forth thy
, , ,
”
Thy sins are great sai d Ans elm Thy temptatio n , .
al so was great
”
terribly great I must consult our go o d
, .
p r i or .
h a n ds .
, ,
”
m o re blo o d of guilty m en b ut not so guilty as thou , .
dream .
. .
”
wears thy m eanest s ervant w en d t h ou instant to L orett o
'
”
,
N o sho es ; b ut a b ar e sand al .
N o fath er , .
their a dmonitio n .
Humph !
Oh m ercy ! B ethink th ee l My features ar e known
,
”
throu gh Ital y .
th e feet of b as e b orn m en -
.
friar of S t D ominic . .
CHAPTER LXX I
A s is th e race of l eaves so is that of m en An d a great .
l y
a sick at Bru ges N ow p aup ers g o
. t sick an d g ot well
as Nature pl eas ed ; b ut wo e b etided th e rich in an age wh en ,
, , .
”
H ere is th i s said h e s otto vo ce
,
S urely th i s will
, .
”
s erve : t i s alto geth er ap elik e doubl et and ho s e ap art
’
,
.
”
Nay ,
s ai d th e chancell or p eevishly th e Prin ces s ,
”
M ari e woul d h an g u s Sh e d ot et h o n th i s. .
in cloth of gold
Th en D r R em edy grew imp at i ent an d b ad e flay a do g
.
.
.
,
Franconia .
”
knows an d no o n e cares a s th e s on g says , .
An d why ?
D ukes Philip th e Go o d com e and go an d l eave m ankind ,
p orte d that Clem ent s sp irit was w ill ing b ut his fl es h was
’
weak .
i s w i ll i n g .
,
.
vu l gar Victim .
murder was thou ght to cal l for exact an d blo o dy retr i butio n .
, .
-
,
'
-
'
,
’
eye s .
lik e a ch il d .
”
Coura ge s on Clem ent sai d the prior ,
~A D ominican
, .
robb ing them Clem ent p assed his la st night in priso n wit h
.
-
his trem ors left h i m and h e felt all strung u p l ike a lute and
’
, ,
, , ,
of th e T i b er an d tie d h an d and ,
prevent tho s e
stru ggl es b y wh ich a m an thr owin g his ar m s out of th e ,
water s i nk s hi s b o dy
,
.
D u rin g the exp erim ent Cl em ent prayed earn es tly on the
b ank .Wh en it w a s over h e thanke d G od in a lou d but
sli ghtly qu aver i n g vo ice .
to b e comp ensated .
For what ?
For the p ain th e dread th e s u ff o cati on : Po or s oul
, , ,
”
he h ad don e no i ll .
fault .
Show it thi s u n b el i ev er l
An d twas th at am ethyst m ad e the b oy temp erate ?
’
.
,
ab u s e of lan g u age .
historian s .
h eath en sup erstitio ns from thy mind brother as Chr istia n ity , ,
”
hath blotte d them from th e ear th .
Gan ges which o utside are m ountains and within are mines
, ,
city an d th e p o et a S opho cl es ?
,
“
Wh at then have we invented ? Is it monotheism ?
Why the l earned and phil o sophical am on g the Greeks and
,
7
p
J u p i t er ides m over i s ’
d
‘
es t qu o cu n q u e v qu o cu n qu e .
sort or kind .
, .
p agan vul gar in these p arts made their images then knelt ,
Jerom e here b roke in imp atie ntly and rem in ded him that ,
Ay cried Co l onna
, such are the tutel ary images of ,
yet from heaven to smu ggle the b read ou t o f cap abl e work
’
m en s m ouths Al l this is Pagan an d aro se thu s
. Th e ,
kissed
'
,
'
’
und er the Emp ire The D ruids kissed the High Priest s to e
’
a Pa gan practice .
, ,
,
.
,
A h n i m i u m f a c il es , qu i t r i s t ia c ri m i n a c oed i s
' '
F l u n nn ea t ol h p oss e p u t e t i s a qu a ’
.
volub ility ;
We cel ebrate th e mir aculou s Conception of t h e V irgin
'
'
a
'
'
p
.
[ Enei d
I tak e it from a holier source : S t Gre gory said .
,
Jerom e sternl y .
S om e '
othe r s by air .
S ays V i rgil
A l i ae p a u d u n t u r i n a n es
‘
,
S u s p en s ae a d v e n t os a l i i s s u b g u r g i t e v as t o
,
I n f e c t u m el u i s c e l u s , a u t e xu r i t u r i gni ’
tur .
, .
Pl ato as Plato than Grego r y Our p rayers for the dead came .
B u b c m or e m f E n aea s , p i e t a t i s id on e a s a u c t or
A t t u h t l n t er r a s , j u s t e La t m e , t u a s ’
.
altar a r e a p aro dy on th e
, S orte s V i r gi l i a n ae Our .
’
S a b eeo thure cal ent ar ae Our altars and our hundred lights ’
.
bronze s of th e V irgin and Chil d are V enu ses and Cup ids
.
-
. .
, ,
is a dunce -
l ik e corruption of th e V era icon which this ,
’
we e Paynim city !
,
Q u od c u n qu e os t en d i s m i h i s i c i n c r ed u l u s od i .
’
’
that Cuthb ert s carcass directed his b earers where to g o ,
, .
’
D ixi a d D ominum D eum No thank you holy Jerom e ; .
, ,
in it to o For S t Pa ul was n ot s o Sp i t ef ul a g a i n s t th em a s
'
. .
, ,
r e d i t to him a s an
enthusiast H e ran and h al l o o e d j oy f ul l y after J erom e
. And .
of their soul s is a —
p urel y Pa gan custom as Pa gan as incense ,
A ff ect i ppl i c i i s Oh r i s i t i a n i , g en u s h om i n u m
su
~
N ovae s u er s t i t i on i s a c m a l e fi cae
p
’
.
.
.
’
tis a pure and charitable so ul .
THE C L O IST E R AND TH E H E AR T H
art forb idden to consort with him From this day g o alone .
,
'
’
news that Brother Cl ement had p a s sed by th e F r a Col on n a s
lodging and had s t opp ed a littl e whil e in the street and then
, ,
w i t h childish repining .
”
D ominic Fly him then with a string
“
. .
, ,
~
That sam e day it was announced to Clem ent that h e
was to go to Engl and imme d ia t ely with Brother J erome .
C HAPTER L XX I I I
E be 1 b ea r t b
.
,
The sub s equ ent condu ct of the strong un der the yoke
of the weak might have prop itiated a s h e b ear with three -
cub s on e sickly
, Th ey general ly slipp ed out of the hous e
.
”
s e e m e ab out a gain .
’
high time Hasn t b een anigh them this three ye a rs by
.
,
al l accounts .
-
, .
ab out L i fe i s b ut a W hi rligig
. L eastways w e p o or .
,
'
,
’
fi e ! here s a fo ul blot qu o I ; and scrub b ed away at it I did
’ ’
,
’
.
Think on t l ’
me .
’
B ut wh i l e her b oy s father was p assing throu gh t ho se fear ful
temp ests of th e soul ending in the dea d m onastic cal m her , ,
f
h er irst b orn ; th en swifter than lightnin g dart your eye
-
lik e gho sts eyes down h ands m eekly cro ssed over b o soms
, ,
CHAPTER L XX I V
( I b e C l oi s ter
the very m onk for this : well versed in lan guages and in his ,
preach on the ro ad .
prayers .
littl e for melo dram a and exp ect a quiet p eep at what passe s ,
worl d .
’
th e welfare of M a rgaret s soul An d from that hour this .
fellow -creature .
Exh au stion and d eath foll owed the disease when it gained ,
H E AR T H
my pl ace B et s h a n g er .
, ,
sins
Fin din g him so p iou s a son of t he Church Cl em ent l et
.
g ravely ,
Holy father h ear th e truth
, ab out these h eretics .
”
kisses . H e a dde d hastil y I say not this f or my self ; I
,
” '
’
.
, .
,
See my s on said h e
, He aven hath foreseen our
, ,
religiou s b argains .
cart .
S w ey n h ei m l
Th e m en started to their feet .
Pa n n a r t z !
They scuttle d into the wo o d an d were seen no more , .
, , , ,
O sup erstition !
,
I know y e as all goo d workmen are ,
S w ey n h ei m ?
The honest Germans were now astonish ed that they ha d
susp ecte d magi c in s o simple a m atter .
said Pa n n a r t z .
”
Ay s ai d S w ey n h ei m
,
an d with tho se wi ts wo ul d ,
Yes said S w ey n h ei m ,
and where to fi n d mo ney to ,
’
Th e tears sto o d in the honest workm en s eyes They .
My nation is th e Church .
, .
.
, ,
But two .
.
,
around his very nam e s eem s sil ent a s the grave to which ,
, .
, .
, .
”
up on his fo ot It decide d h im
. My daughter said h e
I myself have b e en a g eat sinner
.
, ,
.
You father ? ,
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 5 03
'
. .
f ‘
Woman I a m not A s f or my fe et th ey can wa 1 t their
, ,
t u rn. Ob ey thou m e .
Yes father ,
said the lady humbly ,
But with a .
of the friar fell up on her ear and his words so on made her ,
’
d ea d fi
Po or Gerard ! Po or Margaret ! m o aned the p enitent .
Po or p o or G erard !
,
”
H e saw on e watching h im It wa s a b ravo . .
Holy saints !
H e b e gged th e b ravo to desp atch him ; h e off ere d h 1 m
all his money to slay him b o dy and soul , The b ravo woul d .
Ah !
An d th e assassin s ave d his life Thou hadst cho s en fo r .
”
ear thly b enefactor .
he know ?
All .
Then never will I m eet his eye ; I shoul d sink into the
earth .But I woul d rep air my crim e I woul d watch hi s .
”
My d au ghter s ai d Clement col dl y , b e y ou call ,
A priest ?
A priest and a friar , .
h er m ask .
It needs not
”
I have excus ed thee this b o otl es s
.
'
p enance .
’
Tis no p enance to m e Ah ! y ou do not f or gi ve m e if
‘
.
,
added timi dl y .
’
Th i s brou ght a faint blush into the m o nk s cheek and
‘
”
I w ill .
I
,
’
father s house to my holy mother s work
.
’
.
”
A di eu f al tere d th e princess
, Adieu thou that I .
,
,
"
Christians live for ever a nd love f or b ut th ey,
’
’
never p art for ever Th ey p a rt a s p art the ear th and s u n
.
, ,
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH .
5 07
f or life A n d wh a t is ou r life ?
. O ne lin e in the great story
of the Church w h o se s on and dau gh ter we are ; on e handful
,
—
Adieu f or the little m o m ent called a l ife ! We p art in
tro ubl e we shall m eet in p eace : we p art creatures of clay
, ,
E V ER ”
.
fi gu r e .
deep stu dy a n d m or t i fi c a t i on
,
.
knowl edge .
CHAPTER LXXV I
II b e 1 b ea r t b
”
and tell them I can t
’
t here chil d I m u s t
,
” ’
take me hom e b y the c a r with a flea in t She t hen r e ,
.
”
Oh ! mother say not s o , .
wi i t
’
s o ou t .
“
Well th en m othe r — I woul d rather not have tol d y ou
, ,
wo ul d b e very so rry .
’
You are a fo olish l ass Why were it m e I d take it .
, ,
j u st to sp ite him .
N 0 y ou woul d n ot
, You an d I are apples oil one tree . .
sides .
and searching b etw een his clothes and his skin found a gol d ,
”
There n ow Gerard said sh e to th e b ab e ;
, , I th oug h t ,
’
Catherine tol d Eli of Margaret s fo olish p ride and how
s h e had b a ffl e d i t Eli said Margaret was right a n d s h e '
.
,
d one .
She had enou gh to do to keep the house and the ,
help them b efore it was sp ent And w ith these bright hop es .
,
51 0 THE C L O ISTER AND TH E HEARTH
'
, , , ,
”
Not I said Luke warmly , W h y Mistre ss M argaret .
, ,
can carry y our b asket for you b efore or after my d a y fs work '
”
’
Tisn t as if we were stran gers y e know
’
, .
,
’
to c arry N ay says you
. I ll g i ve you th e p itcher an d
,
’
,
’
,
”
l east I could s a y .
tim e I carry your b aske t I care not how o ften I b ear i t nor , ,
”
h ow far .
night when you brin g th e linen hom e and your dawn mete
, ,
’
0 Monday ; woul d that make u s anyways even ?
As y ou pl eas e ; o nly s a y not I sought a coupl e 0 d iets ’
— ’
’
troubl ed by G erard s lon g a n d now m o st mysteriou s silence , .
agita t ion .
Girl said h e
, th e skipp er is com e b ack , .
”
Then th ey mu st h ave seen him alive .
Ay like enou gh
, s a id Margaret glo omily ; like , ,
enou gh . My p o or b ab e l
The ol d man in a faintish voice asked h er for a m orsel to -
Can I d o nou ght for the e this day ? b ethink the e now .
A y ol d m an
,
Pray f or him ; and for m e !
.
CH APTER LXXV I I
N or lon g aft er this a s the littl e fa m il at T er gou s at at , y
dinner Luk e Peterson b urst in on th em covered with dust
, ,
.
Ay dam e s h e said t o m e
,
Goo d Luke h i e thee to
, , ,
51 2 THE CLO ISTER AND TH E HEARTH
T er gou , and ask for Eli the ho sier an d p ray his ife Cath erine ,
’
w
to co m e to m e f or Go d His love , I di dn t wait for day .
’
li gh t .
timi dl y .
An d s h e was s o wrapp e d up in i t !
Catherin e starte d u p : What is his trouble ?
Nay I know not
,
But it has b een p eaking and p i ning .
”
wors e an d wors e this whil e .
”
H er face was turned towards her husb and Now Eli .
, ,
yet fail m e at a p inch Now eat your di nners who can whi l e
.
,
th ere was of i t .
h er arm s roun d her ne ck and lo oke d impl orin gly 1 n her face , .
scanning h er eagerly .
” ”
m e s ai d s h e
,
Th e chil d i s p oisoned
. .
Poisoned ! by whom ?
B y you You have b een fr etting
. .
’
D on t tell m e Margaret A nursin g m other has no
, .
b usin ess to fret She mu st turn her mind away fro m her
.
grief to the comfort that lies in her lap Know you not that .
the chil d pines i f the mothe r vexes herself ? Thi s comes of '
ch il d mu st b e weane d .
‘
Wh at are y e fro m T er g ou ? a l l the b etter
, B ut I .
”
cannot cal l your face to mind .
p opp et night or d ay
, .
, , ,
as th e do or clo se d up o n h er .
”
No no s aid Margaret turni n g her h ead h al f away
, , ,
oh ! oh ! oh l
was inval uabl e ; and now in the midst of her grief and ,
each p earl that p eep ed and sp arkl ed on his red gums was ,
him th e place of sexton to the p arish and what wit h that and ,
than anyb o dy in these p arts but he has got to b e clo ser than
ever of late D rop in som e day j ust afore sunset an d s et
.
,
’
him talking And for our Lady s sake s a y n ot I s et you on
. .
her how h e had b efriended her son and p erhap s save d his life .
his wife who received it with a calm air of stolid candour and
,
”
I l l ask him
’
.
’
I would .
’
s om e caus e G er a rd s mortal enemy ; h a d stopp ed his
m a rr iage impriso ned h i m hunted h im
, An d here was his , .
”
ou t of h im th an I coul d .
turn i ng very re d .
”
Alas ! Gerard to ok i t .
’
s o oth to s a y I b lam e not my Joria n for b eing wr oth
, Ti s .
mistress ?
O”h it i s not for m e to drive th e go o dman ou t of his own
,
ho use .
”
fa ul t any way p o o r inno cent , .
’
Af ter s i x weeks stay that go o d wom an returned hom e .
, ,
chur ch at B asle .
THE C L O ISTE R ~
AND THE HE ARTH
m a d e him dis gorge An d with him Avarice was an in grai ned
.
so,
conclu din g s h e h ad s om ethin g to b e ashame d of h e '
It wa s M a rgaret Bran dt .
Is h e al ive ?
For au ght I kn ow stamm ere d Gh y sb r ech t I h0 p e , .
so,
for your s a ke Prithe e com e into this ro om . The .
servants !
N ot a step sai d Margar et an d s h e to ok him by th e
, ,
sp orte d with .
tol d him tho s e wh o had sent her t o hi m tol d her another t ale
‘
.
fi rmly .
At
'
a
H e st mm ered e —
S ai d y not I There I a m a p o o r ol d
,
‘
,
'
, ,
thi nk of their s !
”
Woman you torture m e sighe d Gh y s b r e ch t and s ank
, , ,
up on a b en ch But sh e s a w h er a d y a n t a ge a nd kn eeled
.
‘
, .
. .
,
THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 51 9
f
T wi ll melt thee m or e t h a n any word of mine
.
S aints of ‘
.
a m in h ell I a m i n hell
. .
”
.th e p o or ol d m an .
’
more comp e l led to unfol d Catherine s an gel But strange to .
"
Jf or (Ber a r o b i s dnl g f e .
She kissed the writin g a gain and a gain and put it in her ,
b o som .
’
O nce it was at th e b ottom of Luke s b asket H e h ad stopp e d .
”
d o es com e fr om Gerard h e sh all s ee h i s b oy neat Al l th e
, .
b rats ou t at el b ows .
”
b oy s father a gain nor h er marriage lin es
’
, This last gri ef .
,
u s to b e b ereaved ? Mu st w e b e di sh onoure d to o ? O h th at ,
” ’
we ha d n e er b een b o rn .
other .
”
as thou do st .
'
’
Th en Catherine s b owel s yearn e d o ver her an d s h e said , ,
My p o or girl y ou wer e n ot b o rn t o li ve al o ne
,
I h ave got .
’
i s an honest lad that loves the e well this m any a day I d .
”
n ot h i n g i n the worl d without em Th en s eein g Margaret ’
.
Wh y sure yo u
'
Wh at ? Wh o ?
Wh o b ut thi s Luk e P eterson .
them to h i s mind .
’
-
.
’ ’
after your s on 5 wi fe that i s or ou ght to b e I d so on p ut him
, ,
to th e d o or
Nay n ay ; for Heaven 5 s a k e l et me no t m ak e mischief
.
, .
Oh moth er an d you l et h i ni l
, ,
-
Well I thou ght of you
, I s ai d t o m ys elf If h e i s fo ol .
,
’
c a r r v her littl e m atters B ut now my mind is ch anged and .
,
, ,
'
”
take my counsel you will ke ep ou t of my way awh i le .
”
It is al l along of m e Luke said the bu syb o dy , , .
t t h er a gainst m e ?
‘
y ou o s e
‘
.
,
”
w on t hear of i t
’
.
’ ”
lass o S aturdays that s wo oing ,
’
.
, ,
”
th e pud dings said Luke tenderly , .
Then you have s een the last of them How dare you tal k .
’
s o t o another m an s wife and him f ar away ? She ende d ,
gently b ut very fi r m l y
, You need n ot trouble yourself to ,
”
Oh very well said Luke ; and after sittin g sil ent an d
, ,
com e not hom e and claim her you wil l b e sure to have her ,
b oy .
5 24 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
C HA PTER L XXX
Gb e C l ois t er
‘
”
Twas well thou ght of said Jerome H e then tol d
’
, .
, ,
with m o st preachers .
e x c i t a t u s u t torrens i n c e n s u s u t fulm en t on a b a t f u l gu r a b a t
, , , ,
et r a p i d i s el oqu en t i ae fl u ct i b u s cuneta p r or u eb a t et p or t u r
b ab at .
p eas is a vi ce in b o oks
, .
”
wer e the streets there was The S ilver Li on
, N othing .
his heart calm an d col d his hands a cro s s his breast an d his
, ,
Holy Church .
C HAPTE R LXXX I
‘
(I b e b ear t b
‘
a nd I 1 ]
ask n o m ore to -day Wh at is wormwo o d ? .
”
Th en answer it yo urself .
THE CL O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 5 27
An d
shall —
Wormwo o d is to have two in the hou se .
chance ?
Eli said h e was willing but afraid they woul d drink an d ,
’
N a y sai d Cath erine D o st t a k e m e for a simpleto n ?
, .
—
Oh self d e c ep t i on l The tru e motive of all this was to
,
ha b itable .
Kate for on e enj oye d it keenly for littl e Gerard was put
, , ,
legs etc , .
’
Twas much I did ill to l et the e dr aw m e t oo ; we can
.
”
Th en I will ob ey K ate .
words of Jo an .
, .
to convey :
’
Fin d m e my b oy s father .
C HAPTER LXXX I I
M I S T RE S S th ey all s a y h e is dead
, .
’
A t this revelatio n Mar gar et s te a rs b egan to fl ow .
s o s or e fi
’
bles s thee ; and I shall love the e all my days swe et Luke , ,
”
m aketh u s to b e all s elf .
to m e an d forb id— Oh l
,
Well mistres s ? ,
I trow no t ; b ut i i ?
Th en h e will give thee up my m ar ria ge lines a nd I sh al l
’
, ,
A y b ut wi ll y ou com e in at mine ?
, An swer m e that !
Oh ask m e not ! S om e day p erhap s wh en my wounds
, , ,
hi s m ad erran d .
hen s h e heard of i t
T os end the p o or l ad on su ch a wil d -go o se chase !
.
’
B ut y ou
THE C L O ISTER AND THE H EARTH 531
are like a m any m ore girls ; and mark my word s ; by the tim e
o u have worn that Luke fairly ou t and m ade him as sick of
y ,
G b e c l ois t er
And having the stream with them the friars would in p oint ,
”
N ay said s h e
, tis not for mys elf flo w thes e te a rs tis
,
’
,
’
w a s an d what s h e is p o or wretch
,
But you are a D omini
,
.
”
can and I a m a Franciscan nun
,
.
the convent and her b o som friend had b een lured away from
, ,
Clem ent .
her t o try and win b ack her nun Jerom e obj ected and sai d , ,
’
Ab out ten o clo ck th at d ay a fi gu r e in a hors em an s ,
’
in thine hous e .
”
Then I a m in doubl e lu ck sai d a fem al e voice ; ,
him hi th er .
anythin g out .
went tripping b efore him H e foll owed gro anin g inwar dly .
, ,
an d sore p e r plexed .
uneasines s .
5 34 THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH
Th e angels weep stil l m ore Wilt n ot dry all their .
” ’
S atan avaunt cried the monk sternl y , Ti s thy .
com e to s ave the e h ave b een a far greater sinner than thou .
’
Com e M a ry s i n tho u s eest is n ot s o sweet e en in this
, , , , ,
”
worl d as holiness ; and eternity is at the do or
, .
”
d en of wolves an d brin g the e b ack to thy vows
, .
anoth er .
answer .
now s ai d h e
, , , ,
”
rem i n d her of th eir love Final ly he showed her with su ch ,
fol d .
”
To present to th e convent father ,
.
”
But obj e cted t h e p eniten t
, it woul d b e a sin to leave
_
,
thy hand s ; its glitterin g yok e from thy neck its po l lution ,
‘
But they were not clear yet .
ou r J anet .
”
friar ru shed at them cr u c i fi x in h and Forb ear he crie d .
, ,
p a n d er er l
H e didnot en d th e sentence in words but seized the man ,
Away !
The landl ord l ay t errifi ed half stunned and bleeding ; , ,
no more of h i m .
”
this black go wn of mine .
”
Al as father said Mary
, were you oth er than yo u
, ,
”
m an wary a s a fox ; yet b ol d as a lion .
l o oke d at her kindl y and tol d her s h e had noth ing to fear , .
gate .
tim e for the i r littl e prep aration s Clem ent went slowly b ack ,
”
I trow not s aid h e b ut that is future : to - day i s
,
”
given to j oy al one .
singing .
”
them ; for I s ee h er hand tremble s at the k eyhole .
f
Gerard E l i a s s oen o T e g r ou — i s b e al ive ? ,
al ive .
—
found him l ots of b arrel s to m e nd on th es e term s An d h e . .
C HA PTER Lx xx n l
( th e b ear t h
, ,
an idea .
Gou da a wondrou s h ol y m a n
,
Why he can tell what is '
.
,
coming when he is in th e mo o d
,
.
, ,
ro om .
”
b itter . Sh e en gage d him in conversatio n a s so on as he had
taken i t This bitter -sweet stayed b y him
. S eeing which .
, ,
She gathered it in his own garden Her eagle eye had seen it .
”
d yin g .
I s it e en s o p o or soul ?
’
Alas ! crie d Mar gar et .
,
”
Th en l et u s in to help thee .
holy friar .
”
S eein g is b elievi n g replied Marg a ret w ith q uiet , ,
b itterness .
, .
,
’
there i s a s orry herb says h e Why I was thinkin g 0
, .
,
’
’
p ullin g a l l mine u p says h e I up an d tol d him rem edie s
, .
, ,
”
Prithee tell m e , .
, .
’
But l east said is so onest m en ded Yon i s his favourite .
”
word ; he com e s b ack to t from a m i le off ’
.
waters my p o o r b ab e and m e
, .
”
him to g o on such an erran d .
w arml y .
M other d o y ou th i nk he wo ul d b e ki nd to li tt le
,
Gerard ?
542 THE C L O ISTER AND T H E HEARTH
th e sam e fr a gm ent of th e wreck ; his pup il his p enitent his , ,
”
he arts are no colder nor less trusty than this said h e ,
.
’
H e sou ght amo ng th e tomb sto ne s for Margaret s He .
g o n e fi
went into th e church and after kiss i n g th e step s
He , ,
”
This i s where I lo ok to hid e ere l on g .
”
physi c ian .
, .
”
agree w i country folk
’
.
Wh at great to wns my s on ? ,
prayed in the chap el for Jerom e and Margaret till it was long
p ast midnight and his so ul had recovere d its cold cal m
,
.
C HAPTER LXX X I V
( t h e I b ea t t b
white lamb sucking a gilt sheep Eli had com e and b ro ught .
,
i n law and also to sh ake o ff her own deep languor ; and b oth
-
,
oh ,
lass what a sermo n in th e n ew k er k l Preaching ? I
,
”
never h eard it till this day .
”
you are wanted h ere .
“
Not s h e said Catherine Come away y e g o if
, .
, ,
’ ”
y are minded .
”
Indeed said Margaret m ethinks I should n ot b e
, ,
’
such a damp er at table if I could come to t warm from a
”
go od sermon .
folk are wending that way and as I live there go e s the holy , ,
5 44 THE C L O IST E R AND THE HEARTH
friar . Oh bles s u s an d save u s Margaret ; th e hermit ! We
, ,
Kate i n b ed .
th ee on e thou lovest .
do or inau dibly .
quite still Th e words and the m ellow gentle earn est vo ice
.
, ,
vibrate inside an d ou t .
to n sure Sh e sighed
. That tonsure b ein g al l s h e s a w
.
, ,
preach er stopp ed .
, ,
face .
F or that look wa s RE C O GN IT I O N .
glare .
Father s h e said
, thou h ast often heard m e s a y I a m
,
do or .
C HA PTER LXXXV I
tt b e Cl oi s t er a no t h e h ea r t h
’
that m ultitu de ; an d h e mu st tel l th em of Go d s love : p o or
soul s they hear d al m o st a s littl e of it from the p ulp it then a
,
he gl a red at i t .
gli tterin g lik e the gloriol a of a saint and her face glowing ,
s to o d hi s dead love .
”
My s on said Friar Clem ent softly , i f y ou keep any ,
p ill ars ?
Nay father sai d J orian
, here in th e churchyard l i e
, ,
”
B ran dt .
”
Oh that is anoth er m atter s aid Jorian ;
, that was ,
wa s . H e was lo st in th e p ast .
fo ol of you !
An d h avin g relieve d his mind thu s h e p ro ceede d to di g ,
’
I have i t ; t i s P eter Brandt s grave you woul d fain s ee not ’
,
’
Mar garet s H e do es lie here ;
. hard by the west do or .
Th ere ; I l l s h ow you
’
An d h e laid down his sp ade an d
.
‘
tomb . Stil l l ess that sh e was watchin g for this holy fri a r .
THE C L O I ST E R AND THE HEARTH 551
C HAPTER LXXXV I I
W H I LE J orian was putting on his d oublet and j erkin to go to
Peter s tomb his tongu e was not idl e
’
They u se d to call
, .
’
gave em a touch of his trade at p arting ; tol d em h e saw ’
’
Margaret s la d a comin g d own Rhine in brave clothes and -
’
store 0 mo ney b ut his face scarred by foreign glaive and , ,
’
But dear heart nou ght cam e on t
, Margaret i s still weary
, .
not b ut what s h e hath put a stone slab over him to keep him ,
”
where h e is : as y ou shall s ee .
H ow l on g s i n ce Pe t e r Br a n d t
d i ed
Ab out two m onths Why ? .
A n d h i s d a u h t er b u r i e d h i m ,g s ay y ou
N ay I buried him b ut , , sh e p aid the fee and reared th e
stone Why ? .
T h en — b u t h e Ma r g ”
h ad bu t d a ug h t er
'
on e a r e t) l .
T h e n y ou t h i n k M a r ga r et i s —is a l i ve I
Think ? Why , I should b e dead else . Rid dl e m e
she saved my life scarce s i x weeks agone Now had she b een .
’
couldn t make m e ’
My Jo an says Tis time to b uy the e a .
,
, ,
’
em shift m e where I lay an d cures m e in the twinklin g of a ,
’
weed till it cured m e but now whene er I p ass my bunch I ,
’
d oh my b onnet and says I My service t y e Why how
' ’
, ,
.
,
now father you lo ok wondrou s pal e and now you are red
, , , ,
Clem ent .
Brandt ?
Nay ; b ut I kn ew on e that love d her well s o well her ,
”
s h e l ives An d I b elieve thee
. .
p o or lass ? Where ?
Cl em ent was on th e p oint of revealing h i mself b ut h e ,
”
I kn ew hi m in Italy sai d h e , .
cautiously .
Oh b ut this is strange
, Stay what m ad e thee s a y .
,
pl ay ! Fo ul play !
Fath er s aid J orian , I thank Heaven for s en d i n g the e ,
to m e . A y s i t y e do w n ; y e do lo ok l i ke a gho st ; y e fast
,
ou t the s cent— g o to
’
An d I do thi nk you an d I h a got h ol d
.
’
of two en ds 0 on e stick an d a m ai n foul on e , .
how n ow ?
The m onk started wil dly u p livi d with fury an d de sp air , ,
tremul ou s han d .
’
but in a m oment re m emb ere d Jorian s sh adow ha d com e in
s o from th e churchyard ; an d trie d to clamb er out the n e arest
way . She di d s o b ut with s om e d i ffi cul t y ; an d b y that tim e
,
Clem ent was j ust disapp earing down the street ; yet s o ,
o all p eople
f ?
”
H e h as b een sp eak ing to you ; d eny it not .
Ah !
I tol d him nowh ere tha n k Heaven : yo u were alive
, ,
Well ?
Well the lon g an d the short is h e knew thy Gerard in
, ,
gone Thank Go d !
.
,
’
their lesson If ever a man wa s m ad with rage it s y on
. He , .
”
Made m e col d a did .
went .
Gerard .
quicker !
Why thou art m ad a s h e ,S tay ! B y S t B avon y ou . .
,
wa s Gerard s face ;
’
twa s nou ght like i t ; yet som ehow
’ '
’
twa s i t
. Com e on ! com e on ! let m e s ee th e en d of thi s
. .
Ho o g S t r a et .
”
your own trouble said h e ; who says h e has gone thither ?
,
’
I know what I ll s a y to him ; Heaven forgive m e ! Po or
C atherin e tis of her I think : sh e has b een a m other to me
’ ”
.
corner .
’
M ar garet s cream ed an d sank fainting on J or i a n s arm , .
threshold .
CHAPTER LXXXV I I I
’
Ir wa s sup p er -tim e Eli s fam ily were c ollected roun d the
.
’
b o ard ; Margaret only was missin g To Catherine s surprise . .
,
come .
’
Com e s i t y e down Mistress J oa n ; y are no t here for a slave
There I hear a quick step— o fi co vers
, , ,
I trow b ut a gu e st
, .
, ,
”
and fal l to .
pl ace.
1
’
arms roun d Catherin e s n eck ; a n d p al e and p antin g was yet ,
”
0 hol d yo ur chat wom an
, cried Eli an grily ; , y ou ,
~
”
P o or lamb s aid b e After awh ile
, Co me go o d .
,
Night fell and foun d him l ying there weep ing an d prayin g
, ,
But Clem ent was himself a gain or nearly ; h e thou ght littl e ,
C HAPTER LXXX IX
W HA T that sensitive mind and tend er conscience and lovin g , ,
that at last .
, ,
word .
lik e a corp se .
”
My s on said Cl em ent b efore ab solutio n com eth
, ,
”
Ah fath er s a i d th e sick man
, they ar e m any an d
, ,
’
ab sente d him self from m ass on th e L ord s d ay an d s a ints ’
”
don e b etter to b e gin with th em .
none ?
Am I confess i n g to thee or tho u to m e ? s ai d Clement ,
”
know no t what you cal l crim es .
” ’
b ut I coul dn t I coul dn t
’
, .
’
Avar ice my s on av a rice
, Hap py f or thee tis n ot too
, .
”
to wait for it now ; not a b ove a m o nth or two at farth est '
.
’
For whi ch m onth s p o sse ssio n thou woul dst damn thy
so ul for ever Thou fo ol !
.
g 5 s .
his mind .
CHAPTER XC
IT was the day after that terribl e scen e : the littl e hou se in
th e Ho o g S t r a et wa s lik e a gr ave an d none m ore l i st l es s a n d ,
the Ho o g S t r a e t .
’
Oh if you think I can do any go o d I ll come
, said , ,
”
m eat sai d s h e
, .
sith h e i s th e strongest .
other way ; h e heard her ou t and tol d her bluntly the knaves ,
I ll .
’
’
show him said h e , what tis to have a brother at court
,
”
wi th a heart to serve a friend and a head t o p oint th e way , .
”
Bl ess thee G i les m u rmure d Margaret softly
, , .
G i les had left th em and all was s a d and sil ent again , ,
”
Well mother said M argaret listlessl y
, ,
an d here I ,
am .
,
5 64 THE C L O I ST E R AND THE HEARTH
Go o d p eopl e a dyi ng m an hath co m e to ask yo u r forgive
,
ness .
Alas said Gh y s b r e ch t
, I a m t oo feebl e to s a y it ,
’
An d th e ho nest fell ow s vo ice b egan to s h ak e with anger
h e fou ght h ard to contain b ecau se it was his own hou se ,
.
”
it. G o fetch th e b oxes sai d h e Th ey b rou ght in two , .
”
However said s h e on secon d thou ghts
, ti s b etter late , ,
’
wo ul d h ave never l eft her side for Italy or any other place .
T oo late ! To o late !
C HAPTER XC I
“
s ente d A B etroth al The s olem nity of th e cerem ony
.
an d s ai d
N ever hee d mis t ress , I f he canno t m arry you I .
can .
”
But h e is a fri a r .
,
”
w a s a fri ar And I h ave s een h i m I ve s een h i m
.
,
’
.
’
Luk e was thoro u gh l y p uz z l ed I ll tell you wh at .
,
”
h i m wh eth er you ar e m a rri e d or singl e .
fi el
Th at i s d on e a lr ea dy wi th out a word fr om m e .
THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH 5 67
”
Ay said L uke with a sigh
, y ou are lik e a cl ove
, ,
”
to al l th e rest ; but y ou are a hardhearted tyrant to m e .
’
nay ; tak e my word for t .
“
I see what y e m ean said Luke turnin g very red , , .
,
’
.
’
man s wife you are n ot th e wom an I to ok you for ; s o p art
,
”
a b ach elor Go o d even m istress
.
, .
had gon e to som e col d -blo o ded m onk s his fellows and they ,
had tol d him never to se e her m ore ? The convent had ere
this shown itself as m ercil ess to tru e lovers as the grave
itself .
do es .
, ,
Th e h i g h a n d p u i s s a n t Pri n c es s M a r i e
of Bou r g og n e h er l y t el j a n t i l m a n h y s
c om p l a y n t of y Coor t , a n d
°
r a i s e of a r u s t i ca l l l y f e, v er s i fi ca t e d , a n d em a d
p p py r e
b y m e t h e l y t el j a n t i l m a n 8 ri g h t l ovy n g e
’
a n d ob s e qu i ou s s er v i t or , e t c .
Gil e s had a lofty p ole pl ante d ready and at the app o inte d ,
squ e a ked and hid her face in her hands n o t to s ee the demis e
, ,
b o dy .
th e giant o nly great at excu ses In short Giles had gau ged .
f or s h e s a w I was in s a d earnest .
( Wh at do st smil e a t ? )
S o I tol d h er all that p ass ed b etwe en her an d Ger ar d
an d ho w s h e w a s f or g ivi n g h i m a b ishop ri c ; b ut th e go o d
countess said Gently Marie l h e i s to o youn g an d with th at
, ,
,
’
b e en a priest a lo n g whi le an d n o l ivin g Hence my b i l e , . .
’ ’
Then thy b rother is vi car of Gou da qu o s h e so , ,
’ ’
to do f or her m em ory An d do e sn t sh e fall a weeping for .
’
her m other ? An d do esn t that s et m e off a snivelling f or-
that to m e .
”
Oh G i les
, s h e said blushi n g an d kissin g h i m
, I , , .
”
have not s et eye s on him since that terribl e day .
A y if h e i s hiding at all
’
”
Why sure h e i s dead b y this tim e
,
.
’ ”
Gouda n e er wants a hermit .
the hou se and go o ds that had b een l eft her an d take R eicht ,
wo ul d n ot s a id I were I H e
,
’
, .
’
’
Yet wi ll H e certai nl y forgive i t quoth h e ; for H e i s ,
Eli .
’
An d I lo oked an d lo oke d an d at last 1 0 ! it wa s , , ,
”
Tho se were hi s very words .
m e farewell .
te a rs by ni ght an d day .
”
Gh y s b r e ch t sai d Mar garet weep in g since he hath for
, , ,
”
She then tol d h i m al l that had b efall en And sai d .
,
she , they w il l not k eep the li vin g for h i m for ever H e b ids .
A co ul dn t j u st n ow Try co mrade ! B e a m an
’
.
,
now !
I a m a b etter m an than thou ro are d S y b r a n d t I ll , .
’
’
stan d up an d fi gh t y e a ll for a crown .
”
Al as p o or wretch
,
said Marg ar et S h e turned very
, .
b roken .
”
Th e curs e h e gro aned ;, th e curs e !
M argar et and R eicht H ey n es carrie d h i m c a re f u lly an d ,
I mu st d o a s h e woul ”
d do whisp ered M a rgaret , .
wa s ki nd to Gh y s b r ech t .
.
,
s h e cried
”
I
. a m ri ghtly punish ed for my treason to my
p o or Eli .
the e n ou ght ”
C atherine shar e d his b elief that Gerar d co u l d
.
him on e day lo oking very thin and S p oke to him comp assion ,
than a prince .
”
thing to d o . .
honest m an s hou se ? ’
, .
”
They are a s like to b e in R ome replie d Margaret , .
b etter .
on him as well as S y b r a n d t .
these years t o tak e Cornelis into his hou se a gain and let h er
, ,
stranger s han ds
’
.
cons ul t th e herm it .
Wh at s ai d Mar garet
, J o an h a s b een at y ou Sh e , .
,
’
”
Ay sai d R eicht
, l i ke enou g h ; an d l o oke d up at it
,
b ut on ro ck !
Sh e whisp ered Ti s a far h olier herm it th an th e l ast ;
,
’
”
shows his face to mort al m an .
Th en what a s aint a do rm ou se mu st b e ?
Out fi e mistress
, Woul d y e even a b east to a m an ?
, .
”
Com e R eicht s ai d M argaret
, my p o or father
, ,
S o I wi ll e en s i t here an d l o ok at
’
tau ght m e overmu ch .
,
can dl es .
R eicht solemnl y .
, .
w h i p p i t it away in a trice
’
They can t ab ide a wo man to .
’ ” ’ ’
touch em or even lo o k at em saints can t
, , .
Lo ok y e th ere now .
”
Ay , ay
An d m ain skinny .
”
Al as .
Ah well continue d J o an ;
”
, , p oor thi ng I wh i l es think ,
'
’
t i s b est for her to know th e worst An d now s h e h ath _
h er b rows b ent .
rueful ly .
Ot s th at m ammy ?
’
,
A p elisse my p et , .
Ot s a p liss e ?
’ ’
” ’
A gr eat fro ck An d this is the cap e to t . .
Ot s it for ?
’
f or a h ermit .
’
Ot s a ermit ’
.
”
A h oly man that lives in a cave al l by him self .
In d e dark ?
”
A y whil es ,
.
Oh .
”
Oh Gil es s ai d she , ask for anoth er m onth
, Th ey , .
”
will give the e another m onth m ayb e , .
what is a week ?
D rownin g b o dies catch at strawen wa s her reply , .
Her .
.
,
But that other han d had h ardly b een out two second s ere
the Violet eyes that were watchin g ab ove dil ated ; and th e
gentl e b o som heaved and th e whol e fram e quivere d lik e a
,
l eaf in th e wind .
d ays contributed .
.
to l o o s e
, b er
D rago n an d brin g him al on g N ow D ra gon wa s a great .
, ,
to th e latter .
,
"
Frisian coul d hol d h er ton gu e an d Ca t h er i n e c ou 1 d not , .
'
, ,
h ermit of Gou da .
' ’
An d th e st ars ab ove s eem e d n ever s o b r 1 gh t an d c al m .
C HAPTER
"
xcu
it n ot s o ab solute w a s hi s s eclusio n
, .
yself ? Wh at i s my p enitence ,
e? h e gro ane d .
, Heaven is .
till h e had clo se d his eyes and b uried him b eneath th e fl oor
of th e littl e oratory attache d to h i s c el l It was th e p eaceful .
had shriven him and praye d b y him h e in his turn sou ght , , ,
’
These word s an d the h ermit s p iou s and p eaceful d eath ,
’ ’
B aptist s abb ey round ab out which th e hermit s caves were
,
, .
, ,
p raye r .
, .
, ,
.
,
, .
, , ,
, , ,
0 .
’
:
ap ertur es th rou gh whi ch h e was sp ok en to an d replied
, , .
’
, ,
b y the villagers
On mo o nl ight nights h e w
.
victorie s What
,
s aid Clem ent , ar e they s o wise , ,
,
earth ; and shal l I l eave the ro cks ab o ut m e s il ent on th e
King of Glo r y at who se word th ey were and at who s e
, ,
singing o n their wa y l
.
, ,
tre aties ; for if the p atients got wel l they gave the holy hermit
the credit and if not they laid all th e blam e on the devil
, .
’
K now y e not th e h ermit s rul e is b read or herb s an d water ? , ,
’
b rea d a thin g to fling h aph a z ard from an h ermit s window ?
And to tho s e who p ersiste d after this : T o live o n char ity ,
, ,
”
a va r i t i ae nom en p a u p er u m .
”
for th at ; Heaven rest hi s s oul .
N o h e co ul d not play i t
, Hi s s o ul wa s s o ou t of tune . .
Ah wretch e d m e l h e cried ;
, S aul had a sai nt to play .
.
,
V E R T E B A T U R A D ME LAN CH OL I AM o
C HAPT ER xc1 1 1
, ,
fi gh t i n g .
THE C L O ISTE R AN D THE HEARTH
'
5 91
, .
”
Anything is go o d enou gh for m e, h e said if twill ,
’
, , ,
with sigh s an d gro ans his blo o dl ess weap on b etween work , ,
in g an d fi gh t i n g .
i Rg r i e 1 5 1 6 1 5 0 11 .
C h r i s t a 1 5 1 6 1 5 0 11 .
Tov E '
ar a y a u a vvr pcgb ou 1 7 3 mr e vs 7 0 5 11 9 i m a m}
S urs um Gor b a f
’
E 6 1 1 5 mef ug i um nos t r um ct vi r t us fi’
21 h i nt es t at i oni b us , , a
p cr p ct ua fi
I i b er a nos E omi ne .
l l 7
c o e ct ) .
mi s er i cors S a l va t or ,
1
B ea t d ow n S a t a n u n d er ou r f e e t .
2
L i f t u p y ou r h ea r t s
3 g
O G od ou r r e f u e a n d s t r en t h g .
4 k
0 L a m b of G od , t h a t t a e s t a w a y t h e s i n s of t h e w or l d , h a ve m e r cy
u p on m e .
5
O H ol y T r i n i t y , on e God , h a ve m er c y u p on u s
—
.
6
F r om t h e a s s a u l t s of d em on s f r om t h e w r a t h t o e om e -f r om e ve r
g
l a s t i n d a m n a t i on — d el i ve r u s , 0 L or d .
g g
,
7 S e e t h e E n l i s h c ol l ec t S t M i c h a e l a n d a l l A n el s
w
.
, .
8 Oi k
h om m a y w e s e e s u c c o u r b u t of T h e e , O L or d , w h o f or ou r s i n s
art ju s t l y d i s l e a s e d (a n d t h a t t or r e n t of p r a y e r , t h e f oll ow i n
p ve r se ) g .
5 92 T HE C L O IS TE R AN D TH E HEARTH
( n cor b e, qui p r o vob is t ot us fi rms es t i n cr u ce R am 5 1 .
p as ei o C h r i s t i a b memor i a m r evocet ut , ni h i l es t t a m b ut um
q uoo non a equo a ni mo t ol et et ut .
f or b e b ut ca l l t o mi ne t h e s uff er i ng s of ¢ b ri s t , anb t h er e
i s nou g h t on ear t h t oo b ar b t o ens ure w1 t h comp os ur e .
for h e quite clo se d his eye s an d s car ce drew his b re ath in fear
of frightening an d lo sin g his visito r H e w a s co ntent to .
”
,
”
,
, ,
crim son s u n .
, ,
Margaret Brandt .
hea d to fo ot
.
.
things , wide a s the p oles asun der ere h e woke the imp eri al
.
’
that angel form with a devil s he a rt that cam e hanging
i t s lovely head lik e a bruised fl ower to S t M a c a r i u s with
, ,
.
,
“
2 D om a n d u m es t corpu s ; th e b o dy must b e tam ed ; this
h ad b een their watchword for twelve hun dred year s It was .
5 96 THE CL O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
a trem endou s war cry f or they call ed th e earthly a ffectio ns
-
,
len gth ene d his prayers and increased hi s s evere temp erance
,
g ushed Youth
. an d love rei gn e d in e ach h e ar t an d p er ,
r e ally on e .
5 98 THE C L O I STER AND “
'
TH E HEARTH
country ; here I a m b o un d fast in m em o ry s chai n ; and ’
-
war m est cover i n g out i nto the wo o d har d b y and there flung ,
Ap oll o
Wh ether the fever of h i s im a ginatio n interm itted a s a
.
, , .
short rest .
co ul d b ut live to i t ; at anoth er he s ai d to hi m se l f T i s b ut
'
,
.
,
’
’
.
”
Oh wo n derful h e cried
,
that there shoul d h e m en , , .
,
, ,
, ,
'
.
1
k
D r D i c s on , a u t h or of F a ll a ci es of t h e F a cu l t y ; e t c
. .
2
I t i s r el a t e d of a m e d i ze va l h e r m i t , t h a t b e i n off er e d a a r m e n t m a d e g g
’
k
o f c a t s s i n s , b e r e ect ed i t s a y i n g ,
”
j
I h a ve h e a r d of a l a m b of G od , b u t
,
I n e ver h e ar d of a ca t of G od p: .
1 1
THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HEARTH
smal ler 1 n place s than th e a p erture i t pretend ed to clo se an d ’
,
Sat h ana s l
An d h e entere d h i sflc a v e rap idly an d b e g an with some ,
an d it went ou t .
H e st e e p e d f or it hurriedly an d lighte d i t 1 i s t en i n g ,
’
“
wa s th e fi gu r e of a wom an .
CHAPTER X C IV
HER attitu d e wa s on e to excite p ity rather than terror in ,
Exorcizo
Ah no ! crie d s h e p iteou sly ; and p ut ou t two pretty
,
F or very m anho o d b e -
L atin m e n ot ! O h G er a rd i s it thu s , ,
e ars
—
.
A y Gerard ,
I a m co m e to tak e thee to thy pretty
.
ell !
He m ad e to the do or an d ha d ,
arm .
Nay nay ,
.
B ut I s a y ay l An d then turn t h y ba ck on u s a n th ou ,
h e al m o st shri ek e d ; an d h i s
.
Fly C l em ent fl y !
relig i ou s enthu s i asm givin g him f or a m
, ,
o m e nt hi s ol d
strength h e b urs t wil dl y away fro m h er an d after a few
, , “
hurt her
Wh en h e s a w th at h e g ro ane d a n d turned b ack a step ;
.
h er kn ees
H e s a wher a s pl ai n a lmo st a s i n midd a y
.
S a w h er p al e .
, “
. .
cry . Clem ent heard and it froz e h i s he art with terror and ,
remorse wors e than the icy water chill e d the m arro w of his
,
b ones .
THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 6 03
'
—
.
”
It is a s eraph h e whisp ered , a lovely se r aph Heaven , .
f or thin e ever -
blessed ab o de and my cell darken s a gain at ,
MUM MA ! MUM MA !
- -
An d the tears b egan to run
d own h i s littl e ch eek s .
chil dish b eauty more j ustly than we can ; and in truth this ,
fair northern child with its lon g golden hair wa s far more
, ,
604 THE C L O ISTER AN D T H E HE A RTH
an gelic than any of our imagine d an gel s But now the sp ell .
was b roken .
tears that ran s o sm o othly from tho se transp a rent Viol ets ,
his eyes an d his p retty dismal cry for his o nly friend h i s
, , ,
’
m other went throu gh th e hermit s he art
, H e empl oyed a l l .
th at lo ok ed s o wi l d b ut sp ok e s o ki ndly an d wo re armo ur
, , ,
b re akin g heart .
”
A t s p o oty
’
replied th e infant i gn orin g c on t em p t u
, ,
intere st him .
b reastpl ate .
Quo t l i b eri to t s en t en t i u n c u l w i
, Hecto r s ch i l d ’
’
scream ed at h i s fath er s glitter i n g ca squ e and no d di n g cre st ;
an d h ere was a m e d i eeva l b ab e charm ed with a p olished
cuirass an d his griefs a ssu aged
, .
”
Hate t or k s ; um b igger an b ab y .
with their g reat fl app in g wings scared him and were a gr eat ,
less .
1
Mor e t h a n on e h e r m i t h a d r ece i ved a pr es en t of t hi s k i n d
Q u e r y , l ook i n g g l a s s
2 -
”
.
6 06 TH E C L O ISTER AN D THE HEAR T H ‘
’ ”
m ore ad o ; tis tim e w e were in our b ed s mu ch more h e , .
a gain
R eicht g o yo u an d ask him w
.
B ethink th ee n ow doth
'
.
,
thi n e h eart whi sp er n o excu s e for him ? d ost Verily hate him
‘ '
, .
w
Hate h i m R eicht ? I oul d not harm a h air of hi s
"
,
suff ere d for him an d w hat I Cam e here this night t o do for
,
'
, .
f on e?
’
Fl out m e not b ut p rithee go forw ar d an d get m e what, ,
.
,
— —
Why 2 what Reicht ? stamm ere d Margaret
‘
.
V o ices ?
A y not on e b ut twain and al l u nlike — a m an s and a ,
’
, ,
, I am no .
’
great hand at a k eyhole for my p art tis p altry work ; but ,
m e ! Pray for m e !
An d almo st ere the a gitate d words had left her lip s
M argaret was flying toward s the h ermita ge a s noisel essly a s
a lapwing Arrived near i t s h e cro uch ed and there was
.
, ,
and lo oked with all her eyes and soul a s well as listene d , .
r ea d f
’
608
to g o to h eaven on e d ay ?
Ay al on
, g w i — my m ammy ’
-
.
N ay I on t my m ammy
. Wh ere is my mammy ? .
”
I not e ep y Ik es to talk . .
Hast n on e o ther ?
”
Nay .
the e a sto ry ?
I ik es tories said th e b oy clapp ing h i s hand s
, , .
Or sing th e e a son g ?
I ikes ton gs and he b ecam e excited , .
”
Cho o s e then a son g o r a story , .
”
face cleare d : Tin g I a to ry said h e , .
Yea .
’ ’
Then I mu st e en do f f this breastpl ate Ti s to o har d .
bleed as th ey have m e I s ee
,
Se And now I put o n my
, . .
, S ee how soft .
”
p saltery and play a littl e tune ; s e not t oo lou d
, , .
”
I i ke s dat .
rapture .
I ik e s 0 0 said h e , Ot i s 0 0 ? i s 0 0 a m an ?.
61 0 THE C L O I STER AND THE HEARTH
Gerard to pretend ! nay tho u ar t t oo wise to o g ood n ot to
, , , ,
'
, and e en no w lo ok at yo u ’
twai n ! Tis thin e own flesh and blo o d tho u hol dest to thine
’
heart .
Who s e el se ? since h e i s m in e .
H e is not a b it lik e m e
’
M a rg a ret s eye s foll owe d h i s .
,
fi r s t th e l ast
, Wa st very cru el to m e b ut now my p o or
.
,
”
Gerard an d I forgive thee ; for l ov in g of thy ch i ld
, .
Ah ! ah ! ah ! a h ! ah ! s ob b e d Cl em ent choking , .
are p ar te d again .
like you and m e are rare an d they are m ad to p art ere death , ,
divideth them .
m ore than once sh e hid her fac e in her hand s with terror at
hi s p erils thou gh p ast
, .
kneeled down and put her arm s und er the littl e b oy and ,
”
lifte d him gen t ly u p Kiss him softly sh e whisp ered
.
, .
’
Ti s all I can do to comfort th e e til l th ou art out of this foul
d en an d in thy sweet m anse yond er .
”
Well said she
, l et that p ass Kn o w th at I have
, .
and h alf a silver coin she had b roken with him and a straw ,
leaned her b row again st th e ston e cell and wept s o sil ently
that he di d not s e e s h e was weep ing ; indee d s h e woul d not
l et h i m for s h e felt that to b efrien d him now s h e mu st b e the
,
a gainst tho se two had its r o ot in the heart ; that h eart then
I mu st d ead en and D ei gratia I shall
, Sh al l I a s ervant
, , .
,
eye s ?
That i s go o d s ense anyw ay sai d Marg a ret with a , ,
”
T i s unanswerabl e s ai d Clem ent with a sigh
’
.
, ,
com e !
I mu st n eeds own I have b e en wors e tempte d here with
”
ev i l im aginations th an in th e worl d .
”
Th ere n o w .
O ff
How do y ou know ?
”
I fe el sure it will .
’
Gu essin g against knowled ge Here tis m en folk are .
,
”
l ike pli ght .
, ,
’
b etter But Jo an K etel which is an un derstandin g wom an
.
, ,
s h e lo ok e d at her an d s aid
‘
D own s u n down win d ! An d , ,
,
’
m other f or sh e i s hal f way to the s aints
, And thy m oth er .
littl e ear thly treasure s to her favourite s chil d— for you wer e ’
—
her favo urite an d h er i mm ortal j ewel to Go d a n d p as se d s o ,
d ay well a -day !
,
-
Gerard wept .
Gerard sighe d .
You were with i n a lea gu e but hid your face from her , .
H e gro aned .
Oh n o , .
1
At Go u da m anse I to ok him there yestreen . For I .
hyp o crite a thing all p iou s words and unch aritabl e d eeds
, .
.
,
”
A t Gou d a manse wearin g th e night in prayer an d care
, .
hamm er .
care o nly for his own soul than only for his ow n b o dy That .
”
wa s no t h i s p ath to heaven But said sh e who ever .
, ,
1
Ger a rd was stru ck by thi s remark Art shrewd in .
”
dispute s aid h e , .
1
I t h i nk sh e m e a n s pr e j u d i ce .
61 6 THE C L O ISTER AN D THE HE ART H
earth temptin g m en and s o lo n g a s th e s ons of B elial d o
, ,
p arish ; out fi e ! ou t fi e l
I s cente d thee out in p art by thy kindnes s to the littl e , ,
m an .
’
Oh s h e had a reason
, .
light a s day .
Wh at of th em ?
They wi ll mis s th eir fo o d I fe e d them every day . .
t o m e an d to th ee .
, .
heavy for m e .
’
An d M argaret c ar r i ed t h e b oy ;
”
I tro w s aid Gerar d lo okin g down
, o vermu ch fasting , ,
is n ot go o d f or a m a n .
’
Margaret
Gerard p ondere d th e
.
N ot I .
XVh y y ou said s e , .
'
Without a lie ?
Hump h ! Three wi tho ut a lie , .
manse .
Wh at in He ave ns n am e ? ,
’
.
,
”
Folk can pray ou t of a cave whisp ere d Margaret , .
”
L et m e get to h er s ai d Clem ent hastily trembling all , ,
.
,
the middle drank right an d l eft th eir tru e a f fection and their
humble b ut genuine wisdom an d wa s forced to eat a go o d ,
p arson of Gouda
‘
.
CHAPTER X CV I
M A R G A R ET went b ack to R otterdam lon g ere Gerard awoke ,
and in , ,
V erb um non a m p l i u s
, , ,
a ddam .
Sh e l eft littl e Gerard there to compl ete the conqu est her
m atern al h e art as crib ed to him n ot to her own elo qu ence an d ,
She had n ever yet b een p arted from her b oy an hour and ,
’
an d said R eicht f or p ity s sak e b ring him ou t to m e
, ,
to a pronoun .
”
R ei cht said Margaret , I as go o d a s p rom ise d h i m to ,
I l l wed hi m
’ ’
.
P oor Luk e !
Prithee why p o or Luk e ? ,
’
To b e b andie d ab out s o twixt yea a n d nay , .
’
Com e then wit h h al f thy m i n d tis worth t h e whol e of
, ,
other folks .
”
T e l l m e fi r s t how y ou a gre e with your folk .
I thou ght as mu ch ”
.
”
s i rn p l e and rou gh an d sup erstitiou s b ut won d erfully go o d
, , .
’
t i ll now b rothers , Two u l d gl adden thee yet sadden thee
.
,
b ut heaven .
thee of ol d ?
Well let m e s ee A t fi r s t I w a s mu ch daz zle d b y the
, .
a n d go o d R eicht H ey n e s — h umph l
”
Wh at of her ?
Thi s to thin e ear only for s h e is a diamo nd Her voice , .
Holland ; but b ein g Gou da t h e d evil cam e for him thi s week , ,
’
and to ok him b ag an d b a ggage ; n ot a ha p orth of him l eft
,
, .
’
Margaret smil ed .
”
A y but continu e d Gerard
,
th e stran ge thing is th e
, , ,
wom an .
’
Well g o y ou on I ll follow
, , .
”
N a y in th e cart with m e
, .
”
Not so .
Wh y ?
Can I tell why an d wh erefore b ein g a wom an ? All I ,
to sketch him .
C atherine s ’
eyes sp arkl e d at this ob servation An d oh .
, ,
co ntinu ed ,
My m other was ever go o d an d kind b ut I noted ,
”
Art b eautiful in my eyes m other de a r , .
’
An d that is enou gh for m e my d a rlin g T i s time y ou , .
oh I a m a prou d on e .
6 26 THE C L O I ST E R A N D THE HEARTH
However early n ext year 1 4 7 1 the D u ch es s of Bur g undy
, , ,
”
ow n , sai d h e .
suadere b oni .
’
1 4 7 4 there was a wedding in Margaret s hou s e Lu k e .
“
Mar gar et went o n to s a y Then in that case yo u can ,
my conscien ce it p r i ck et h m e an d I mu st n ee d s fi t h im with ,
a w i fe th e b est I kn ow
, Margaret then instru cted R eicht
.
Mak e thou excu ses for m e ; I wi l l m ake mysel f black enow "
.
THE C L O ISTER AND THE HEARTH 627
when .
”
fancy said s h e
, from the fi r s t hour I clapp ed eye s on him
, .
”
mistre ss l o oks to b e s erved b efore the m aid .
the p r ofi t s .
His Holiness .
,
m or t i fi c a t i on on him
'
m arvellous tact .
ruinin g him f or life she would not p art with him but kep t, ,
b oy at D eventer .
other s tempters
’
.
b ack an d g o hom e .
Yo ur b oy is g on e i f r om y ou I ,
‘
.
”
H e is m ore al o ne than I si ghe d Margar et , .
Oh a m an is a m a n b ut a wom an is a wom an
,
You , .
‘
N ear i s .
s en t h i m to y on n asty s ch o ol ?
.
'
An d s o s h e work ed up on a “
m in d already irritat ed .
cl as s V an S ch el t and Oos t w a g en
,
Tak e on e of tho se two ”
,
s ai d C atherine .
prophet ”
s ai d h e ; I mi ght adv
,
”
i se thee i ll I sh a ll read .
”
A dis contented m in d is n ever happ y s ai d Mar garet , .
from ab ove .
’
an d if Go d is m erciful that won t b e for long ; for what are
,
who had b een p rayin g for resi gnatio n all this tim e re ceive d ,
miracl e !
Why h ow can y ou tell your b ird s from their fe l l ows ?
,
murder s aid h e
, H e tam e d leverets and p artrid ges and.
,
-
, , .
”
Cains s aid h e , .
unh appy .
Why i s this s o ?
D ear Gerard I a m as happy a s a wom an can hop e to b e ,
”
this side of th e grave .
, ,
”
then thy lot is harder than mine
, .
, ,
”
Th e d ear go o d s ouls s aid M argar et ; , who wo ul d have
thou ght i t ?
Any o ne who knows th em sai d Gerard Wh o m o re
, .
b u flt
An d at this work Margaret wo ul d s om etim es brin g hi m
his dinner and a dd a go o d b ottl e of Rhenish
, An d o nce .
'
B arnet and reo ccup ation of his capital and kin gdom in
,
”
And now said D eny s
, after all the se feats p atte d o n
, ,
supp er .
s o tol d him his trouble and confessed his heart was pretty,
and lives till we are worn ou t and then ning 1 1 s away lik e ,
b etter f or u s .
S ir ?
’ ’
Well t i s my work an d wi th the se han ds b ut tis your
, , ,
”
h ou se .
B ut I s a y a y shoute d Gerar d
”
An d what is m ore
, .
,
I ( gul p ) s ay ( gu lp ) CO U RA GE C AMARA D E , ,
LE D IA B LE E ST M O RT !
D enys st a rted an d alm o st sta ggered Why wh at ?
, .
,
h e stamm ere d —
w wh — who art thou that b rin gest m e
, ,
wm g .
His
natur al gaiety return e d a n d h e resum e d h i s co nsi gn e ,
Op i m on .
’
extraordin a ry p ro gress h e m ad e at Al exan der H a a gh e s
f a m ou s scho ol at D eventer .
you h e s ai d ?
Nay I know not , .
W ill leave m e my b oy .
Go ne woman ? ,
said Gerard indignantly art no t ,
Oh i t you s a w her
,
hand .
H e lo oke d astounded .
”
I a m displeased
‘
s h e said coldly ,
What m ake s .
Wh at had he n o m other ?
,
Wh ere i s h e ? ‘
”
l et th at p ass ; we will go hom e to gether and on the instant , .
H e lai d her gently o n the gro und an d b eat her col d hands , ,
”
b efore sweetheart an d s h e n ever wi ll a gain
, , .
”
D e arest s ai d Mar gar et solemnly
, c a l l no w reli gio n ,
”
U sel ess said s h e qu ietly
, My no s e hath bled ; non e .
”
non e s ee m e die b ut th ee .
,
.
chil d s rival s
’
And I b ou gh t l oa ve s oi b read an d J orian
.
'
'
,
-
'
.
, ,
.
,
”
thy graver faul ts .
”
do a littl e s h e said ; a n d n ow I mu st g o B ut I r ep ine n ot
, .
'
.
,
mi s s m e An d at thi s s h e co u l d n ot restrain h er te a rs
.
,
'
'
, , ,
.
,
S o on after sh e do s ed .
’
‘
execute h er d y i n g i e qu es t s '
'
.
.
,
and ill b eco m es m e kill folk b ein g dea d which did so littl e , ,
l i n e S i n my b os orri
'
L et n o l i vin g h an d m ove t h em on p ain
u ,
t h e p icture .
their knives .
.
,
I will I will
. E ach word each wish i s ; s acre d
.
, , .
W h
th e e a s now
en I di d l o
.
v e th ee M a rg a ret ! Oh ; n ever love
, d I ,
w
wom an l oved so te nderly a s tho u t his ten years p ast . .
l i ke a chil d .
646 TH E C L O I ST E R A ND T H E HE AR T H
him du e warnin g .
, ,
C HAPTE R X C VI I I
A F O R T N I G H T af ter this a p al e b owe d fi g u r e entered th e
D ominican co nvent in th e sub urb s of Gouda and s ou ght ,
wa s a fai l i ng m an an d kn ew i t and c a m e t h er e t o d ie in
, , .
p ar ish .
au sterities .
Clem ent i
.
J cr om e l
C HAPTER X C IX
J ER O M E wa s a s m oro s e as ever in his gener al ch aract er b u t ,
, D yin g f or a .
wom an ?
H e determine d to avert th e scandal ; h e visited Clement
t wi c e a day in his cell and tried all his ol d i n fl u en c e and all
,
him h e had heard his story and he ard it with pride But , .
n ow sai d h e
, y ou sp oil it all Clem ent ; f or this is th e
, ,
”
D ear Jerom e said Cl ement s o s weetly a s to rob his , ,
r em on s t r a n ce of th e to n e o f rem o nstrance
‘
here I think , , , ,
648 TH E
, ,
of it .
H oly s aint s !
An d a gain from th at sam e h our my deep dej e ctio n
,
. .
, ,
"
i s suff ere d ; p o or fe ebl e l ovin g s ervant thy sh ortcomin gs are , ,
”
feebl e servants h e sai d N ow w oul d I give ten ye a r s of
, .
B ut I s e e i t m a y n ot b e
'
my l i fe to save thi ne
'
D i e in
.
'
’
p eace )
vi ew with Jero me al on e
' '
Wh at p as se d b etwe en th em w a s .
~
,
’
h e went
Th e t w
.
, ,
, , , , .
650 THE C L O IST E R AN D THE HEA R T H
U n der linen they foun d a horse h a ir sh i rt
h is
crie d th e yo un g mo nks
.
Ah ! b ehol d a s aint ! ,
You h ave then b roken our rul e whi ch saith Put ill ,
.
,
‘
Wa y o f p enance .
'
t h e side of i t .
. 1 ,
y o1 1 n g
m o n ks b e n o t curiou s to inquire whether a l o ck he b ore on
,
y e may : f or h e 1 1 a s a hol y m an .
t
'
THE C L O IST E R AND THE HEARTH 65 1
p eace The grave kin der t o them than the Church unite d
.
, ,
‘
, ,
fl ow er s .
C HAPTER C
C el i b ac y of th e cl e r gy ,
an i n ve n t i on t r u l y fi en d i s h .
65 2 TH E C L O IS TE R
wa s scattered waite d an d waite d an d waited for hi s p arents
’
,
wh o s e sho es h e h a d waite d f or
'
.
‘
all owe d him kep t h im until un exp e cte dly h e inh erite d a
considerabl e s u m fr om a rel atio n
'
_ ,
'
cr u cifi x in hi s h a n d ,
m an sion s
Th e yell ow h air ed lad die Gera r
.
-
d G er a r d s on b el on gs n ot , ,
Kirk S t r a et sh e h a s in scri b ed ,
ERAS MU S ;
an d sh eh a s written live s of him l
ha f a doz en
B ut th ere i s
- -
.