the poor clare-第11节

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〃I　will　go　and　bring　her　to　you；〃　I　exclaimed。　　Bridget　tightened　her　hold　upon　my　arm。

〃Not　so；〃　said　she；　in　a　low；　hoarse　voice。　　〃It　would　kill　me　to　see　her　again　as　I　saw　her　this　morning。　　And　I　must　live　till　I　have　worked　my　work。　　Leave　me！〃　said　she；　suddenly；　and　again　taking　up　the　cross。　　〃I　defy　the　demon　I　have　called　up。　　Leave　me　to　wrestle　with　it！〃

She　stood　up；　as　if　in　an　ecstasy　of　inspiration；　from　which　all　fear　was　banished。　　I　lingeredwhy　I　can　hardly　telluntil　once　more　she　bade　me　begone。　　As　I　went　along　the　forest　way；　I　looked　back；　and　saw　her　planting　the　cross　in　the　empty　threshold；　where　the　door　had　been。

The　next　morning　Lucy　and　I　went　to　seek　her；　to　bid　her　join　her　prayers　with　ours。　　The　cottage　stood　open　and　wide　to　our　gaze。　　No　human　being　was　there：　　the　cross　remained　on　the　threshold；　but　Bridget　was　gone。



CHAPTER　III。



What　was　to　be　done　next？　was　the　question　that　I　asked　myself。　　As　for　Lucy；　she　would　fain　have　submitted　to　the　doom　that　lay　upon　her。　　Her　gentleness　and　piety；　under　the　pressure　of　so　horrible　a　life；　seemed　over…passive　to　me。　　She　never　complained。　　Mrs。　Clarke　complained　more　than　ever。　　As　for　me；　I　was　more　in　love　with　the　real　Lucy　than　ever；　but　I　shrunk　from　the　false　similitude　with　an　intensity　proportioned　to　my　love。　　I　found　out　by　instinct　that　Mrs。　Clarke　had　occasional　temptations　to　leave　Lucy。　　The　good　lady's　nerves　were　shaken；　and；　from　what　she　said；　I　could　almost　have　concluded　that　the　object　of　the　Double　was　to　drive　away　from　Lucy　this　last；　and　almost　earliest　friend。　　At　times；　I　could　scarcely　bear　to　own　it；　but　I　myself　felt　inclined　to　turn　recreant；　and　I　would　accuse　Lucy　of　being　too　patienttoo　resigned。　　One　after　another；　she　won　the　little　children　of　Coldholme。　　（Mrs。　Clarke　and　she　had　resolved　to　stay　there；　for　was　it　not　as　good　a　place　as　any　other；　to　such　as　they？　and　did　not　all　our　faint　hopes　rest　on　Bridgetnever　seen　or　heard　of　now；　but　still　we　trusted　to　come　back；　or　give　some　token？）　　So；　as　I　say；　one　after　another；　the　little　children　came　about　my　Lucy；　won　by　her　soft　tones；　and　her　gentle　smiles；　and　kind　actions。　　Alas！　one　after　another　they　fell　away；　and　shrunk　from　her　path　with　blanching　terror；　and　we　too　surely　guessed　the　reason　why。　　It　was　the　last　drop。　　I　could　bear　it　no　longer。　　I　resolved　no　more　to　linger　around　the　spot；　but　to　go　back　to　my　uncle；　and　among　the　learned　divines　of　the　city　of　London；　seek　for　some　power　whereby　to　annul　the　curse。

My　uncle；　meanwhile；　had　obtained　all　the　requisite　testimonials　relating　to　Lucy's　descent　and　birth；　from　the　Irish　lawyers；　and　from　Mr。　Gisborne。　　The　latter　gentleman　had　written　from　abroad　（he　was　again　serving　in　the　Austrian　army）；　a　letter　alternately　passionately　self…reproachful　and　stoically　repellant。　　It　was　evident　that　when　he　thought　of　Maryher　short　lifehow　he　had　wronged　her；　and　of　her　violent　death；　he　could　hardly　find　words　severe　enough　for　his　own　conduct；　and　from　this　point　of　view；　the　curse　that　Bridget　had　laid　upon　him　and　his；　was　regarded　by　him　as　a　prophetic　doom；　to　the　utterance　of　which　she　was　moved　by　a　Higher　Power；　working　for　the　fulfilment　of　a　deeper　vengeance　than　for　the　death　of　the　poor　dog。　　But　then；　again；　when　he　came　to　speak　of　his　daughter；　the　repugnance　which　the　conduct　of　the　demoniac　creature　had　produced　in　his　mind；　was　but　ill…disguised　under　a　show　of　profound　indifference　as　to　Lucy's　fate。　　One　almost　felt　as　if　he　would　have　been　as　content　to　put　her　out　of　existence；　as　he　would　have　been　to　destroy　some　disgusting　reptile　that　had　invaded　his　chamber　or　his　couch。

The　great　Fitzgerald　property　was　Lucy's；　and　that　was　allwas　nothing。

My　uncle　and　I　sat　in　the　gloom　of　a　London　November　evening；　in　our　house　in　Ormond　Street。　　I　was　out　of　health；　and　felt　as　if　I　were　in　an　inextricable　coil　of　misery。　　Lucy　and　I　wrote　to　each　other；　but　that　was　little；　and　we　dared　not　see　each　other　for　dread　of　the　fearful　Third；　who　had　more　than　once　taken　her　place　at　our　meetings。　　My　uncle　had；　on　the　day　I　speak　of；　bidden　prayers　to　be　put　up　on　the　ensuing　Sabbath　in　many　a　church　and　meeting…house　in　London；　for　one　grievously　tormented　by　an　evil　spirit。　　He　had　faith　in　prayersI　had　none；　I　was　fast　losing　faith　in　all　things。　　So　we　sat；　he　trying　to　interest　me　in　the　old　talk　of　other　days；　I　oppressed　by　one　thoughtwhen　our　old　servant；　Anthony；　opened　the　door；　and；　without　speaking；　showed　in　a　very　gentlemanly　and　prepossessing　man；　who　had　something　remarkable　about　his　dress；　betraying　his　profession　to　be　that　of　the　Roman　Catholic　priesthood。　He　glanced　at　my　uncle　first；　then　at　me。　　It　was　to　me　he　bowed。

〃I　did　not　give　my　name；〃　said　he；　〃because　you　would　hardly　have　recognised　it；　unless；　sir；　when；　in　the　north；　you　heard　of　Father　Bernard；　the　chaplain　at　Stoney　Hurst？〃

I　remembered　afterwards　that　I　had　heard　of　him；　but　at　the　time　I　had　utterly　forgotten　it；　so　I　professed　myself　a　complete　stranger　to　him；　while　my　ever…hospitable　uncle；　although　hating　a　papist　as　much　as　it　was　in　his　nature　to　hate　anything；　placed　a　chair　for　the　visitor；　and　bade　Anthony　bring　glasses；　and　a　fresh　jug　of　claret。

Father　Bernard　received　this　courtesy　with　the　graceful　ease　and　pleasant　acknowledgement　which　belongs　to　a　man　of　the　world。　　Then　he　turned　to　scan　me　with　his　keen　glance。　　After　some　alight　conversation；　entered　into　on　his　part；　I　am　certain；　with　an　intention　of　discovering　on　what　terms　of　confidence　I　stood　with　my　uncle；　he　paused；　and　said　gravely　…

〃I　am　sent　here　with　a　message　to　you；　sir；　from　a　woman　to　whom　you　have　shown　kindness；　and　who　is　one　of　my　penitents；　in　Antwerpone　Bridget　Fitzgerald。〃

〃Bridget　Fitzgerald！〃　exclaimed　I。　　〃In　Antwerp？　　Tell　me；　sir；　all　that　you　can　about　her。〃

〃There　is　much　to　be　said；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　may　I　inquire　if　this　gentlemanif　your　uncle　is　acquainted　with　the　particulars　of　which　you　and　I　stand　informed？〃

〃All　that　I　know；　he　knows；〃　said　I；　eagerly　laying　my　hand　on　my　uncle's　arm；　as　he　made　a　motion　as　if　to　quit　the　room。

〃Then　I　have　to　speak　before　two　gentlemen　who；　however　they　may　differ　from　me　in　faith；　are　yet　fully　impressed　with　the　fact　that　there　are　evil　powers　going　about　continually　to　take　cognizance　of　our　evil　thoughts：　　and；　if　their　Master　gives　them　power；　to　bring　them　into　overt　action。　　Such　is　my　theory　of　the　nature　of　that　sin；　which　I　dare　not　disbelieveas　some　sceptics　would　have　us　dothe　sin　of　witchcraft。　　Of　this　deadly　sin；　you　and　I　are　aware；　Bridget　Fitzgerald　has　been　guilty。　　Since　you　saw　her　last；　many　prayers　have　been　offered　in　our　churches；　many　masses　sung；　many　penances　undergone；　in　order　that；　if　God　and　the　holy　saints　so　willed　it；　her　sin　might　be　blotted　out。　　But　it　has　not　been　so　willed。〃

〃Explain　to　me；〃　said　I；　〃who　you　are；　and　how　you　come　connected　with　Bridget。　　Why　is　she　at　Antwerp？　　I　pray　you；　sir；　tell　me　more。　If　I　am　impatient；　excuse　me；　I　am　ill　and　feverish；　and　in　consequence　bewildered。〃

There　was　something　to　me　inexpressibly　soothing　in　the　tone　of　voice　with　which　he　began　to　narrate；　as　it　were　from　the　beginning；　his　acquaintance　with　Bridget。

〃I　had　known　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Starkey　during　their　residence　abroad；　and　so　it　fell　out　naturally　that；　when　I　came　as　chaplain　to　the　Sherburnes　at　Stoney　Hurst；　our　acquaintance　was　renewed；　and　thus　I　became　the　confessor　of　the　whole　family；　isolated　as　they　were　from　the　offices　of　the　Church；　Sherburne　being　their　nearest　neighbour　who　professed　the　true　faith。　　Of　course；　you　are　aware　that　facts　revealed　in　confession　are　sealed　as　in　the　grave；　but　I　learnt　enough　of　Bridget's　character　to　be　convinced　that　I　had　to　do　with　no　common　woman；　one　powerful　for　good　as　for　evil。　　I　believe　that　I　was　able　to　give　her　spiritual　assistance　from　time　to　time；　and　that　she　looked　upon　me　as　a　servant　of　that　Holy　Church；　which　has　such　wonderful　power　of　moving　men's　hearts；　and　relieving　them　of　the　burden　of　their　sins。　　I　have　known　her　cross　the　moors　on　the　wildest　nights　of　storm；　to　confess　and　be　absolved；　and　then　she　would　return；　calmed　and　subdued；　to　her　daily　work　about　her　mistress；　no　one　witting　where　she　had　been　during　the　hours　that　most　passed　in　sleep　upon　their　beds。　　After　her　daughter's　departureafter　Mary's　mysterious　disappearanceI　had　to　impose　many　a　long　penance；　in　order　to　wash　away　the　sin　of　impatient　repining　that　was　fast　leading　her　into　the　deeper　guilt　of　blasphemy。　　She　set　out　on　that　long　journey　of　which　you　have　possibly　heardthat　fruitless　journey　in　search　of　Maryand　during　her　absence；　my　superiors　ordered　my　return　to　my　former　duties　at　Antwerp；　and　for　many　years　I　heard　no　more　of　Bridget。

〃Not　many　months　ago；　as　I　was　passing　homewards　in　the　evening；　along　one　of　the　streets　near　St。　Jacques；　leading　into　the　Meer　Straet；　I　saw　a　woman　sitting　crouched　up　under　the　shrine　of　the　Holy　Mother　of　Sorrows。　　Her　hood　was　drawn　over　her　head；　so　that　the　shadow　caused　by　the　light　of　the　lamp　above　fell　deep　over　her　face；　her　hands　were　clasped　round　her　knees。　　I