the poor clare-第13节

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；　than　all　the　other　nuns　put　together；　yet；　when　last　month　they　would　fain　have　made　her　mother…superior；　she　begged　rather　that　they　would　place　her　below　all　the　rest；　and　make　her　the　meanest　servant　of　all。〃

〃You　never　saw　her？〃　asked　I。

〃Never；〃　he　replied。

I　was　weary　of　waiting　for　Father　Bernard；　and　yet　I　lingered　in　Antwerp。　　The　political　state　of　things　became　worse　than　ever；　increased　to　its　height　by　the　scarcity　of　food　consequent　on　many　deficient　harvests。　　I　saw　groups　of　fierce；　squalid　men；　at　every　corner　of　the　street；　glaring　out　with　wolfish　eyes　at　my　sleek　skin　and　handsome　clothes。

At　last　Father　Bernard　returned。　　We　had　a　long　conversation；　in　which　he　told　me　that；　curiously　enough；　Mr。　Gisborne；　Lucy's　father；　was　serving　in　one　of　the　Austrian　regiments；　then　in　garrison　at　Antwerp。　　I　asked　Father　Bernard　if　he　would　make　us　acquainted；　which　he　consented　to　do。　　But；　a　day　or　two　afterwards；　he　told　me　that；　on　hearing　my　name；　Mr。　Gisborne　had　declined　responding　to　any　advances　on　my　part；　saying　he　had　adjured　his　country；　and　hated　his　countrymen。

Probably　he　recollected　my　name　in　connection　with　that　of　his　daughter　Lucy。　　Anyhow；　it　was　clear　enough　that　I　had　no　chance　of　making　his　acquaintance。　　Father　Bernard　confirmed　me　in　my　suspicions　of　the　hidden　fermentation；　for　some　coming　evil；　working　among　the　〃blouses〃　of　Antwerp；　and　he　would　fain　have　had　me　depart　from　out　the　city；　but　I　rather　craved　the　excitement　of　danger；　and　stubbornly　refused　to　leave。

One　day；　when　I　was　walking　with　him　in　the　Place　Verte；　he　bowed　to　an　Austrian　officer；　who　was　crossing　towards　the　cathedral。

〃That　is　Mr。　Gisborne；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　gentleman　was　past。


I　turned　to　look　at　the　tall；　slight　figure　of　the　officer。　　He　carried　himself　in　a　stately　manner；　although　he　was　past　middle　age；　and　from　his　years　might　have　had　some　excuse　for　a　slight　stoop。　　As　I　looked　at　the　man；　he　turned　round；　his　eyes　met　mine；　and　I　saw　his　face。　　Deeply　lined；　sallow；　and　scathed　was　that　countenance；　scarred　by　passion　as　well　as　by　the　fortunes　of　war。　　'Twas　but　a　moment　our　eyes　met。　　We　each　turned　round；　and　went　on　our　separate　way。

But　his　whole　appearance　was　not　one　to　be　easily　forgotten；　the　thorough　appointment　of　the　dress；　and　evident　thought　bestowed　on　it；　made　but　an　incongruous　whole　with　the　dark；　gloomy　expression　of　his　countenance。　　Because　he　was　Lucy's　father；　I　sought　instinctively　to　meet　him　everywhere。　　At　last　he　must　have　become　aware　of　my　pertinacity；　for　he　gave　me　a　haughty　scowl　whenever　I　passed　him。　　In　one　of　these　encounters；　however；　I　chanced　to　be　of　some　service　to　him。　　He　was　turning　the　corner　of　a　street；　and　came　suddenly　on　one　of　the　groups　of　discontented　Flemings　of　whom　I　have　spoken。　　Some　words　were　exchanged；　when　my　gentleman　out　with　his　sword；　and　with　a　slight　but　skilful　cut　drew　blood　from　one　of　those　who　had　insulted　him；　as　he　fancied；　though　I　was　too　far　off　to　hear　the　words。　　They　would　all　have　fallen　upon　him　had　I　not　rushed　forwards　and　raised　the　cry；　then　well　known　in　Antwerp；　of　rally；　to　the　Austrian　soldiers　who　were　perpetually　patrolling　the　streets；　and　who　came　in　numbers　to　the　rescue。　　I　think　that　neither　Mr。　Gisborne　nor　the　mutinous　group　of　plebeians　owed　me　much　gratitude　for　my　interference。　　He　had　planted　himself　against　a　wall；　in　a　skilful　attitude　of　fence；　ready　with　his　bright　glancing　rapier　to　do　battle　with　all　the　heavy；　fierce；　unarmed　men；　some　six　or　seven　in　number。　　But　when　his　own　soldiers　came　up；　he　sheathed　his　sword；　and；　giving　some　careless　word　of　command；　sent　them　away　again；　and　continued　his　saunter　all　alone　down　the　street；　the　workmen　snarling　in　his　rear；　and　more　than　half…inclined　to　fall　on　me　for　my　cry　for　rescue。　　I　cared　not　if　they　did；　my　life　seemed　so　dreary　a　burden　just　then；　and；　perhaps；　it　was　this　daring　loitering　among　them　that　prevented　their　attacking　me。　　Instead；　they　suffered　me　to　fall　into　conversation　with　them；　and　I　heard　some　of　their　grievances。　　Sore　and　heavy　to　be　borne　were　they；　and　no　wonder　the　sufferers　were　savage　and　desperate。

The　man　whom　Gisborne　had　wounded　across　his　face　would　fain　have　got　out　of　me　the　name　of　his　aggressor；　but　I　refused　to　tell　it。　Another　of　the　group　heard　his　inquiry；　and　made　answer〃I　know　the　man。　　He　is　one　Gisborne；　aide…de…camp　to　the　General…Commandant。　　I　know　him　well。〃

He　began　to　tell　some　story　in　connection　with　Gisborne　in　a　low　and　muttering　voice；　and　while　he　was　relating　a　tale；　which　I　saw　excited　their　evil　blood；　and　which　they　evidently　wished　me　not　to　hear；　I　sauntered　away　and　back　to　my　lodgings。

That　night　Antwerp　was　in　open　revolt。　　The　inhabitants　rose　in　rebellion　against　their　Austrian　masters。　　The　Austrians；　holding　the　gates　of　the　city；　remained　at　first　pretty　quiet　in　the　citadel；　only；　from　time　to　time；　the　boom　of　the　great　cannon　swept　sullenly　over　the　town。　　But　if　they　expected　the　disturbance　to　die　away；　and　spend　itself　in　a　few　hours'　fury；　they　were　mistaken。　　In　a　day　or　two；　the　rioters　held　possession　of　the　principal　municipal　buildings。　　Then　the　Austrians　poured　forth　in　bright　flaming　array；　calm　and　smiling；　as　they　marched　to　the　posts　assigned；　as　if　the　fierce　mob　were　no　more　to　them　then　the　swarms　of　buzzing　summer　flies。　　Their　practised　manoeuvres；　their　well…aimed　shot；　told　with　terrible　effect；　but　in　the　place　of　one　slain　rioter；　three　sprang　up　of　his　blood　to　avenge　his　loss。　　But　a　deadly　foe；　a　ghastly　ally　of　the　Austrians；　was　at　work。　　Food；　scarce　and　dear　for　months；　was　now　hardly　to　be　obtained　at　any　price。　　Desperate　efforts　were　being　made　to　bring　provisions　into　the　city；　for　the　rioters　had　friends　without。　　Close　to　the　city　port；　nearest　to　the　Scheldt；　a　great　struggle　took　place。　　I　was　there；　helping　the　rioters；　whose　cause　I　had　adopted。　　We　had　a　savage　encounter　with　the　Austrians。　　Numbers　fell　on　both　sides：　　I　saw　them　lie　bleeding　for　a　moment：　　then　a　volley　of　smoke　obscured　them；　and　when　it　cleared　away；　they　were　deadtrampled　upon　or　smothered；　pressed　down　and　hidden　by　the　freshly…wounded　whom　those　last　guns　had　brought　low。　　And　then　a　gray…robed　and　grey…veiled　figure　came　right　across　the　flashing　guns　and　stooped　over　some　one；　whose　life…blood　was　ebbing　away；　sometimes　it　was　to　give　him　drink　from　cans　which　they　carried　slung　at　their　sides；　sometimes　I　saw　the　cross　held　above　a　dying　man；　and　rapid　prayers　were　being　uttered；　unheard　by　men　in　that　hellish　din　and　clangour；　but　listened　to　by　One　above。　　I　saw　all　this　as　in　a　dream：　　the　reality　of　that　stern　time　was　battle　and　carnage。　　But　I　knew　that　these　gray　figures；　their　bare　feet　all　wet　with　blood；　and　their　faces　hidden　by　their　veils；　were　the　Poor　Claressent　forth　now　because　dire　agony　was　abroad　and　imminent　danger　at　hand。　Therefore；　they　left　their　cloistered　shelter；　and　came　into　that　thick　and　evil　melee。

Close　to　medriven　past　me　by　the　struggle　of　many　fighterscame　the　Antwerp　burgess　with　the　scarce…healed　scar　upon　his　face；　and　in　an　instant　more；　he　was　thrown　by　the　press　upon　the　Austrian　officer　Gisborne；　and　ere　either　had　recovered　the　shock；　the　burgess　had　recognized　his　opponent。

〃Ha！　the　Englishman　Gisborne！〃　he　cried；　and　threw　himself　upon　him　with　redoubled　fury。　　He　had　struck　him　hardthe　Englishman　was　down；　when　out　of　the　smoke　came　a　dark…gray　figure；　and　threw　herself　right　under　the　uplifted　flashing　sword。　　The　burgess's　arm　stood　arrested。　　Neither　Austrians　nor　Anversois　willingly　harmed　the　Poor　Clares。

〃Leave　him　to　me！〃　said　a　low　stern　voice。　　〃He　is　mine　enemymine　for　many　years。〃

Those　words　were　the　last　I　heard。　　I　myself　was　struck　down　by　a　bullet。　　I　remember　nothing　more　for　days。　　When　I　came　to　myself；　I　was　at　the　extremity　of　weakness；　and　was　craving　for　food　to　recruit　my　strength。　　My　landlord　sat　watching　me。　　He；　too；　looked　pinched　and　shrunken；　he　had　heard　of　my　wounded　state；　and　sought　me　out。　Yes！　the　struggle　still　continued；　but　the　famine　was　sore：　　and　some；　he　had　heard；　had　died　for　lack　of　food。　　The　tears　stood　in　his　eyes　as　he　spoke。　　But　soon　he　shook　off　his　weakness；　and　his　natural　cheerfulness　returned。　　Father　Bernard　had　been　to　see　meno　one　else。　　（Who　should；　indeed？）　Father　Bernard　would　come　back　that　afternoonhe　had　promised。　　But　Father　Bernard　never　came；　although　I　was　up　and　dressed；　and　looking　eagerly　for　him。

My　landlord　brought　me　a　meal　which　he　had　cooked　himself：　　of　what　it　was　composed　he　would　not　say；　but　it　was　most　excellent；　and　with　every　mouthful　I　seemed　to　gain　strength。　　The　good　man　sat　looking　at　my　evident　enjoyment　with　a　happy　smile　of　sympathy；　but；　as　my　appetite　became　satisfied；　I　began　to　detect　a　certain　wistfulness　in　his　eyes；　as　if　craving　for　the　food　I　had　so　nearly　devouredfor；　indeed；　at　that　time　I　was　hardly　aware　of　the　extent　of　the　famine。　Suddenly；　there　was　a　sound　of　many　rushing　feet　past　our　window。　　My　landlord　opened　one　of　the　sides　of　it；　the　better　to　learn　what　was　going　on。　　Then　we　heard　a　faint；　cracked；　tinkling　bell；　coming　shrill　upon　the