the gathering of brother hilarius-第15节

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re　that　their　high　stomachs　might　be　brought　low。　　I　am　no　longer　young；　my　Father；　and　this　burden　tries　me　sorely。　　Prithee；　let　it　be　shifted　to　another　and　a　stronger　back。〃

The　Prior　listened　with　many　an　inward　mea　culpa。　　〃'Tis　a　sad　hearing；　Brother　Adam；　but　young　blood　is　hard　of　mastering；　maybe　this　ill　mood　will　pass。　　The　lad　Robert　is　surely　ever　gentle　and　decorous？　　He　hath　a　most　beauteous　voice。〃

The　Novice…master　threw　up　his　hands。

〃Nay；　Father；　nay；　he　hath　indeed　the　voice　of　an　angel；　but　methinks　his　body　is　surely　the　habitation　of　Satan。　　He　will　sing　an　it　please　him　…　or　when　thou　art　by；　my　Father；　…　but；　an　it　please　him　not；　he　is　silent；　ay；　even　under　grievous　stripes。　　The　Precentor　giveth　him　as　negligent　and　ill…conditioned；　and　in　choir；　when　he　looketh　most　like　to　one　of　God's　Saints；　he　is　but　plotting　mischief　for　the　day。〃

The　Prior　heard　him　sadly。

〃And　Hubert？〃　he　said。　　〃Hubert　methinks　hath　a　great　love　of　colour　and　a　fine　hand　with　the　brush。〃

Brother　Adam　was　almost　speechless。

〃Hubert！　　Nay　Father；　forgive　me；　Father；　but　even　this　very　Hubert　but　yesterday　slipped　a　handful　of　pebbles　into　Brother　Edmund's　mess；　whereby　he　was　like　to　break　his　teeth　or　take　some　more　grievous　hurt。　　And　indeed　the　peace　of　the　Brethren　is　much　troubled；　wherefore　they　complain　bitterly。〃

〃Young　blood；　young　blood；　but　not　of　necessity　evil；〃　said　the　Prior。　　Then；　seeing　the　Novice…master's　aggrieved　face；　he　bade　him　have　patience　yet　a　little；　for　he　himself　would　speak　to　the　novices；　and　with　this　Brother　Adam　must　fain　be　content。


The　next　day　in　the　Chapter　the　Prior　spoke。

It　comes　to　pass　oftentimes　that　men　seeing　a　sign　are　made　curious　by　it；　and　then　forgetting；　find　the　clue　thereto；　it　may　be；　long　after。　　Even　thus　it　happened　on　this　day　in　the　Chapter；　and　when　Prior　Hilarius　was　gathered　to　his　rest　the　Brethren　remembered　how　they　had　marked　and　marvelled　at　the　strange　beauty　of　his　face；　the　beauty　as　of　one　who　sees　the　face　of　the　Lord。

〃My　children；〃　he　cried　…　〃for　my　children　ye　are；　though　I　see　among　you　many　it　were　more　fitting　I　should　hail　as　father；　but　that　the　ruling　of　the　Lord　cannot　be　gainsaid　…　my　children；　I　am　minded　to　think　that　I　have　this　day　a　message　on　my　lips　that　is　not　mine　own。

〃Last　night　a　vision　came　to　me　as　I　slept。　　Blessed　Benedict；　our　Father；　stood　at　my　side；　and　his　face　was　troubled。

〃'Arise；　my　son；'　he　cried；　'arise；　for　the　Lord　is　at　hand　and　hath　need　of　thee。'

〃And　I；　deeming　it　was　of　judgment　that　he　spake；　sprang　up　in　shame　and　fear　that　the　Master　should　find　me　sleeping。

〃Then　cried　Blessed　Benedict　again：…

〃'If　thou　wilt　serve　the　Lord；　make　haste；　for　He　hath　called　thee　these　many　times；'　and　so　saying　passed　from　my　sight。

〃Brethren；　I　went　forth　as　one　bewildered；　and　made　haste　to　the　Church　lest　peradventure　I　should　find　Him；　but　the　lamps　burnt　dim　and　all　was　silent。　　Then　I　turned　aside　and　went　out　into　the　night；　and　it　was　very　dark；　with　no　sound　but　the　wind　in　the　forest　trees。

〃My　heart　was　a…hungered；　and　I　sought　in　cloister　and　garth；　and　as　I　hasted　to　the　gate　I　cried　aloud；　even　as　she　cried　who　sought　Him　in　a　garden　…　'They　have　taken　away　my　Lord。'

〃At　the　gate　I　stayed　me；　and　besought　the　Lord　for　a　sign；　and　lo；　in　the　darkness　one　came　and　led　me　by　the　hand　away　from　the　gate；　across　the　garth　and　up　the　dormitory　stair；　nor　loosed　me　until　I　passed　within　where　the　Brethren　lay　sleeping；　and　the　chamber　was　bright　with　exceeding　radiance。

〃I　found　myself　by　the　pallet　of　my　dear　son　Robert：　　his　face　was　wet　with　tears；　and　as　he　lay　I　saw　upon　his　shoulder　the　mark　of　many　stripes。

〃Again；　one　took　my　hand　and　led　me　from　one　to　another　of　our　Brethren；　and　on　every　face　lay　the　shadow　of　a　great　need；　but　in　every　face　there　was　somewhat　of　the　Christ；　and　the　lesson　burnt　in　my　heart。

〃Then　One　came　swiftly　and　laid　healing　hands　on　the　boy　Robert；　but　I　fled；　for　I　might　not　see　Him；　and　I　awoke　sore　troubled　…　ay；　and　the　trouble　is　on　me　still。

〃My　Brethren；　I　can　but　tell　the　vision　as　it　came　to　me。　　Great　is　the　rule　of　Benedict；　our　Father；　and　in　it　stripes；　grievous　and　many　as　our　sins；　have　their　rightful　place；　but　mayhap　we　forget　that　love；　and　love　alone；　should　strike。　　Ay；　and　I　mind　me　how　Prior　Stephen；　my　Father；　said　that　to　be　monk　a　man　must　learn　before　all　things　to　hunger　and　to　love。　　Love　should　draw　the　water　and　build　the　fire；　till　the　field　and　attend　the　sanctuary；　and　hunger　we　should　cherish　in　our　hearts；　hunger　for　righteousness　and　for　the　souls　of　our　brethren；　for　this　is　the　hunger　of　God。

〃Men　come　over　lightly　to　the　Lord's　work；　and　lo！　pride　and　emulation；　jealousy　and　discontent；　spring　up　and　thrive；　and　the　end　is　shame　and　confusion。

〃I　speak　as　to　my　children；　it　is　in　my　heart　that　the　Lord　is　at　hand：　　let　us　see　that　we　love　while　there　is　yet　time。〃

Then　he　turned　to　the　novices　and　stretched　out　his　hands　to　where　they　stood　amazed；　and　it　may　be　ashamed　…　not　after　this　manner　was　Brother　Adam　wont　to　rebuke　them。

〃And　ye；　who　are；　as　it　were；　the　babes　of　our　Order；　give　heed　to　your　ways；　neither　bring　unwilling　hands　to　this　service。　　Better　far　go　forth；　yea；　even　to　death；　than　mock　the　Lord　with　froward　feet　and　a　heart　that　is　full　of　vanity。　　Remember　the　sacrifice　which　Cain　offered　and　the　Lord　rejected；　for　he　gainsayed　the　voice　of　the　Lord　and　disobeyed　His　Commandment；　wherefore　the　wrath　of　God　fell　upon　him。

〃I　who　speak　now；　speak　in　love；　give　ear　to　my　words；　and　let　fear　befriend　you；　for　the　coming　of　the　Lord　is　as　a　thief　in　the　night；　and　lo！　stripes　bitter　and　many　await　that　servant　whom　the　Master　finds　sleeping。〃

Then　the　Prior；　having　made　an　end　of　speaking；　raised　his　hand　to　bless；　and　went　forth　in　silence；　and　no　man　stirred　in　his　place；　for　they　knew　that　the　Lord　had　spoken　and　were　afraid。



CHAPTER　VI　…　THE　HUNGER　OF　DICKON　THE　WOODMAN



JUNE　was　at　an　end；　and　men　cried　aloud　for　rain。　　The　hedges　were　white；　the　fields　scorched　and　brown；　the　leaves　fell　from　the　trees　as　at　autumn's　touch；　the　fruits　scarce　formed　hung　wry　and　twisted　on　the　bough；　the　heavens　burnt　pitiless；　without　a　cloud。

Dickon；　the　woodman；　sat　by　the　wayside　gnawing　a　crust　and　a　scrap　of　mouldy　bacon。　　There　was　no　sound　but　the　howl　of　a　dog　from　some　neighbouring　farmstead；　and　he　sat　in　sullen　mood；　his　bill…　hook　beside　him；　brooding　over　his　wrongs；　for　the　world　had　gone　contrary　with　him。

His　wife　was　dead；　she　had　died　in　childbed　a　month　gone；　leaving　six　hungry；　naked　brats　on　his　shoulders；　and　now　a　worse　thing　had　befallen　him；　his　gold　was　gone　…　his　gold　to　which　he　had　no　right；　for　'twas　blood…money；　the　food　of　his　children；　ay；　and　something　beside；　but　Dickon　loved　that　gold　piece　above　all　the　world　…　above　Heaven　and　his　own　soul　…　and　it　was　gone。

A　neighbour　had　surely　done　it；　marked　the　hiding…place　which　he　had　deemed　so　safe；　and　made　off　with　the　prize；　and　i'　faith　'twas　easy　carrying。　　There　was　but　one　piece；　and　Dickon　minded　how　he　had　changed　his　petty　hoard　to　gold　scarce　a　month　back　at　the　fair。　　Maybe　it　was　Thomas　the　charcoal　burner　had　served　him　this　ill　turn；　or　William　Crookleg；　the　miller's　man；　he　was　a　sly；　prying　fellow；　and　there　had　been　ill　blood　between　them。

He　was　fain　to　seek　the　Monastery　that　lay　the　other　side　the　forest；　and　crave　justice　of　the　Prior；　but　that　the　Prior　might　say　'twas　ill…got　gain　and　well　rid　of。

Dickon　rose　to　his　feet　and　shambled　homewards；　he　was　ragged；　ill…　fed；　unkempt。　　The　day's　work　was　done；　and　on　the　village　green　he　found　men　and　women；　for　the　most　part　as　ill…clad　as　himself；　standing　about　in　groups　gossiping。　　The　innkeeper　lounged　at　the　ale…house　door；　thin　and　peaked　as　his　fellows；　there　was　no　good　living　for　any　man　in　those　parts；　by　reason　of　the　over…lord　who　sore　oppressed　them。

A　little　man；　keen…eyed　and　restless；　holding　a　lean　and　sorry　horse　by　the　bridle；　was　talking　eagerly。

〃Nay；　'tis　true　eno'；　and　three　crows　saw　I　this　very　day　on　the　churchyard　wall　…　it　bodes　ill　to　some　of　us。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　innkeeper；　〃have　it　thine　own　way。　　Methinks　the　ill　hath　outrun　the　omen；　for　there　will　be　naught　for　man　or　beast　shortly　…　but　fine　pickings　for　thy　three　crows。〃

The　little　man　scowled　at　him：　　Dickon　came　up。

〃What's　to　do？〃　he　said　curtly。

〃Nay；〃　said　mine　host；　〃Robin　will　have　it　that　some　further　evil　is　upon　us　…　tho'　methinks　we　have　got　our　fill　and　to　spare　with　this　drought　…　ay；　and　'twas　at　thy　house；　Dickon；　he　saw　the　corpse…light。〃

〃Better　a　corpse…light　than　six　open　mouths；　and　naught　to　fill　them；〃　said　Dickon　surlily。　　〃Whither　away；　Robin？　　'Tis　not　far　this　beast　will　travel。〃

〃Right　thou　art；　but　my　master　will　turn　an　honest　penny　with　the　carcass；〃　answered　the　little　man；　〃give　me　my　reckoning；　friend　John。　　I　must　needs　haste　if　I　would　see　the　Forester's　ere　nightfall。〃

He　pulled　out　a　few　small　coins　and　a　gold　piece。　　When　Dickon　saw　it　his　eyes　gleamed。　　Robin　paid　the　reckoning　and　put　the　piece　in　his　cheek。

〃Hard…earned　money　…