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第21章

the gathering of brother hilarius(希拉里兄的收集)-第21章


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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。〃 



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     〃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 



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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。 



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     〃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。 



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     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。      

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