historic girls-第26章

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But　the　rough　and　heavy　pieces　of　granite　with　which　they　sought

to　build　their　hermitage　proved　more　than　they　could　handle；　and

their　knowledge　of　mason…work　was　about　as　imperfect　as　had　been

their　familiarity　with　crusading　and　the　country　of　the　Moors。

〃The　stones　that　we　piled　one　upon　another；〃　wrote　Theresa

herself　in　later　years；　〃immediately　fell　down；　and　so　it　came　to

pass　that　we　found　no　means　of　accomplishing　our　wish。〃



The　pluck　and　piety；　however；　that　set　this　conscientious　and

sympathetic　little　girl　to　such　impossible　tasks　were　certain　to

blossom　into　something　equally　hard　and　unselfish　when　she　grew

to　womanhood。　And　so　it　proved。　Her　much…loved　but

romance…reading　mother　died　when　she　was　twelve　years　old；　and

Theresa　felt　her　loss　keenly。



She　was　a　very　clever　and　ambitious　girl；　and　with　a　mother's

guiding　hand　removed　she　became　impatient　under　the　restraints

which　her　stern　old　father；　Don　Alphonso；　placed　upon　her。　At

sixteen　she　was　an　impetuous；　worldly…minded；　and　very　vain

though　very　dignified　young　lady。　Then　her　father；　fearful　as　to

her　future；　sent　her　to　a　convent；　with　orders　that　she　should　be

kept　in　strict　seclusion。



Such　a　punishment　awoke　all　the　feelings　of　conscientiousness　and

self…conviction　that　had　so　influenced　her　when　she　was　a　little

girl；　and　Theresa；　left　to　her　own　thoughts；　first　grew　morbid；

and　then　fell　sick。



During　her　sickness　she　resolved　to　become　a　nun；　persuaded　her

ever…faithful　brother；　Pedro；　to　become　a　friar；　and　when　Don

Alphonso；　their　father；　refused　his　consent；　the　brother　and

sister；　repeating　the　folly　of　their　childhood；　again　ran　away

from　home。



Then　their　father；　seeing　the　uselessness　of　resistance；

consented；　and　Theresa；　at　the　age　of　twenty；　entered　a　convent

in　Avila；　and　became　a　nun　in　what　was　known　as　the　Order　of　the

Carmelites。



The　life　of　these　nuns　was　strict；　secluded；　and　silent；　but　the

conscientious　nature　of　Theresa　found　even　the　severities　of　this

lonely　life　not　sufficiently　hard；　and　attaining　to　a　position　of

influence　in　the　order　she　obtained　permission　from　the　Pope　in

1562　to　found　a　new　order　which　should　be　even　more　strict　in　its

rules；　and　therefore；　so　she　believed；　more　helpful。　Thus　was

founded　the　Order　of　Barefooted　Carmelites；　a　body　of　priests　and

nuns；　who　have　in　their　peculiar　way　accomplished　very　much　for

charity；　gentleness；　and　self…help　in　the　world；　and　whose

schools　and　convents　have　been　instituted　in　all　parts　of　the

earth。



Theresa　de　Cepeda　died　in　1582；　greatly　beloved　and　revered　for

her　strict　but　gentle　life；　her　great　and　helpful　charities；　and

her　sincere　desire　to　benefit　her　fellow…men。　After　her　death；　so

great　was　the　respect　paid　her　that　she　was　canonized；　as　it　is

called：　that　is；　lifted　up　as　an　example　of　great　goodness　to　the

world；　and　she　is　to…day　known　and　honored　among　devout　Roman

Catholics　as　St。　Theresa　of　Avila。



Whatever　we　may　think　of　the　peculiar　way　in　which　her　life　was

spent；　however　we　may　regard　the　story　of　her　troubles　with　her

conscience；　her　understanding　of　what　she　deemed　her　duty；　and

her　sinking　of　what　might　have　been　a　happy　and　joyous　life　in

the　solitude　and　severity　of　a　convent；　we　cannot　but　think　of

her　as　one　who　wished　to　do　right；　and　who　desired　above　all　else

to　benefit　the　world　in　which　she　lived　and　labored。　Her　story　is

that　of　a　most　extraordinary　and　remarkable　woman；　who　devoted

her　life　to　what　she　deemed　the　thing　demanded　of　her。　Could　we

not；　all　of　us；　profitably　attempt　to　live　in　something　like　a

kindred　spirit　to　that　helpful　and　unselfish　one　that　actuated

this　girl　of　the　Spanish　sierras？



〃Here　and　there　is　born　a　Saint　Theresa；〃　says　George　Eliot；

〃foundress　of　nothing；　whose　loving　heart…beats　and　sobs　after　an

unattained　goodness　tremble　off　and　are　dispersed　among

hindrances；　instead　of　centring　in　some　long…recognizable　deed。〃



But　if　a　girl　or　boy；　desiring　to　do　right；　will　disregard　the

hindrances；　and　not　simply　sit　and　sob　after　an　unattained

goodnessif；　instead；　they　will　but　do　the　duty　nearest　at　hand

manfully　and　well；　the　reward　will　come　in　something　even　more

desirable　than　a　〃long…recognizable　deed。〃　It　will　come　in　the

very　self…gratification　that　will　at　last　follow　every　act　of

courtesy；　of　friendliness；　and　of　self…denial；　and　such　a　life

will　be　of　more　real　value　to　the　world　than　all　the　deeds　of　all

the　crusaders；　or　than　even　the　stern　and　austere　charities　of　a

Saint　Theresa。







ELIZABETH　OF　TUDOR：



THE　GIRL　OF　THE　HERTFORD　MANOR。



＇Afterward　Queen　Elizabeth　of　England；　the　〃Good　Queen　Bess。〃＇

A。D。　1548。



The　iron…shod　hoofs　of　the　big　gray　courser　rang　sharply　on　the

frozen　ground；　as；　beneath　the　creaking　boughs　of　the　long…armed

oaks；　Launcelot　Crue；　the　Lord　Protector's　fleetest　courser…man；

galloped　across　the　Hertford　fells　or　hills；　and　reined　up　his

horse　within　the　great　gates　of　Hatfield　manor…house。



〃From　the　Lord　Protector；〃　he　said；　and　Master　Avery　Mitchell；

the　feodary；＇1＇　who　had　been　closely　watching　for　this　same

courser…man　for　several　anxious　hours；　took　from　his　hands　a

scroll；　on　which　was　inscribed：



＇1＇　An　old　English　term　for　the　guardian　of　〃certain　wards　of　the

state；〃　young　persons　under　guardianship　of　the　government。





〃To　Avery　Mitchell；　feodary　of　the　Wards　in　Herts；　at　Halfield

House。　From　the　Lord　Protector；　THESE：〃



And　next；　the　courser…man；　in　secrecy；　unscrewed　one　of　the

bullion　buttons　on　his　buff　jerkin；　and　taking　from　it　a　scrap　of

paper；　handed　this　also　to　the　watchful　feodary。　Then；　his

mission　ended；　he　repaired　to　the　buttery　to　satisfy　his　lusty

English　appetite　with　a　big　dish　of　pasty；　followed　by　ale　and

〃wardens〃　（as　certain　hard　pears；　used　chiefly　for　cooking；　were

called　in　those　days）；　while　the　cautious　Avery　Mitchell；

unrolling　the　scrap　of　paper；　read：



〃In　secrecy；　THESE：　Under　guise　of　mummers　place　a　half…score

good　men　and　true　in　your　Yule…tide　maskyng。　Well　armed　and

safely　conditioned。　They　will　be　there　who　shall　command。　Look

for　the　green　dragon　of　Wantley。　On　your　allegiance。　This　from　ye

wit　who。〃





Scarcely　had　the　feodary　read；　re…read；　and　then　destroyed　this

secret　and　singular　missive；　when　the　〃Ho！　hollo！〃　of　Her　Grace

the　Princess'　outriders　rang　on　the　crisp　December　air；　and　there

galloped　up　to　the　broad　doorway　of　the　manor…house；　a　gayly

costumed　train　of　lords　and　ladies；　with　huntsmen　and　falconers

and　yeomen　following　on　behind。　Central　in　the　group；　flushed

with　her　hard　gallop　through　the　wintry　air；　a　young　girl　of

fifteen；　tall　and　trim　in　figure；　sat　her　horse　with　the　easy

grace　of　a　practised　and　confident　rider。　Her　long　velvet　habit

was　deeply　edged　with　fur；　and　both　kirtle　and　head…gear　were　of

a　rich　purple　tinge；　while　from　beneath　the　latter　just　peeped　a

heavy　coil　of　sunny；　golden　hair。　Her　face　was　fresh　and　fair；　as

should　be　that　of　any　young　girl　of　fifteen；　but　its　expression

was　rather　that　of　high　spirits　and　of　heedless　and　impetuous

moods　than　of　simple　maidenly　beauty。



〃Tilly…vally；　my　lord；〃　she　cried；　dropping　her　bridle…rein　into

the　hands　of　a　waiting　groom；　〃　't　was　my　race　to…day；　was　it

not？　Odds　fish；　man！〃　she　cried　out　sharply　to　the　attendant

groom；　〃be　ye　easier　with　Roland's　bridle　there。　One　beast　of　his

gentle　mettle　were　worth　a　score　of　clumsy　varlets　like　to　you！

Well；　said　I　not　right；　my　Lord　Admiral；　is　not　the　race　fairly

mine；　I　ask？〃　and；　careless　in　act　as　in　speech；　she　gave　the

Lord　Admiral's　horse；　as　she　spoke；　so　sharp　a　cut　with　her

riding　whip　as　to　make　the　big　brute　rear　in　sudden　surprise；　and

almost　unhorse　its　rider；　while　an　unchecked　laugh　came　from　its

fair　tormentor。



〃Good　faith；　Mistress；〃　answered　Sir　Thomas　Seymour；　the　Lord

High　Admiral；　gracefully　swallowing　his　excla