the gathering of brother hilarius-第7章

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And　he　went　off　singing　…


〃Three　felons　hung　from　a　roadside　tree；　One　black　and　one　white　and　one　grey；　And　the　ravens　plucked　their　eyes　away　From　one　and　two　and　three；　That　honest　men　might　see　And　thievish　knaves　should　pay；　Lest　these　might　be　As　blind　as　they。　Ah；　well…a…day；　well…a…day！　One　…　two　…　three！　　On　the　gallows…tree　hung　they。〃

Hilarius　listened　with　a　smile　until　the　last　notes　of　Martin's　voice　had　died　away；　and　then　fell　a…musing　of　hunger　and　love；　the　dancer　and　the　Prior。

Suddenly；　as　if　his　thought　had　taken　speech；　he　heard　a　voice　say：

〃I　hunger；　I　hunger；　feed　me　most　sweet　Manna；　for　I　hunger　…　I　hunger；　and　I　love。〃

He　sprang　to　his　feet；　but　there　was　no　one　in　sight。　　Again　the　shrill　quavering　voice　called：

〃Love　of　God；　I　hunger；　Love　of　God；　I　die。　　Blessed　Peter；　pray　for　me！　　Blessed　Michael；　defend　me！〃

Hilarius　knew　now；　it　was　the　Ankret；　that　holy　man　who　for　sixty　years　had　fasted　and　prayed　in　his　living　tomb　at　the　corner　of　the　cloister。　　He　was　held　a　saint　above　all　the　ankrets　before　him；　and　wondrous　wise；　the　King　himself　had　sought　his　counsel；　and　the　Convent　held　him　in　high　esteem。

Again　the　voice：　　Hilarius　strove　to　reach　up　to　the　grated　window　of　the　cell　…　it　was　too　high　above　him。　　An　overpowering　desire　came　upon　him　to　ask　the　Ankret　of　his　future。　　With　a　spring　he　caught　at　the　window's　upright　bars；　his　cap　flew　off　and　he　hung　bare…headed；　the　sun　behind　him；　gazing　into　the　cell。

On　his　knees　was　an　old　man　whose　long　white　hair　lay　in　matted　locks　upon　his　shoulders；　and　whose　beard　fell　far　below　his　girdle。　　The　skin　of　his　face　was　like　grey　parchment；　and　his　deep…set　eyes　glowed　strangely　in　their　hollow　cavities。

Hilarius　strove　to　speak；　but　words　failed　him。

The　Ankret　looking　up　saw　the　beautiful　face　at　his　window　with　its　aureole　of　yellow　hair；　and　stretched　out　his　bony　withered　hands。

〃Blessed　Michael；　Blessed　Michael；　the　messenger　of　the　Lord！〃　he　cried；　gaining　strength　from　the　vision。

〃What　would'st　thou；　Father！〃　said　Hilarius；　afraid。

〃Nay；　who　am　I　that　I　should　speak？　and　yet；　and　yet　…　〃　the　old　man's　voice　grew　weaker　…　〃the　Bread　of　Heaven；　that　I　may　die　in　peace。〃

He　stretched　out　his　hands　again　entreatingly；　and　Hilarius　was　sore　perplexed。

〃Dost　thou　crave　speech　of　the　Abbat；　my　Father？〃

The　Ankret　looked　troubled。

〃Blessed　Michael；　Blessed　Michael！〃　he　murmured　entreatingly。

Hilarius'　hands　hurt　him　sore；　it　was　clear　that　the　holy　man　saw　some　wondrous　vision；　and　'twas　no　gain　time　to　speech　of　him。

〃Blessed　Michael；　Blessed　Michael！〃　quavered　the　old；　tired　voice。

Hilarius　felt　himself　slipping；　with　a　great　effort　he　held　fast　and　braced　himself　against　the　wall

〃Blessed　Michael；　Blessed　Michael！〃　…　The　appeal　in　the　half…dead　face　was　awful。

Hilarius'　grip　failed；　he　slid　to　the　ground　bruised　and　sore　from　the　unaccustomed　strain；　but　well　pleased。　　True；　he　had　gained　no　counsel　from　the　Ankret；　but　he　had　seen　the　holy　man　…　ay；　even　when　he　was　visited　by　a　heavenly　messenger；　and　that　in　itself　should　bring　a　blessing。　　He　turned　to　go；　when　a　sudden　thought　came　to　him。　　There　was　no　one　in　sight；　no　sound　but　the　failing　cry　from　the　tired　old　saint。　　Hilarius　doffed　his　cap　again　and　his　fresh　young　voice　rose　clear　and　sweet　through　the　thin　still　air：…


〃Iesu；　dulcis　memoria；　Dans　vera　cordis　gaudia；　Sed　super　mel　et　omnia　Dulcis　ejus　praesentia。〃


At　the　fourth　stanza　his　memory　failed　him；　but　he　could　hear　the　Ankret　crooning　to　himself　the　words　he　had　sung；　and　crying　softly　like　a　little　child。

Hilarius　went　home　with　wonder　in　his　heart；　but　said　no　word　of　what　had　befallen　him；　and　that　night　the　Ankret　died；　and　the　Sub…　Prior　gave　him　the　last　sacraments。

Next　day　it　was　known　that　a　vision　had　been　vouchsafed　the　holy　man　before　his　end；　and　that　the　Prince　of　Angels　himself　had　brought　his　message　of　release：　　and　Hilarius；　greatly　content　to　think　that　the　Blessed　Michael　had　indeed　been　so　near　him；　kept　his　own　counsel。

He　told　Lady　Eleanor　of　Martin's　words。

〃God　save　the　King！〃　she　said；　and　went　into　her　oratory　to　pray：　and　there　was　need　of　prayer；　for　the　Minstrel's　foreboding　was　no　idle　one。　　Ere　London　knew　it　the　Plague　was　at　her　gates；　yet　the　King；　undeterred；　came　to　spend　Christmas　at　Westminster；　but　Martin　was　not　in　his　train。　　Men's　mirth　waxed　hot　by　reason　of　the　terror　they　would　not　recognise。　　Banquet　and　revel；　allegory　and　miracle　play；　pageant　of　beautiful　women　and　brave　men；　junketing；　ay；　and　rioting　…　thus　they　flung　a　defiance　at　the　enemy；　and　then　fled：　　for　across　the　clash　of　the　feast　bells　sounded　the　mournful　note　of　funeral　dirge　and　requiem。

Eleanor；　knowing　Hilarius'　ardent　longing　for　school　and　master；　prayed　her　father　to　set　him　on　the　way　to　St　Alban's　instead　of　keeping　him　with　them　to　follow　a　fugitive　Court。　　The　good　knight；　feeling　one　page　more　or　less　mattered　little　when　Death　was　so　ready　to　serve；　and　anxious　for　the　lad's　safety　and　well…being；　assented　gladly　enough。　　So　it　came　to　pass　that　on　the　Feast　of　the　Three　Kings　Hilarius　found　himself　on　the　Watling　Street　Way；　a　well…filled　purse　in　his　pocket；　but　a　fearful　heart　under　his　jerkin；　for　the　Death　he　had　never　seen　loomed　large；　a　great　king；　and　by　all　accounts　a　most　mighty　hunter。



CHAPTER　IV　…　BLIND　EYES　WHICH　COULD　SEE



IT　is；　for　the　most　part；　the　moneyed　man　who　flees　from　the　face　of　Death；　the　poor　man　awaits　him　quietly；　with　patient　indifference；　in　the　field　or　under　his　own　roof…tree；　ay；　and　often　flings　the　door　wide　for　the　guest；　or　hastens　his　coming。　Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　while　the　stricken　poor　agonised　in　the　grip　of　unknown　horror；　bishop　and　merchant；　prince　and　chapman；　fine　ladies　in　gorgeous　litters；　abbesses　with　their　train　of　nuns；　and　many　more；　fled　north；　east；　and　west；　from　the　pestilent　cities；　and　encumbered　the　roads　with　much　traffic。　　One　procession；　and　one　only；　did　Hilarius　meet　making　its　way　to　London。

It　was　a　keen　frosty　day；　there　had　been　little　previous　rain　or　snow；　and　the　roads　were　dry；　the　trees　in　the　hedgerows；　bare　and　stricken　skeletons；　stood　out　sharp　and　black　against　a　cold　grey　sky。　　Suddenly　the　sound　of　a　mournful　chant　smote　upon　the　still　air；　music　and　words　alike　strange。　　The　singers　came　slowly　up　the　roadway；　men　of　foreign　aspect　walking　with　bent　heads；　their　dark；　matted　locks　almost　hiding　their　wild；　fixed　eyes　and　thin；　haggard　faces。　　They　were　stripped　to　the　waist；　their　backs　torn　and　bleeding；　and　carried　each　a　bloody　scourge　wherewith　to　strike　his　fellow。　　At　the　third　step　they　signed　the　sign　of　the　Cross　with　their　prostrate　bodies　on　the　ground；　and　thus　in　blood　and　penitence　they　went　towards　London。

Hilarius　was　familiar　with　the　exercise　but　not　the　manner　of　it。　These　strange；　wild　men　filled　him　with　horror；　and　he　shrank　back　with　the　rest。　　Then　a　man　sprang　from　among　the　watching　crowd；　tore　off　jerkin　and　shirt；　and　flung　up　his　arms　to　heaven　with　a　great　sob。

〃I　left　wife　and　children　to　perish　alone；〃　he　cried；　〃and　fled　to　save　my　miserable　skin。　　Now　may　God　have　mercy　on　my　soul；　for　I　go　back。　　Smite；　and　smite　hard；　brother！〃　and　he　stepped　in　front　of　the　first　flagellant。

At　this　there　arose　a　cry　from　the　folk　that　looked　on；　and　many　fell　on　their　knees　and　confessed　their　sins；　accusing　themselves　with　groanings　and　tears；　but　Hilarius；　seized　with　sudden　terror；　turned　and　fled　blindly；　without　thought　of　direction；　his　eyes　wide；　the　blood　drumming　in　his　ears；　a　great　horror　at　his　heels　…　a　horror　that　could　drive　a　man　from　wife　and　child；　that　had　driven　brave　Martin　to　flee　against　the　wind；　and　all　this　folk　to　leave　house　and　home　to　save　that　which　most　men　count　dearer　than　either。

At　last；　exhausted　and　panting；　he　stayed　to　rest；　and　saw；　coming　towards　him；　a　blind　friar。　　Hilarius　had　turned　into　a　by…way　in　the　hurry　of　his　terror；　and　they　two　were　alone。　　The　friar　was　a　small；　mean…looking　man；　feeling　his　way　by　the　aid　of　hand　and　staff；　his　face　upturned；　craving　the　light。　　He　stopped　when　he　came　up　with　Hilarius；　and　turne