the poor clare-第13章

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〃All　that　I　know；　he　knows；〃　said　I；　eagerly　laying　my　hand　on　my　uncle's　arm；　as　he　made　a　motion　as　if　to　quit　the　room。

〃Then　I　have　to　speak　before　two　gentlemen　who；　however　they　may　differ　from　me　in　faith；　are　yet　fully　impressed　with　the　fact　that　there　are　evil　powers　going　about　continually　to　take　cognizance　of　our　evil　thoughts：　　and；　if　their　Master　gives　them　power；　to　bring　them　into　overt　action。　　Such　is　my　theory　of　the　nature　of　that　sin；　which　I　dare　not　disbelieveas　some　sceptics　would　have　us　dothe　sin　of　witchcraft。　　Of　this　deadly　sin；　you　and　I　are　aware；　Bridget　Fitzgerald　has　been　guilty。　　Since　you　saw　her　last；　many　prayers　have　been　offered　in　our　churches；　many　masses　sung；　many　penances　undergone；　in　order　that；　if　God　and　the　holy　saints　so　willed　it；　her　sin　might　be　blotted　out。　　But　it　has　not　been　so　willed。〃

〃Explain　to　me；〃　said　I；　〃who　you　are；　and　how　you　come　connected　with　Bridget。　　Why　is　she　at　Antwerp？　　I　pray　you；　sir；　tell　me　more。　If　I　am　impatient；　excuse　me；　I　am　ill　and　feverish；　and　in　consequence　bewildered。〃

There　was　something　to　me　inexpressibly　soothing　in　the　tone　of　voice　with　which　he　began　to　narrate；　as　it　were　from　the　beginning；　his　acquaintance　with　Bridget。

〃I　had　known　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Starkey　during　their　residence　abroad；　and　so　it　fell　out　naturally　that；　when　I　came　as　chaplain　to　the　Sherburnes　at　Stoney　Hurst；　our　acquaintance　was　renewed；　and　thus　I　became　the　confessor　of　the　whole　family；　isolated　as　they　were　from　the　offices　of　the　Church；　Sherburne　being　their　nearest　neighbour　who　professed　the　true　faith。　　Of　course；　you　are　aware　that　facts　revealed　in　confession　are　sealed　as　in　the　grave；　but　I　learnt　enough　of　Bridget's　character　to　be　convinced　that　I　had　to　do　with　no　common　woman；　one　powerful　for　good　as　for　evil。　　I　believe　that　I　was　able　to　give　her　spiritual　assistance　from　time　to　time；　and　that　she　looked　upon　me　as　a　servant　of　that　Holy　Church；　which　has　such　wonderful　power　of　moving　men's　hearts；　and　relieving　them　of　the　burden　of　their　sins。　　I　have　known　her　cross　the　moors　on　the　wildest　nights　of　storm；　to　confess　and　be　absolved；　and　then　she　would　return；　calmed　and　subdued；　to　her　daily　work　about　her　mistress；　no　one　witting　where　she　had　been　during　the　hours　that　most　passed　in　sleep　upon　their　beds。　　After　her　daughter's　departureafter　Mary's　mysterious　disappearanceI　had　to　impose　many　a　long　penance；　in　order　to　wash　away　the　sin　of　impatient　repining　that　was　fast　leading　her　into　the　deeper　guilt　of　blasphemy。　　She　set　out　on　that　long　journey　of　which　you　have　possibly　heardthat　fruitless　journey　in　search　of　Maryand　during　her　absence；　my　superiors　ordered　my　return　to　my　former　duties　at　Antwerp；　and　for　many　years　I　heard　no　more　of　Bridget。

〃Not　many　months　ago；　as　I　was　passing　homewards　in　the　evening；　along　one　of　the　streets　near　St。　Jacques；　leading　into　the　Meer　Straet；　I　saw　a　woman　sitting　crouched　up　under　the　shrine　of　the　Holy　Mother　of　Sorrows。　　Her　hood　was　drawn　over　her　head；　so　that　the　shadow　caused　by　the　light　of　the　lamp　above　fell　deep　over　her　face；　her　hands　were　clasped　round　her　knees。　　It　was　evident　that　she　was　some　one　in　hopeless　trouble；　and　as　such　it　was　my　duty　to　stop　and　speak。　　I　naturally　addressed　her　first　in　Flemish；　believing　her　to　be　one　of　the　lower　class　of　inhabitants。　　She　shook　her　head；　but　did　not　look　up。　　Then　I　tried　French；　and　she　replied　in　that　language；　but　speaking　it　so　indifferently；　that　I　was　sure　she　was　either　English　or　Irish；　and　consequently　spoke　to　her　in　my　own　native　tongue。　　She　recognized　my　voice；　and；　starting　up；　caught　at　my　robes；　dragging　me　before　the　blessed　shrine；　and　throwing　herself　down；　and　forcing　me；　as　much　by　her　evident　desire　as　by　her　action；　to　kneel　beside　her；　she　exclaimed：

〃'O　Holy　Virgin！　you　will　never　hearken　to　me　again；　but　hear　him；　for　you　know　him　of　old；　that　he　does　your　bidding；　and　strives　to　heal　broken　hearts。　　Hear　him！'

〃She　turned　to　me。

〃'She　will　hear　you；　if　you　will　only　pray。　　She　never　hears　ME：　　she　and　all　the　saints　in　heaven　cannot　hear　my　prayers；　for　the　Evil　One　carries　them　off；　as　he　carried　that　first　away。　　O；　Father　Bernard；　pray　for　me！'

〃I　prayed　for　one　in　sore　distress；　of　what　nature　I　could　not　say；　but　the　Holy　Virgin　would　know。　　Bridget　held　me　fast；　gasping　with　eagerness　at　the　sound　of　my　words。　　When　I　had　ended；　I　rose；　and；　making　the　sign　of　the　Cross　over　her；　I　was　going　to　bless　her　in　the　name　of　the　Holy　Church；　when　she　shrank　away　like　some　terrified　creature；　and　said　…

〃'I　am　guilty　of　deadly　sin；　and　am　not　shriven。'

〃'Arise；　my　daughter；'　said　I；　'and　come　with　me。'　　And　I　led　the　way　into　one　of　the　confessionals　of　St。　Jaques。

〃She　knelt；　I　listened。　　No　words　came。　　The　evil　powers　had　stricken　her　dumb；　as　I　heard　afterwards　they　had　many　a　time　before；　when　she　approached　confession。

〃She　was　too　poor　to　pay　for　the　necessary　forms　of　exorcism；　and　hitherto　those　priests　to　whom　she　had　addressed　herself　were　either　so　ignorant　of　the　meaning　of　her　broken　French；　or　her　Irish…　English；　or　else　esteemed　her　to　be　one　crazedas；　indeed；　her　wild　and　excited　manner　might　easily　have　led　any　one　to　thinkthat　they　had　neglected　the　sole　means　of　loosening　her　tongue；　so　that　she　might　confess　her　deadly　sin；　and；　after　due　penance；　obtain　absolution。　　But　I　knew　Bridget　of　old；　and　felt　that　she　was　a　penitent　sent　to　me。　　I　went　through　those　holy　offices　appointed　by　our　Church　for　the　relief　of　such　a　case。　　I　was　the　more　bound　to　do　this；　as　I　found　that　she　had　come　to　Antwerp　for　the　sole　purpose　of　discovering　me；　and　making　confession　to　me。　　Of　the　nature　of　that　fearful　confession　I　am　forbidden　to　speak。　　Much　of　it　you　know；　possibly　all。

〃It　now　remains　for　her　to　free　herself　from　mortal　guilt；　and　to　set　others　free　from　the　consequences　thereof。　　No　prayers；　no　masses；　will　ever　do　it；　although　they　may　strengthen　her　with　that　strength　by　which　alone　acts　of　deepest　love　and　purest　self…devotion　may　be　performed。　　Her　words　of　passion；　and　cries　for　revengeher　unholy　prayers　could　never　reach　the　ears　of　the　holy　saints！　　Other　powers　intercepted　them；　and　wrought　so　that　the　curses　thrown　up　to　heaven　have　fallen　on　her　own　flesh　and　blood；　and　so；　through　her　very　strength　of　love；　have　brused　and　crushed　her　heart。　　Henceforward　her　former　self　must　be　buried；yea；　buried　quick；　if　need　be；but　never　more　to　make　sign；　or　utter　cry　on　earth！　　She　has　become　a　Poor　Clare；　in　order　that；　by　perpetual　penance　and　constant　service　of　others；　she　may　at　length　so　act　as　to　obtain　final　absolution　and　rest　for　her　soul。　　Until　then；　the　innocent　must　suffer。　　It　is　to　plead　for　the　innocent　that　I　come　to　you；　not　in　the　name　of　the　witch；　Bridget　Fitzgerald；　but　of　the　penitent　and　servant　of　all　men；　the　Poor　Clare；　Sister　Magdalen。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　I；　〃I　listen　to　your　request　with　respect；　only　I　may　tell　you　it　is　not　needed　to　urge　me　to　do　all　that　I　can　on　behalf　of　one；　love　for　whom　is　part　of　my　very　life。　　If　for　a　time　I　have　absented　myself　from　her；　it　is　to　think　and　work　for　her　redemption。　I；　a　member　of　the　English　Churchmy　uncle；　a　Puritanpray　morning　and　night　for　her　by　name：　　the　congregations　of　London；　on　the　next　Sabbath；　will　pray　for　one　unknown；　that　she　may　be　set　free　from　the　Powers　of　Darkness。　　Moreover；　I　must　tell　you；　sir；　that　those　evil　ones　touch　not　the　great　calm　of　her　soul。　　She　lives　her　own　pure　and　loving　life；　unharmed　and　untainted；　though　all　men　fall　off　from　her。　　I　would　I　could　have　her　faith！〃

My　uncle　now　spoke。

〃Nephew；〃　said　he；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　this　gentleman；　although　professing　what　I　consider　an　erroneous　creed；　has　touched　upon　the　right　point　in　exhorting　Bridget　to　acts　of　love　and　mercy；　whereby　to　wipe　out　her　sin　of　hate　and　vengeance。　　Let　us　strive　after　our　fashion；　by　almsgiving　and　visiting　of　the　needy　and　fatherless；　to　make　our　prayers　acceptable。　　Meanwhile；　I　myself　will　go　down　into　the　north；　and　take　charge　of　the　maiden。　　I　am　too　old　to　be　daunted　by　man　or　demon。　　I　will　bring　her　to　this　house　as　to　a　home；　and