the poor clare-第14章

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　home；　and　let　the　Double　come　if　it　will！　　A　company　of　godly　divines　shall　give　it　the　meeting；　and　we　will　try　issue。〃

The　kindly；　brave　old　man！　　But　Father　Bernard　sat　on　musing。

〃All　hate；〃　said　he；　〃cannot　be　quenched　in　her　heart；　all　Christian　forgiveness　cannot　have　entered　into　her　soul；　or　the　demon　would　have　lost　its　power。　　You　said；　I　think；　that　her　grandchild　was　still　tormented？〃

〃Still　tormented！〃　　I　replied；　sadly；　thinking　of　Mistress　Clarke's　last　letterHe　rose　to　go。　　We　afterwards　heard　that　the　occasion　of　his　coming　to　London　was　a　secret　political　mission　on　behalf　of　the　Jacobites。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　a　good　and　a　wise　man。

Months　and　months　passed　away　without　any　change。　　Lucy　entreated　my　uncle　to　leave　her　where　she　was；dreading；　as　I　learnt；　lest　if　she　came；　with　her　fearful　companion；　to　dwell　in　the　same　house　with　me；　that　my　love　could　not　stand　the　repeated　shocks　to　which　I　should　be　doomed。　　And　this　she　thought　from　no　distrust　of　the　strength　of　my　affection；　but　from　a　kind　of　pitying　sympathy　for　the　terror　to　the　nerves　which　she　clearly　observed　that　the　demoniac　visitation　caused　in　all。

I　was　restless　and　miserable。　　I　devoted　myself　to　good　works；　but　I　performed　them　from　no　spirit　of　love；　but　solely　from　the　hope　of　reward　and　payment；　and　so　the　reward　was　never　granted。　　At　length；　I　asked　my　uncle's　leave　to　travel；　and　I　went　forth；　a　wanderer；　with　no　distincter　end　than　that　of　many　another　wandererto　get　away　from　myself。　　A　strange　impulse　led　me　to　Antwerp；　in　spite　of　the　wars　and　commotions　then　raging　in　the　Low　Countriesor　rather；　perhaps；　the　very　craving　to　become　interested　in　something　external；　led　me　into　the　thick　of　the　struggle　then　going　on　with　the　Austrians。　　The　cities　of　Flanders　were　all　full　at　that　time　of　civil　disturbances　and　rebellions；　only　kept　down　by　force；　and　the　presence　of　an　Austrian　garrison　in　every　place。

I　arrived　in　Antwerp；　and　made　inquiry　for　Father　Bernard。　　He　was　away　in　the　country　for　a　day　or　two。　　Then　I　asked　my　way　to　the　Convent　of　Poor　Clares；　but；　being　healthy　and　prosperous；　I　could　only　see　the　dim；　pent…up；　gray　walls；　shut　closely　in　by　narrow　streets；　in　the　lowest　part　of　the　town。　　My　landlord　told　me；　that　had　I　been　stricken　by　some　loathsome　disease；　or　in　desperate　case　of　any　kind；　the　Poor　Clares　would　have　taken　me；　and　tended　me。　　He　spoke　of　them　as　an　order　of　mercy　of　the　strictest　kind；　dressing　scantily　in　the　coarsest　materials；　going　barefoot；　living　on　what　the　inhabitants　of　Antwerp　chose　to　bestow；　and　sharing　even　those　fragments　and　crumbs　with　the　poor　and　helpless　that　swarmed　all　around；　receiving　no　letters　or　communication　with　the　outer　world；　utterly　dead　to　everything　but　the　alleviation　of　suffering。　　He　smiled　at　my　inquiring　whether　I　could　get　speech　of　one　of　them；　and　told　me　that　they　were　even　forbidden　to　speak　for　the　purposes　of　begging　their　daily　food；　while　yet　they　lived；　and　fed　others　upon　what　was　given　in　charity。

〃But；〃　exclaimed　I；　〃supposing　all　men　forgot　them！　　Would　they　quietly　lie　down　and　die；　without　making　sign　of　their　extremity？〃

〃If　such　were　the　rule　the　Poor　Clares　would　willingly　do　it；　but　their　founder　appointed　a　remedy　for　such　extreme　cases　as　you　suggest。　　They　have　a　bell'tis　but　a　small　one；　as　I　have　heard；　and　has　yet　never　been　rung　in　the　memory　man：　　when　the　Poor　Clares　have　been　without　food　for　twenty…four　hours；　they　may　ring　this　bell；　and　then　trust　to　our　good　people　of　Antwerp　for　rushing　to　the　rescue　of　the　Poor　Clares；　who　have　taken　such　blessed　care　of　us　in　all　our　straits。〃

It　seemed　to　me　that　such　rescue　would　be　late　in　the　day；　but　I　did　not　say　what　I　thought。　　I　rather　turned　the　conversation；　by　asking　my　landlord　if　he　knew；　or　had　ever　heard；　anything　of　a　certain　Sister　Magdalen。

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　rather　under　his　breath；　〃news　will　creep　out；　even　from　a　convent　of　Poor　Clares。　　Sister　Magdalen　is　either　a　great　sinner　or　a　great　saint。　　She　does　more；　as　I　have　heard；　than　all　the　other　nuns　put　together；　yet；　when　last　month　they　would　fain　have　made　her　mother…superior；　she　begged　rather　that　they　would　place　her　below　all　the　rest；　and　make　her　the　meanest　servant　of　all。〃

〃You　never　saw　her？〃　asked　I。

〃Never；〃　he　replied。

I　was　weary　of　waiting　for　Father　Bernard；　and　yet　I　lingered　in　Antwerp。　　The　political　state　of　things　became　worse　than　ever；　increased　to　its　height　by　the　scarcity　of　food　consequent　on　many　deficient　harvests。　　I　saw　groups　of　fierce；　squalid　men；　at　every　corner　of　the　street；　glaring　out　with　wolfish　eyes　at　my　sleek　skin　and　handsome　clothes。

At　last　Father　Bernard　returned。　　We　had　a　long　conversation；　in　which　he　told　me　that；　curiously　enough；　Mr。　Gisborne；　Lucy's　father；　was　serving　in　one　of　the　Austrian　regiments；　then　in　garrison　at　Antwerp。　　I　asked　Father　Bernard　if　he　would　make　us　acquainted；　which　he　consented　to　do。　　But；　a　day　or　two　afterwards；　he　told　me　that；　on　hearing　my　name；　Mr。　Gisborne　had　declined　responding　to　any　advances　on　my　part；　saying　he　had　adjured　his　country；　and　hated　his　countrymen。

Probably　he　recollected　my　name　in　connection　with　that　of　his　daughter　Lucy。　　Anyhow；　it　was　clear　enough　that　I　had　no　chance　of　making　his　acquaintance。　　Father　Bernard　confirmed　me　in　my　suspicions　of　the　hidden　fermentation；　for　some　coming　evil；　working　among　the　〃blouses〃　of　Antwerp；　and　he　would　fain　have　had　me　depart　from　out　the　city；　but　I　rather　craved　the　excitement　of　danger；　and　stubbornly　refused　to　leave。

One　day；　when　I　was　walking　with　him　in　the　Place　Verte；　he　bowed　to　an　Austrian　officer；　who　was　crossing　towards　the　cathedral。

〃That　is　Mr。　Gisborne；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　gentleman　was　past。


I　turned　to　look　at　the　tall；　slight　figure　of　the　officer。　　He　carried　himself　in　a　stately　manner；　although　he　was　past　middle　age；　and　from　his　years　might　have　had　some　excuse　for　a　slight　stoop。　　As　I　looked　at　the　man；　he　turned　round；　his　eyes　met　mine；　and　I　saw　his　face。　　Deeply　lined；　sallow；　and　scathed　was　that　countenance；　scarred　by　passion　as　well　as　by　the　fortunes　of　war。　　'Twas　but　a　moment　our　eyes　met。　　We　each　turned　round；　and　went　on　our　separate　way。

But　his　whole　appearance　was　not　one　to　be　easily　forgotten；　the　thorough　appointment　of　the　dress；　and　evident　thought　bestowed　on　it；　made　but　an　incongruous　whole　with　the　dark；　gloomy　expression　of　his　countenance。　　Because　he　was　Lucy's　father；　I　sought　instinctively　to　meet　him　everywhere。　　At　last　he　must　have　become　aware　of　my　pertinacity；　for　he　gave　me　a　haughty　scowl　whenever　I　passed　him。　　In　one　of　these　encounters；　however；　I　chanced　to　be　of　some　service　to　him。　　He　was　turning　the　corner　of　a　street；　and　came　suddenly　on　one　of　the　groups　of　discontented　Flemings　of　whom　I　have　spoken。　　Some　words　were　exchanged；　when　my　gentleman　out　with　his　sword；　and　with　a　slight　but　skilful　cut　drew　blood　from　one　of　those　who　had　insulted　him；　as　he　fancied；　though　I　was　too　far　off　to　hear　the　words。　　They　would　all　have　fallen　upon　him　had　I　not　rushed　forwards　and　raised　the　cry；　then　well　known　in　Antwerp；　of　rally；　to　the　Austrian　soldiers　who　were　perpetually　patrolling　the　streets；　and　who　came　in　numbers　to　the　rescue。　　I　think　that　neither　Mr。　Gisborne　nor　the　mutinous　group　of　plebeians　owed　me　much　gratitude　for　my　interference。　　He　had　planted　himself　against　a　wall；　in　a　skilful　attitude　of　fence；　ready　with　his　bright　glancing　rapier　to　do　battle　with　all　the　heavy；　fierce；　unarmed　men；　some　six　or　seven　in　number。　　But　when　his　own　soldiers　came　up；　he　sheathed　his　sword；　and；　giving　some　careless　word　of　command；　sent　them　away　again；　and　continued　his　saunter　all　alone　down　the　street；　the　workmen　snarling　in　his　rear；　and　more　than　half…inclined　to　fall　on　me　for　my　cry　for　rescue。　　I　cared　not　if　they　did；　my　life　seemed　so　dreary　a　burden　just　then；　and；　perhaps；　it　was　this　daring　loitering　among　them　that　prevented　their　attacking　me。　　Instead；　they　suffered　me　to　fall　into　conversation　with　them；　and　I　heard　some　of　their　grievances。　　Sore　and　heavy　to　be　borne　were　they；　and　no　wonder　the　suffe