the poor clare-第15章

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and　I　heard　some　of　their　grievances。　　Sore　and　heavy　to　be　borne　were　they；　and　no　wonder　the　sufferers　were　savage　and　desperate。

The　man　whom　Gisborne　had　wounded　across　his　face　would　fain　have　got　out　of　me　the　name　of　his　aggressor；　but　I　refused　to　tell　it。　Another　of　the　group　heard　his　inquiry；　and　made　answer〃I　know　the　man。　　He　is　one　Gisborne；　aide…de…camp　to　the　General…Commandant。　　I　know　him　well。〃

He　began　to　tell　some　story　in　connection　with　Gisborne　in　a　low　and　muttering　voice；　and　while　he　was　relating　a　tale；　which　I　saw　excited　their　evil　blood；　and　which　they　evidently　wished　me　not　to　hear；　I　sauntered　away　and　back　to　my　lodgings。

That　night　Antwerp　was　in　open　revolt。　　The　inhabitants　rose　in　rebellion　against　their　Austrian　masters。　　The　Austrians；　holding　the　gates　of　the　city；　remained　at　first　pretty　quiet　in　the　citadel；　only；　from　time　to　time；　the　boom　of　the　great　cannon　swept　sullenly　over　the　town。　　But　if　they　expected　the　disturbance　to　die　away；　and　spend　itself　in　a　few　hours'　fury；　they　were　mistaken。　　In　a　day　or　two；　the　rioters　held　possession　of　the　principal　municipal　buildings。　　Then　the　Austrians　poured　forth　in　bright　flaming　array；　calm　and　smiling；　as　they　marched　to　the　posts　assigned；　as　if　the　fierce　mob　were　no　more　to　them　then　the　swarms　of　buzzing　summer　flies。　　Their　practised　manoeuvres；　their　well…aimed　shot；　told　with　terrible　effect；　but　in　the　place　of　one　slain　rioter；　three　sprang　up　of　his　blood　to　avenge　his　loss。　　But　a　deadly　foe；　a　ghastly　ally　of　the　Austrians；　was　at　work。　　Food；　scarce　and　dear　for　months；　was　now　hardly　to　be　obtained　at　any　price。　　Desperate　efforts　were　being　made　to　bring　provisions　into　the　city；　for　the　rioters　had　friends　without。　　Close　to　the　city　port；　nearest　to　the　Scheldt；　a　great　struggle　took　place。　　I　was　there；　helping　the　rioters；　whose　cause　I　had　adopted。　　We　had　a　savage　encounter　with　the　Austrians。　　Numbers　fell　on　both　sides：　　I　saw　them　lie　bleeding　for　a　moment：　　then　a　volley　of　smoke　obscured　them；　and　when　it　cleared　away；　they　were　deadtrampled　upon　or　smothered；　pressed　down　and　hidden　by　the　freshly…wounded　whom　those　last　guns　had　brought　low。　　And　then　a　gray…robed　and　grey…veiled　figure　came　right　across　the　flashing　guns　and　stooped　over　some　one；　whose　life…blood　was　ebbing　away；　sometimes　it　was　to　give　him　drink　from　cans　which　they　carried　slung　at　their　sides；　sometimes　I　saw　the　cross　held　above　a　dying　man；　and　rapid　prayers　were　being　uttered；　unheard　by　men　in　that　hellish　din　and　clangour；　but　listened　to　by　One　above。　　I　saw　all　this　as　in　a　dream：　　the　reality　of　that　stern　time　was　battle　and　carnage。　　But　I　knew　that　these　gray　figures；　their　bare　feet　all　wet　with　blood；　and　their　faces　hidden　by　their　veils；　were　the　Poor　Claressent　forth　now　because　dire　agony　was　abroad　and　imminent　danger　at　hand。　Therefore；　they　left　their　cloistered　shelter；　and　came　into　that　thick　and　evil　melee。

Close　to　medriven　past　me　by　the　struggle　of　many　fighterscame　the　Antwerp　burgess　with　the　scarce…healed　scar　upon　his　face；　and　in　an　instant　more；　he　was　thrown　by　the　press　upon　the　Austrian　officer　Gisborne；　and　ere　either　had　recovered　the　shock；　the　burgess　had　recognized　his　opponent。

〃Ha！　the　Englishman　Gisborne！〃　he　cried；　and　threw　himself　upon　him　with　redoubled　fury。　　He　had　struck　him　hardthe　Englishman　was　down；　when　out　of　the　smoke　came　a　dark…gray　figure；　and　threw　herself　right　under　the　uplifted　flashing　sword。　　The　burgess's　arm　stood　arrested。　　Neither　Austrians　nor　Anversois　willingly　harmed　the　Poor　Clares。

〃Leave　him　to　me！〃　said　a　low　stern　voice。　　〃He　is　mine　enemymine　for　many　years。〃

Those　words　were　the　last　I　heard。　　I　myself　was　struck　down　by　a　bullet。　　I　remember　nothing　more　for　days。　　When　I　came　to　myself；　I　was　at　the　extremity　of　weakness；　and　was　craving　for　food　to　recruit　my　strength。　　My　landlord　sat　watching　me。　　He；　too；　looked　pinched　and　shrunken；　he　had　heard　of　my　wounded　state；　and　sought　me　out。　Yes！　the　struggle　still　continued；　but　the　famine　was　sore：　　and　some；　he　had　heard；　had　died　for　lack　of　food。　　The　tears　stood　in　his　eyes　as　he　spoke。　　But　soon　he　shook　off　his　weakness；　and　his　natural　cheerfulness　returned。　　Father　Bernard　had　been　to　see　meno　one　else。　　（Who　should；　indeed？）　Father　Bernard　would　come　back　that　afternoonhe　had　promised。　　But　Father　Bernard　never　came；　although　I　was　up　and　dressed；　and　looking　eagerly　for　him。

My　landlord　brought　me　a　meal　which　he　had　cooked　himself：　　of　what　it　was　composed　he　would　not　say；　but　it　was　most　excellent；　and　with　every　mouthful　I　seemed　to　gain　strength。　　The　good　man　sat　looking　at　my　evident　enjoyment　with　a　happy　smile　of　sympathy；　but；　as　my　appetite　became　satisfied；　I　began　to　detect　a　certain　wistfulness　in　his　eyes；　as　if　craving　for　the　food　I　had　so　nearly　devouredfor；　indeed；　at　that　time　I　was　hardly　aware　of　the　extent　of　the　famine。　Suddenly；　there　was　a　sound　of　many　rushing　feet　past　our　window。　　My　landlord　opened　one　of　the　sides　of　it；　the　better　to　learn　what　was　going　on。　　Then　we　heard　a　faint；　cracked；　tinkling　bell；　coming　shrill　upon　the　air；　clear　and　distinct　from　all　other　sounds。　　〃Holy　Mother！〃　exclaimed　my　landlord；　〃the　Poor　Clares！〃

He　snatched　up　the　fragments　of　my　meal；　and　crammed　them　into　my　hands；　bidding　me　follow。　　Down　stairs　he　ran；　clutching　at　more　food；　as　the　women　of　his　house　eagerly　held　it　out　to　him；　and　in　a　moment　we　were　in　the　street；　moving　along　with　the　great　current；　all　tending　towards　the　Convent　of　the　Poor　Clares。　　And　still；　as　if　piercing　our　ears　with　its　inarticulate　cry；　came　the　shrill　tinkle　of　the　bell。　　In　that　strange　crowd　were　old　men　trembling　and　sobbing；　as　they　carried　their　little　pittance　of　food；　women　with　tears　running　down　their　cheeks；　who　had　snatched　up　what　provisions　they　had　in　the　vessels　in　which　they　stood；　so　that　the　burden　of　these　was　in　many　cases　much　greater　than　that　which　they　contained；　children；　with　flushed　faces；　grasping　tight　the　morsel　of　bitten　cake　or　bread；　in　their　eagerness　to　carry　it　safe　to　the　help　of　the　Poor　Clares；　strong　menyea；　both　Anversois　and　Austrianspressing　onward　with　set　teeth；　and　no　word　spoken；　and　over　all；　and　through　all；　came　that　sharp　tinklethat　cry　for　help　in　extremity。

We　met　the　first　torrent　of　people　returning　with　blanched　and　piteous　faces：　　they　were　issuing　out　of　the　convent　to　make　way　for　the　offerings　of　others。　　〃Haste；　haste！〃　said　they。　　〃A　Poor　Clare　is　dying！　　A　Poor　Clare　is　dead　for　hunger！　　God　forgive　us　and　our　city！〃

We　pressed　on。　　The　stream　bore　us　along　where　it　would。　　We　were　carried　through　refectories；　bare　and　crumbless；　into　cells　over　whose　doors　the　conventual　name　of　the　occupant　was　written。　　Thus　it　was　that　I；　with　others；　was　forced　into　Sister　Magdalen's　cell。　　On　her　couch　lay　Gisborne；　pale　unto　death；　but　not　dead。　　By　his　side　was　a　cup　of　water；　and　a　small　morsel　of　mouldy　bread；　which　he　had　pushed　out　of　his　reach；　and　could　not　move　to　obtain。　　Over　against　his　bed　were　these　words；　copied　in　the　English　version　〃Therefore；　if　thine　enemy　hunger；　feed　him；　if　he　thirst；　give　him　drink。〃

Some　of　us　gave　him　of　our　food；　and　left　him　eating　greedily；　like　some　famished　wild　animal。　　For　now　it　was　no　longer　the　sharp　tinkle；　but　that　one　solemn　toll；　which　in　all　Christian　countries　tells　of　the　passing　of　the　spirit　out　of　earthly　life　into　eternity；　and　again　a　murmur　gathered　and　grew；　as　of　many　people　speaking　with　awed　breath；　〃A　Poor　Clare　is　dying！　a　Poor　Clare　is　dead！〃

Borne　along　once　more　by　the　motion　of　the　crowd；　we　were　carried　into　the　chapel　belonging　to　the　Poor　Clares。　　On　a　bier　before　the　high　altar；　lay　a　womanlay　Sister　Magdalenlay　Bridget　Fitzgerald。　By　her　side　stood　Father　Bernard；　in　his　robes　of　office；　and　holding　the　crucifix　on　high　while　he　pronounced　the　solemn　absolution　of　the　Church；　as　to　one　who　had　newly　confessed　herself　of　deadly　sin。　　I　pushed　on　with　passionate　force；　till　I　stood　close　to　the　dying　woman；　as　she　received　extreme　unction　amid　the　breathless　and　awed　hush　of　the　multitude　around。　　Her　eyes　were　glazing；　her　lim