other ambrose reproving him for this
blasphemous wish, he did hold the said brother face downwards
over the piscatorium or fish-pond for a space during which the
said brother was able to repeat a pater and four aves for the
better fortifying of his soul against impending death."
there was a buzz and murmur among the white-frocked brethren at
this grave charge; but the abbot held up his long quivering hand.
"what then?" said he.
"item, that between nones and vespers on the feast of james the
less the said brother john was observed upon the brockenhurst
road, near the spot which is known as hatchett's pond in converse
with a person of the other sex, being a maiden of the name of
mary sowley, the daughter of the king's verderer. item, that
after sundry japes and jokes the said brother john did lift up
the said mary sowley and did take, carry, and convey her across a
stream, to the infinite relish of the devil and the exceeding
detriment of his own soul, which scandalous and wilful falling
away was witnessed by three members of our order."
a dead silence throughout the room, with a rolling of heads and
upturning of eyes, bespoke the pious horror of the community.
the abbot drew his gray brows low over his fiercely questioning
eyes.
"who can vouch for this thing?" he asked.
"that can i," answered the accuser. "so too can brother
porphyry, who was with me, and brother mark of the spicarium, who
hath been so much stirred and inwardly troubled by the sight that
he now lies in a fever through it."
"and the woman?" asked the abbot. "did she not break into
lamentation and woe that a brother should so demean himself?"
"nay, she smiled sweetly upon him and thanked him. i can vouch
it and so can brother porphyry."
"canst thou?" cried the abbot, in a high, tempestuous tone.
"canst thou so? hast forgotten that the five-and-thirtieth rule
of the order is that in the presence of a woman the face should
be ever averted and the eyes cast down? hast forgot it, i say?
if your eyes were upon your sandals, how came ye to see this
smile of which ye prate? a week in your cells, false brethren, a
week of rye-bread and lentils, with double lauds and double
matins, may help ye to remembrance of the laws under which ye
live."
at this sudden outflame of wrath the two witnesses sank their
faces on to their chests, and sat as men crushed. the abbot
turned his angry eyes away from them and bent them upon the
accused, who met his searching gaze with a firm and composed
face.
"what hast thou to say, brother john, upon these weighty things
which are urged against you?"
"little enough, good father, little enough," said the novice,
speaking english with a broad west saxon drawl. the brothers,
who were english to a man, pricked up their ears at the sound of
the homely and yet unfamiliar speech; but the abbot flushed red
with anger, and struck his hand upon the oaken arm of his chair.
"what talk is this?" he cried. "is this a tongue to be used
within the walls of an old and well-famed monastery? but grace
and learning have ever gone hand in hand, and when one is lost it
is needless to look for the other."
"i know not about that," said brother john. "i know only that
the words come kindly to my mouth, for it was the speech of my
fathers before me. under your favor, i shall either use it now
or hold my peace."
the abbot patted his foot and nodded his head, as one who passes
a point but does not forget it.
"for the matter of the ale," continued brother john, "i had come
in hot from the fields and had scarce got the taste of the thing
before mine eye lit upon the bottom of the pot. it may be, too,
that i spoke somewhat shortly concerning the bran and the beans,
the same being poor provender and unfitted for a man of my
inches. it is true also that i did lay my hands upon this jack-
fool of a brother ambrose, though, as you can see, i did him
little scathe. as regards the maid, too, it is true that i did
heft her over the stream, she having on her hosen and shoon,
whilst i had but my wooden sandals, which could take no hurt
from the waver. i should have thought shame upon my manhood, as
well as my monkhood, if i had held back my hand from her." he
glanced around as he spoke with the half-amused look which he had
worn during the whole proceedings.
"there is no need to go further," said the abbot. "he has
confessed to all. it only remains for me to portion out the
punishment which is due to his evil conduct."
he rose, and the two long lines of brothers followed his example,
looking sideways with scared faces at the angry prelate.
"john of hordle," he thundered, "you have shown yourself during
the two months of your novitiate to be a recreant monk, and one
who is unworthy to wear the white garb which is the outer sym
本文链接:
http://m.picdg.com/38_38017/5748556.html