登陆注册
5168000000020

第20章

"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 disbelieve--as some sceptics would have us do--the 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 Ibecame 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 Iwas 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 departure--after Mary's mysterious disappearance--I 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 heard--that fruitless journey in search of Mary--and 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 crazed--as, indeed, her wild and excited manner might easily have led any one to think--that 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.

同类推荐
  • 除恐灾患经

    除恐灾患经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续古尊宿语要目录

    续古尊宿语要目录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 浪淘沙二首

    浪淘沙二首

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书诀

    书诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Romantic Ballads

    Romantic Ballads

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 影响一生的10堂礼仪课

    影响一生的10堂礼仪课

    在现代社会,优雅的行为举止、得体的仪态和语言,已成为人们行走社会畅通无阻的通行证,其力量和价值都是无可比拟的。学习一些与日常工作和生活密切相关的礼仪常识,是每一个现代人立身处世的基本要求。
  • 大青神

    大青神

    佟婕网名道葭。满族,祖籍沈阳,现居岭南古邑广州。予自幼浑噩懒散,不求上进,迄今三十二载,仍不晓大义,唯汲汲于洞悉天人之妙,探寻古今之微,品评饕餮之食,挥洒稚拙之门。常欲寻人不经意间峰回路转,以脱旧来窠臼,奔何事与愿违,四顾茫然,乃腆颜码字,混迹求生,亦已焉哉!代表作:《饕餮娘子》。西江自古横亘数省,水系贯通两广,沿岸的人们逐水而居,历史源远流长。
  • 首席大人手下留情

    首席大人手下留情

    就像一阵微风拂过脸颊一样,你清凉了我,就像一首美妙的乐曲,你打动了我,本以为我们的擦肩而过是必然的,却不知原来这真的只是一场我的梦……梦醒了,也就只有我自己而已。
  • 透视大清王朝秘史:军机处

    透视大清王朝秘史:军机处

    “起家词赋皆先泽,报国文章在此身。书生蝇头钻故纸,不输沙场斫贼刀。”一百八十三年的军机处,一笔厚重的历史,一群出类拔萃的人物,一堆有待挖掘的故事,在《军机处》三部曲之中,我将努力给读者朋友们展示一个全面而真实的军机处。
  • 泪倾城:冷君独宠(全3册)

    泪倾城:冷君独宠(全3册)

    醒来时,她身着血迹斑驳的嫁衣,长发凌乱披散。他持剑而立,眼中尽是冰冷的杀意。生死一刻,他身旁女子淡淡的一句话,却将她救下。这女子是他的宠妃,也是他多年来心上的唯一。原来,她是痴缠妹夫,不知廉耻,被世人嫌恶的女子。她拥有倾城之貌,被认定是祸国的妖孽。他狠戾冷绝,人称是孤胆枭雄。一场劫难,她在流离中对他暗生情愫。缠绵缱绻,生死相携,却始终融不开他心上的雪……
  • 总裁无心:不爱,请放手

    总裁无心:不爱,请放手

    这一世,叶青柠想着自己必须要和沈初上离婚。于是一纸离婚协议书甩在了他的面前。沈初上看了一眼离婚协议:“这婚结的时候我不乐意,现在要离,我也不乐意。”随手把离婚协议书扔在了垃圾桶内。“.…….”叶青柠很无语,他明明那么讨厌自己,怎么就不同意离婚!
  • 恶俗

    恶俗

    老窖蹲在灶坑口儿一盅一盅喝闷酒。老窖喝酒一般不分地场不挑菜,掰半截黄瓜也能弄二两,拣两个土豆蘸大酱也能凑和一顿。老窖喝酒不挑剔,却愿喝个情绪。啥叫情绪?遇到顺心事儿要喝个痛快,碰上烦心事儿也得醉得彻底。说到底,老窖是个三顿离不开酒的酒鬼。不过,老窖之所以叫老窖,是因为他喜好喝当地产的一种名叫凤城老窖的高度粮食酒,劲儿大,味儿淳,一杯喝下去,喉咙里立马像着了火苗子,烫得慌。老窖喜欢一整天把那火苗子栽到胃里。“吱——”老窖一仰脖,又一盅热辣辣的玩意儿灌进了胃,他感到胃肠里像有股看不见又摸不着的邪火在往上窜。
  • 冲吧白起

    冲吧白起

    在一个繁华的大城市中,一群黑恶势力在蠢蠢欲动,由于白起的诞生,这个城市终于转危为安的故事,他们有什么样的阴谋呢?有什么样的危机在等待着他呢?这里面究竟会发生什么有趣的事呢?一切皆在冲吧,白起!
  • 欺逢对手

    欺逢对手

    你有没有遇到那样一个人?他一面嫌弃你胖,一面又往你碗里夹着红烧肉。他一面欺负着你,又一面对你百般宠溺。他总站在你不远不近的地方看着你。你笑的时候,他打击你。你哭的时候,他哄着你。你沮丧的时候,他眼底埋了明亮的太阳。你开心时,他眼底又藏了弯弯的月亮。我的纪恒曦就是这样的人。
  • 我杀死了系统

    我杀死了系统

    这是一名自以为不是主角的主角,猎杀其它自以为是主角的配角,顺便尝试一下拯救世界的故事。————————————“你是天之骄子?气运所钟?废材逆袭?”易亦着一身布衣,手持书卷,剑指一名锦衣华服的男子,偏头问道。男子没有回复,鼓动全身灵力,一脸凝重。剑光之后,男子倒下。“现在你不是了。”易亦甩去剑尖的一缕血丝,语气平淡,陈述事实。他低头看向书卷,上面赫然写着“无限复活系统”六个大字。“这下可麻烦了。”他嘟囔着。