The Herr Vicar in Meran! It was wonderful, miraculous1!
For a minute or two, Linnet was so utterly2 taken aback at this unexpected portent3 that she hardly knew how to comport4 herself under such novel circumstances. Now, that was exactly the result Andreas Hausberger had counted upon. Andreas loved not the Church, to be sure, but, like all sound strategists, political or social, he knew how to make use of it for his own wise purposes. As soon as ever he learned from Franz Lindner how things were going on between Linnet and her Engl?nder, and had ascertained6 by private inquiry7 from the Herr Oberkellner at the Erzherzog Johann that Herr Will was going away for a few days’ tour among the Botzen Dolomites,?—?why, taking opportunity by the forelock, he telegraphed at once to the Herr Vicar at St Valentin to come on by the first train, all expenses paid, over the Brenner to Meran, on purpose to save the soul of an erring8 member of his flock, in imminent9 danger of faith and morals, from a heretic Englishman. And the Herr Vicar, in return, though he loved not Andreas?—?for the wirth was a Liberal, an enemy of the “Blacks,” and reputed to be even not far short of a freethinker?—?the Herr Vicar, for his part, was by no means averse10 to a pleasant holiday in a fashionable watering-place south of the Alps at that delightful11 season, especially if some one else was to pay the piper. It is well to combine the salvation12 of souls with an agreeable excursion. The Herr Vicar was prepared to make free use of the Mammon of Unrighteousness?—?in the Church’s service; a good pastor13 employs it without stint14 or compunction to secure the eternal bliss15 of the particular flock committed to his guidance.
Not that the astute16 priest began at once with the matter in hand, on which Herr Andreas had already most amply coached him. He was far too wise and politic5 a fisher of souls for so clumsy a procedure. He angled gently. He started on his task by striking, first, all the familiar home chords of St Valentin. The moment he entered the room, indeed, Linnet rushed up and seized his hand?—?she had known him from her childhood, and taken the mass from him often; she had confessed to him her sins, and received time and again his paternal17 blessing18. At such a moment as that any old friend from St Valentin would have been a welcome counsellor: how much more then the Herr Vicar, who had taught her the Credo, and the Vater Unser, and the Ave; who had prepared her lisping lips for First Communion; who had absolved19 her from her sins from her babyhood onward21! And he had seen that dear mother only the day before! How she flooded him with questions as to everyone at St Valentin.
The Herr Vicar, in reply, folding two plump hands over his capacious waistband, sank back in an easy-chair, and answered her at full length as to all that had happened since she left the village. The good mother was well, very well indeed, seldom better in November; some holy oil rubbed on night and morning, had proved highly effectual against her threatened rheumatism22. Oh yes; she had duly received the five florins that Linnet sent her?—?thanks very much for them?—?and had expended23 two of them, as Linnet would no doubt herself have wished, in the performance of a mass for the deliverance of the dear father’s soul from purgatory24. She knew the Herr Vicar was coming to Meran, and would see her daughter, and she had sent many messages (all detailed25 at full length)?—?how the cow with the crooked26 horn was giving no milk, and how the cat had five kittens, and how pleased they all were to hear at St Valentin there was talk Linnet was to make such a brilliant marriage.
Then poor Linnet faltered27 out, half-sobbing again, when the Herr Vicar spoke28 of that mass for the repose29 of her father’s soul, how great a trial it had been to her to be away from St Valentin for the first time in her life on All Souls Day?—?the Feast of the Dead?—?when it had always been her custom to lay a little wreath, and burn four small tapers30 on her father’s grave in the village churchyard. She was afraid that dear spirit in its present home would feel itself neglected by the duty unperformed in due season.
But the Herr Vicar, with a benign31 smile, was happy he should be able to reassure32 her as to this matter. The candles and the wreath had been forthcoming as usual; he had seen to them himself?—?at Herr Andreas’s request, who had written to him on the subject from Meran most thoughtfully.
That was kind, Linnet thought, far kinder than she ever could have expected from Andreas. But that wasn’t all. He had provided in many ways, or intended to provide, for the good mother’s comfort. Then the Herr Vicar went on to speak still more of Andreas, who slipped out as he spoke, leaving priest and penitent34 alone together. So Herr Andreas, it seemed, was going to marry her! For a girl like her, that was a very great honour. And the sooner the better, indeed; the sooner the better! These were grave and painful rumours35 now afloat in St Valentin?—?and the Herr Vicar shook his head in solemn warning?—?grave and painful rumours, how Linnet had been seen on the hillsides more than once?—?with an English heretic. And he had followed her to Innsbruck! and then to Meran! and now, Heaven knew what he was trying to do with her! ’Twas a dangerous thing, a compromising thing (the Herr Vicar thought) for a girl to get involved in an affair like that with a man so much above herself in position and station. But Herr Andreas was so kind, and consented to overlook it; there were very few men who in a similar case would act like Herr Andreas. In other matters the Herr Vicar had withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; but in this, he had behaved like a generous gentleman.
To all which, poor Linnet, hiding her face in her hands, only made answer once more, “I can never marry Andreas Hausberger.”
“Why not?” the priest asked, sharply.
And Linnet, hardly knowing how to answer him for fear and shame, yet murmured very low, “Because I don’t love him.”
Then the Herr Vicar, thus aroused, went off at a tangent into a clerical exhortation36 on the nature, duties, and inducements of matrimony. We must remember that, in these matters, the wishes of the flesh were not alone or even chiefly to be consulted. They were of minor37 importance. There was her duty as a daughter, for example: Herr Andreas was rich; how much might he not do to lighten her mother’s old age? how much to release her poor father’s soul from the flames of purgatory? There was her duty as a woman, and a child of the Church; how much might not Herr Andreas’s money enable her to accomplish for the good of the world and for the souls of her people? She was still a giddy girl. What temptations such a marriage would enable her to avoid; what a brilliant future in the end it might open out before her! And then these floating rumours had disturbed him much; on his way from Jenbach, if she would only believe him, he had said prayers on her behalf to Our Lady, to preserve her honour.
But Linnet, raising her head, and looking him straight in the eyes, made answer at last in these wicked, rebellious38 words, “I love the Engl?nder! Ah, I love the Engl?nder! If ever I marry at all, I’ll marry the Engl?nder!”
The Herr Vicar grew grave. This was a case, indeed, not for humouring and coaxing39, but for the sternest admonition. And he administered it without stint. With the simple directness of the Tyrolese priest, accustomed to deal with coarse, straightforward40 natures, he spoke the plain truth; he brought her future sin home to her with homely41 force and unvarnished language. In the first place, this young man clearly meant no good by her. That was obvious to everyone. Now, if he were one of her own sort, a faithful son of the Church, and a Tyrolese j?ger, well, the Herr Vicar might, in that case, have been disposed, no doubt, to be somewhat more lenient42. He admitted, while he deplored43, the temptations and difficulties of a sennerin’s life, and was never too hard on them. And besides, in such circumstances, the young man might mean in the end to marry her. But this Engl?nder assuredly meant nothing of the kind; and, what was worse, even if he did, the Herr Vicar could by no means approve of such a union. The Holy See, acting44 as ever on the Apostolic advice, “Be not unequally yoked45 together with unbelievers,” disallowed46 and discouraged the union of Catholics with Jews, heretics, infidels, and other schismatics, under one or other of which unholy categories (and the Herr Vicar frowned) he must needs place her Engl?nder. True, the Holy Father was sometimes pleased, on good cause duly shown, to grant certain persons an exceptional dispensation. But even if the Engl?nder desired to marry her, which was scarcely likely, and even if he consented to invoke47 such aid, which was still more improbable, how could he, the Herr Vicar, knowing the young man’s circumstances, back up such a request??—?how consign48 a lamb of his flock to the keeping of an infidel? Every sentiment of gratitude49 should bind50 her to Herr Andreas. Every feeling of a Catholic should turn her instinctively51 away from the false wiles52 of a schismatic.
To all which theological argument, Linnet, raising her head, and wringing53 her hands, only answered once more, in a wildly despairing voice, “But I love him, I love him!”
The priest saw at once this was a case for strong measures. Unless he adopted them, a lamb might slip from his pastoral grasp, a doubtful soul might stray for ever from the fold of true believers. He put on at once the set tone and manner of the confessional. It was no longer a question now of merely meeting Herr Andreas’s wishes?—?though Herr Andreas’s aid would be most useful indeed in the affairs of the parish; it was a question of preserving this poor sheep of his flock from everlasting54 perdition. What are a few fleeting55 years, with this lover or that, compared with an eternity56 of unceasing torment57? The Herr Vicar was an honest and conscientious58 man, according to his lights; this poor girl was in deadly danger of her immortal59 soul?—?and that window for the chancel, which Herr Andreas vowed60, would be a work of piety61 most pleasing to their holy patron saint, the blessed Valentin.
So, with all the strength of imagery he possessed62 at his command, the priest began to play of deliberate design upon the chords of poor Linnet’s superstitious63 terror. In horribly vivid and realistic language, such as only a Tyrolese tongue could command, he conjured64 up before her mind that familiar picture of dead souls in purgatory, lost souls in torment. He poured out upon her trembling head all the thunders of the Church against unholy love, or, what came to the same thing, against an uncatholic union. Linnet listened, and cowered65. To you and me, this would just have been a well-meaning but ignorant parish priest; to Linnet, he was the embodied66 voice of all Catholic Christendom. She had sat upon his knees; she had learnt prayers from his lips; she had looked upon him for years as the mouthpiece of whatever was right and just and holy. And now, he was bringing all the weight of his authority to bear against the dictates67 of her poor hot heart; he was terrifying her with his words; he was denouncing upon her the horrible woes68 of apostasy69. Whether the man meant to marry her or not, all was equally sin; she was bent70 on the downward path; she was flying in the face of God and His priest, to her own destruction. She might marry Andreas or not?—?that was a question of inclination71; but if she persisted in her relations with an infidel, who could mean her no good, she was hurrying straight to the devil and all his angels. And the devil and all his angels were very real and very near indeed to Linnet; the flames of purgatory were as familiar to her eyes as the fire on the hearth72; the tortures of hell were as solid and as material as she had seen them pictured on every roadside oratory73.
And the effect? Ah, well, only those who know the profound religious faith of the Tyrolese peasantry can fully33 understand the appalling74 effect this pastoral exhortation produced upon Linnet. It was no new discovery, indeed. All along, amid the tremulous delight of her first great love, she had known in her heart this thing she was doing, though sweet?—?too sweet?—?was unspeakably wicked. She was paltering with sin, giving her heart to a heretic. She herself had seen him pass many a wayside crucifix, many a shrine75 of Our Dear Lady, without raising his hat or letting his knee do obeisance76, as was right, before them. He was good, he was kind; in a purely77 human sort of way he sympathised with her, and understood her as no one else in the world had ever yet done; but still?—?he was a heretic. She had known that all along; she had known the danger she ran, and the end, the horrible end, it must finally lead her to. And now, when her parish priest, her earliest friend, her own tried confessor, pointed78 out her sin to her, she quivered and crouched79 before him in bodily terror and abject80 submission81. The flames of hell seemed to rise up and take hold of her. And the more frightened she grew, the more vehement82 and fierce grew the priest’s denunciation. He saw his opportunity, and made the best use of it. What were the few short years of this life to an eternity of pain? What a dream of brief love to fiery83 floods for ever?
At last, appalled84 and horrified85, Linnet, bowing her frightened head, held up her bloodless hands, and begged convulsively for mercy. “Give me absolution,” she cried; “Father! O Father, forgive me!”
Her confessor seized the occasion, for her soul’s benefit. “Not unless you abandon him!” he answered, in a very stern voice. “While you remain in your sin, how can God’s priest absolve20 you?”
Linnet wrung86 her hands for a moment in silent agony. She couldn’t give him up! Oh, no; she couldn’t! “Father,” she cried at last with a despairing burst, “what shall I do to be saved? Guide me! Save me!”
The priest snatched at the chance. “Will you come back to St Valentin to-morrow?” he asked, with two uplifted fingers poised87 half-doubtful in air, as if waiting to bless her. “Will you come back to St Valentin?—?and marry Andreas Hausberger?”
In an agony of abject religious terror, Linnet bowed her head. “Is there no other way?” she cried, trembling, “No other way of salvation?”
The priest pressed his advantage. “If you died to-night,” he answered, in a very solemn voice, “you would die in your sin, and hell’s mouth would yawn wide for you. Accept the escape an honourable88 man offers you, and be clear of your heretic!”
Linnet flung herself on her knees, and clasped her hands before him. The horrors of eternity and of the offended Church made her shake in every limb. She was half-dumb with terror.
“I’ll do as you wish, Father,” she moaned, in a voice of hushed awe89, “if you’ll only bless me. I’ll go back to St Valentin and marry Andreas Hausberger!”
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1
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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portent
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| n.预兆；恶兆；怪事 | |
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comport
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| vi.相称，适合 | |
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5
politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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6
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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8
erring
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| 做错事的，错误的 | |
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9
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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10
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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15
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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absolved
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| 宣告…无罪，赦免…的罪行，宽恕…的罪行( absolve的过去式和过去分词 )； 不受责难，免除责任 [义务] ,开脱（罪责） | |
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absolve
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| v.赦免，解除（责任等） | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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28
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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benign
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| adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的 | |
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reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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lenient
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| adj.宽大的，仁慈的 | |
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deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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45
yoked
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| 结合（yoke的过去式形式） | |
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46
disallowed
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| v.不承认（某事物）有效( disallow的过去式和过去分词 )；不接受；不准；驳回 | |
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invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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consign
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| vt.寄售（货品），托运，交托，委托 | |
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49
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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51
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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52
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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53
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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54
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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55
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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56
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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57
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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58
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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60
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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67
dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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68
woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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apostasy
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| n.背教，脱党 | |
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70
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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75
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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81
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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82
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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84
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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85
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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86
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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87
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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88
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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89
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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