A full moon stared at Brother Geraint over the top of a thorn hedge. He stood there for a while in the deep shadow, licking his lips, and listening.
Somewhere down the valley a dog was baying the moon, a little trickle1 of discord2 running through the supreme3 silence of the night. Brother Geraint tucked his hands into his sleeves, grinned at the moon, and started down the path with his shadow following at his heels. He loitered a moment at the gate, glancing back over his shoulder at the house that blinked never a light at him, but stood solid and black and silent in the thick of a smother4 of apple trees.
The man at the gate nodded his head gloatingly.
“Peace be with you.”
He gave a self-pleased, triumphant5 snuffle, swung the gate open, glanced up and down the path that crossed the meadows, and then turned homewards through the moonlight.
In Orchard6 Valley the dew lay like silver samite on the grass, and the boughs7 of the apple trees were white as snow. Between the willows8 the Rondel river ran toward the sea, sleek9 and still and glassy, save where it thundered over the weir10 beside the prior’s mill. The bell-tower of Paradise cut the northern sky into two steel-bright halves. Over yonder beyond the river the Forest held up a cloak of mystery across the west. Its great beech11 trees were glimmering12 into green splendor13 and lifting a thousand crowded domes14 against the brilliance15 of the moon.
Brother Geraint had no care for any of these things. He swung along toward Paradise like a dog returning from an adventure, his fat chin showing white under his cowl, his arms folded across his chest. The cluster of hovels and cottages that stretched between the river and the priory gate was discreetly16 dark and silent, with no Peeping Tom to watch the devout17 figure moving between the hedges and under the orchard trees. Paradise slept peacefully in its valley, and left the ordering of things spiritual to St. Benedict.
The priory, lying there in the midst of the smooth meadows, looked white and chaste18 and very beautiful. The night was so still that even the aspen trees that sheltered it on the north would not have fluttered their leaves had the month been June. The gold weathercock at the top of the flèche glittered in the moonlight. The bell-tower, with its four pinnacles19, seemed up among the stars. Sanctity, calm, devout splendor! And yet the gargoyles20 ranged below the battlements of the gate opened their black mouths with a suggestion of obscene and gloating laughter. It was as though they hailed Brother Geraint as a boon21 comrade, a human hungry creature with wanton eyes and scoffing22 lips:
“Ho, you sly sinner! Hallo, you dog!”
The black holes in the stone masks up above mouthed at him in silent exultation23.
Brother Geraint did not make his entry by the great gate. There was a door in the precinct wall that opened into the kitchen court, and this door served. The monk24 passed along the slope under the infirmary, and so into the cloisters25. He had taken off his shoes, and went noiselessly on his stockinged feet.
Suddenly he paused like a big, black, listening bird, his head on one side. For some one was chanting in the priory church. Geraint knew the voice, and his teeth showed in the dark slit26 of his mouth.
Hate gleamed under his black cowl. He crept noiselessly up the steps that led to the doorway28, and along the transept, and craning his head around the pillar of the chancel arch, looked up into the choir29. The great window was lit by the moon, its tracery dead black in a sheet of silver. The light shone on the lower half of Brother Geraint’s face, but his eyes were in the shadow.
A man was kneeling in one of the choir stalls, a young man with his hood30 turned back and his hair shining like golden wire. He knelt very straight and erect31, his head thrown back, his arms folded over his chest. He had ceased his chanting, and his eyes seemed to be looking at something a long way off.
There was a grotesque32 and ferocious33 sneer34 on Brother Geraint’s face. Then his lips moved silently. He was speaking to his own heart.
“How bold the whelp is before God! A bladder of lard hung up in a shop could not look more innocent. Innocent! Damnation! This bit of green pork needs curing.”
He nodded his head significantly at the man in the choir, and crept back out of the church. In going from the cloisters toward the prior’s house he met a little old fellow carrying a leather bottle, and walking with his head thrust forward as though he were in a hurry.
“God’s speed, brother.”
They stood close together under the wall, leering at each other in the darkness.
“Is the prior abed yet?”
The little man held up the bottle.
“Empty, is it?”
“Try, brother.”
Geraint took the bottle and drank.
“Burgundy.”
He licked his lips.
“Ale is all very well, Holt, but a stomachful of this red stuff is good after a night of prayer.”
The little man sniggered, and nodded his head.
They could hear Brother Martin chanting in the choir. Geraint’s hand shot out and gripped the cellarer’s shoulder.
“Assuredly you love him, friend Holt. Why, the young man is a saint; he brings us glory and reputation.”
“Stuffed glory and geese!”
Holt mouthed and jiggered like an angry ape.
“It was a bad day for us when old Valliant renounced37 the devil and dedicated38 his bastard to God. Why, the young hound is getting too big for his kennel39.”
“Even preaches against the leather jack, my friend!”
Geraint laughed.
“We’ll find a cure for that. He shall be one of us before Abbot Hilary comes poking41 his holy nose into Paradise. Why, the young fool is green as grass, but there must be some of old Valliant’s blood in him.”
“The blood of Simon Zelotes.”
“We shall see, Holt; we shall see.”
The prior’s parlor42 was a noble room carried upon arches, its three windows looking out on the prior’s garden and the fruit trees of the orchard. A roofed staircase, the roof carried by carved stone balustrades, led up to the vestibule. Geraint, still carrying his shoes, went up the stairway with the briskness43 of a man who did not vex44 his soul with ceremonious deliberations. Nor did he trouble to rap on the prior’s door, but thrust it open and walked in.
An old man was sitting in an oak chair before the fire, his paunch making a very visible outline, his feet cocked up so that their soles caught the blaze. His lower lip hung querulously. His bold, high forehead glistened45 in the fire-light, and his rather protuberant46 blue eyes had a bemused, dull look.
“So you are not abed.”
“No, I am here—as you see.”
Geraint closed the door, and throwing back his cowl, pulled a stool up to the fire. He was a lusty, lean, big-jawed creature, as unlike Prior Globulus as an eagle is unlike a fat farmyard cock. His eyes were restless and very shrewd. The backs of his hands were covered with black hair, and one guessed that his chest was like the chest of an ape. He had a trick of moistening his lower lip with his tongue, a big red lip that jutted49 out like the spout50 of a jug51.
“It is passing cold, sir, when a man has to walk without his shoes.”
He thrust his gray-stockinged feet close to the fire.
“You observe, sir, I am a careful man. Our young house-dog is awake.”
He watched Prior Globulus with shrewd, sidelong attention; but the old man lay inert52 in his chair and blinked at the fire.
“Brother Martin is very careful for our reputation, sir. He has become the thorn in our mortal flesh. It is notorious that he eschews53 wine, fasts like a saint, and has no eyes or ears for anything that is carnal—save, sir, when he discovers such frailties54 in others.”
“A pest on the fellow; he is no more than a vexatious fool. Let him be, brother.”
Geraint leaned forward and spread his hands before the fire.
“Brother Martin is no fool, sir; I am beginning to believe that the fellow is very sly. He watches and says but little, yet there is a something in those eyes of his. He lives like a fanatic57, while we, sir, are but mortal men.”
He smiled and rubbed his hands together.
“As you know, sir, it was mooted58 that Abbot Hilary has his eyes on Paradise. Some one whispered shame of us, and Abbot Hilary is the devil.”
Prior Globulus sat up straight in his chair, his face full of querulous anger and dismay.
“Foul lies, brother.”
“Foul lies, sir.”
Geraint’s voice was ironical59. His eyes met the older man’s, and Prior Globulus could not meet the look.
Geraint edged his stool a little closer.
“Brother Martin must be taught to be mortal,” he said; “he must become one of us.”
“And how shall that befall?”
“I will tell you, sir. Is not the fellow old Valliant’s son—old Valliant whose blood was like Spanish wine? Brother Martin is a young man, and the spring is here.”
They talked together for a long while before the fire, their heads almost touching61, their eyes watching the flames playing in the throat of the chimney.
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收听单词发音
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1
trickle
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| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
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discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
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3
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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5
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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6
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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7
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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8
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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10
weir
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| n.堰堤，拦河坝 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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12
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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13
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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14
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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15
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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16
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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17
devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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18
chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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19
pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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20
gargoyles
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| n.怪兽状滴水嘴( gargoyle的名词复数 ) | |
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21
boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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22
scoffing
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| n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽 | |
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23
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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24
monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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25
cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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27
bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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28
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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29
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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30
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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31
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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32
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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33
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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34
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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35
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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36
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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37
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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38
dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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39
kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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40
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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41
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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42
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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43
briskness
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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44
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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45
glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
protuberant
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| adj.突出的，隆起的 | |
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47
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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48
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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49
jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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50
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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51
jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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52
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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53
eschews
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| v.（尤指为道德或实际理由而）习惯性避开，回避( eschew的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54
frailties
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| n.脆弱( frailty的名词复数 )；虚弱；（性格或行为上的）弱点；缺点 | |
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55
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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56
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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57
fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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58
mooted
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| adj.未决定的，有争议的，有疑问的v.提出…供讨论( moot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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60
peevishly
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| adv．暴躁地 | |
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61
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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