Gerard caught this, and timidly offered his services. There was a hesitation5 which he mistook. “Nay6, not for hire, my lords, but for love, and as a trifling7 return for many a good night's lodging8 the brethren of your order have bestowed9 on me a poor wayfarer10.”
A monk smiled approvingly; but hinted that the late brother was an excellent penman, and his work could not be continued but by a master. Gerard on this drew from his wallet with some trepidation11 a vellum deed, the back of which he had cleaned and written upon by way of specimen12. The monk gave quite a start at sight of it, and very hastily went up the hall to the high table, and bending his knee so as just to touch in passing the fifth step and the tenth, or last, presented it to the prior with comments. Instantly a dozen knowing eyes were fixed13 on it, and a buzz of voices was heard; and soon Gerard saw the prior point more than once, and the monk came back, looking as proud as Punch, with a savoury crustade ryal, or game pie gravied and spiced, for Gerard, and a silver grace cup full of rich pimentum. This latter Gerard took, and bowing low, first to the distant prior, then to his own company, quaffed14, and circulated the cup.
Instantly, to his surprise, the whole table hailed him as a brother: “Art convent bred, deny it not?” He acknowledged it, and gave Heaven thanks for it, for otherwise he had been as rude and ignorant as his brothers, Sybrandt and Cornelis.
“But 'tis passing strange how you could know,” said he.
The voices had for some time been loudish round a table at the bottom of the hall; but presently came a burst of mirth so obstreperous16 and prolonged, that the prior sent the very sub-prior all down the hall to check it, and inflict17 penance18 on every monk at the table. And Gerard's cheek burned with shame; for in the heart of the unruly merriment his ear had caught the word “courage!” and the trumpet19 tones of Denys of Burgundy.
Soon Gerard was installed in feu Werter's cell, with wax lights, and a little frame that could be set at any angle, and all the materials of caligraphy. The work, however, was too much for one evening. Then came the question, how could he ask Denys, the monk-hater, to stay longer? However, he told him, and offered to abide20 by his decision. He was agreeably surprised when Denys said graciously, “A day's rest will do neither of us harm. Write thou, and I'll pass the time as I may.”
Gerard's work was vastly admired; they agreed that the records of the monastery had gained by poor Werter's death. The sub-prior forced a rix-dollar on Gerard, and several brushes and colours out of the convent stock, which was very large. He resumed his march warm at heart, for this was of good omen21; since it was on the pen he relied to make his fortune and recover his well-beloved. “Come, Denys,” said he good-humouredly, “see what the good monks have given me; now, do try to be fairer to them; for to be round with you, it chilled my friendship for a moment to hear even you call my benefactors23 'hypocrites.'”
“I recant,” said Denys.
“Thank you! thank you! Good Denys.”
“I was a scurrilous24 vagabond.”
“Nay, nay, say not so, neither!”
“But we soldiers are rude and hasty. I give myself the lie, and I offer those I misunderstood all my esteem25. 'Tis unjust that thousands should be defamed for the hypocrisy26 of a few.”
“Now are you reasonable. You have pondered what I said?”
“Nay, it is their own doing.”
Gerard crowed a little, we all like to be proved in the right; and was all attention when Denys offered to relate how his conversion27 was effected.
“Well then, at dinner the first day a young monk beside me did open his jaws28 and laughed right out and most musically. 'Good,' said I, 'at last I have fallen on a man and not a shorn ape.' So, to sound him further, I slapped his broad back and administered my consigne. 'Heaven forbid!' says he. I stared. For the dog looked as sad as Solomon; a better mime29 saw you never, even at a Mystery. 'I see war is no sharpener of the wits,' said he. 'What are the clergy30 for but to fight the foul31 fiend? and what else are the monks for?
“The fiend being dead,
The friars are sped.”
You may plough up the convents, and we poor monks shall have nought32 to do—but turn soldiers, and so bring him to life again.' Then there was a great laugh at my expense. 'Well, you are the monk for me,' said I. 'And you are the crossbowman for me,' quo' he. 'And I'll be bound you could tell us tales of the war should make our hair stand on end.' 'Excusez! the barber has put that out of the question,' quoth I, and then I had the laugh.”
The candid34 Denys at once admitted he had seen merrier jests hatched with less cackle. “'Twas a great matter to have got rid of hypocrisy. 'So,' said I, 'I can give you the chaire de poule, if that may content ye.' 'That we will see,' was the cry, and a signal went round.”
Denys then related, bursting with glee, how at bedtime he had been taken to a cell instead of the great dortour, and strictly35 forbidden to sleep; and to aid his vigil, a book had been lent him of pictures representing a hundred merry adventures of monks in pursuit of the female laity36; and how in due course he had been taken out barefooted and down to the parlour, where was a supper fit for the duke, and at it twelve jolly friars, the roaringest boys he had ever met in peace or war. How the story, the toast, the jest, the wine-cup had gone round, and some had played cards with a gorgeous pack, where Saint Theresa, and Saint Catherine, etc., bedizened with gold, stood for the four queens; and black, white, grey, and crutched37 friars for the four knaves39; and had staked their very rosaries, swearing like troopers when they lost. And how about midnight a sly monk had stolen out, but had by him and others been as cannily40 followed into the garden, and seen to thrust his hand into the ivy41 and out with a rope-ladder. With this he had run up on the wall, which was ten feet broad, yet not so nimbly but what a russet kirtle had popped up from the outer world as quick as he; and so to billing and cooing: that this situation had struck him as rather feline42 than ecclesiastical, and drawn43 from him the appropriate comment of a “mew!” The monks had joined the mewsical chorus, and the lay visitor shrieked44 and been sore discomforted; but Abelard only cried, “What, are ye there, ye jealous miauling knaves? ye shall caterwaul to some tune22 to-morrow night. I'll fit every man-jack of ye with a fardingale.” That this brutal45 threat had reconciled him to stay another day—at Gerard's request.
Meantime, unable to disconcert so brazen47 a monk, and the demoiselle beginning to whimper, they had danced caterwauling in a circle, then bestowed a solemn benediction48 on the two wall-flowers, and off to the parlour, where they found a pair lying dead drunk, and other two affectionate to tears. That they had straightway carried off the inanimate, and dragged off the loving and lachymose, kicked them all merrily each into his cell.
“And so shut up in measureless content.”
Gerard was disgusted: and said so.
Denys chuckled49, and proceeded to tell him how the next day he and the young monks had drawn the fish-ponds and secreted50 much pike, carp, tench, and eel51 for their own use: and how, in the dead of night, he had been taken shoeless by crooked52 ways into the chapel53, a ghost-like place, being dark, and then down some steps into a crypt below the chapel floor, where suddenly paradise had burst on him.
“'Tis there the holy fathers retire to pray,” put in Gerard.
“Not always,” said Denys; “wax candles by the dozen were lighted, and princely cheer; fifteen soups maigre, with marvellous twangs of venison, grouse54, and hare in them, and twenty different fishes (being Friday), cooked with wondrous55 art, and each he between two buxom56 lasses, and each lass between two lads with a cowl; all but me: and to think I had to woo by interpreter. I doubt the knave38 put in three words for himself and one for me; if he didn't, hang him for a fool. And some of the weaker vessels57 were novices58, and not wont59 to hold good wine; had to be coaxed60 ere they would put it to their white teeth; mais elles s'y faisaient; and the story, and the jest, and the cup went round (by-the-by, they had flagons made to simulate breviaries); and a monk touched the cittern, and sang ditties with a voice tunable61 as a lark62 in spring. The posies did turn the faces of the women folk bright red at first: but elles s'y faisaient.”
Here Gerard exploded.
“Miserable wretches63! Corrupters of youth! Perverters of innocence64! but for your being there, Denys, who have been taught no better, oh, would God the church had fallen on the whole gang. Impious, abominable65 hypocrites!”
“Hypocrites?” cried Denys, with unfeigned surprise. “Why, that is what I clept them ere I knew them: and you withstood me. Nay, they are sinners; all good fellows are that; but, by St. Denys his helmeted skull66, no hypocrites, but right jolly roaring blades.”
“Denys,” said Gerard solemnly, “you little know the peril67 you ran that night. That church you defiled68 amongst you is haunted; I had it from one of the elder monks. The dead walk there, their light feet have been heard to patter o'er the stones.”
“Misericorde!” whispered Denys.
“Ay, more,” said Gerard, lowering his voice almost to a whisper; “celestial sounds have issued from the purlieus of that very crypt you turned into a tavern69. Voices of the dead holding unearthly communion have chilled the ear of midnight, and at times, Denys, the faithful in their nightly watches have even heard music from dead lips; and chords, made by no mortal finger, swept by no mortal hand, have rung faintly, like echoes, deep among the dead in those sacred vaults70.”
Denys wore a look of dismay. “Ugh! if I had known, mules71 and wain-ropes had not hauled me thither73; and so” (with a sigh) “I had lost a merry time.”
Whether further discussion might have thrown any more light upon these ghostly sounds, who can tell? for up came a “bearded brother” from the monastery, spurring his mule72, and waving a piece of vellum in his hand. It was the deed between Ghysbrecht and Floris Brandt. Gerard valued it deeply as a remembrance of home: he turned pale at first but to think he had so nearly lost it, and to Denys's infinite amusement not only gave a piece of money to the lay brother, but kissed the mule's nose.
“I'll read you now,” said Gerard, “were you twice as ill written; and—to make sure of never losing you”—here he sat down, and taking out needle and thread, sewed it with feminine dexterity74 to his doublet, and his mind, and heart, and soul were away to Sevenbergen.
They reached the promised land, and Denys, who was in high spirits, doffed75 his bonnet76 to all the females; who curtsied and smiled in return; fired his consigne at most of the men; at which some stared, some grinned, some both; and finally landed his friend at one of the long-promised Burgundian inns.
“It is a little one,” said he, “but I know it of old for a good one; Les Trois Poissons.' But what is this writ3 up? I mind not this;” and he pointed77 to an inscription78 that ran across the whole building in a single line of huge letters. “Oh, I see. 'Ici on loge a pied et a cheval,'” said Denys, going minutely through the inscription, and looking bumptious79 when he had effected it.
Gerard did look, and the sentence in question ran thus:
“ON NE LOGE CEANS A CREDIT; CE BONHOMME EST MORT, LES MAUVAIS PAIEURS L'ONT TUE.”
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1
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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7
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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8
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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9
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
wayfarer
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| n.旅人 | |
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trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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14
quaffed
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| v.痛饮( quaff的过去式和过去分词 )；畅饮；大口大口将…喝干；一饮而尽 | |
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15
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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obstreperous
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| adj.喧闹的，不守秩序的 | |
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17
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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18
penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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19
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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20
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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21
omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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22
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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23
benefactors
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| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
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24
scurrilous
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| adj.下流的，恶意诽谤的 | |
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25
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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26
hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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27
conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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28
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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29
mime
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| n.指手画脚，做手势，哑剧演员，哑剧；vi./vt.指手画脚的表演，用哑剧的形式表演 | |
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30
clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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31
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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32
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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34
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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35
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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36
laity
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| n.俗人；门外汉 | |
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37
crutched
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| 用拐杖支持的，有丁字形柄的，有支柱的 | |
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38
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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39
knaves
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| n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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40
cannily
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| 精明地 | |
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41
ivy
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| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
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42
feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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43
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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44
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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46
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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47
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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48
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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49
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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51
eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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52
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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53
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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54
grouse
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| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
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55
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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56
buxom
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| adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的 | |
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57
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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58
novices
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| n.新手( novice的名词复数 )；初学修士（或修女）；（修会等的）初学生；尚未赢过大赛的赛马 | |
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59
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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60
coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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61
tunable
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| adj.可调的；可调谐 | |
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62
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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63
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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64
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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65
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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66
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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67
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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68
defiled
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| v.玷污( defile的过去式和过去分词 )；污染；弄脏；纵列行进 | |
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69
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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71
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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72
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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73
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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74
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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75
doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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77
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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78
inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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bumptious
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| adj.傲慢的 | |
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