第 13 节
作者:漂亮格子      更新:2021-02-18 21:59      字数:9322
  maid of some four summers; sobbing away for dear life。
  Hilarius   approached   diffidently;  and   stooped  down   to   wipe   away  the
  grimy tears。
  The child regarded him; round eyes; open mouth; then with a shrill cry
  of joy; she held out her thin arms。
  At   the   sound   of   her   cry   the   door   opened;   on   the   threshold   stood   a
  woman still young but haggard and weary…eyed; at her breast was a little
  babe。    She   stared   at   Hilarius;   and   then   pulling   the   child   to   her   in   the
  doorway; waved him away。
  〃Stand off; fool! … 'tis the Plague。〃
  Hilarius shrank back。
  〃And thy neighbours?〃 he asked。
  〃Nay; they were light…footed eno' when they saw what was to do; and
  left us three to die like rats in a hole。〃          Then eagerly:      〃Hast thou any
  bread?〃
  He shook his head。
  〃Nay; I came here seeking some。           Art thou hungry?〃
  She threw out her hands。
  〃'Tis two days sin' I had bite or sup。〃
  〃Where lies the nearest village? and how far?〃
  〃A matter of an hour; over yonder。〃
  〃See;   goodwife;〃   said   Hilarius;   〃I   will   go   buy   thee   food   and   come
  again。〃
  She looked at him doubtfully。
  〃So said another; and he never came back。〃
  〃Nay; but perchance some evil befell him;〃 said gentle Hilarius。
  〃Well; I will trust thee。〃      She went in and returned with a few small
  coins。    〃'Tis all I have。     Tell no man whence thou art; else they will hunt
  thee from their doors。〃
  Hilarius nodded; took the money; and ran as fast as he could go in the
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  direction of the village。
  The woman watched him。
  〃Is it fear or love that lends him that pace?〃 she muttered; as she sat
  down to wait。
  It was love。
  Hilarius entered the village discreetly; and adding the little money he
  had to the woman's scanty store; bought bread; a flask of wine; flour and
  beans; and a jug of milk。
  〃'Tis for   a sick   child;〃 he said   when he   asked for   it; and the   woman
  pushed back the money; bidding him God…speed。
  The return journey was accomplished much   more slowly; because of
  his precious burden; and as he crossed a field; there; dead in a snare; lay a
  fine coney。
  〃Now hath Our Lady herself had thought for the poor mother!〃 cried
  Hilarius joyously; and added it to his store。
  When he reached the cottage; and the woman saw the food; she broke
  into loud weeping; for her need had been great; then; as if giving up the
  struggle to another and a stronger; she sank on the bed with her fast…failing
  babe in her arms。
  Hilarius fed her carefully with bread and wine … not for nothing had he
  served the Infirmarian when blood…letting had proved too severe for some
  weak   Brother   …   and   then   turned   his   attention   to   the   little   maid   who   sat
  patient; eyeing the food。
  For her; bread and milk。         He sat down on a low stool; and taking the
  child on his knee slowly supplied the gaping; bird…like mouth。 At last the
  little   maid   heaved   a   sigh   of   content;   leant   her   flaxen   head   against   her
  nurse's shoulder; and fell fast asleep。
  Hilarius; cradling her carefully in   gentle arms; crooned softly to her;
  thrilling with tenderness。        She was his own; his little sister; the child he
  had found and saved。          Surely Our Lady had guided him to her; and her
  great Mother…love would shield this little one from a foul and horrid death。
  In that dirty; neglected room; the child warm against his breast; Hilarius
  lived the happiest moments of his life。
  Presently he rose; for there was much to be done; kissed the little pale
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  cheek; noted fearfully the violet shadows under the closed eyes; and laid
  his new…found treasure on the bed by her mother。
  The woman was half…asleep; but started awake。
  〃Art thou going?〃 she said; and despair gazed at him from her eyes。
  〃Nay; nay; surely not until we all go together;〃 he said soothingly。                   〃I
  would but kindle a fire; for the cold is bitter。〃
  Wood was plentiful; and soon a bright fire blazed on the hearth。 The
  poor   woman;   heartened   by   her   meal;   rose   and   came   to   sit   by   it;   and
  stretching out her thin hands to the grateful warmth; told her tale。
  〃'Twas   Gammer   Harden's   son   who   first   heard   tell   of   a   strange   new
  sickness at Caxton's;   and then   Jocell had speech   with a   herd from  those
  parts; who was fleeing to a free town; because of some ill he had   done。
  Next day Jocell fell sick with vomitings; and bleeding; and breaking out of
  boils;   and   in   three   days   he   lay   dead;   and   Gammer   Harden   fell   sick   and
  died likewise。       Then   one cried 'twas the Plague; and the wrath of   God;
  and   they   fled   …   the   women   to   the   nuns   at   Bungay;   and   the   men   to   seek
  work or shelter on the Manor; but us they left; for I was with child。〃
  〃And thy husband?' said Hilarius。
  〃Nay; he was not my husband; but these are his children; his and mine。
  Some hold 'tis a sin to live thus; and perhaps because of it this evil hath
  fallen upon me。〃
  She   looked   at   the   babe   lying   on   her   lap;   its   waxen   face   drawn   and
  shrunk with the stress of its short life。
  Hilarius spoke gently:…
  〃It   is  indeed    a  grievous    sin  against    God    and   His   Church     to  live
  together   out   of   holy   wedlock;   and   perchance   'tis   true   that   for   this   very
  thing   thou   hast   been   afflicted;   even   as   David   the   great   King。   But   since
  thou didst sin ignorantly the Lord in His mercy sent me to serve thee in
  thy sore need; ay; and in very truth; Our Lady herself showed me where
  the coney lay snared。         Let us pray God by His dear Mother to forgive us
  our sins and to have mercy on these little ones。〃
  And kneeling there in the firelight he besought the great Father for his
  new…found family。
  Five    days    passed;    and   despite    extreme     care   victuals    were    short。
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  Hilarius dug up roots from the hedgerows; and went hungry; but at last the
  pinch came; the woman was too weak and ill to walk; the babe scarce in
  life … there could be no thought of flight … and the little maid grew white;
  and wan and silent。         Then it came to Hilarius that he would once again
  beg food in the village where he had sought help before。
  He went slowly; for he had eaten little that his maid might be the better
  fed;   and   he   was   very   sad。  When   he   reached   the   village   he   found   his
  errand like to be vain。       News of the Plague was coming from many parts;
  and each man feared for his own skin。               At every house they questioned
  him:     〃Art thou from a hamlet where the Plague hath been?〃 and when he
  answered 〃Yea;〃 the door was shut。
  Very soon men; angry and afraid; came to drive him from the place。
  He gained the village cross; and prayed them for love of the Saviour and
  His holy Rood to give him bread for his little maid and her mother。                    Let
  them  set   it   in   the  street;   he   would   take   it   and   cross   no   man's   threshold。
  Surely they could not; for shame; let a little child die of want?
  〃Nay; 'tis better they die; so are we safe;〃 cried a voice; then they fell
  upon him and beat him; and drove him from the village with blows and
  curses。
  Bruised and panting; he ran from them; and at last the chase ceased;
  breathless and exhausted he flung himself under a hedge。
  A   hawk    swooped;      struck   near  him;    and   rose  again   with   its  prey。
  Hilarius   shuddered;   but   perhaps   the   hawk   had   nestlings   waiting   open…
  mouthed   for   food?      His   little   maid!   His   eyes   filled   with   tears   as   he
  thought of those who awaited him。            He picked up a stone; and watched if
  perchance a coney might show itself。             He had never killed; but were not
  his nestlings agape?
  Nothing   stirred; but   along the   road   came   a   waggon of   strange   shape
  and gaily painted。
  He rose to his feet; praying the great Mother to send him help in his
  awful need。
  The waggon drew near; the driver sat asleep upon the shaft; the horse
  took his own pace。         It passed him before he could plu