the notch on the ax and on being found out-第44章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
habit as he attempted to lift the cup to his lips once morein
vain。 The guests sat in astonished silence。 Father Olavida alone
remained standing； but at that moment the Englishman rose； and
appeared determined to fix Olavida's regards by a gaze like that of
fascination。 Olavida rocked； reeled； grasped the arm of a page；
and at last； closing his eyes for a moment； as if to escape the
horrible fascination of that unearthly glare （the Englishman's eyes
were observed by all the guests； from the moment of his entrance；
to effuse a most fearful and preternatural luster）； exclaimed； 〃Who
is among us？Who？I cannot utter a blessing while he is here。 I
cannot feel one。 Where he treads； the earth is parched！Where he
breathes； the air is fire！Where he feeds； the food is poison！
Where he turns his glance is lightning！WHO IS AMONG US？WHO？〃
repeated the priest in the agony of adjuration； while his cowl
fallen back； his few thin hairs around the scalp instinct and alive
with terrible emotion； his outspread arms protruded from the
sleeves of his habit； and extended toward the awful stranger；
suggested the idea of an inspired being in the dreadful rapture of
prophetic denunciation。 He stoodstill stood； and the Englishman
stood calmly opposite to him。 There was an agitated irregularity
in the attitudes of those around them； which contrasted strongly
the fixed and stern postures of those two； who remained gazing
silently at each other。 〃Who knows him？〃 exclaimed Olavida；
starting apparently from a trance； 〃who knows him？ who brought him
here？〃
The guests severally disclaimed all knowledge of the Englishman；
and each asked the other in whispers； 〃who HAD brought him there？〃
Father Olavida then pointed his arm to each of the company； and
asked each individually； 〃Do you know him？〃 No！ no！ no！〃 was
uttered with vehement emphasis by every individual。 〃But I know
him；〃 said Olavida； 〃by these cold drops！〃 and he wiped them off；
〃by these convulsed joints！〃 and he attempted to sign the cross；
but could not。 He raised his voice； and evidently speaking with
increased difficulty；〃By this bread and wine； which the faithful
receive as the body and blood of Christ； but which HIS presence
converts into matter as viperous as the suicide foam of the dying
Judas；by all theseI know him； and command him to be gone！He
ishe is〃 and he bent forward as he spoke； and gazed on the
Englishman with an expression which the mixture of rage； hatred；
and fear rendered terrible。 All the guests rose at these words；
the whole company now presented two singular groups； that of the
amazed guests all collected together； and repeating； 〃Who； what is
he？〃 and that of the Englishman； who stood unmoved； and Olavida；
who dropped dead in the attitude of pointing to him。
。 。 。 。 。
The body was removed into another room； and the departure of the
Englishman was not noticed till the company returned to the hall。
They sat late together； conversing on this extraordinary
circumstance； and finally agreed to remain in the house； lest the
evil spirit （for they believed the Englishman no better） should
take certain liberties with the corse by no means agreeable to a
Catholic； particularly as he had manifestly died without the
benefit of the last sacraments。 Just as this laudable resolution
was formed； they were roused by cries of horror and agony from the
bridal chamber； where the young pair had retired。
They hurried to the door； but the father was first。 They burst it
open； and found the bride a corse in the arms of her husband。
。 。 。 。 。
He never recovered his reason； the family deserted the mansion
rendered terrible by so many misfortunes。 One apartment is still
tenanted by the unhappy maniac； his were the cries you heard as you
traversed the deserted rooms。 He is for the most part silent
during the day； but at midnight he always exclaims； in a voice
frightfully piercing； and hardly human； 〃They are coming！ they are
coming！〃 and relapses into profound silence。
The funeral of Father Olavida was attended by an extraordinary
circumstance。 He was interred in a neighboring convent； and the
reputation of his sanctity； joined to the interest caused by his
extraordinary death； collected vast numbers at the ceremony。 His
funeral sermon was preached by a monk of distinguished eloquence；
appointed for the purpose。 To render the effect of his discourse
more powerful； the corse； extended on a bier； with its face
uncovered； was placed in the aisle。 The monk took his text from
one of the prophets；〃Death is gone up into our palaces。〃 He
expatiated on mortality； whose approach； whether abrupt or
lingering； is alike awful to man。He spoke of the vicisstudes of
empires with much eloquence and learning； but his audience were not
observed to be much affected。He cited various passages from the
lives of the saints； descriptive of the glories of martyrdom； and
the heroism of those who had bled and blazed for Christ and his
blessed mother； but they appeared still waiting for something to
touch them more deeply。 When he inveighed against the tyrants
under whose bloody persecution those holy men suffered； his hearers
were roused for a moment； for it is always easier to excite a
passion than a moral feeling。 But when he spoke of the dead； and
pointed with emphatic gesture to the corse； as it lay before them
cold and motionless； every eye was fixed； and every ear became
attentive。 Even the lovers； who； under pretense of dipping their
fingers into the holy water； were contriving to exchange amorous
billets； forbore for one moment this interesting intercourse； to
listen to the preacher。 He dwelt with much energy on the virtues
of the deceased； whom he declared to be a particular favorite of
the Virgin； and enumerating the various losses that would be caused
by his departure to the community to which he belonged； to society；
and to religion at large； he at last worked up himself to a
vehement expostulation with the Deity on the occasion。 〃Why hast
thou；〃 he exclaimed； 〃why hast thou； Oh God！ thus dealt with us？
Why hast thou snatched from our sight this glorious saint； whose
merits； if properly applied； doubtless would have been sufficient
to atone for the apostasy of St。 Peter； the opposition of St。 Paul
（previous to his conversion）； and even the treachery of Judas
himself？ Why hast thou； Oh God！ snatched him from us？〃and a deep
and hollow voice from among the congregation answered；〃Because he
deserved his fate。〃 The murmurs of approbation with which the
congregation honored this apostrophe half drowned this
extraordinary interruption； and though there was some little
commotion in the immediate vicinity of the speaker； the rest of the
audience continued to listen intently。 〃What；〃 proceeded the
preacher； pointing to the corse； 〃what hath laid thee there；
servant of God？〃〃Pride； ignorance； and fear；〃 answered the same
voice； in accents still more thrilling。 The disturbance now became
universal。 The preacher paused； and a circle opening； disclosed
the figure of a monk belonging to the convent； who stood among
them。
。 。 。 。 。
After all the usual modes of admonition； exhortation； and
discipline had been employed； and the bishop of the diocese； who；
under the report of these extraordinary circumstances； had visited
the convent in person to obtain some explanation from the
contumacious monk in vain； it was agreed； in a chapter
extraordinary； to surrender him to the power of the Inquisition。
He testified great horror when this determination was made known to
him；and offered to tell over and over again all that he COULD
relate of the cause of Father Olavida's death。 His humiliation；
and repeated offers of confession； came too late。 He was conveyed
to the Inquisition。 The proceedings of that tribunal are rarely
disclosed； but there is a secret report （I cannot answer for its
truth） of what he said and suffered there。 On his first
examination； he said he would relate all he COULD。 He was told
that was not enough； he must relate all he knew。
。
