The Cloister and the Hearth Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Cloister and the Hearth novel. A total of 160 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Cloister and the Hearth.by Charles Reade.PREFACE A SMALL portion of this tale appear
The Cloister and the Hearth.by Charles Reade.PREFACE A SMALL portion of this tale appeared in _Once a Week_, July--September, 1859, under the t.i.tle of "A Good Fight."After writing it, I took wider views of the subject, and also felt uneasy at having d
- 101 For some time past, too, it appeared as if the fairies had watched over him. Baskets of choice provisions and fruits were brought to his door by porters, who knew not who had employed them, or affected ignorance; and one day came a jewel in a letter, but
- 102 "Signora, it ill becomes me to school you; but methinks such as Heaven appoints to govern others should govern themselves.""That is true, Gerardo. How wise you are, to be so young." She then called the other maid, and gave her a little
- 103 Perhaps something in his deep and patient sigh touched a tender chord in that ungoverned creature; or perhaps the time had come for one pa.s.sion to ebb and another to flow. The princess sank languidly into a seat, and the tears began to steal rapidly dow
- 104 "If you breath a word of my folly, it will be your last.""Think not so poorly of me. You are my benefactress once more. Is it for me to slander you?""Go! I will send you the means. I know myself; if you cross my path again, I shal
- 105 CHAPTER LXIV GERARD returned to consciousness and to despair.On the second day he was raving with fever on the brain. On a table hard by lay his rich auburn hair, long as a woman's.The deadlier symptoms succeeded one another rapidly.On the fifth day
- 106 "Alas!" sighed the woman, turning pale, "what mean these dark words? and what new master is this whose service thou wouldst try?""SATAN."And with this horrible declaration on his lips the miserable creature walked out with hi
- 107 "They are so dull," objected a lively lady. "I went up Tiber twice as fast last time with but five mules and an a.s.s.""Nay, that is soon mended," cried a gallant, and jumping ash.o.r.e he drew his sword, and despite the remo
- 108 "The little impostor! Duck him!""What for, signors?" cried Andrea, in dismay, and lost his rich carnation.But the females collected round him, and vowed n.o.body should harm a hair of his head."The dear child! How well his pretty
- 109 The maid said, in an awe-struck whisper, "Altezza, the man is here."The lady bade her admit him, and s.n.a.t.c.hed up a little black mask and put it on; and in a moment her colour was gone, and the contrast between her black mask and her marble
- 110 The pardoner denied the charge flatly. "Indulgences were never cheaper to good husbandmen."The other inquired "Who were they?""Why such as sin by the market, like reasonable creatures. But if your will be so perverse as go and pic
- 111 "Are ye verily sure?" said they. "He had been in the river. Why, in the saints' names, fled he at our approach?"Then said Vanucci, "Friends, methinks this has nought to do with him we seek. What shall we do, Andrea?"Here
- 112 And we male writers seldom do more than indicate the griefs of the other s.e.x. The intelligence of the female reader must come to our aid, and fill up our cold outlines. So have I indicated, rather than described, what Margaret Brandt went through up to
- 113 "Had it been any but you, believe me I had obeyed you, and not wagged a finger. Men are my foes. They may all hang on one rope, or drown in one river for me. But when thou, sinking in Tiber, didst cry 'Margaret!'""Ah!""M
- 114 CHAPTER LXXII ONE of the novice Gerard's self-imposed penances was to receive Ludovico kindly, feeling secretly as to a slimy serpent.Never was self-denial better bestowed: and, like most rational penances, it soon became no penance at all. At first
- 115 "Nay," said the chancellor, peevishly, "the Princess Marie would hang us. She doteth on _this_."Now _this_ was our friend Giles, strutting, all unconscious, in cloth of gold.Then Dr. Remedy grew impatient, and bade flay a dog."A d
- 116 He reported the same at headquarters, half reluctantly. For he was an honest friar though a disagreeable one.One Julio Antonelli was accused of sacrilege; three witnesses swore they saw him come out of the church whence the candlesticks were stolen, and a
- 117 "Kissing of images, and the Pope's toe, is Eastern Paganism. The Egyptians had it of the a.s.syrians, the Greeks of the Egyptians, the Romans of the Greeks, and we of the Romans, whose Pontifex Maximus had his toe kissed under the Empire. The Dr
- 118 The Hearth A CATHERINE is not an unmixed good in a strange house. The governing power is strong in her. She has scarce crossed the threshold ere the utensils seem to brighten; the hearth to sweep itself; the windows to let in more light; and the soul of a
- 119 He pa.s.sed out of the northern gate with his eyes lowered, and the whole man wrapped in pious contemplation.Oh, if we could paint a mind and its story, what a walking fresco was this bare-footed friar!Hopeful, happy love, bereavement, despair, impiety, v
- 120 "I will try," said Clement. "Free the mule of the cart, and of all harness but the bare halter."This was done, and the animal immediately lay down and rolled on his back in the dust like a kitten. Whilst he was thus employed, Clement a
- 121 "Where is he? where? where?""What is that to thee?""Only to see him alive. To beg him on my knees forgive me. I swear to you I will never presume again to--How could I? He knows all. Oh, shame!Father, _does_ he know?""Al
- 122 And so they parted. The monk erect, his eyes turned heavenwards and glowing with the sacred fire of zeal; the princess slowly retiring and turning more than once to cast a lingering glance of awe and tender regret on that inspired figure.She went home sub
- 123 The door opened, and an unexpected visitor, Eli, came in, looking grave and kind.Margaret eyed him in silence, and with increasing agitation."Girl," said he, "the skipper is come back.""One word," gasped Margaret, "is he
- 124 The young woman consented with a smile, and popped her child into the cradle and came into Margaret's house. She dropped a curtsy, and Catherine put the child into her hands. She examined, and pitied it, and purred over it, and proceeded to nurse it,
- 125 SOME blackguard or other, I think it was Sybrandt, said, "A lie is not like a blow with a curtal axe."True: for we can predict in some degree the consequences of a stroke with any material weapon. But a lie has no bounds at all. The nature of th
- 126 "Ah, mother," whispered Margaret, in reply, "he doth but deceive himself as we do."Ere she could finish the sentence, a strange interruption occurred.A loud voice cried out, "I SEE HIM. I SEE HIM."And the old man with dilatin
- 127 "'Twas well thought of," said Jerome. He then told him he had but delayed till he could obtain extraordinary powers from the Pope to collect money for the Church's use in England, and to hear confession in all the secular monasteries.
- 128 But one day, as if tired with his importuning, she turned on him, and said with a look and accent, I should in vain try to convey-- "Find me my boy's father!"CHAPTER Lx.x.xIV "MISTRESS, they all say he is dead.""Not so. They
- 129 While they were talking Jerome came up, and Clement persuaded him to lie at the convent that night. But when in the morning Clement told him he had had a long talk with the abbess, and that she was very sad, and he had promised her to try and win back her
- 130 "But," objected the penitent, "it would be a sin to leave them here.They can be sold to feed the poor.""Mary, fix thine eye on this crucifix, and trample those devilish baubles beneath thy feet."She hesitated; but soon threw
- 131 The Hearth WRITING an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in _statu quo_.Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and, when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her co
- 132 "As if I didn't know that," said the old man, pettishly. "But she doesn't lie here. Bless you, they left this a longful while ago. Gone in a moment, and the house empty. What, is she dead? Margaret a Peter dead? Now only think on&
- 133 Presently she saw a lady leave an excellent place opposite, to get out of the sun, which was indeed pouring on her head from the window.Margaret went round softly but swiftly; and was fortunate enough to get the place. She was now beside a pillar of the s
- 134 "She died about three years ago, and was buried here.""Oh, that is another matter," said Jorian; "that was before my time; the vicar could tell you, likely; if so be she was a gentlewoman, or at least rich enough to pay him his fe
- 135 "Girl, as I stand here, he asked me, where-about you were buried in this churchyard.""Ah?""I told him, nowhere, thank Heaven: you were alive and saving other folk from the churchyard.""Well?""Well, the long and
- 136 They slipped howling under the table, and crawled out the other side.But, ere they could get to the door, the furious old man ran round and intercepted them. Catherine only screamed and wrung her hands; your notables are generally useless at such a time;
- 137 He looked puzzled and innocent."Hast thou ever robbed the fatherless?" inquired the friar."Me? robbed the fatherless?" gasped Ghysbrecht; "not that I mind.""Once more, my son, I am forced to tell thee thou art trifling w
- 138 "Well, to be sure," cried Catherine. "And you the burgomaster! Hast whipt good store of thieves in thy day. However," said she, on second thoughts, "'tis better late than never. What, Margaret? art deaf? The good man hath bro
- 139 The spectators received this excuse with loud derision. There was the fact. The dwarf was great at mounting a pole: the giant only great at excuses. In short Giles had gauged their intellects: with his own body no doubt."Come," said he, "an
- 140 "Ghysbrecht," said Margaret, weeping, "since he hath forgiven thee, I forgive thee too: what is done, is done; and thou hast let me know this day that which I had walked the world to hear. But oh, burgomaster, thou art an understanding man,
- 141 She whispered, "'Tis a far holier hermit than the last; he used to come in the town now and then; but this one ne'er shows his face to mortal man.""And that is holiness?""Ay, sure.""Then what a saint a dormouse must be!""Out, fie, mistress. Wou
- 142 "Ot's a 'ermit?""A holy man that lives in a cave all by himself.""In de dark?""Ay, whiles.""Oh."In the morning Reicht was sent to the hermit with the pelisse, and a pound of thick candles.As she was going out of the door, Margaret said to her,
- 143 My reader is aware that the moment the phrenzy of his pa.s.sion pa.s.sed, he was seized with remorse for having been betrayed into it. But perhaps only those who have risen as high in religious spirit as he had, and suddenly fallen, can realize the terror
- 144 [E] It requires now-a-days a strong effort of the imagination to realize the effect on poor people who had never seen them before, of such sentences as this: "Blessed are the poor," &c.[F] The primitive writer was so interpreted by others besides Clemen
- 145 He had not long enjoyed this felicity, when his dreams began to take another and a strange complexion. He wandered with Fra Colonna over the relics of antique nations, and the friar was lame and had a staff, and this staff he waved over the mighty ruins,
- 146 "Why, methought I left it open," said he. "The wind. There is not a breath of wind. What means this?"He stood with his hand upon the rugged door. He looked through one of the great c.h.i.n.ks, for it was much smaller in places than the aperture it pre
- 147 "Part, Gerard? Never: we have seen what comes of parting. Part? Why you have not heard half my story; no nor the t.i.the. 'Tis not for thy mere comfort I take thee to Gouda manse. Hear me!""I may not. Thy very voice is a temptation with its music, mem
- 148 "Oh fie, fie! eh, my sweet woman, speak not so. Is any man that breathes worth your child's life?""My child! where is he? Why, Reicht, I have left him behind. Oh shame!is it possible I can love him to that degree as to forget my child? Ah!I am rightly
- 149 "Sing thee a story, baby? Well, after all, why not? And wilt thou sit o'my knee and hear it?""Yea.""Then I must 'een doff this breastplate. 'Tis too hard for thy soft cheek. So. And now I must doff this bristly cilice; they would p.r.i.c.k thy ten
- 150 "No matter, those that will do it again if thou hast lost them, which the saints forbid.""I lose them? nay, there they lie, close to thy hand.""Where, where, oh where?"Clement hung his head. "Look in the Vulgate. Heaven forgive me: I thought thou w
- 151 He groaned."There, forgive me for nagging; I am but a woman: you would not have been so cruel to your own flesh and blood knowingly, would you?""Oh, no.""Well then, know that thy brother Sybrandt lies in my charge with a broken ba
- 152 When they had gone about a quarter of a mile, Gerard sighed. "Margaret,"said he, "I must e'en rest; he is too heavy for me.""Then give him me, and take thou these. Alas! alas! I mind when thou wouldst have run with the child
- 153 She ran upstairs directly and washed away all traces of her tears and put on a cap, which, being just taken out of the drawer, was cleaner, theoretically, than the one she had on; and came down to him.He seized both her hands and kissed them, and a tear f
- 154 And she vowed on her knees never by word or deed to let her love come between this young saint and heaven.Reader, did you ever stand by the sea-sh.o.r.e after a storm, when the wind happens to have gone down suddenly? The waves cannot cease with their cau
- 155 "Think you I would be so wicked as marry without his leave?"Accordingly she actually went to Gouda, and after hanging her head, and blus.h.i.+ng, and crying, and saying she was miserable, told him his mother wished her to marry one of those two;
- 156 "Go to! They do but give the laity back a pig of their own sow.""And what more do I? What more doth the duke?"Then the ambitious vicar must build almshouses for decayed true men in their old age, close to the manse, that he might keep,
- 157 He ran hastily in to scold her and pack both her and the boy out of the place.To his surprise the servant told him with some hesitation that Margaret had been there, but was gone."Gone, woman?" said Gerard, indignantly. "Art not ashamed to
- 158 "Well?""They followed thee not to Gouda by miracle but by my treason. I said, he will ne'er be quite happy without his birds that visited him in his cell; and I was jealous of them, and cried, and said, these foul little things, they a
- 159 The mourner's short-lived energy had exhausted itself in the necessary preparations, and now he lay crushed, clinging to the cold lead that held her.The man, of whom the cart was hired, walked by the horse's head, and did not speak to him, and when he b
- 160 And even with that word--he fell asleep.They laid him out for his last resting-place.Under his linen they found a horse-hair s.h.i.+rt. "Ah!" cried the young monks, "behold a saint!"Under the hair cloth they found a long thick tress of