The Cloister and the Hearth

young couple easily persuaded the curé to do the three readings in twenty-four hours: he was new to the place, and their looks spoke volu

to their horror, a stranger stood up and forbade the banns, on the sco

pproached, and gave them to understand that he was very sorry to interfere; that his inclination was to further the happiness of the young: but that in point of fact his only mean

nal obstructor of bliss went home with Gerard's angel. Like most of these very clever knaves, he was a fool, and proceeded to drink his angel at a certain hostelry in Tergou, where was a green devoted to archery and the common sports of the day. There, being drunk, he bragged of his day's exploit; and who should b

were ready to tear any one to death who should interfere with that miserable inheritance, which was their thought by day and their dream by night. Their parents' parsimony was a virtue; it was accompanied by in

ments were so uncertain, but to go first to the burgomaster. They were cunning

k care not to let them see through him. He heard their stor

own. I know your father's mind; leave all to me: and above all, tell not a woman a word of this

le superciliously: he was a

seen Gerard turn pale as death, and sit motionless like a bereaved creature, with the pieces in his hands, and his eyes fixed on them till tears came and blinded them. Then she was terrified at what she had done; and next her heart smote her bitterly; and she wept sore apart: but, being what she was, dared not own it, but said to herself, "I'll not say a word, but I'll make it up to him." And her bowels yearned over her son, and her feeble violence died

erything. Margaret had declined Italy. She could not leave her father; he was too learned and too helpless. But it was settled they should retire into Flanders for a few weeks until the storm should be blown ov

d "Forbear!" And the constables of Tergou came up the aisle and seized

your weapon in a church, and ye who interrupt

ng man would marry against his father's will, and his father has prayed our b

so, you

hung hi

erdam to abide the s

bing in one another's arms so piteously, that the instruments of oppression drew back a step, and were ashamed;

lie. We but take him

ude vehicle covered with canvas. Gerard was put into this, and about five in the evening was secretly conveyed into the prison of the Stadthouse. He was taken

its mildest form; but in those days it implied cold, unbroken solitude, tort

more here than my father's wrath. I doubt I shall see no more th

nabled him to look out by pressing his knees against the wall. It was but for a mi

ttenhaage

etly fishing in the bro

at he was watching much harder than fishing. He turned hastily round and sa

work just as Ghysbrecht Van Swieten opened the door stealthily behind him. The burgomaster's eye fell instantly on the iron, and then glanced at the window; but he said nothing. The window was a hundred feet from the ground; and if Gerard had a fancy for jumping out, why should he balk it? He brought a brow

rself by an oath to leave Margaret Brandt, and return to

h soo

rt." And the bur

ed, but full of resolution and energy. She was just finishing a letter to the Coun

haunted tower; right at the top of it. Ay! I know the place: many a

up and seen Gerard's face at a win

n! how di

He looked like G

as he

lit

ous? Looked he

s bright as

ht of you. He counts on us. Oh! what shall we do? M

ut his hand f

ndering, and yet contrary to custom, keenl

trust in pri

else have we

wled

! your learning wil

has been too strong fo

it, and she is against us. Think of the he

r; what I need i

. Gerard gave them me to keep; but what do they avail?

ut one crown, and the young ma

t Margaret felt hopeful; but she caught Martin's eye dwe

f man's invention," sai

nd done that ever will be done. I shall tell you how a Florentine knight was shut up in a tower higher than Gerard's: yet did his faithful squi

n his hand; and seemed to interrogate it. But t

wer at Brescia. The man?uvre, like most things that are really scientific, was so simpl

dam. They trusted to Peter's le

ht; Gerard, senior, was still away; the rest

f's bed. It was white, and

gymnast rolled off his bed and under it by a single unb

, are you a

d cautiously up, and he saw

r the wicked Sybrandt hear us." Giles's claws seized the side of

. Gerard was in prison, in the haunted tower of the Stadthouse. He was there it seemed by their father's authority. But here must be some treachery; for how could their father have ordered this cruel act? he was at Rott

ard of the spirits that men say do haunt th

ny spirits in Tergou. I never saw one. This last was the l

and issued forth. She made him carry a lantern though the night was brig

hat in our own day a great many persons commit suicide during the first twenty-four hours of the solitary cell. This is doubtless why our

d him very sharply, and then rattled on the floor at his feet. It was an arrow; he saw the white feather. A chill ran through him-they meant then to assassinate him from the outside. He crouched. No more missiles came. He crawled on all fours, and took up the arrow: there was no head to it. He uttered a cry of hope: had a friendly hand shot it? He took it up, an

red them, his hear

knife and lower to us: but hold thine en

FEET BELOW HIM WERE

as puzzling himself, Margaret's voice came up to him, low but clear. "Draw up, Gerard, till you see Liberty." At the word Gerard drew the whipcord line up, and drew and drew till he came to another knot, and found a cord of some thickness take the place of the whipcord. He had no sooner begun to draw this up than he found that he had now a heavy weight to deal with. Then the truth suddenly flashed on him, and he went to work and pulled and pulled till the perspiration rolled down him: the weight got heavier and heavier, and at last he was well nigh exhausted; looking down he saw in the moonlight a sight that revived him: it was as it w

confidence in the chest's powers of resistance; so he gave it an ally: he took the iron bar and fastened it with the small rope across the large rope, and across the window. He now mounted the

then he uttered a short prayer, and all the calmer for it, put his left hand on the sill and gradually wriggled out. Then he seized the iron bar, and for one fearful moment hung outside from it by his right hand, while his left hand felt for the rope down at his knees; it was too tight against the wall for his fingers to get round it higher up. The moment he had fairly grasped it, he left the bar, and swiftly seized the rope with the right hand too; but in this man?uvre his body necessarily fell about a yard. A stifled cry

: it was some ten feet long. The rope made h

dow was a good

own-do

made his

thirty feet below him were Margaret and Martin, their faithful hands upstretched to catch him should he fall. He co

rd! Oh take care

d, joyfully, and eyed the

s. They seized him ere he touched the ground,

in silence

ong the shado

from an angle of the building, and lay across their path like a b

Martin. "Keep

quare projecting tower. They had barely rounded it when the light sh

Martin, in a whisper.

ispered Gerard. "I'll

rgaret: "is there no

to be struck: I will kill one or two ere they shall know where their death comes from:" then motioning his companions to be quiet, he began to draw h

ath in horrible expectation: they

chful enemy might be the burgomaster in person. The soldier, he knew, would sen

y shaft, was seen to waver first, then shake violently, and the stout soldier staggered back to them, hi

d," he gasped; "the haunted

Margaret and Gerard. They gasped

wall! Its head is on fire. Up the wall, as mortal creatures walk upon

pirits," said Gerard, tremb

Martin. "I have looke