"You are right, my child, and may G.o.d give you strength to hold to your principles," she said benevolently.
"Ah! you see," said the Duke in a low voice to tease Hildegard. "Your arts are wasted on him, pretty Countess; here at length is a man who can resist you."
"What do you mean, my lord?--I will bring him to look at me this very day--or I will go for a year in sack-cloth and ashes and break every looking-gla.s.s," whispered Hildegard smiling and showing two rows of brilliant teeth to the Duke"s admiring eyes.
"Aye, aye," he said laughing, "that would indeed be a conquest for you.
You have Princes and Dukes at your ap.r.o.n strings--and now a poor monk"s soul must burn in eternal fires for your sake."
The Abbot suggested that they should proceed; the Duke gave his arm to his wife, the Abbot went on in front, Emerita followed; Hildegard hung behind a little.
"You take your vows in the strictest sense, and that no doubt is right," she said. "But it seems to me, worthy brother, that you must have very little confidence in your own strength if you have to guard your glances so strictly. Are you afraid lest a single look should bring you to ruin?--If so--forgive me, but I cannot help saying it--if so, your virtue is in a very bad plight." Thus she teased and tried to pique Donatus who walked by her side in silence.
"Whether I am strong or weak--I do not know. But it is written in the first epistle of Paul to Timothy, that women shall adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but with piety and good works. And your dress is against this commandment--you are scandal in the eyes of the Lord--and the eyes of men should avoid seeing you."
"Bless me! That sounds very terrible! Such a severe speech would better become a father confessor than your youthful years; but even stern words sound soft from your lips, and I would sooner obey you than any old lenten preacher." And without pausing to consider, she took off her golden chaplet with its pearls and preciously wrought trefoils, she took out the broad gold clasp which held her robe together over her full bosom, so as to uncover her white throat--and she laid them both in the young monk"s hand.
"There," she said, "take these for your poor; I offer them willingly, and I will give up everything that I usually wear if you will only give me one friendly look to repay me." The inexperienced boy stood speechless; was she in earnest? Was it true that she was so submissive to his words, so self-sacrificing, so ready to repent? And he involuntarily raised his eyes and looked at her--a wide, questioning, admiring gaze. She caught his glance and fixed it with a magic spell, entangling him in a net, woven as it were of the radiant glances of her own eyes.
"Oh!" she sighed softly, and her voice fell caressingly on his ear like the faint whisper of the limes under the eastern turret-window, "You see, you too can smile. Believe me such a smile on your lips has more power than a whole epistle of St. Paul."
Donatus was alarmed and his lids dropped again. "G.o.d forbid! You were joking and I thought you were in earnest. Take back your golden ornaments--they burn my hands as though they had been forged in unholy fires."
But she pushed the things from her and said with an air of sweet earnestness, "Nay--you do me an injustice. If I talk the language of the world teach me a better one. Look at me! your gaze has a purifying power; look at me, look me in the face and see if I can lie?" And once more he raised his eyes and drank the sweet poison of beauty such as he had never dreamed of.
"Come, come!" it was the Duke"s voice, "my coy brother; you are already over head and ears in contemplation of our maid-of-honour! It seems to me she has converted you more quickly than you have converted her.""
Donatus started, as from a dream; he blushed deeply, and casting down his eyes, he turned to the Abbot to present him with the jewels, which he still held in his hand. The Abbot, much surprised, thanked and blessed the generous donor.
But the d.u.c.h.ess paused and called Hildegard to her side.
"Why did you disturb us?" whispered Hildegard angrily in the Duke"s ear as she pa.s.sed him. Her breath came quickly and her cheeks glowed more scarlet than their rouge.
"You are a perfect fiend, Hildegard," the Duke whispered in return.
"I am much displeased with you, Countess," said the d.u.c.h.ess. "What have you to do with that innocent young monk? Try your arts where you will, only not here on these saintly men and do not destroy the peace of these chaste souls. I fear we shall never suit each other, Hildegard."
Hildegard set her teeth, then she said, "Very well, my lady d.u.c.h.ess, when we reach Munster I will ask you to grant me an escort to conduct me back to my father"s castle, if my service is no longer acceptable to you."
"That will be best for you and for me," said the d.u.c.h.ess calmly, and she pa.s.sed in by a door which the Abbot unlocked, and which opened into some steps that led down to the subterranean hall.
"In a few days," said the Abbot, who had not observed what was pa.s.sing, "we shall celebrate in this crypt a requiem for the wife of our n.o.ble founder, who died in the Holy Land. Our youngest brother Donatus will then preach his first discourse, for on the following day he is to be consecrated to the priesthood." Thus speaking he led the way down the steep damp stairs, and the sanct.i.ty of the spot struck them all involuntarily silent.
Meanwhile Reichenberg was waiting in the refectory, sunk in gloomy brooding, and the hungry monks, who had long pa.s.sed their usual meal-time, stood about listening if the footsteps of the company might not haply be coming nearer. At last the brother who was in control of the kitchen sounded the dinner-bell, and at the same instant the d.u.c.h.ess entered the refectory with Donatus, the Duke following with the Abbot. The d.u.c.h.ess was deep in conversation with her companion; presently turning to the Abbot, she said kindly,
"I thank you, my Lord Abbot; I have seen a great deal that has both delighted and instructed me. Particularly the library--I could spend whole hours there, for you have inestimable treasures preserved there in ancient ma.n.u.scripts written by pious, learned, and G.o.dly men. But above all, I must honestly confess--nay more than all the books of wisdom--this child has edified and elevated my spirit. In good truth, my Lord Abbot, Heavenly blossoms grow in your garden and this world would be a Paradise if the Lord had many such gardeners."
"Dear me! the d.u.c.h.ess is growing quite young again," said the Duke with a laughing, threatening gesture. "Hey, hey! my Lord Abbot, what sort of monks have we here that turn the heads of all the ladies, old and young?"
"Do not laugh, my lord," said the d.u.c.h.ess gravely. "I a.s.sure you, the wisdom of old age and the innocence of childhood are united in this youth. If I had only known sooner, my Lord Abbot, what disciples you could bring up, I should have chosen the monks for my new foundation from your community, and I deeply regret that I have already made an agreement with Morimond, the head of the Cistercian Abbey, for none can have higher qualifications than you possess. But this at least I beg of you, that you will spare me this youth to be my castle chaplain. You tell me he is to be anointed priest; let him exercise his holy office in my service, and G.o.d in Heaven will recompense you for the good deed you will do to a poor sick woman."
The Abbot was silent for a moment from surprise and looked at Donatus.
"Happy child!" said he, "what honours are heaped upon your head. Shall I grant this gracious lady"s wish and give you to her? Speak freely."
"No--Father!" cried Donatus in mortal terror. "You will not cast me out!"
"Forgive him, Madam," said the Abbot smiling. "We have taught him always to speak nothing but the truth. You see, it is not compulsion that keeps him here, and it will not be against his will if I find myself obliged to refuse your request! The boy, in fact, must never leave the convent, a sacred vow binds us and him."
"Nay, then G.o.d forbid that I should force you to break it, and since it is so I renounce the wish though with regret. But I tell you--and remember my words--if ever you find yourselves under the pressure of any need, if you are threatened by enemies, or if for any cause whatever you have occasion to crave any favour from me, send this youth to ask it, and, on my word of honour, whatever you ask shall be granted you. My n.o.ble husband will help me to fulfil this promise."
"Yes!" cried the Duke laughing. "By Heaven! your will is my will, Elizabeth, but now keep me no longer from my dinner, for I am almost dead of hunger."
Donatus stepped modestly up to the Abbot. "Father, you granted a dispensation for to-day, but give me leave, I entreat you, to keep myself from flesh and wine."
"Do as you will, if you do not wish for meat do not eat any."
"Yes, I wish for it, but for that reason I would deny myself," said Donatus in a low voice.
"You are right, my son," said the Abbot, and his eye rested with unutterable affection on the boy"s pure brow.
The serving brother now brought in the first dish, and the d.u.c.h.ess signed to the Abbot to sit by her side.
"Where are your ladies, Madam?" asked the Abbot.
"I did not bring them in with me to dinner, for they are young and vain, and might disturb the grave souls of your younger brethren. So, if you please, you will send them out some of the dishes."
"I am obliged to you for your forethought," replied the Abbot. "You have saved our brethren much scandal. Let us now say grace."
Grace was said and the meal proceeded; the serving brethren could hardly carry the heavy copper vessels with their savoury contents. All enjoyed themselves but Correntian and Donatus, who sat at the farther end of the table, and would touch none of the tempting food.
When dinner was over the d.u.c.h.ess returned to her ladies; the Duke rose from table, and withdrew to rest for a while in the Abbot"s cell; the brethren and the gentlemen sought the shade and freshness of the cool arbours in the garden. No one was left in the dining-hall but Count Reichenberg and Wyso. Wyso, flushed with his intemperate enjoyment of G.o.d"s gifts of meat and drink, was resting his red face on the table, and snoring loudly. Suddenly he felt himself roughly shaken; he looked up blinking, and saw the Count--Donatus" father--standing by him.
"What is it--what do you want?" said Wyso stuttering, and he lazily sat up. "Oh, Oh--what a thing is man? Oh! for shame--what have I eaten?"
"Can you still understand what is said to you, in spite of your drunkenness?" asked Reichenberg in a harsh tone.
Wyso snorted and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Oh dear! eating and drinking is a glorious gift of G.o.d!" he stuttered in a lamentable voice. "But all the time there is a little devil at the bottom called Too-much, and he spoils the pleasure of it."
The Count gave him another shake. "You have too much wit to be quite drunk; listen to me, you can and you must."
A glance shot from Wyso"s little eyes, all swelled as they were with drink--a glance at the Count so full of cunning that Reichenberg seized him roughly by the shoulder.
"I believe," he said, "you take me for a fool."
"I believe I have made a fool of you, my Lord; so at least it would seem by your not stirring from my side. But take heart, my Lord! Was it not a splendid dinner?"
"You may henceforth have better dinners than you ever get here; you may come with me to Reichenberg, I will give you my chaplaincy, there is not a fatter living in the country; then you may eat all day whatever your heart desires, and I will furnish your cellar;--only say one single word--"
Wyso cast a sly sidelong glance at Reichenberg.