United States or Italy ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Doucebelle was almost afraid to speak, lest she should say something which might do more harm than good. She only ventured after a pause to remark "Still there are priests." "Yours? I know what they would tell me." Belasez's fervent voice had grown constrained all at once. "Yes, thou dost not believe them, I suppose," said Doucebelle, with a baffled feeling.
Margaret said she was sorry, but it was evidently for the fact that her friend was in trouble, not for the event over which she was sorrowing. Eva openly expressed profound scorn of both the Jews and the sorrow. Marie wanted to know if some friend of Beatrice were among the slain: because, if not, why should she care any thing about it? Doucebelle alone seemed capable of a little sympathy.
And the bouquet is so nicely made up, it would be such a pity to pull it to pieces! I spent half an hour at least in putting it together, and Brimnatyn de Hertiland helped me. Of course thou canst have them if thou must, but " Doucebelle quietly declined the gift so doubtfully offered.
But the Countess thought it more satisfactory to have one or two who could be trusted not to chatter till the time came for revelation. She chose Doucebelle along with herself, as the one in whose silence she had most confidence. Thus, in that January, in the dead of the night, the four indicated assembled in the bed-chamber of the Countess, and the bride and bridegroom, joining hands, said simply
It was very strange, to the mother who loved Margaret so dearly, and yet understood her so little. But Doucebelle silently thought that any thing else would have been yet stranger. "And you would have us tell her, Lady?" "It would be as well. Really, I cannot!" The substratum was showing itself for a moment in the character of the Countess.
"`Would she not like better to be a villein scullion-maid, than to be the daughter of my noble Lord of Kent?" "But Jews are not noble!" cried Margaret, gazing in bewilderment from Belasez to Doucebelle, as if she expected one of them to help her out of the puzzle. "Not in the world's estimate," answered Belasez. "There is One above the world."
"I am afraid, Beatrice, thou art greatly wanting in the virtue of holy obedience. But of course one can make allowances for thine unhappy education." Eva had occasion to leave the room at the conclusion of this unflattering speech: and Beatrice indulged in a long laugh. "Well, what I am afraid of," she said to Margaret and Doucebelle, "is that Eva is rather wanting in the virtue of common-sense.
Margaret, Doucebelle, and Belasez were at work in the bower, while Father Nicholas was hearing Marie read Latin in the ante-chamber. The other chaplains were also present, Father Warner, who, with Nicholas, belonged to the Earl; and Father Bruno, the chaplain of the Countess. Also present was Master Aristoteles, the reverend physician of the household.
"He said, speaking to Abraham, the father of them all, `I will bless him that blesseth thee, and curse him that curseth thee." "Oh, I am so glad!" cried Doucebelle. "If you please, Father, I could not help loving Belasez: but I tried hard not to do so, because I thought it was wicked. It cannot be wrong to love a Jew, if Christ Himself were one." Bruno did not reply immediately.
Understand me, if thou hast laid them upon Christ our Lord." "I know I have," said Doucebelle in a low voice. "Then on His own authority I assure thee that He has taken them." "Father I may I really believe that?" "May! Thou must, if thou wouldst not make God a liar." "But what, then, have I to do?"
Word Of The Day