United States or Austria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
For it was near the glorious Feast of Christmas. Josserande had no difficulty in making Sylvestre Ker promise to go to the midnight Mass, for he was a good Christian; and she bought for him an iron armor to put on when he worked around his crucibles, so as to preserve him from Satan's breath.
This poor man-wolf is not a damned soul, but one expiating a great crime. Leave justice to God, if you do not wish some great misfortune to happen to you." And Josserande, who was kneeling down, said imploringly, "Listen, listen to the saint!" But from behind, Pol Bihan cried out, "Since when have beggars been allowed to preach sermons?
And Josserande having told him of the two new pearls that Matheline had shown in the back of her mouth, nothing would do but he must hurry to Coat-Dor to try and see them, also. On the road from the tower to the farm of Coat-Dor is the Point of Hinnic, where the grass is salt, which makes the cows and rams very fierce while they are grazing.
Whereupon Josserande returned to the tower, and said to her son, "Ker, my darling, I advise you to choose another friend and another bride; for those two are not worthy of your love." But the young man began to sigh and groan, and answered, "No friendship or love will I ever know except for Pol, my dear comrade, and Matheline, your god-daughter, my beautiful playfellow."
Long ago, in Brittany, under the government of St. Gildas the Wise, seventh abbot of Ruiz, there lived a young tenant of the abbey who was blind in the right eye and lame in the left leg. His name was Sylvestre Ker, and his mother, Josserande Ker, was the widow of Martin Ker, in his lifetime the keeper of the great door of the Convent of Ruiz.
Pol Bihan kicked him on the head, and said, "Take that, you fool!" and Matheline threw stones at him, and cried: "Idiot, take that, and that, and that!" They had hoped for all the gold in the world, and this dead beast could give them nothing more. After a while two ragged beggars passed by and assisted Josserande in carrying the wolf into the tower. Where is charity most often found?
Dame Josserande heard nothing, as Pol was relating an interesting story, so as to distract her attention; but, while talking, he listened with all his ears. Matheline laughed no longer, and thought, "Seven years! Can I wait seven years?" Then she continued: "Beautiful bridegroom, how do you know that the propitious moment falls precisely at the hour of Matins? Who told you so?"
Meanwhile, Josserande prayed earnestly for Sylvestre Ker. "Never mind," continued Bihan; "it is worth while limping and squinting for a time to win all the money in the world." "That is true; but for how long?" Sylvestre Ker held his breath to hear the better. "As long as you please," answered Pol Bihan. There was a pause, after which the gay Matheline resumed in a lower tone,
And the wise man replied, "You should not have spoken of the two pearls; your son would have remained at home. But, now that the evil is done, nothing will happen to him contrary to God's holy will. At high tide the sea comes foaming over the sands, yet see how quietly it retires. What is Sylvestre Ker doing now?" "He is lighting his furnaces," replied Josserande.
I still feel my friend's heel upon my forehead, and even to the bottom of my heart the shock of the stones thrown at me by my betrothed!" "Dearest," murmured Josserande, "dearer to me than ever, I know nothing; tell me all."