[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“What had those few women done that deserved that? What had God required of them?""Do not blame God, but the Devil, who has inspired those men to do his evil works.” He felt more confident saying these words, as if the questions he might have posed could be erased by his affirmation of the work of the Devil."Then how should we ward him off? If we may not bargain with God, may we not bargain with the Devil?” She shook her head.“You need not remind me, mon Père: to bargain with the Devil is to insult God, and is a greater sin than falling to the hosts of the fallen angels.""Yes,” Père Guibert said, and was about to go on when he saw the other nuns coming out into the courtyard.“We will speak later,” he said to Mère Léonie, and faced the other women, trying to find the phrases that would lend them the faith to get through their coming ordeal.* * * *It was late in the afternoon before they heard the low humming growl that had so terrified Père Foutin and Frère Loys.The nuns, gathered in the courtyard for hours, looked about with expressions ranging from dismay to panic.Seur Odile nearly fainted and was held up by the sturdy bulk of Seur Theodosie, who milked the nannies and ewes to make the convent's cheese.She gave Seur Odile a hearty pat and shook her head at the sound.Seur Ranegonde almost had to be taken back to her cell when it was noticed how pale she had become."There is burning in the village,” Seur Marguerite announced, as if it had just been discovered.“There was a shepherd by my hives today, and he said that the church was burning.He is a simple boy, that shepherd, and has visions.""When were you at the hives?” Mère Léonie asked with more sharpness than usual."Why, during the morning,” Seur Marguerite answered.“My children were calling to me, and sure as God watched His children, so He has entrusted me to watch mine.They sang today, my little darlings, and they swore that they would be true to us.They have their Saints and Virgin, too, my children, and they exalt them.” Her face was dreamy now, and distant.“They are singing loudly today, aren't they? I have heard them many times, but never so loudly.” She took a step toward the door.“They will sing for all of us, if we let them in.Do not worry for their stings, for they will do no harm if you sing with them."Two of the nuns grabbed Seur Marguerite by the arms and held her back.She looked at her captors in bewilderment, more disappointed than alarmed.Seur Tiennette tightened her hold as she looked to her Superior for guidance."Seur Marguerite,” Mère Léonie said, making her voice loud enough so that the other nuns would hear her.“That your bees are devout no one questions, for they are examples of humility and industry to the world.But as the Devil sends evil in many disguises, so that the most virtuous and fair may be a sink of vicious iniquity, so there are those who emulate your bees and serve not God but the Devil with their wiles.Those who have come here are followers of the Devil, and they do his work with the same dedication that your bees show to the Will of God.You must not let your love of your bees render your judgment faulty.It is a task for us all.” She looked around her.“You must heat the kettles and set up the ladders.I want us to have hot water to throw upon those heretics.It is no sin if they are warned first of what we will do.You need not fear to see them scalded, for the fires of Hell will do worse than scald them.” She folded her arms.“You have been told your duties.You know what we must do.Those who are not able to defend with their strength must go to the chapel and pray for God's Aid.It may be that men-at-arms have been dispatched, but we must not assume this is so.If God has marked this convent for destruction, then nothing will save it, nor should it be saved.If God has determined that we will come through unharmed, then we are in the Palm of His Hand, and what petty actions we take mean little.Still, we must take them, for to do otherwise would show that we are not prepared to defend our faith with the same purpose as Our Lord, which disgraces the habits we wear.” She had to speak louder, for the noise beyond the walls was increasing.“My Sisters, each of you must go to her task.You have been shriven and need not think of death with horror."There was a loud report as the Flagellants threw a large rock at the convent door.The wood reverberated with the impact, and for a moment those gathered on both sides of the wall were still."God will be with you.Be sure of that.” Mère Léonie turned to Père Guibert.“If you will give us your blessing, mon Père.” And she knelt to receive it.The benediction was hastily given and the nuns dispersed from it with unseemly haste.Another volley of stones rattled on the door, sending all the women scurrying to their tasks.Outside the humming stopped."God save us,” Seur Odile murmured as she went toward the refectory, where it had been decided that injuries would be treated."God will do as He pleases,” Seur Aungelique told her.“It does not matter what they say, or what they do.God does what He pleases and we are less than ants in the path of an armed knight.” She leaned on the wall, her emaciated face framed by gorget and wimple and coif.“Listen to them.They talk.Talk and talk and talk, and it means nothing.God does not care what we do or we say or we think.God does not hear us.God does not listen.God does not see.” She met the terrified eyes of the nuns around her.“We are fools to talk and reason and pray.The words are gone.We are nothing for them, and we have lost the time when we might have taken some measure of pleasure for ourselves.""Seur Aungelique.” Seur Philomine said as she pushed her way through the other nuns.“You are to join the others in prayer.""In prayer?” Seur Aungelique demanded, laughing in an immoderate way.“Have you heard nothing? It will not save us to pray.We should have run when we had the chance.We should have gathered stones and barrels and weapons to kill these men, rather than think God will find a way to save us
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]