. The monk and the hangman's daughter. which I liadnever before had any conception. I dare notthink it inspiration, for, God forgive us all ! everyword was an unconscious arraignment of Him and Cjljc Jttonft lie ano tpc -gjg Holy Church ; yet surely uo mortal with lipsjlQanflman s ^i^touched by a live coal from the altar ever so *au3Btet. gp^]^g before ! In the presence of tliis strange andgifted being I so felt my own unworth that I hadsurely knelt, as before a blessed saint, but thatshe suddenly concluded, with a pathos thattouched me to tears. The cruel peoj^le killed him, she said, with as
. The monk and the hangman's daughter. which I liadnever before had any conception. I dare notthink it inspiration, for, God forgive us all ! everyword was an unconscious arraignment of Him and Cjljc Jttonft lie ano tpc -gjg Holy Church ; yet surely uo mortal with lipsjlQanflman s ^i^touched by a live coal from the altar ever so *au3Btet. gp^]^g before ! In the presence of tliis strange andgifted being I so felt my own unworth that I hadsurely knelt, as before a blessed saint, but thatshe suddenly concluded, with a pathos thattouched me to tears. The cruel peoj^le killed him, she said, with asob in the heart of every word. They laid handsupon me Avhom he loved. They charged mefalsely with a foul crime. They attired mo ina garment of dishonor, and put a crown of strawupon my head, and hung about my neck the blacktablet of shame. They spat upon me and reviledme, and compelled him to lead me to the pillory,where I was bound and struck with whijjs andstones. That broke his great, good heart, and sohe died, and I am alone. HEN Benedicta had finishedI remained silent, for in thepresence of siich a sorrowwhat could I say ? Forsuch wounds as hers relig-ion has no balm. As Ithought of the cruel wrongsof this humble and harmless family there cameinto my heart a feeling of wild rebellion againstthe world, against the Church, against God!They were brutally unjust, horribly, devilishlyunjust!— God, the Church, and the world. Our very surroundings — the stark and soullesswilderness, perilous Avitli precipices and bleak witheverlasting snows — seemed a visible embodiment ofthe Avoeful life to which the poor child had beencondemned from birth ; and truly this was morethan fancy, for since her fathers death had de-jDrived her of even so humble a home as the hang-mans hovel she had been driven to these eternal solitudes by the stress of want. But below us117 ?!r|)c ittonft JUanijmansJSausttev. 118 were i:)leasant villages, fertile fields, green gardens,and homes where jje
Size: 1590px × 1571px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorbierceam, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1892
