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The Cloister and the Hearth Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Cloister and the Hearth novel. A total of 160 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Cloister and the Hearth.by Charles Reade.PREFACE A SMALL portion of this tale appear
The Cloister and the Hearth.by Charles Reade.PREFACE A SMALL portion of this tale appeared in _Once a Week_, July--September, 1859, under the t.i.tle of "A Good Fight."After writing it, I took wider views of the subject, and also felt uneasy at having d
- 1 The Cloister and the Hearth.by Charles Reade.PREFACE A SMALL portion of this tale appeared in _Once a Week_, July--September, 1859, under the t.i.tle of "A Good Fight."After writing it, I took wider views of the subject, and also felt uneasy at having d
- 2 This spared them the "modern instances," and gave Gerard an opportunity of telling Margaret how proud his mother would be her soup had profited a man of learning."Ay! but," said Margaret, "it would like her ill to see her son give all and take none h
- 3 "OPEN THE GATE, YE KNAVES! WAY THERE FOR GERARD ELIa.s.sOEN AND HIS COMPANY! (the friends go with him!)"The gate swung open as by magic. Eight soldiers lowered their pikes half way, and made an arch, under which the victorious three marched in triumphan
- 4 "I love you.""O for shame! you must not say that to me," and Margaret coloured furiously at this sudden a.s.sault."I can't help it. I love you. I love you.""Hush, hus.h.!.+ for pity's sake! I must not listen to such words from a stranger. I am un
- 5 Another followed suit:-- "She pa.s.sed this way but now with her nurse. She is gone to bed, doll and all. Deuce-ace again!"Gerard prepared to retire. The seneschal, with an incredulous smile, replied:-- "The young man is here by the countess's orders;
- 6 Margaret was nowhere in the crowd, and Gerard could not enjoy the performance: he actually went away in Act 2, in the midst of a much-admired piece of dialogue, in which Justice out-quibbled Satan. He walked through many streets, but could not find her he
- 7 GHYSBRECHT VAN SWIETEN was an artful man. He opened on the novice with something quite wide of the mark he was really aiming at. "The town records," said he, "are crabbedly written, and the ink rusty with age."He offered Gerard the honour of transcrib
- 8 At this Margaret's face gradually warmed; but presently, a.s.suming incredulity and severity, she put many shrewd questions, all of which Gerard answered most loyally. Finally, the clouds cleared, and they guessed how the misunderstanding had come about.
- 9 "Now Heaven and the saints forbid! Man, torture not a mother! Speak out, and quickly: speak ere you have time to coin a falsehood: we know thee."Ghysbrecht turned pale at this affront, and spite mingled with the other motives that brought him here. "Th
- 10 "He made me shut young Albert Koestein up in the prison of the Stadthouse till he knocked under: it was not long. Forty-eight hours, all alone, on bread and water, cooled his hot stomach. 'Tell my father I am his humble servant,' says he, 'and let me
- 11 Margaret did not see he was wounded: she thought the blood was all from the deer.She busied herself at the fire, and the stout soldier stanched and bound his own wound apart, and soon he and Gerard and Margaret were supping royally on broiled venison.They
- 12 "There!" cried Catherine, "that comes of driving young folk too hard.But men are crueller than tigers, even to their own flesh and blood.Now, Heaven forbid he should ever leave us, married or single."As Gerard came out of the house, his cheeks pale an
- 13 "Yes, Gerard; since they are so cruel, I will be the kinder: forgive me for refusing you. I will be your wife: to-morrow, if it is your pleasure."Gerard kissed her hands with rapture and then her lips; and in a tumult of joy ran for Peter and Martin. Th
- 14 Peter had sat silent all this time, but pondering, and yet contrary to custom, keenly attentive to what was going on around him."Put not your trust in princes," said he."Alas! what else have we to trust in?""Knowledge.""Well-a-day, father! your lea
- 15 They hurried back, pa.s.sed the dangling rope, and made for a little square projecting tower. They had barely rounded it when the light shot trembling past them, and flickered uncertainly into the distance."A lantern!" groaned Martin, in a whisper. "Th
- 16 "Will you not come home with me, Gerard?" said little Kate."I have no home.""You shall not say so. Who is more welcome than you will be, after this cruel wrong, to your father's house?""Father? I have no father," said Gerard sternly. "He that wa
- 17 In less than half an hour Dierich Brower and four constables entered the hosier's house, and demanded young Gerard of the panic-stricken Catherine."Alas! what has he done now?" cried she: "that boy will break my heart.""Nay, dame, but a trick of you
- 18 "Oh, not now, Gerard, not now," cried Margaret. "Every moment you lose fills me with fear; and see, large drops of rain are beginning to fall, and the clouds lower."Gerard yielded to this remonstrance: but he put the deed into his bosom, and threw the
- 19 It now flashed across Martin's mind that if they took Gerard away his life was not worth a b.u.t.ton; and that, if evil befell him, Margaret's heart would break. He cast his eyes wildly round like some savage beast seeking an escape, and in a twinkling
- 20 "No such luck," replied Dierich. "Hallo, mates. Jorian Ketel is a long time in that girl's bedroom. Best go and see after him, some of us."The rude laugh caused by this remark had hardly subsided, when hasty footsteps were heard running along overhea
- 21 The house was empty.Not a creature to be seen, not even Peter. They went up-stairs, and then suddenly one of the men gave a shout, and pointed through Peter's window, which was open. The other looked, and there, at some little distance, walking quietly a
- 22 "Heaven and the saints forbid it!""He rolled off his mule like a stone shot out of a cart. Said I to myself, 'there is one wiped out.'" And the iron old soldier grinned ruthlessly.Gerard fell on his knees, and began to pray for his enemy's life.At
- 23 "Get through this, and wait on the other side: then as they come straggling through, shoot three, knock two on the head, and the rest will kill us.""Is that all you can think of?" said Gerard."That is all.""Then, Martin Wittenhaagen, I take the lea
- 24 "No! no!" cried Gerard. "Death together, or safety. Ah! the mule! mount her, you, and I'll run by your side."In a moment Martin was on Ghysbrecht's mule, and Gerard raised the fainting girl in his arms and placed her on the saddle, and relieved Mart
- 25 "And I must part from her," he sobbed, "we two that love so dear--one must be in Holland, one in Italy. Ah me! ah me! ah me!"At this Margaret wept afresh, but patiently and silently. Instinct is never off its guard, and with her unselfishness was an i
- 26 The sun was nearly setting, and Gerard, who had now for some time been hoping in vain to find an inn by the way, was very ill at ease. To make matters worse, black clouds gathered over the sky.Gerard quickened his pace almost to a run.It was in vain: down
- 27 This punishment was a boon to Gerard, for thus he lay on the sh.o.r.e of odour and stifling heat, instead of in mid ocean.He was just dropping off, when he was awaked by a noise, and lo! there was the hind remorselessly shaking and waking guest after gues
- 28 "What is the matter?" said a traveller disdainfully. "Does the good cheese scare ye? Then put it hither, in the name of all the saints!""Cheese!" cried Gerard, "I see none. These nauseous reptiles have made away with every bit of it.""Well," rep
- 29 "Where is the hards.h.i.+p? I have lain among them all my life. Look at me!I am four score, and never had a headache in all my born days--all along of lying among the kye. Bless your silly head, kine's breath is ten times sweeter to drink nor Christians
- 30 "What breeding can you expect from women that wear no hose?" inquired Gerard; "and some of them no shoon? They seem to me reserved, and modest, as becomes their s.e.x; and sober, whereas the men are little better than beer-barrels. Would you have them
- 31 "You young milksop," roared Denys, "these things must not be looked at so, or not another bow would be drawn nor quarel fly in forest nor battle-field. Why, one of your kidney consorting with a troop of pikemen should turn them to a row of milk-pails:
- 32 "Behold," said Denys, and pulled the brute's ear playfully, and opened her jaws, and put in his head, with other insulting antics; in the midst of which Gerard was violently sick.Denys laughed at him."What is the matter now?" said he, "also why tumb
- 33 "It is well:" said he, "thou are a good limner; and fever is a great spur to the imagination. One day I lay in a cart-shed with a cracked skull, and saw two hosts manuvre and fight a good hour on eight feet square, the which I did fairly describe to my
- 34 This being communicated by Gerard, the man grinned; ever since Denys spoke he had seemed greatly relieved. "I wist not ye were strangers,"said he to Gerard.Denys cut a piece of bear's ear, and offered it with grace to him he had just levelled cross-bow
- 35 "My head! my head!" was all poor Gerard could reply.So many shocks, emotions, perils, horrors, added to the wound, his first, had tried his youthful body and sensitive nature, too severely.It was noon of the same day.In a bedroom of "The Silver Lion"
- 36 "By the liver of Herod, and Nero's bowels, he'll make me blush for the land that bore me, an if he praises it any more," shouted Denys at the top of his voice.Gerard gave a little squawk, and put his fingers in his ears; but speedily drew them out and
- 37 Even Denys changed colour at threats so fervent and precise; but Gerard only gnashed his teeth with rage at the noise, and seized his hard bolster with kindling eye.This added fuel to the fire and brought the insulted ancient back from the impa.s.sable do
- 38 "Ay marry, there is an university near a hundred years old; and there is a market place; no fairer in the world: and at the four sides of it houses great as palaces; and there is a stupendious senate-house all covered with images, and at the head of them
- 39 Gerard turned, and saw one of those four holding out a badge of office and a parchment slip. His heart sank; for he was a good citizen, and used to obey the voice that now bade him turn again to Dusseldorf--the Law's.Denys did not share his scruples. He
- 40 It was a dismal night, dark as pitch and blowing hard. They could neither see, nor hear, nor be seen nor heard: and for aught I know pa.s.sed like ghosts close to their foes. These they almost forgot in the natural horrors of the black tempestuous night,
- 41 "Being thyself unable to speak ten words of _his_ language without a fault.""Well, all the world ought to speak French. What avail so many jargons except to put a frontier atwixt men's hearts?""But what said he.""What signifies it what a fool says
- 42 "Denys," said Gerard solemnly; "you little know the peril you ran that night. That church you defiled amongst you is haunted: I had it from one of the elder monks. The dead walk there, their light feet have been heard to patter o'er the stones.""Mis
- 43 "Where is the hurry? cannot you be content to pay when you go? lose the guest, find the money, is the rule of 'The Three Fish.'""But, dame, outside 'The Three Fish' it is thus written--'Ici--on ne loge--'""Bah! Let that flea stick on the wall!
- 44 "Nay, perverter of words, I mean we make not so free with strange women.""They must be strange women if they do not think you strange fools then.Here is a coil. Why all the old greasy greybeards, that lie at our inn, do kiss us chambermaids; faugh! and
- 45 A little farther on they came to two pillars, and between these was a huge wheel closely studded with iron p.r.o.ngs; and entangled in these were bones and fragments of cloth miserably dispersed over the wheel.Gerard hid his face in his hands. "Oh to thi
- 46 There is a theory that everything has its counterpart; if true, Denys it would seem had found the mind his consigne fitted.While he was roaring with laughter at its unexpected success and Gerard's amazement, a little hand pulled his jerkin and a little f
- 47 "No. I am not mad. 'Tis you that were mad to open your purse before him."The mystery seemed to thicken, and Denys wearied of stirring up the mud by questions, held his peace to see if it would not clear of itself.Then the girl finding herself no longer
- 48 "Coming."Put off time." Then aloud."Well, now, wilt have t'other bottle? say Nay.""No, not I.""But I tell thee, there are half a dozen jolly fellows. Tired.""Ay, but I am too wearied," said Gerard. "Go thou.""Nay, nay!" Then he went to the
- 49 When they were almost starved with cold, and waiting for the attack, the door on the stairs opened softly and closed again. Nothing more.There was another harrowing silence.Then a single light footstep on the stair; and nothing more.Then a light crept und
- 50 And what was it? A moonbeam.Even so can this machine, the body, by the soul's action be strung up to start and quiver. The sudden ray shot keen and pure into that shamble.Its calm, cold, silvery soul traversed the apartment in a stream of no great volume
- 51 There was a rush to the stairs, and half a dozen hard but friendly hands were held out and grasped them warmly. "Y'have saved our lives, lads,"cried Denys, "y'have saved our lives this night."A wild sight met the eyes of the rescued pair. The room f
- 52 The landlord's hair rose visibly on his head like spikes, and his knees gave way as if his limbs had been struck from under him. But the archers dragged him fiercely up, and kept him erect under the torch staring fascinated at the dead skull which, white
- 53 "IN prison, sir; good lack, for what misdeed?""Well, she is a witness, and may be a necessary one.""Why, Messire Bailiff," put in Denys, "you lay not all your witnesses by the heels I trow."The alderman, pleased at being called bailiff, became com
- 54 'Monseigneur,' said the cure right humbly, 'doth the parish allege many things against me, or this one only?' 'In sooth, but this one,' said the bishop; and softened a little. 'First, monseigneur, I acknowledge the fact.' "Tis well,' quoth the b
- 55 "What desecration!""Nay! nay! thou knowest we make them doff both glove and hawk to take the blessed eucharist. Their jewelled gloves will they give to a servant or simple Christian to hold: but their beloved hawks they will put down on no place less t
- 56 "Oh; if _you_--_think_--you are _innocent_--officer, go with him to the cure! but see he 'scape you not. Innocent quotha?"They found the cure in his doublet repairing a wheelbarrow. Gerard told him all, and appealed piteously to him. "Just for using a
- 57 "Preach away, comrade. Fling a byword or two at our heads. Know, girls, that he is a very Solomon for bywords. Methinks he was brought up by hand on 'em.""Be thy friends.h.i.+p a byword!" retorted Gerard. "The friends.h.i.+p that melts to nought at
- 58 "Who doubts that? Why she said so, round about, as they always say these things, and with 'nay' for 'ay'. 'I hope you will be happy together,'said I."Well one thing led to another, and at last as she could not give me her hand, she gave me a piece
- 59 "Why so many words?" said Denys. "This old fox is not the a.s.s he affects to be.""Oh! that is your advice is it?" said the landlord testily. "Well then we shall soon know who is the fool, you or me, for I have spoken to her as it happens; and what
- 60 "I gather 'em off the trees by the road-side," said he surlily."Then you gathered these too ripe," said the hostess, who was only a fool externally."Ay, rotten ripe," observed another, inspecting them.Gerard said nothing, but pointed the circular s
- 61 "A civil question merits a civil reply," said he very drily."Alas, I meant no other," said Gerard."Then why pretend you were thinking of my goodness, when you know I have no goodness under my skin.""Had another said this
- 62 They shook hands over it. Then Gerard said nothing, for his heart was too full: but he ran twice round his companion as he walked, then danced backwards in front of him, and finally took his hand, and so on they went hand-in-hand like sweethearts, till a
- 63 "Gyf the world prove harsh and cold, Come back to the hedde of gold.""And if I do I must go as her servant; I who am Margaret's. I am a-weary, a-weary. I will sleep, and dream all is as it was. Ah me, how happy were we an hour agone, w
- 64 "Ah! so you were: I forgot that." And royalty was more reconciled to its lot. "What would you then?""A free pardon, your highness, for myself and Gerard.""For what?""For prison-breaking.""Go to: the b
- 65 But as there are horses who burn and rage to start, and after the first yard or two want the whip, so all this hurry cooled into inaction when Hans got as far as the princ.i.p.al hostelry of Tergou, and saw two of his boon companions sitting in the bay wi
- 66 "Well, keep him drinking! We will see, we will see." And he sent them off discomfited.To explain all this we must retrograde a step. This very morning then, Margaret Brandt had met Jorian Ketel near her own door. He pa.s.sed her with a scowl. Th
- 67 The black sheep sat disconsolate amidst the convivial crew, and eyed Hans Memling's wallet. For more ease he had taken it off, and flung it on the table. How readily they could have slipped out that letter and put in another. For the first time in th
- 68 CHAPTER XLI DENYS, placed in the middle of his companions, lest he should be so mad as attempt escape, was carried off in an agony of grief and remorse. For his sake Gerard had abandoned the German route to Rome; and what was his reward? left all alone in
- 69 Anthony of Burgundy overtook numbers of these, and gathered them under his standard, so that he entered Flanders at the head of six hundred men. On crossing the frontier he was met by his brother Baldwyn, with men, arms, and provisions; he organized his w
- 70 "A what? Then thy armour shall be stripped off, and thou shalt be tied to a stake in front of the works, and riddled with arrows for a warning to traitors.""N--n--n--n--no! duda--duda--duda--duda--don't do that.""Why not?&quo
- 71 Giles said, "Poor Gerard!" in a lower voice than seemed to belong to him.Even Cornelis and Sybrandt felt a momentary remorse, and sat silent and gloomy.But how to get the words read to them. They were loth to show their ignorance and their emoti
- 72 "No, madam.""I wouldn't let her go back to Sevenbergen to-night, then.""That is as she pleases. She still refuses to bide the night.""Ay, but you are older than she is; you can make her. There, she is beginning to n
- 73 "Mother, you were so hot against her. I waited till I could tell you without angering you worse.""Ay," said Catherine, half sadly, half bitterly, "like mother like daughter: cowardice it is our bane. The others I whiles buffet; or
- 74 The man, not being acquainted with her, opened his eyes at this transition, swift and smooth."Well, dame, there be two; John Bush and Eric Donaldson, they both bide in this street.""Then, G.o.d be with you, good people" said she, and p
- 75 Denys's words had surprised his hosts, but hardly more than their deportment now did him. They all three came creeping up to where he sat, and looked down into him with their lips parted, as if he had been some strange phenomenon.And growing agitatio
- 76 "So you have been hearkening all the time, eh?""What are my ears for, mistress?""True. Well throw us the light of thy wisdom on this dark matter.""There is no darkness that I see," said Reicht. "And the clue, w
- 77 Here Denys observed somewhat drily, that the female to whom he had addressed himself was mute; and the others, on whose eloquence there was no immediate demand, were fluent: on this the voices stopped, and the eyes turned pivot-like upon Reicht.She took a
- 78 "Else how would the poor thing keep his head in such a world as this?""'Tis well said, dame. Art as ready with thy weapon as he; art his mother, likely. So bring him forth and that presently. See, they lead a stunted mule for him. The
- 79 "Alas, no, father: I am a poor foolish girl, that would fain do well, but have done ill, most ill, most unwisely: and now must bear the shame.But, father, I love you, with all my faults, and will not you forgive my folly, and still love your motherle
- 80 "Ay, but I can. 'Tis sovereign. Look on thyself as cured!" If she had the materials by her, and she was too good an economist not to favour somewhat those medicines she had in her own stock, she would sometimes let the patient see her compo
- 81 "Nay, I knew it not till you did tell me. I trow you would be better for a little good company.""I trow not. What is their silly chat to me?"Here Margaret requested the father to leave them alone: and in his absence put some practical
- 82 "Who knows? may be in ten minutes you will be altogether as hot."She ran into the shop, but speedily returned to the mayor and said, "Good news! He fancies her and more than a little. Now how is't to be?Will you marry your child, or bu
- 83 "Nay, I would not hurt their bodies for all their cruel hearts.""Then ye must e'en laugh at them, wife. What! a woman grown, and not see why mesdames give tongue? You are a buxom wife; they are a bundle of thread-papers. You are fair a
- 84 "I see there is something in the letter has softened ye towards them.""Not a jot, Denys, not a jot. But an I hated them like poison I would not disobey my love. Denys, 'tis so sweet to obey, and sweetest of all to obey one who is far,
- 85 And with all this she kept her enemies waiting, though it was three by the dial.At last she started, attended by her he-comrade. And when they were half way, she stopped and said thoughtfully, "Denys!""Well, she-general?""I must g
- 86 "Then, said I, 'may this thing be?' And I took myself to task. 'Gerard, son of Eli, dost thou well to bemoan thy lot, that hast youth and health; and here comes the wreck of nature on crutches, praising G.o.d's goodness with singi
- 87 _Eli._] "What meaneth it?"_Catherine._] "Nay, I know not; but 'tis Latin: is not that enow? He was the flower of the flock.""Then I to him, 'Take now thy psaltery, and part we here, for art a walking prison, a walking h.
- 88 "_January 14._--When not attending on my good merchant, I consort with such of our company as are Italians, for 'tis to Italy I wend, and I am ill seen in Italian tongue. A courteous and a subtle people, at meat delicate feeders, and cleanly: lo
- 89 "Natheless, courtesy is in their hearts, ay, in their very blood. They say commonly, 'Give yourself the trouble of sitting down.' And such straws of speech show how blows the wind. Also at a public show, if you would leave your seat, yet no
- 90 "Well, meantime?""Dear father, dear mother, what can we do to pleasure the absent, but be kind to his poor la.s.s; and her own trouble afore her?""'Tis well!" said Eli; "but I am older than thou." Then he turne
- 91 "Think ye I am in earnest? Let me but win safe to land, I'll not give him a rush dip."Others lay flat and prayed to the sea. "O most merciful sea! O sea most generous! O bountiful sea! O beautiful sea! be gentle, be kind, preserve us i
- 92 CHAPTER LVIII GERARD took a modest lodging on the west bank of the Tiber, and every day went forth in search of work, taking a specimen round to every shop he could hear of that executed such commissions.They received him coldly. "We make our letter
- 93 "'Tis well distinguished, signor. But then, a writer can write the thoughts of the great ancients, and matters of pure reason, such as no man may paint: ay, and the thoughts of G.o.d, which angels could not paint. But let that pa.s.s. I am a pai
- 94 "I hope so," said Pietro.CHAPTER LIX ABOUT a week after this the two friends sat working together, but not in the same spirit. Pietro dashed fitfully at his, and did wonders in a few minutes, and then did nothing, except abuse it; then presently
- 95 "Madama," said Teresa, "Leonora tells me you want a writer: I have brought you a beautiful one, he saved my child at sea. Prithee look on him with favour."The goldsmith's wife complied in one sense. She fixed her eyes on Gerard�
- 96 "I forget. Addio, Fiammina. Addio, Ser Gerard. Be happy, be prosperous, as you are good." And the Roman matron glided away, while Gerard was hesitating, and thinking how to offer to pay so stately a creature for her purchase.The next day in the
- 97 "Wilt read me of them some day?""And willingly, signor. But what would they say who employ me, were I to break off work?""Oh never heed that; know you not who I am? I am Jacques Bonaventura, nephew to his holiness the Pope, and ca
- 98 "What is your name, good youth?""Gerard, signora.""Gerard? body of Bacchus! is that the name of a human creature?""It is a Dutch name, signora. I was born at Tergou, in Holland.""A harsh name, girls, for so wel
- 99 Margaret seemed nearer and nearer.It was Holy Thursday. No work this day. Fra Colonna and Gerard sat in a window and saw the religious processions. Their number and pious ardour thrilled Gerard with the devotion that now seemed to animate the whole people
- 100 "I search in vain for a copy of it to add to my poor library.""It is well. Then the strict orders I gave four years ago to destroy every copy in Italy, have been well discharged. However, for your comfort, on my being made Pope, some fool t