Part 32 (2/2)
The Boy pulled himself together.
”Look here”--he turned away from the comforting stove and confronted the Jesuit--”those Pymeuts are not only cold and wet and sick too, but they're sorry. They've come to ask forgiveness.”
”It's easily done.”
Such scorn you would hardly expect from a follower of the meek Galilean.
”No, not easily done, a penance like this. I know, for I've just travelled that thirty miles with 'em over the ice from Pymeut.”
”You? Yes, it amuses you.”
The sombre eyes shone with a cold, disconcerting light.
”Well, to tell you the truth, I've been better amused.”
The Boy looked down at his weary, wounded feet. And the others--where were his fellow pilgrims? It struck him as comic that the upshot of the journey should be that he was doing penance for the Pymeuts, but he couldn't smile with that offended archangel in front of him.
”Thirty miles over the ice, in the face of a norther, hasn't been so 'easy' even for me. And I'm not old, nor sick--no, nor frightened, Brother Paul.”
He flung up his head, but his heart failed him even while he made the boast. Silently, for a moment, they confronted each other.
”Where are you bound for?”
”I--a--” The Boy had a moment of wondering if he was expected to answer ”h.e.l.l,” and he hesitated.
”Are you on your way up the river?”
”No--I” (was the man not going to let them rest their wicked bones there a single night?)--”a--I--”
The frozen river and the wind-racked wood were as hospitable as the beautiful face of the brother. Involuntarily the Boy s.h.i.+vered.
”I came to see the Father Superior.”
He dropped back into a chair.
”The Father Superior is busy.”
”I'll wait.”
”And very tired.”
”So'm I.”
”--worn out with the long raging of the plague. I have waited till he is less hara.s.sed to tell him about the Pymeuts' deliberate depravity.
Nicholas, too!--one of our own people, one of the first pupils of the school, a communicant in the church; distinguished by a thousand kindnesses. And this the return!”
”The return is that he takes his backsliding so to heart, he can't rest without coming to confess and to beg the Father Superior--”
”I shall tell the Father Superior what I heard and saw. He will agree that, for the sake of others who are trying to resist temptation, an example should be made of Nicholas and of his father.”
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