ABBOT-- You must go down.
Oswald, by noon, will have finished up his work.
Stay with him till he does, then bring him back.
LOUIS--If I go now, though, Benedict will suspect
Something is up.
(_The Abbot goes toward the steps, Louis half
following him._)
As it is, he does not know
That Oswald has returned to work. (_A pause._) Besides,
After his long, hard ride he will want rest.
He will not go near the church. (_A pause._)
What do you say? (_A pause._)
I will go after service.
ABBOT-- (_After a pause_.) Very well.
(_He enters the chapel, followed by Louis._)
_SCENE THREE--A street in the village showing a low thatched
cottage with a door made accessible by steps. To the left
of the door is a small square open window, on the sill of
which are garden plants and pots of winter flowers put
there to get the morning sun. In the corner of the yard,
right, is a well with an old wooden wheel high up on posts.
At the end of the chain hanging from it is a bucket from
which water is leaking back into the well._
_Madam Valmy, the country-woman who has just come to town and
who has a basket upon her arm, has stopped before the house
and is looking intently left._
MADAM VALMY--Aunt Rachel!
A VOICE--(_Back in the house._) Yes.
MADAM VALMY--(_After a pause._) O auntie!
THE VOICE-- Yes, child, yes.
I get this dough off. Rosa!
(_From the right, Madam Bacqueur enters. She is
bareheaded and carries a child in her arms._)
MADAM BACQUEUR-- Every day
Some dark deed sends a shudder through all hearts.
Who is it this time?
MADAM VALMY-- No one seems to know.
It happened on the mountain, Rosa said.
MADAM BACQUEUR--I wonder if Father Benedict has returned?
MADAM VALMY--Returned from where?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- He rode away last night
Into the mountains. I do hope and pray--
(_They stand looking left. From the right, Hugh
Capet enters hurriedly. Reaching over the
fence to the well he swings the bucket to his
mouth._)
You know so many strange and evil things
Have happened lately. Just a week ago
Old mother Sar was palsied. Then young Foy,
In the dead of night, saw witch-fire on the heath.
Next day two cows, their udders drizzling blood,
Ran snorting down the road into the wood,
And all the village curs that ventured out
Came yelping to their kennels cramped with fear
As though the devils chased them.
MADAM VALMY-- Did you ever!
MADAM BACQUEUR-- (To Hugh Capet who hurries out, left.)
You will come back and tell us what it is?
HUGH CAPET--That all depends, Madam, that all depends.
MADAM BACQUEUR--Indeed they did. And that's not all. Thursday
A black stone fell from heaven. Father said
It was a challenge. And that very night
Occurred a wonder during complines. Yes,
The golden chalices in the church took fire
And circled round the altar. Blood appeared
On Father's hands, and while all sat amazed,
Looking to see him caught away to heaven,
A snow-white dove flew through the trancept wall,
The Holy Spirit, Father says. You know
The canvass that they keep covering the cross
That Oswald carves, round that it whisked and moaned,
And Rachel says she heard the voice of Christ
Under the canvass: "It will not be done."
Meaning the cross, I thought; but Father says:
"Maybe it means God's will will not be done,"
And so it proved. Disaster came at dawn.
Pierre, the sacristan of good St. Giles,
Brought the news down to Father Benedict.
But you have heard of the great miracle? No?
And all the world has heard of it?
MADAM VALMY-- You know
I have not been to town since Sunday week.
MADAM BACQUEUR--Oh, angels have fluttered down on us since then!
And will again, so Father says. La me!
I tell you, Madam Valmy, if any grave
In the churchyard there had jumped a horrid ghost
To stalk the moonlight in a rotten shroud,
There'd be less stir among the village folk.
I know not how it was. It seems they found
The dear monk, Oswald, bruised and bathed with blood,
(_She clasps her child to her heart
passionately._)
Lying before the monastery gate.
MADAM VALMY--Why, Clotilde!
MADAM BACQUEUR-- Yes, indeed. And _that's_ not all.
To think we slept through all of it! To think
We did not wake and cry out, "God is here!"
And then run up and down and ring the bells.
Oh, expectation kindles every bush
For our Lord's coming.
MADAM VALMY-- What?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- Oh, everything!
How wonderful are mountains angels' feet
Have trodden on! How beautiful the air!
Oh, everything seems different to me now.
I half expect to see the stone put forth
A human face and speak to me of God.
Dear Madam Valmy, trees are not really trees.
As Father says, all things have passed away,
And with the miracle the other night
Our Lord begins his reign upon the earth.
For hours I sit and look in my child's face
And wonder if he sees.
MADAM VALMY-- What?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- (_Holding up her child._)
Fire! fire!
O child, child, see the fields, the glory--
A VOICE--(_To the right._) Fire?
JULES BACQUEUR-- (_Entering._)
Where is the fire?
MADAM VALMY--The crowd, you see.
JULES BACQUEUR-- Whose house?
MADAM VALMY--Rosa ran in and said some one was hurt.
MADAM BACQUEUR--Don't you go with them, husband.
(_The smith goes out, left._)
Jardin's been
Trying to get the men to storm the heights
And kill the heathen and the witch.
THE VOICE--(_Back in the house._) Rosa!
MADAM VALMY--She is not here. And he is still alive?
MADAM BACQUEUR--There's not a night since the dear brother fell
But what I've heard her on the roof.
MADAM VALMY-- Clotilde!
MADAM BACQUEUR--But oh, the Holy Ghost was with him. Yes,
His staff they found next morning and his hood--
Thank God for that--they found his hood and staff
Down in the gorge, full forty feet below
The mountain road.
MADAM VALMY-- Not over the steep gray bluff!
MADAM BACQUEUR--Think of a fall like that! At break of day
They found him at the monastery gate
Unconscious, carried there by unseen hands--
MADAM VALMY--What!
MADAM BACQUEUR-- Yes, indeed. And those who found him saw
Archangels sitting on the mountain tops
With golden shields, and there were sounds of war
Far off as they were fighting in the clouds;
Driving the witches off to hell, no doubt.
MADAM VALMY--On _these_ mountains?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- And even _that's_ not all.
MADAM VALMY-- (_Putting her arms about her._)
Dear Madam Bacqueur.
MADAM BACQUEUR-- I get so dizzy.
You must have Rachel tell you. I won't fall.
(_She takes hold of the fence._)
Such wonders and such cures and things to come.
I dare not think of much less speak of that.
Such brilliance, la! You should see Father's face
How it lightens when he speaks of it. His eyes
Look far away across the glory fields.
"Bretheren, this miracle is but the blossom
Whose fruit shall fall in fire upon the world.
Pray, all of you, that you may be perpared."
MADAM VALMY--For what?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- (_Catching her breath._)
I am afraid I--
MADAM VALMY-- Don't try, then.
MADAM BACQUEUR--There is a glory far off in the air.
Father has seen it and his eyes are bright.
_So_ bright. Rachel will tell you. Or it may be
He sees the pilgrims that shall gather here.
This morning Marie heard two brothers say
There's sure to be a shrine where Oswald fell.
Think of it, Madam Valmy, these streets thronged
With holy men that live beyond the sea.
I never even thought to pray for that.
God does all things so easily, though. And--
And all for his dear sake. But I don't know.
The Scriptures say Satan shall be let loose.
MADAM VALMY--The shrine? Indeed I do.
In the last days; in these days, then. Do you?
MADAM BACQUEUR-- How good of you!
You always did have so much faith.
MADAM VALMY-- You know
The day your child was christened--
MADAM BACQUEUR-- Oh, how true!
How like a star his _name_ will shine!
MADAM VALMY-- I now
Predict again. He'll be a saint.
MADAM BACQUEUR-- (_In utter amazement._)
A--
MADAM VALMY-- Saint.
MADAM BACQUEUR--You think he will? Oh, do you, Madam Valmy?
Do you, indeed? Oh, think of what that means
To little Oswald here! To wear a name
A blessed saint hath worn and given him
With his own lips at the baptismal font;
To see a white hand beckon from the sky
And hear forever in each vesper chime
A saint's clear voice calling his soul to come
And flower out beneath the holy bells.
Oh, think, Fidele, some day when he is old
And in his cloister yonder on the mountain,
When the dear brothers gathered after prayer
Shall talk of holy things, and one shall say:
"My father fought with Montfort in the wars";
Another: "I have seen St. Bavon's tree";
And some old palmer who hath seen all shrines
Shall tell of Subiaco and the thorns
Of good St. Benedict, my boy can say:
"I grew to manhood in the little town
Down in the valley. I have never been
Beyond the mountains, but each day have heard,
Morning and night, St. Giles' dewy bells
Ring from these towers the twilight hour of prayer,
Yet was I favored. When they christened me"--
Oh, I can see them wonder at him then,
And press about him.--"When they christened me
St. Oswald stood god-father at the font
And blessed me with his hands upon my head,
Blessed me and said: 'The Virgin keep this child.'
A neighbor said his face shone like a star,
He was so full of glory. And the night,
The night the angels brought him from the gorge
And laid him here before the abbey gate,
He wore the holy hood my mother made.
They keep it yet inside the sacred chest,
There in the chapel." (_Faint shouts far to the left._)
I am so afraid
Jules will go with them. Would you mind if I--
(_The cottage door opens._)
Have Rachel tell you of that awful dream.
(_She goes out, left. With a staff in one hand and
screening her eyes with the other, old Rachel
comes sidling down the steps. Madam Valmy
sets her basket over the fence._)
RACHEL--Clotilde? Marie? Oh, it's Fidele! Why, child,
When did you come to town?
MADAM VALMY-- (_Taking Rachel by the hand._)
There's some one hurt.
RACHEL--_Fidele!_ You frighten me. That horrid word!
Who is it?
MADAM VALMY--The crowd.
RACHEL-- Where?
MADAM VALMY-- Down by the church.