The record-union., 1898-11-28

heads looked forth of every window; |
the air was full of furious cIAmor, and |
as we drew near to the market place |
the people with one voice began to
chant the CXxXth Psalm. De profun-
dis clamayi the great sound
rolled like the sea: not man of us
but feared his death song in that hour.
! But the haiberdiers fiinched not, and
the fanatic Ogier, naked to his shirt,
was presently bound TO his stake, high
above the mob, upon a pile of faggots
mixed with straw and pitch, with a
chain fastened about his middle and a
leathern collar choking him. One thrust
a torch into the pile, the flames sprang
up and the people, with a great roaring
cry, pressed upon the soldiers and
fought with them. WhereuDon the
executioner fearing a rescue, leaped
upon the faggots and stabbed the pris-
oner to the heart twice. But the halber-
diers drove back the people. From
where / stood I saw the bright steel
Redeemed, and the mob seeing that
their man was dead presently drew off.
| We left the fire as it was, the flames
| busily climbing and a dusky pillar of
smoke overhanging the open square,
for the soldiers burst not then remove
| the body
! Very early the next morning, before
| the city was astir, I went with Ser
geant and file of halberdiers to take
away the corse. The fog of dawn
hung low upon the dripping roofs, and
the jingling chimes of the Cathedral
fell muff1ed upon the ear as we came
into the solitary market place. The
scorched and tattered body of the
/ ha oalx p6
stake, and sitting in the ashes be-
meath, with her chin in her hands, was
the woman Margaret Houyuet. Her
eyes peered through the veil of her
| long black hair. which was all sprink-
led over with ashes. Seeing US draw
near she rose and went a little way
| off and stood still in the dusk shadow
While the soldiers wound the body OF
| Gerard Ogier in a sheet and laid it
| upon a hand bier and set the burden
| on their shoulders. The woman fol-
lowed us, like a stray dog, all the way
| to the riverside, where, at point be-
| low the town. the boat was moored.
She stood watching while the bier was
| laid in the fore part of the boat and
| the men took their places, and her face
| was the face of a soul in torment such
an one as I have often had opportunity
to observe in my employment. Seeing
| myself about to embark, Margaret
! Houyuet came toward me, twisting her
hands together.
Good my lord, for the love of God,
] let me come into the boat" said she.
For the love of God and the mother OF
God. hinder me not, Honorable Master
Secretary"
1 told her I could not grant her re-
quest and commanded her to go hence.
/ But she kneeled down-that strange
woman all white with ashes and COW
cred with her snaky hair-and would
have clasped my knees while she be-
sought me in a weeping voice.
Give the woman her will, honorable;
we shall all be overlooked else" quoth
| the Sergeant. Surely she hath the
Eye"
Willing to see the end, yielded, and
bade her to go in the boat if she listed.
Whereupon the woman stepped nimbly
across the thwarts and sat down
| against the bier. The men put off
| into midstream, while one fastened with
ropes a great stone at the head and
another at the foot of the corse. The
mist hung so thick about US that we
giided beneath a moving dome Of vapor
| of beaten silver, I heard the failing
chimes of the Cathedral tower. Mar
garet Houyuet sat twisting a green
lxerchief about her wrist and drawing
| fast knot with her teeth. The men
presently held their oars in order that
the body might be committed to the
FLOWING waters. according to our custom
| in these affairs Then the woman got
Ito her feet and stood with her bound
hands in front of her, the men looking
at her sidelong.
'sHearken,Y said Margaret Houyuet
addressing me, "hearken, Honorable
Master Secretary Men are
vile beasts, all. Yet this poor carrion"
she, gently touched the breast of the
corse with her bound hands and stop
ped for a moment Again in the ST.
lence the bells chimed far and faint.
"Ay, hear youi" said Margaret Houy-
uet HE was a tall man" went on
the woman land he was mine. He
was my man. He broke his monk s
vows to come to me-and very long ago
we dwelt together in Bruges City But
the new religion whispered in his ears
day and night and plucked his sleeve
and called him out of dark places, and
he went away and after many
years he came back, and when he saw
me-when he saw me, he rallied upon
me in the street and drove me from
him. Before the mother of God, Hon
orable Master Secretary, this is truth"
She turned swiftly and flung herself
upon the body with a little cry, slipped
the loop of her arms over the stone at
its head, elasping the shoulders, and
rose to her feet. The swaddled shape
rose with her. cinctured with her arms,
and before a hand might be lifted the
living and the dead plunged into the
flowing water and sank before our eyes.
Thus, betrayed into the hands of the
holy office by his own foolishness,
which leaped out upon him after fif-
teen years, perished this fool hereto.
L Cope Cornford in The London