Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-12-11
AT THE CONFESSIONAL.

Under the glare Of the August sun
stretched the smooth sea, waveless as If
molten. The dead air quivered hotly and
| reeked with the smell Of the tar oozing
! from the seams of the beached fishing
| boats
Antonio Nestri sat on a bench before
! ms door, mendng a net, weaving the
shuttle deity in and out of the course
| brown mesh the new cord leaving a white
! track as his hands crept along The salt
| caught In the knots sparkled and hurt
| his eyes
! 'Accidenti," he said aloud passing his
| hairy arm over his face. Then he turned
| and peered into the blackness Of the open
| door behind him. The one window COW
| cred with bean-hower, let in a faint
| greenish light by which the man could
| see part of bed and a white plaster St
! Joseph on a bracket. The white of the
! pillow was blurred by black mass. and
/ the clothes fell in sharp angles as on a
dead person But she was not dead
Tonic she said family, come"
The man rose sulleny, his jaw protrud-
| ing and went in.
chi c'e? What do you want now"
i am dying, Antonio, and want Don
! Benedotto"
you want to confess The worst Of
EN- come to that. Confession-rubbish!
My husband 1t is not true; that you
/ know. | have told YOU so often"
lie took up his red wooden cap with it's
| long tassel, and drew it over his rough
/ curly hair
Yes. yes. you've told me. and
liar-and loved you. Basta! I'll 20 and
| fetch the tinker Of souls He cant keep
you from burning afterward."
Then he went out and left her alone
. in the hot green darkness
When Ia In Ia.
sun had slid far down the sky and sent
| shaft of orange light athwart the bed
showing up cruelty clear the death like
face, with hollow. long -fringed eyes. on
the dingy pillow. The man sat down his
big hands dangling loose between his
/ knees. and watched her
/ "Cristo'' he whispered "Cristo" His
! brutal face QuiVered. Il could hate and
yet live, could love and yet live; but to
do both is more than can stand. There's
no God, that's clear, but there is devil. "
The Immaculate statue OF st Joseph
slmpered down at him across the bar Of
light and he raised his great fist in the
/ air threateningly.
Ed accident a vol" he began furi-
ously, when his ear caught the soft whis-
pering of slow footsteps in the dry sand
He Strengthened up rapidly and squeezed
his cap tight in both hands. IT'S Don
BENEDICT. And he is to know, by God ,
and ! am never TO know" For a moment
he hesitated. and then with quick move
ment dropped to the ground and slid
. quietly under the bed.
And l have often been discontented
. padre, and cross-che. It's been a hard
life. And I've lied often. told Sabina
Caltri that l had four strings Of coral
and I've only three. Also-God forgive
mc-lNe not gone TO mass regularly"
Don Benedetto shook his fat head.
Male fElia. mai Worry
the good God can forgive much. with the
intercession OF the Blessed Mother. Any
thing else"
Yes. padre" The man under the bed
pressed his face roughly into his hands
To keep from crying out.
Yes. padre. You know. riverenza. l
wished well to Gainbattista Pastore. and
. he To me? Then there was quarrel and
he went away. | married Antonio Poor
Antonio He wishes me very well but
he's hard man and knows cruel words
. Mamma mai. he has given me hard
names Ebbcne. did my best but its
III being married To a man when-you-
love another"
The old priest did not speak He was
listening but drowsly slight breeze
. had come up and was stirring the hair on
his red neck in an agreeable way
And loved Gianbattista. Then An
tonic went away, and--and-God forgive
me Gainhattista used to come in the
. evenings and see me"
My daughter, my daughter,
Yes IL was wrong" went on the DIV
ing woman. new note OF energy sounding
/ in her voice; but that was all. padre
( once he kissed me But-chc la Saints
sina Madonna me senta.-that the Bles-
sed Virgin may listen to me,-the baby
1 was Antouios.
The priests platitude was unhcard both
by the woman and the hidden man
Il was bad. but not so bad as that
Antonio came back suddenly and found
Gianbattista here, and struck him. Clan
battista knocked him down. He is very
. strong. Giansbattista! Aand, padre An
tonic does not believe me. | have sworn
and he gives me the lie 1t is dreadful
But perhaps more dreadful for him. pow
erett. ! am glad the baby died"
My daughter, you have done very
wrong, and l regard you as having been
peculiarly under the protection OF our
! BLESSED Mother or you would have had
even worse sins on your conscience"
| 'Poverett, she murmured
And by the grace OF God, my child
may now promise you forgiveness. as
you sincerely repent. Have you told me
all?"
"s riverenza That is all"
Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis--" The
priest went on to the end, then he rose
In an hour, my daughter. / will come
with the blessed sacrament. Rest in
! peace.
Then silence fell on the poor room. and
| the light sOftened slowly as the sun
| sank in the sea. Antonio dared not move
Madonna mai and Gesu MIC, San Giu-
seppe, and all the others. let her sleep.
that may get out! She is innocent, and
l was a devil. Canaglia beast that l
was" He whispered the words into his
! cap trembling from head TO foot
May die OF an apopleXy If | ever say
a rough word to her! May / die without
confession and without sacrament If do
not make her happy" Then, as he wait
ed GREATNESS, he muttered ayes as fast
as he could say them. six big candles
for this to Our Lady of the Sea And l
will go to Naples and to tho stations of
the cross on my knees next Holy Week
At last he felt new stilnes in the air
and knew that she slept. Softly he crept
out, stiff and weak, and slowly rose by
the door. AS he Strengthened up. his
eyes fell on the statuette, and he lifted 1t
down reverently and kissed its feet
Even If she should die" he said gently