El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-12
The HeraId's Daily
Short Story

What a small handl How old are
Fifteen years"
He shuddered. I felt as though I
had fallen into frozen lake. Ny heart
felt like ice. I began to tremble like
him and a mist appeared before my
eyes. I was about TO faint when the
old monk set free my hand and turned
his head.
Water" he groaned.
When L had recovered a little I be-
gan to Look for water. but there was
neither jug nor glass ] went over to
my companion, who was calmly taking
off his shoes near the fire.
Brother Vincent. where is the wa
ter?"
ARE you off duty? Who has per-
mitted you to speak, he asked me and
stared at me And he continued to
pull off his shoes. The prior had lost
my head on my hands. My ears were
buzzing. The brother opened the door
OF the old stove and threw some wood
on the fire. The wood cracked.
ed me and in a kind Of feverish de-
lirium I thought saw the dying man
arise dressed only in his nightshirt
and totter towards the middle of the
cell. I shut my eyes I felt him walk
ing around me and stare at me with his
big hollow eyes Then he went back
to his bed and labOriOusly hOisted
himself into II with his bOny, shaking
and toOthless gums made me shiver.
/ was awakened by a brutal box on
my ear.
"Eh." said the brother and pointed
with a hideous gesture to the prior
lying on the bed. The funeral is to
be today You have new shoes. Let
me have them. vii grease them for
you II on can wear my old shoes
Without a word I took off my shoes.
You have cean shirt / see. Let
me have that too"
I III
naked body and sat down again. I
knew that brother Vincent sold all
the clothes that he could lay his hands
on. What did 1t matter to me? I sat
close to the fire which made me
drowsy and I thought I saw my moth
er's face. She repeated her last.
SO you have left the world, my
child. They have driven you away
from the school of the rich for goddess
ness. They themselves are the god
less ones. But you have faith and you
viii find peace in the convent"
Il had hoped to be your support in
your old age. mother. And now II is
as If I were no longer in the world"
Such is our lot in life, my poor
And it is our own people who are
to blame"
She smiled bitterly
Our own dog knows better how to
bite US than the ones belonging to
others. But what can we dO2 When
one has accepted the livery of the
rich one makes common cause with
them and fOrgets ones own But here
are shoes and a shirt That is all I
have to give you"
These words called me back to re-
atty ] looked at my companion who,
after greasing my shoes, was holding
them near the flame. Suddenly they
slipped from his hand and fell into the
fire / rfshed forward to save thems
but it wss too late.
I began to cry, but the brother list
ened with complete indifference Then
I fell back into my Authorizations. I
thought / saw the prior getting up,
run after me and tell me to drink wine.
and when tried to escape he took hold
of my head and roasted it over the
fire.
a terrible rafting sound woke me
Brother vincent cried. 'the father
is dying"
But he stared at me stupidity and
went on greasing his shoes.
you are worse than a beast" I
cried. Even a criminal deserves your
pity at such a time. You are worse
than any beast, indeedr'
The brother made a rush for me,
shoe. I was mad with disgust and in
I threw myself at him with
all my strength, knocked him down
and chcked him.
In the doorway / turned around. The
prior had ceased rafting; the brother
was lying mouonless on the floor near
the bed
ran through the long corridor, op-
ened a window, slid down a pipe,
scaled a wall and found myself free
in the dark autumn night