. The monk and the hangman's daughter. ched out her arm in supplication, andwith an expression of so ineffable tenderness uponher beautiful face that even the brutal mob felther gentle power and recoiled from before her,leaving the unconscious man upon the knelt and took her fathers head in her whispered in his ear words of love and com-fort. She stroked his gray hair and kissed his palelips until she had coaxed him into consciousnessand he had opened his eyes. Benedicta, thriceblessed Benedicta, thou surely art born to be asaint, for thou didst show a divine patience like E
. The monk and the hangman's daughter. ched out her arm in supplication, andwith an expression of so ineffable tenderness uponher beautiful face that even the brutal mob felther gentle power and recoiled from before her,leaving the unconscious man upon the knelt and took her fathers head in her whispered in his ear words of love and com-fort. She stroked his gray hair and kissed his palelips until she had coaxed him into consciousnessand he had opened his eyes. Benedicta, thriceblessed Benedicta, thou surely art born to be asaint, for thou didst show a divine patience like Eie S^otOt 82 atiO tje . __ that with which our Savior bore His cross and with it all the sins of the world ! She helped her father to rise^ and smiled brightlyin his face when he made out to stand. She shookthe dust from his clothing, and tben^ still smilingand murmuring words of encouragement, handedhim the rope. The boys yelled and sang, thewomen screamed, and the wretched old man led hisinnocent child to the place of shame. HEN I was back again in mycell I threw m3-self upon thestones and cried aloud toGod against the injusticeand misery that I had wit-nessed, and against the stillgreater misery of which Ihad been spared the siglit. I saw in my mind thefather binding his child to the j)ost. I saw thebrutal populace dance about her with savagedelight. I saw the vicious Amula spit in the pureones face. I prayed long and earnestly that thepoor child might be made strong to endure hergreat affliction. Then I sat and waited. I waited for the settingof the sun, for at that time the sufferer is com-monly released from the whipping-post. Theminutes seemed hours, the hours eternities. Thesun did not move ; the day of shame was denied anight. It was in vain that I tried to understand it all; 83 Ci)c iaonfe 84 I was stnnned and dazed. Why did Eochus per-mit Benedicta to be so disgraced ? Does he thinkthe deeper her shame the more easily he can winher ? I know not, nor do I great
Size: 1574px × 1587px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorbierceam, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1892
