One Hundred Merrie And Delightsome Stories Part 11

_Of a hermit who deceived the daughter of a poor woman, making her believe that her daughter should have a son by him who should become Pope; and how, when she brought forth it was a girl, and thus was the trickery of the hermit discovered, and for that cause he had to flee from that countery._

The borders of Burgundy furnish many adventures worthy to be written and remembered, and have provided the present story, not to speak of many others which could be related. I will here only speak of an adventure which happened formerly in a big village on the river Ousche.

There was, and is still, a mountain near, on which a hermit--of G.o.d knows what sort--made his residence, and who under the cloak of hypocrisy did many strange things, which did not come to the knowledge of the common people until the time when G.o.d would no longer suffer his most d.a.m.nable abuses to continue.

This holy hermit was during all his life as lewd and mischievous as an old ape, but surpa.s.sed all ordinary mortals in cunning. And this is what he did.

He sought amongst all the women and pretty girls the one most worthy to be loved and desired, and resolved that it was the daughter of a poor, simple woman,--a widow who was very devout and charitable--and made up his mind that, if he could have his way, she should become his prey.

One night, about midnight, when the weather was very rough and stormy, he descended from the mountain and came to the village, and pa.s.sing by bye-roads and footpaths, came to where the mother and daughter lived, without being seen or heard. He knew the house, which was not large, and to which he had often been for devotional purposes.

He bored a hole in a part of the wall not exposed, and near the spot where stood the bed of the simple widow woman, and pa.s.sing a long, hollow stick, with which he was provided, and without awaking the widow, placed it near her ear, and said in a low voiced three times,

"Hear my voice, woman of G.o.d. I am an angel of the Creator, and have been sent to you to announce that for your many good deeds which you have performed there shall issue from your seed, that is your daughter, one who shall unite, reform, and restore his bride the Church. And it shall be in this manner. Thou shalt go to the mountain, to the holy hermit, and take thy daughter, and relate to him at length that which G.o.d now commands you by me. He shall know thy daughter, and from them shall spring a son, the elect of G.o.d, and destined to fill the Holy Seat of Rome, who shall do such good deeds that he may fitly be compared to St. Peter and St. Paul. Hearken to my voice! Obey G.o.d!"

The foolish widow, much astonished and surprised, and half ravished with delight, really believed that G.o.d had sent this messenger. She vowed to herself that she would not disobey, and it was long ere she slept again, and then not very soundly, so greatly did she desire and await the day.

Meanwhile the good hermit returned to his hermitage in the mountain. The much-desired day at last dawned, and the sun pierced into the chamber of the said widow, and both mother and daughter rose in great haste.

When they were up and dressed, and their little household set in order, the mother asked her daughter if she had heard anything in the night.

The daughter replied, "No, mother; nothing."

"It was not to you," said the mother, "that the message was first delivered, albeit it concerns you greatly."

Then she related at length the angel's message which G.o.d had sent her, and asked her what she should reply thereto?

The girl, who was like her mother, simple and devout, replied; "Praise be to G.o.d. Whatever pleases you, mother, shall be done."

"That is well spoken," replied the mother. "Let us go to the mountain to the holy man, as the angel bade us."

The hermit was on the watch to see whether the foolish woman would bring her innocent daughter, and beheld them coming. He left his door half open, and knelt down in prayer in his chamber, in order that he might be found at his devotions.

It happened as he wished, for the good woman and her daughter, when they saw the door open, entered at once; and when they beheld the hermit in holy contemplation, as though he had been a G.o.d, they did homage to him.

The hermit, with his eyes bent down to the earth, said in a humble voice; "G.o.d save you both."

Then the poor, old woman, anxious that he should know the cause of her coming, took him on one side, and told him from beginning to end the story--which he knew better than she did. And as she related the tale with great veneration and respect, the hermit folded his hands and turned up his eyes to heaven, and the good old woman wept, more for joy than for grief; and the poor girl also wept when she saw this good and holy hermit pray with such deep devotion she did not know why.

When the story was finished, the old woman awaited the reply, which he did not hasten to give. But after a certain time he spoke, and said,

"Praise be to G.o.d! But, my dear friend, are you really sure that the message you say you heard, may not have been some fancy or illusion created by your own heart? The matter is a serious one."

"I certainly heard the voice, father, which brought me this joyful message, as plainly as I now hear you, and I do not think I was asleep."

"Well," said he, "I should be unwilling to act against the wishes of my Creator; but it seems best to me that you and I should again sleep upon this matter, and if the angel should appear to you again, come back and tell me, and G.o.d will give us good counsel. We should not believe too readily, good mother. The devil, who is always envious of the good, has many tricks, and can change himself into an angel of light. Believe me, mother, it is no light thing you ask of me, and it is no marvel if I seem to hesitate. Have I not sworn before G.o.d, a vow of chast.i.ty? And here you bring me word that I am to break my oath! Return to your house and pray to G.o.d, and to-morrow we shall see what will happen. G.o.d be with you."

After much discussion, they left the hermit and returned home thoughtfully.

To cut the story short, our hermit, at the accustomed time set forth, carrying a hollow stick instead of a staff, and putting it near the pillow of the foolish woman, delivered much the same message as on the previous night; and that being done, returned at once to his hermitage.

The good woman, filled with joy, rose early and related all the story to her daughter, showing how the vision of the previous night had been confirmed. "There is no time to be lost! We must go to the holy man!"

They went, and he saw them coming, and took his breviary and acted the hypocrite as before, but G.o.d knows he was not thinking of his devotions.

And just as he had finished, and was about to recommence, there were the two women in front of his hut saluting him, and you may fancy that the old lady hurried through her narration; whereupon the good man made the sign of the cross, and feigning great surprise, said,

"Oh G.o.d! my Creator! What is this? Do with me as you will--though, if it were not for thy great grace, I am not worthy to perform such a great work!"

"But see, father!" said the much-abused and deceived woman: "the message is true, since the angel has again appeared unto me."

"In truth, my dear friend, this matter is of great importance and very difficult and strange, so that I yet can give but a doubtful reply.

Not that I would tempt G.o.d by demanding another vision, but there is a saying 'The third time is sure'. Therefore I beg and desire of you to let pa.s.s this night also, and await the pleasure of G.o.d, and if of His great mercy it please Him to show us also this night as on the previous nights, we will do as He bids us to His praise."

It was not with a good grace that the foolish old woman was induced to put off this act of obedience to G.o.d, but she knew the hermit was wiser than she was.

When she was in bed, and thinking over all these marvellous visions, this perverse hypocrite came down from his mountain, placed his hollow stick to her ear, as before, and commanded her, once for all, to obey the message and take her daughter to the hermit for the purpose mentioned.

She did not forget, as soon as it was day, to do her duty, and when she and her daughter had given thanks to G.o.d, they set out for the hermitage, where the hermit came forth to meet them, and saluted and blessed them in the name of G.o.d.

The good woman, more joyous than ever, informed him of the last vision.

The hermit took her by the hand and led her into the chapel, and the girl followed them. There they made most devout prayers to the all-powerful G.o.d who had vouchsafed to show them this mystery.

Then the hermit delivered a short sermon, touching dreams, visions, apparitions, and revelations, which often come to certain people, and alluded to the cause for which they were there a.s.sembled, and G.o.d knows that he preached well and righteously.

"Since G.o.d willed and commanded that he should create a successor to the Pope, and had deigned to reveal His will not once or twice, but three times, he must needs believe and conclude that great results must follow from this deed. It is my opinion," he concluded, "that we should no longer defer the execution of His orders, seeing that we have already delayed so long, through refusing to believe in this holy vision."

"That is well said, father. What would it please you to do?" replied the old woman.

"You will leave your fair daughter here," said the hermit, "and she and I will pray together, and moreover do whatever G.o.d shall teach us."

The good widow was much pleased, and her daughter was content to obey.

When the hermit found himself alone with the damsel, he made her strip entirely as though he would baptise her, and you may fancy that the hermit did not long remain dressed. But why make a long story? He lay with her so long, and so often repeated it both in his cell and at her home, that at last she could not leave the house for shame, for her belly began to swell,--at which you need not be told she was overjoyed.

But if the daughter rejoiced to find herself pregnant, the mother rejoiced a hundred times more, and the hypocritical hermit also pretended to rejoice at the news, though inwardly he was bitterly vexed.

The poor credulous mother, really believing that her daughter would bring forth a son who should in due time be Pope of Rome, could not help relating the story to one of her intimate friends, who was as much astonished as though she had found horns growing on her head, but, nevertheless, suspected no trickery.

Ere long the neighbour had told the other male and female neighbours, how the daughter of such an one was pregnant by the holy hermit of a son who was to be Pope of Rome.

"And what I tell you," she said, "the mother of the girl told me, and G.o.d revealed it to her."

The news soon spread through all the neighbouring towns. Soon afterwards the girl was brought to bed, and duly delivered of a female child, at which she and her foolish mother were both astonished and angry, and the neighbours also, who expected the holy hermit to have been there to receive the child.

The report spread quite as quickly as the previous one, and the hermit was one of the first to hear of it, and quickly fled into another country--I know not where--to deceive another woman or girl, or perhaps into the desert of Egypt to perform penance, with a contrite heart, for his sin. However that may be, the poor girl was dishonoured; which was a great pity, for she was fair, good, and amiable.