The Story and Song of Black Roderick Part 8

_Who let him through the gates of my garden, Where stronger bolts have never been?

'Twas the father of the fair little lady You drove to her grave so green._

_And who let him pa.s.s through the court-yard, By loosening the bar and chain?

Oh, who but the brother of your mistress Who lies in the cold and the rain!_

_Then who drew the bolts at the portal And into my house bade him go?

She, the mother of the poor little colleen Who lies in her youth so low._

_Who stands that he dare not enter The door of my chamber between?

Oh, the ghost of the fair little lady Who lies in the church-yard green._

Now, when the evil one saw the spirit of the young bride at the door, her arms spread out in the form of a cross, he did not know what to do. And had not Black Roderick, in his joy and desire, sprung from his bed on hearing the voice of his mistress bidding him fear not, all perchance had gone well.

But Roderick, sick and eager for the sight of his bride, flung open the door, and was seized by the evil one and carried away. Now, the spirit of the little bride followed the horrible coach that contained her love, even to the flaming gates of h.e.l.l, and there the evil one stopped and looked upon her with desire.

"Better," quoth he, "a thousand times to let go this wretched fellow, who will surely return to me later, if I can gain this soul who hath come even out of the kingdom of heaven."

And, turning to the poor little bride, he said: "Give thou thyself to me, and I will let this love of thine return to the world to work out his redemption."

But the little soul, weeping, saith:

"Nay, my soul belongeth to Christ in heaven, and I must not give it to thee; but for seven years shall I be thy slave if thou givest this dear one to me at the end."

So the evil one thought to himself: "Would I could steal this white soul from heaven to be the greatest gem in my crown of triumph, and to serve me seven years. At the end of that time her heart will incline to evil, and she will become mine."

And again she spoke to him, and of what she said I shall sing thee, lest thou grow weary of my prose:

_If you will let his young soul go free, I will serve you true and well, For seven long years to be your slave In the bitterest place of h.e.l.l._

_"Seven long years if you be my slave I will let his soul go free."

The stranger drew her then by the hand, And into the night went he._

_Seven long years did she serve him true By the blazing gates of h.e.l.l, And on every soul that entered in The tears of her sorrow fell._

_Seven long years did she keep the place To open the doors accurst, And every soul that her tear-drops knew, It would neither burn nor thirst._

_And once she let in her father dear, And once her brother through.

Once came a friend she had loved full well: Oh, bitter it was to do!_

Now, no toil in the great halls of the evil one could have been more bitter to endure than to unbar the door for the lost souls; for her sweet tenderness was tortured most of all by the despairing ghosts that pa.s.sed to their eternal perdition, and her hands felt guilty at letting them go through.

But of all the sorrows none was so great as for her eyes to see the tortures of Black Roderick, who stood beside her in his anguish, for the tears that fell upon him from her eyes gave him no relief, since he had injured her on earth. She held her hands to hold the fiery waters that fell upon him, and her tender body strove to stand between him and his tortures in vain. Seeing her so endeavoring, the evil one spoke, saying:

"What hast thou about thee, little soul, that thou art free from my fire and torments?"

Then the little bride remembered the tears she had hidden in her heart, that had fallen upon her in heaven from the angel's eyes, and she drew them forth.

And the tears spoke to her, saying:

"Put us not away, lest the torments overpower thee, so thou mayst never come to the kingdom of heaven."

But the little bride lifted them upon the heart and mouth of Black Roderick, so he suffered no more the cruel tortures of the lost. Now, when the evil one saw this, he smiled to himself, "For," quoth he, "now will she know temptations, since she hath put away the angel's tears, and hath no protection save her own strength."

And so bitter were her sufferings that the little bride cried out it was more than she could bear.

And the evil one, hearing her, said:

"Give thyself to me, and thou shalt suffer no more."

But she turned her face away, and made him no answer.

Then Black Roderick, looking upon her, saw her anguish, and to his soul came such bitter repentance that great tears fell from his eyes upon her, and every tear was as balm upon her sad and suffering flesh. So that when the seven years were over she stood whole and without pain.

Now, when the seven long years were at an end, she found the naming doors opened of themselves for her and Black Roderick to go forth. But when she took her love by the hand, a great cry rose from the lost souls she had let into the burning place during her seven years of trial. And in her heart was such grief she could not go. She heard her father's voice call to her, and the voice of her brother. Therefore went she to the throne of the evil one, and begged him to grant her a boon.

"For I have worked long for thee and well," quoth she, "and I beg of thee to let me carry forth as much treasure as my strength can bear."

"That," saith he, "thou shalt have; all thou canst carry thou mayst take forth, if thou wilt give me for payment seven more years of service."

Now, when the little bride heard this she bowed her head and wept.

"Seven long years," saith she, "shall I serve thee more." She took Black Roderick by the hand, and stood by him at the open doors. "Go thou upward," saith she, "and await me in heaven."

Then she closed the flaming gates, and took her place behind them. But the soul of Black Roderick crouched outside, as a dog lieth on the threshold of his master. For seven long years he let no one approach the naming gates, so that not once were they opened during the last seven years of her trial. And when the day came for her to go forth, the little bride flung the gates apart with a loud cry of joy. She knew the evil one could but grant the promise she had extorted, for she had served him well.

And of the further trials and temptations that came to her shall I sing thee, lest thou grow weary of my prose:

_Seven long years did she serve him well Until the last day was done; And all the souls she had let in.

They clung to her one by one._

_And all the souls she had let through, They clung to her dress and hair, Until the burden that she brought forth Was heavy as she could bear._

_The first who stopped upon her way Was a Saint all fair to see, And "Sister, your load is great," she said, "So give it, I pray, to me."_

_"Brigit I am; G.o.d sent me forth That you to your love might go"-- The woman she drew the fair robe aside, And a cloven hoof did show._

_"And I will not give it to you," she said, Quick grasping her burden tight; And all the souls that surrounded her Clung closer in dire affright._

_The next who stopped her upon her way Was an angel with sword aflame; "The Lord has sent for your load," he said: "St. Michael it is my name."_

_The woman drew back his gown of white, And the cloven hoof did see.

"Oh, G.o.d be with me this day," she said, "For bitter my sorrows be."_

_"And I will not give it to you," she said, And wept full many a tear.

And all the souls that her burden made Cried out in desperate fear._

Now, the spirit of the poor little bride stopped upon her way, and feared to go farther, for she knew not what to do nor where to go, and it seemed as though there were none to trust. And as she stood, with the trembling souls clinging to her, from the far-off earth came the sweet singing of a robin; and as the bird sang he came nearer and nearer, till the little bride could see his red throat pulsing with his song. And the song he bore upon his beak was her mother's prayer.