the poor clare-第18部分

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hese　words；　copied　in　the　English　version　〃Therefore；　if　thine　enemy　hunger；　feed　him；　if　he　thirst；　give　him　drink。〃

Some　of　us　gave　him　of　our　food；　and　left　him　eating　greedily；　like　some　famished　wild　animal。　　For　now　it　was　no　longer　the　sharp　tinkle；　but　that　one　solemn　toll；　which　in　all　Christian　countries　tells　of　the　passing　of　the　spirit　out　of　earthly　life　into　eternity；　and　again　a　murmur　gathered　and　grew；　as　of　many　people　speaking　with　awed　breath；　〃A　Poor　Clare　is　dying！　a　Poor　Clare　is　dead！〃

Borne　along　once　more　by　the　motion　of　the　crowd；　we　were　carried　into　the　chapel　belonging　to　the　Poor　Clares。　　On　a　bier　before　the　high　altar；　lay　a　womanlay　Sister　Magdalenlay　Bridget　Fitzgerald。　By　her　side　stood　Father　Bernard；　in　his　robes　of　office；　and　holding　the　crucifix　on　high　while　he　pronounced　the　solemn　absolution　of　the　Church；　as　to　one　who　had　newly　confessed　herself　of　deadly　sin。　　I　pushed　on　with　passionate　force；　till　I　stood　close　to　the　dying　woman；　as　she　received　extreme　unction　amid　the　breathless　and　awed　hush　of　the　multitude　around。　　Her　eyes　were　glazing；　her　limbs　were　stiffening；　but　when　the　rite　was　over　and　finished；　she　raised　her　gaunt　figure　slowly　up；　and　her　eyes　brightened　to　a　strange　intensity　of　joy；　as；　with　the　gesture　of　her　finger　and　the　trance…　like　gleam　of　her　eye；　she　seemed　like　one　who　watched　the　disappearance　of　some　loathed　and　fearful　creature。

〃She　is　freed　from　the　curse！〃　said　she；　as　she　fell　back　dead。







End