The House of Walderne: A Tale of the Cloister and the Forest in the Days of the Barons' WarsCrake, A. D. (Augustine David)
ReligionChristian
The House of Walderne: A Tale of the Cloister and the Forest in the Days of the Barons' Wars
Crake, A. D. (Augustine David)
Historical fiction
Meanwhile our little party of five rescued captives went joyfully
forward with renewed hope, until midday, when they found a cool spot by
the side of the streams leading to the waters of Merom—the head waters
of the Jordan. And there, under a date tree which afforded them food,
they watched in turn until the sun was low; after which they renewed
their journey.
Soon they left the smaller lake behind, and followed the waters of the
Upper Jordan to the Sea of Galilee, skirting its western shore, so rich
in sacred memories, with the ruins of Capernaum, Chorazin, Bethsaida,
Magdala, and other cities, long ago trodden:
By those sacred feet once nailed,
For our salvation, to the bitter rood.
In the evening they rested amidst the ruins of Enon, near Salim; and on
the morrow resumed their course, avoiding the great towns; begging
bread in the villages—a boon readily granted. And in the evening they
saw the promontory of Carmel, and reached the Hospital of Saint John of
Acre, where Hubert’s father, Sir Roger, had been restored to health and
life.
Sir Hugh de Revel, Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, heard of
the arrival of five Christian fugitives, escaped from the palace of the
“Old Man of the Mountain,” and naturally curiosity led him to
interrogate them. To his astonishment he found one of them a knight
like himself, and, to his further surprise, recognised the son of an
old acquaintance, Sir Roger of Walderne.
All was well now.
“Thou must perforce fulfil thy pilgrimage, although thou hast lost the
sword which was to have been taken to the Holy Sepulchre.”
“My brother,” said the prior then present, “dost thou remember that a
party of pilgrims arrived here a year since, who said that, in the
gorges of Lebanon, they had come upon the scene of a recent conflict,
and found a broken sword, which they brought with them and left here?”
“Bring it hither, Raymond,” said Sir Hugh to a sprightly page.
It was brought, and to his joy Hubert recognised the sword of the Sieur
de Fievrault, which he had broken on a Moslem’s skull in the desperate
fight wherein he was taken prisoner. With what joy did he receive it!
He could now discharge his father’s delegated duty.
“Rest here awhile, and when thy strength is fully restored, start with
better omens on thy journey to Jerusalem.”
Oh, the rest of the next few days in that glorious hospital, with its
deep shady cloisters, with its massive walls and its beauteous chapel,
wherein, on the following day, which was Sunday, as Hubert was told,
for he had long since lost count of time, he returned thanks to God for
his preservation, and took part once more in the worship of a Christian
congregation, and knelt before a Christian altar. The walls of that
chapel were of almost as many precious stones as Saint John enumerates
in describing the New Jerusalem. Its rich colouring, its dim religious
light, its devout psalmody; oh, how soothing to the wearied spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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