Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

ishop, with a vast concourse of clergy, were present. The
high rank of the youug priest, his future to bo spent in bloodshedding
England, excited much interest, and drew a largo
multitude. Triumphantly the Mass was sung, and at its close
knights and ladii s of noble rank, together with crowds of poon
came to i iss the anointed hands of the new priest. Such was
his first Mass now look ;
upon his last.
"In an empty 'upper chamber,' iu a desolate hous?, a few
trembling and hunted people to asiist, who held their breath
with fear. But which wa< most like the first and last Mass of
the First Priest? More like it stiil it grew. Communion was
nearly over the lust circle of recipients were kneeling ar und
the altar, waiting for the Bread of Life, when the sudden
trampling of horses around the house, the thundering of staves
against the door, and the loud cries of '
Open iu the queen's
told that, like his Lord, the servant too was ' '
betrayed.
name, '
"Father, you must hide!" was hastily wh spere .; but
Walter was as though he heard it i.ot. He moved from one to
the other, giving the Holy Communion, and then turned to
finish the Mass. No one said any more all felt it wouU be
;
useless. Father de Lis e feared instant death fa:- le. s than any
profaning < f the Holy Mysteries. It was useless, also, to contend
with the armed force who were batte ing at the portal, or
to enrage them with any further delay ; so the heavy d or
swung back, and the pa.ty of pursuivants, headed by Eliot,
entered.
" Some had better stay outside," sai 1 Eliot to the captain cf
the guard, "lest haply some foul play chance us in this hideous
"
hole and he then rushed ;
up stairs with frant c haste, as if
endowed with the scent of a bloodhound.
Walter de Lisle was readiug the last Gospel; so calm was
his manner, so unmoved the tones of his voice, that Eliot even
stood still. Walter turned from the altar and faced his foes,
" Seize hi a !
" said Eliot; and two of the pursuivants laid
hands on him.
"I shall not resist," said the priest, with dignity; "only
suffer me, I prHy you, to take off the garments of mine office,
which are not seemly to wear s ve for the functions. "
"Yes, let him take off those rags of papistry," said Eliot;
"and, Will " (to one of the men), '
'where is that fool's coat thou
despoiled that poor fool of as we rode hither ? Thinkest thou
not it would d ) marvellously well to attire this fool with?"
The men laughed coarsely, and the garment was produced.
It was the fool's coat, made of patchwork of various gay
colors, and of grotesque design, such as was worn by the jesters
then attached to the household of each person of distinction.
" But before we do so," said Eliot "thou must be searched,
Master de Lisle. "
Then for the first time Arthur saw his friend's face change.
He came eagerly forward to offer money, that the indignity
might be omitted, but Eliot was roused.
"There is some secret then," he exclaimed ; "search him
instantly."
It was not the fear of insult that made the confessor's heart
quail ; but Walter, like most other priests of the times, obliged
to travel from place to place, always carried on his breast a
silver pyx, in which rested the Blessed Sacrament ; and a pang
of unutterable horror took possession of his mind at the
thought of the profanation which would now be offered to the
body of the Lord.
"Shame on my faithless heart !" said he afterwards to Ar-
thur ; "why did I not know that He who once passed through
the midst of them, and ueut His way, could triumph again?"
They dragged Walter into another room, Arthur alone accompanying
him, and they Legau the search, seasoning it with
coarte jokes and ribaldry, excited laugh when they
by Eliot. Loiid was the
discovered the hair shirt and the girdle of
steel, with which the saint kept down the flesh ; but though
every garment was dragged from him, there was visible to no
mortal eye save the pr est'o, the consecrated pvx. He felt its
sweet weight on his bosom, and rude hands came close to it,
and seemed as if they were laid upon it, and yet it was never
discovered. At length the search was ended, and Walter re-
TYBOHXR. 29
sumed his clothes*. The soldiers arrayed him in the fool's
coat,f and dragging him down Ntuirs, prepared to ti him hand
and foot across a horse.
" Thou urt grateful for this hind of treatment, art thou not,
. "Tlier is no hope left lor
master?" said 1'Jiot, i
me, utter the grievous sin of thus handling 11
"Nay, Master Eliot," miid W:ii "
'I-I-,
I
, heart; aud wouldst thou but. do peu^ne.
I would that it were by my voice thou should .
forgive tli>o from my
;