CHAPTER XIV
He turned his face from the wall to which it had been set. Light was inthe cell. He turned his body; he rose. “Oh, my Lady--”
In the torrent rush of feeling he came close before he kneeled. Thelight-swathed form stepped back from him. He knew overwhelming, aching,bursting sense of felicity that yet was pain, was hunger. The float ofthe red and blue drapery, the face that was the face of the picture,the height, the sense of heaven in one Form--
On his knees he came nearer. His eyes were not hidden as before,waiting for her to speak. He could not other; he did not think at all.He would have put hands about her feet and with his eyes drink powerand beauty and love.
She went back from him again. Something untoward happened. Her footand shoulder struck the great rood, pushed slightly forward from thewall. It spun aside. Behind it showed in plain light a low and narrowdoorway, with door swinging outward, closed and hidden, all times butthis, by the great cross. Light showed the very rope and pulley bywhich the masking wood was pushed forward and drawn back. Light showedthrough into Brother Norbert’s cell; in the very opening showed BrotherNorbert and over his shoulder the white face of Brother Anselm. WhileRichard Englefield rose to his feet, the shape that he had esteemed ofglory turned, bent itself and vanished through the opening. Light wentout.
There was an effort to close the door but before it could be donehis knee and shoulder were there to prevent. There was a sound ofbreathing, of muttering, then a hurry of feet. He broke through intoBrother Norbert’s cell and felt that it was empty.
There was still a flickering light. It came from a great, thick candle,almost a torch of wax, thrown into a corner but not yet extinguished.He caught it up and the flame sprang whole again. It showed him muchof apparatus. There was the yet unclosed opening above, reached by ashort ladder, through which the shaft of light had been sent into hiscell. There were other things,--tools, cords, bits of candle, cloths,what not. Mind light blazed. He saw why the cells had been emptied ofold occupants; he saw that these openings had been made while he wasat Middle Forest, he saw that they had used the great rood for mask. Amantle lay upon the floor,--red, with blue and red linings. He liftedit and saw that it was earthly cloth, though fine and thin. He saw thejointed wires that could be stretched by the hand and so the tissuesbe made to seem to float. He saw that they had put upon him a cheat.He dropped the mantle but kept the torch in hand. The door of the cellgiving upon stone passage was swinging open. He burst through, he randown the passage. This way would have gone the whole complex monster,to be overtaken and slain in fury. He ran, smoke and flame streamingbehind him, but at the bend of passage came upon half a dozen monks.Of these, four seemed just awakened. But Brother Norbert and BrotherAnselm were wildly awake. He threw down the torch, he closed withBrother Norbert. “Alas! Brother Richard! You are mad! Help!”
Brother William that was a giant fell upon him. They pinned him down.The sub-prior appeared with two or three more at his heels. “O OurLady! Hath he gone mad!” He fought with them all. “Robbers of souls!”he shouted. They haled him into refectory that was near-by. One ranfor Brother Walter the leech. But Brother Norbert and Brother Anselmvanished in the direction of the cell he had left. “You are cheatsand murderers!” he cried, to the true bewilderment of three or four.Brother William, at a nod from the sub-prior, thrust cloth into hismouth, wound and tied the gag. Brother Walter came. “What is wrong?What is wrong? Doth he rave? They do so oft after so much hath cometo them!” He was haled down the passage to the cell he had left. Allwas quiet there, ordered, still, plain monk’s cell, lighted only bythe lights they brought. The opening was closed and the great roodin place. When he made to attack it, push it aside, they cried outin horror and the sub-prior ordered his arms tied. Finally, perhapsbecause he had ceased to struggle and seemed to be collecting his wits,and a madman with wits was notoriously dangerous, they bound him with arope to the window stanchions and went off to put his case before theAbbot. Brother Walter the leech would have stayed, but the sub-priorsharply forbade. He seemed to hesitate whether or no to leave BrotherNorbert but at last signed him forth. The rope was strong, the man wasquiet. Let him be till council was taken! Solitude and none to hear wasregimen, time out of mind, for mad monk!
They went. The cell was like a tomb, and he bound in it. It was dark,with a faint sense of morning in the air.
Despite all weakening Richard Englefield was yet strong of body.And he had rage that came like a giant to possess him, and a willthat was now gathered, collected, and hurled through space to onepoint. He broke the cord that bound his arms. This done he could freehimself from the gag and unknot at last the rope that bound him tothe stanchions. It was now to break stanchion and cross bar and clearthe window. He did this. He climbed through the window, held by hishands, dropped to earth. It had been impossible to the sub-prior orto Brother Norbert, but it was not impossible to him. It was all donequickly. Stone rang beneath his feet. Light shone in the Abbot’s house.Doubtless all were gathered there,--the thieves and murderers! Wherewas that one, that painted fiend, who had given him cap and bells towear through life? Through life--through eternity! The church rosedark. He looked at the stars above it, and they seemed to him sparksfrom a mean and smoky fire. Now he was at Silver Cross outer wall. Heclimbed it and came down upon the other side with cuts and bruises thathe did not feel. A palest light shone in the east. Behind him, overhim, he heard the bell for lauds. He knew where ran the highway downWander vale to Middle Forest. He went straight like a wild wind blowingdown. All since he had waked was done as it were in one moment.