Compassionating her
situation, and allowing for her errors and ignorance,
he answered her with mildness.
``Alas, unhappy woman! Would to God I
could convince thee as easily where thou oughtest
to seek, and art sure to find consolation, as I can
assure you with a single word, that were Rome
and all her priesthood once more in the plenitude
of their power, they could not, for largesse or penance,
afford to thy misery an atom of aid or comfort.
---Elspat MacTavish, I grieve to tell you the
news.''
``I know them without thy speech,'' said the
unhappy woman---``My son is doomed to die.''
``Elspat,'' resumed the clergyman, ``he _was_
doomed, and the sentence has been executed.''
The hapless mother threw her eyes up to heaven,
and uttered a shriek so unlike the voice of a human
being, that the eagle which soared in middle air
answered it as she would have done the call of her
mate.
``It is impossible!'' she exclaimed, ``it is impossible!
Men do not condemn and kill on the
same day! Thou art deceiving me. The people
call thee holy---hast thou the heart to tell a mother
she has murdered her only child?''
``God knows,'' said the priest, the tears falling
fast from his eyes, ``that were it in my power, I
would gladly tell better tidings---But these which
I bear are as certain as they are fatal---My own
ears heard the death-shot, my own eyes beheld thy
son's death---thy son's funeral.
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