The Miracle at St. Bruno's

The child opened her eyes. She was beautiful. Her eyes were a deep blue, the color of violets, her lashes thick and black as her hair.

"Take her up," commanded Mother Salter.

The child smiled at me and held out her arms. When I took her she placed her arms about my neck as Mother Salter commanded her to do. "Honeysuckle child," said the witch, "behold your mother.”

The child looked wonderingly into my face. I had never seen such a beautiful creature.

"There," said Mother Salter, "remember your vow. Woe to those who break their promises to the dead.”

I took the child and carried her out of the witch's cottage and I took her to the Abbey.

"What child is this?" demanded Bruno.

"I have brought her to live here," I replied. "She will be as our own.”

"By God," he cried. "You do strange things, Damask. Why do you bring a child like that into our household? Ere long you will have a child of your own, I trust.”

"I pledged myself to take her. Then it was easy. My father was alive. I told him of my pledge and he said I must keep it.”

"But why make such a pledge?”

"It was to a dying woman.”

He shrugged his shoulders. "The servants will care for her.”

"I have promised to treat her as my own.”

"For whom should you have made such a promise?”

"Bruno," I said, "it was to Keziah on her deathbed.”

"Keziah!" His face darkened with anger. "Keziah." He said the name as though there was something obscene about it. "That creature's child! Here!”

Oh, Bruno, I thought, are you not that creature's child? But it was for that reason of course that he felt so angry.

"Listen to me," I said. "Keziah was dying and she asked me to care for this child.

I promised. I will not go back on my word.”

"And if I will not have the child here?" "You will not be so cruel.”

"You do not know me yet, Damask.”

I stared at him. Now he was different from ever before. The angry passion distorted his face. It was as though a mischievous boy had drawn a mask over that irresistible perfection of features which had so enchanted me. Bruno looked almost evil in his hatred of Keziah's innocent child.

As usual when I was alarmed my tongue was at its sharpest. "It seems I have something to learn which will not be pleasing to me," I cried.

"You will take the child back where she belongs," he said.

"Her place is here.”

"Here! In my Abbey!”

"Her place is with me. If this is my home, it is hers.”

"Take her back without delay whence you found her.”

"To her grandmother-Mother Salter's cottage in the woods?”

Oh, God, I thought, she may well be your grandmother too.

I wished that I could shut out the thoughts which came to me. It was because this beautiful innocent little girl was his half-sister that he could not bear to have her in his house. Where was the godlike quality I had so much admired? It was replaced by a vile human passion-Pride! I sensed fear too. I knew Bruno in that moment better than I ever had before and I sensed that he was afraid. I had believed I could love him in his weakness even as in his strength; but my feelings had changed for him in those moments. My adoration had gone; yet in its place was a deep maternal tenderness.

 I wanted to take him in my arms and say: "Let us be happy. Let us forget that you must be above all other men. We have each other; we have most miraculously this wonderful Abbey!" (Yet when I thought of that I was uneasy for I realized then that I did not entirely believe his glib explanation of how he had come into possession of it.) "We have the future. Let us build our Abbey into a sanctuary for ourselves and those in need. Let us bring up our children in a good life and let this little one be our first.”

"I had thought you would do anything to please me," he said.

"You know it is my great desire to please you.”

"And yet you do this... Such a short time we have been married and you go against my wishes.”

"Because I made a pledge... a sacred pledge to a dying woman. You must see that I cannot break my word.”

"Take the child back to whoever has cared for her so far.”

"That is her grandmother, Mrs. Salter. She has threatened me with curses if I do not take the child. But I will have to keep her, though not from fear but because I gave my word and I intend to keep it.”

He was silent for a few moments. Then he said: "I see that you made this rash promise.

It was unwise. It was foolish. Keep the child out of my way. I do not wish to see her.”

He turned away and I looked after him sadly. I was unhappy. I wished that I were like my mother-placid and uncritical. But I could not stop my thoughts. I could not prevent myself from knowing that he was afraid to offend the witch of the woods.