登陆注册
15491100000059

第59章 THE THREE HERMITS(3)

The Bishop did not leave off till he had taught them the whole of the Lord's prayer so that they could not only repeat it after him, but could say it by themselves. The middle one was the first to know it, and to repeat the whole of it alone. The Bishop made him say it again and again, and at last the others could say it too.

It was getting dark, and the moon was appearing over the water, before the Bishop rose to return to the vessel. When he took leave of the old men, they all bowed down to the ground before him.

He raised them, and kissed each of them, telling them to pray as he had taught them. Then he got into the boat and returned to the ship.

And as he sat in the boat and was rowed to the ship he could hear the three voices of the hermits loudly repeating the Lord's prayer. As the boat drew near the vessel their voices could no longer be heard, but they could still be seen in the moonlight, standing as he had left them on the shore, the shortest in the middle, the tallest on the right, the middle one on the left. As soon as the Bishop had reached the vessel and got on board, the anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled. The wind filled them, and the ship sailed away, and the Bishop took a seat in the stern and watched the island they had left. For a time he could still see the hermits, but presently they disappeared from sight, though the island was still visible. At last it too vanished, and only the sea was to be seen, rippling in the moonlight.

The pilgrims lay down to sleep, and all was quiet on deck. The Bishop did not wish to sleep, but sat alone at the stern, gazing at the sea where the island was no longer visible, and thinking of the good old men. He thought how pleased they had been to learn the Lord's prayer; and he thanked God for having sent him to teach and help such godly men.

So the Bishop sat, thinking, and gazing at the sea where the island had disappeared. And the moonlight flickered before his eyes, sparkling, now here, now there, upon the waves. Suddenly he saw something white and shining, on the bright path which the moon cast across the sea. Was it a seagull, or the little gleaming sail of some small boat? The Bishop fixed his eyes on it, wondering.

'It must be a boat sailing after us,' thought he 'but it is overtaking us very rapidly. It was far, far away a minute ago, but now it is much nearer. It cannot be a boat, for I can see no sail; but whatever it may be, it is following us, and catching us up.'

And he could not make out what it was. Not a boat, nor a bird, nor a fish! It was too large for a man, and besides a man could not be out there in the midst of the sea. The Bishop rose, and said to the helmsman:

'Look there, what is that, my friend? What is it?' the Bishop repeated, though he could now see plainly what it was -- the three hermits running upon the water, all gleaming white, their grey beards shining, and approaching the ship as quickly as though it were not morning.

The steersman looked and let go the helm in terror.

'Oh Lord! The hermits are running after us on the water as though it were dry land!'

The passengers hearing him, jumped up, and crowded to the stern. They saw the hermits coming along hand in hand, and the two outer ones beckoning the ship to stop. All three were gliding along upon the water without moving their feet. Before the ship could be stopped, the hermits had reached it, and raising their heads, all three as with one voice, began to say:

'We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. As long as we kept repeating it we remembered, but when we stopped saying it for a time, a word dropped out, and now it has all gone to pieces.

We can remember nothing of it. Teach us again.'

The Bishop crossed himself, and leaning over the ship's side, said:

'Your own prayer will reach the Lord, men of God. It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinners.

And the Bishop bowed low before the old men; and they turned and went back across the sea. And a light shone until daybreak on the spot where they were lost to sight.

1886.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 前尘远

    前尘远

    这是为了一本曾经很喜欢的小说所写的番外,虽然现在在回去看已经没了当初的激情,但始终就也曾经陪伴过我很长的一段时光,终究是不舍的,所以便写了。曾经在贴吧也发过这篇,不过还没有修改多少,这次修改的也不太大,不过有一些部分也修改得稍微柔和了一些,还有一些也不知道怎么改了,因为一改的话,后面的基本上都要重来,实在是没办法了,再次向曾经看过的读者们郑重道歉:真的十分抱歉!另外,由于某些原因,《看尽前尘》已改名为《前尘远》,希望不会对曾经看过本书的读者造成误会或者别的影响,谢谢大家!
  • 焚天悍刀行

    焚天悍刀行

    他来自龙岛,他身负九把刀,他叫阿修……一场惊天阴谋毁了他的家族,他背负起了整个家族的仇恨,带着重振族威希冀踏上了神源大陆。他是龙族的皇子,他是被天遗弃的可怜儿,他发誓要逆转命运的巨轮!他发誓要焚了这片苍天!
  • 零点年华

    零点年华

    青春的梦想随着时间的雕琢变得越来越远,匆匆的时光带走的是梦,留下是美好的记忆。单程灵魂的旅程,时光留给懂的人,
  • 滋润人生温情故事

    滋润人生温情故事

    一篇篇励志故事,仿佛驾船双桨,助我们逆流而上;一句句哲理名言,宛如驱车长策,让我们执著向前;一缕缕感悟心语,如同智慧钥匙,开启心灵天窗;品读隽永文章,体验百态人生;分享哲理故事,聆听心灵感动。《睿励人生》带给我们的是睿智的感悟,励志的信念。 本书是“睿励人生”系列丛书之《滋润人生温情故事》,书中精选了近百篇温暖的情感故事,让我们用心灵感知世间纯真的温暖与光明,品味幸福与温情,让爱情、亲情、友情浸润疲惫的灵魂,得到心灵的净化和情感的释放。
  • 成功处世的88个神奇智慧

    成功处世的88个神奇智慧

    本书教给你成功处世的88个神奇智慧,让你学会与他人保持和谐的人际关系,在人生旅程中少走弯路,为今后的人生做好铺垫,从而踏上人生坦途。
  • 哈利波特之我是霸主

    哈利波特之我是霸主

    人家买彩票,我也买彩票。没想到人家中的是钱,我中的是穿越,哎,运气这玩意无人能敌啊!
  • 十主降临

    十主降临

    混沌初开,十位宇宙之主诞生,他们创造了宇宙千千万万的星球和生命,却不知为何,来到了刚创造的地球,住了下来……亿万年后,他们转世成人类,在华夏中生活着……当他们恢复记忆和实力,种种危机就降临到了地球。看他们如何解决危机,重回宇宙之王的宝座!
  • 末等宫妃升职记

    末等宫妃升职记

    阁亭绕梅如雨,盈盈浅笑,翩若惊鸿。锦绣霓裳月半,难如争欢宠。桃之夭夭,灼灼其华。
  • 文渊阁书目

    文渊阁书目

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 半世流离殇月落

    半世流离殇月落

    那是我父亲,不是你父亲。”郭乐小时候就讨厌老爱粘着自己父亲的月落。“就是我的父亲,父亲就爱我,哼”月落才不理面前那个虽然长得帅气,但就是那么讨厌的人。“你,你就是小无赖。”郭乐气急败坏。“啦啦啦”月落对着郭乐做了一个鬼脸,然后伸出自己的小粉拳:“你想挨揍吗?”“唯小人与女子不可养也!”郭乐终于算是明白了这句话的意思。“无赖无赖无赖。”“你别跑呀”“你有本事来追呀。”转眼春去冬来,冬去春来········许多年以后,我们还能这样追打嬉闹,永远不长大多好呢。