{ "meta": { "schema_version": "1.1", "endpoint": "/api/sources/rhineland-mystics/suso/vol-1-27-chapter-xxviii.json" }, "work": { "slug": "suso", "name": "Heinrich Suso" }, "parents": [ { "slug": "rhineland-mystics", "name": "Rhineland Mystics", "url": "/sources/rhineland-mystics/" } ], "chapter": { "num": 28, "slug": "vol-1-27-chapter-xxviii", "title": "Chapter XXVIII.", "of": 51, "words": 1235, "text": "## Chapter XXVIII.\n\nOf a murderer. \n\nOnce upon a time, when the Servitor was \nreturning from the Netherlands, his road lay \nup the Rhine. He had with him a companion \nwho was young, and a good walker. Now, it \nhappened one day that he could not keep up \nwith his swift companion, for he had become \nvery tired and ill, and in consequence the com- \npanion had gone ahead of him about half-a- \nmile.* The Servitor looked back to see if any \none was following in whose company he might \n\n* A German mile is about four English miles and a \nhalf. \n\n\n126 LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\ngo through the forest, at the skirts of which he \nhad arrived, for it was late in the day. The \nforest, moreover, was extensive, and of ill re- \npute, for many persons had been murdered in \nit. The Servitor therefore stopped at the out- \nskirts of the forest, and waited to see whether \nany one was coming. \n\nAt length two persons approached, at a very \nrapid pace; the one was a young and pretty \nwoman, the other a tall ferocious-looking man, \ncarrying a spear and a long knife, and he had \non a black jerkin. The Servitor was struck \nwith dread at the terrible appearance of the \nman, and he looked round to see if there was \nany one following; but he saw no one. He \nthought within himself: — O Lord! what land \nof people are these ? How am I to go through \nthis great forest, and how will it fare with me 1 \nThen he made the sign of the cross over his \nheart and ventured it. When they were al- \nready deep in the forest, the woman came for- \nward to him, and asked him who he was and \nwhat was his name. As soon as he had told \nher his name, she answered : — Dear sir, I know \nyou well by name. I pray you to hear my \nconfession. Then she began to confess, saying: \nAlas, worthy sir ! it is with sorrow I tell you \n\n\nA MUEDEEEE. 127 \n\nmy sad lot. Do you see the man who follows \nus ? He is by trade a murderer, and he mur- \nders people here in this wood and elsewhere, \nand takes from them their money and clothes. \nHe never spares any one. He has deceived \nme, and carried me off from my friends, who \nare persons of good repute, and I am forced to \nbe his wife. \n\nThe Servitor was so terrified by these words \nthat he nearly fainted, and he cast a very sorrow- \nful look all round him, if haply there were any \none in sight or hearing, or any mode of escape. \nBut there was no one to be seen or heard in the \ndark forest coming after them, except the mur- \nderer. Then he thought within himself: — If, \nweary as thou art, thou triest to flee, he will \nsoon overtake and kill thee ; and if thou criest \nout, no one will hear thee in this wilderness, \nand death again will be thy lot. He looked \nupwards very wofully, and said : — O my God, \nwhat is to become of me to-day? O death, how \nnigh thou art to me ! \n\nWhen the woman had finished confessing, \nshe went back to the murderer, and besought \nhim privily, saying: — Come now, dear friend, \ngo forward, and make thy confession also; for \nit is a pious belief among my people that who- \n\n\n128 LIFE OF BLESSED HESTRY SUSO. \n\never confesses to him, however sinful he may be, \nwill never be abandoned by God. Do it, then ; \nthat God may help thee, for His sake, at thy \nlast hour. \n\nWhile the two were thus whispering to each \nother, the Servitor's terror knew no bounds, and \nthe thought came to him : — Thou art betrayed ! \nThe murderer was silent, and went forward. \nNow, when the poor Servitor saw the murderer \nadvancing npon him, spear in hand, his whole \nframe quivered with dread, and he thought with- \nin himself: — Alas, now thou art lost! For he \nknew not what they had been talking about. At \nthis point it happened that the Rhine ran close \nto the wood, and the narrow path lay along the \nbank. Moreover, the murderer so contrived it \nthat the brother was forced to walk on the side \nnext the water, while he walked next the wood. \nAs the Servitor went along in this manner with \ntrembling heart, the murderer began to confess, \nand revealed to him all the murders and crimes \nwhich he had ever committed. Especially he \nspoke of a horrible murder, which struck terror \ninto the Servitor's heart, and which he thus de- \nscribed:— I came once into this wood to rob \nand murder, as I have done to-day, and meet- \ning with a venerable priest, I confessed to him, \n\n\nA MURDERER. 129 \n\nwhile lie was walking beside me at this very- \nspot, just as you are doing ; and when the con- \nfession was over, I drew forth this knife and ran \nhim through with it, and then thrust him from \nme over the bank into the Ehine. \n\nThese words, and the gestures with which \nthe murderer accompanied them, made the Ser- \nvitor turn pale, and terrified him so exceedingly \nthat the cold sweat of death ran down his face \nupon his breast, and he shook with fear, and \nbecame speechless, and all his senses failed him, \nand he kept looking every moment at his side, \nexpecting that the same knife would be thrust \ninto him, and that he would then be pushed \nover into the river. Now just as he was on the \npoint of falling down through agony of mind \nand utter inability to advance a step, he cast an \nexceeding piteous look all round him, like a per- \nson longing to escape death. The murderer's \ndamsel caught sight of his woe-stricken face, \nand running up received him in her arms, as he \nwas falling, and holding him fast, said : — Good \nsir, be not afraid. He will not kill you. The \nmurderer added : — Much good has been told me \nconcerning you, and you shall have the benefit \nof it to-day, for I will let you live. Beg of God \n\nK \n\n\n130 LITE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO. \n\nto help and favour me, a poor criminal, at my \nlast hour, for your sake. \n\nIn the mean time they had come out of the \nforest, and the Servitor's companion was sitting \nthere under a tree waiting for him. The mur- \nderer and his partner passed on. But the Ser- \nvitor, crawling to his companion, sank down on \nthe ground, while his heart and his whole body \ntrembled, as in an attack of ague, and he lay \nthus motionless for a long time. At length on \nrecovering himself, he rose up and went on his \nway ; and he besought God earnestly and with \ndeep inward sighings for the murderer, that He \nwould let him have the benefit of the pious con- \nfidence which he had conceived towards the Ser- \nvitor, and not suffer him to be damned at his \nlast hour. God gave the Servitor such an in- \nward assurance of this, that it was impossible \nfor him to doubt that the murderer would be \nsaved.", "project_translation": false, "text_trust": "verbatim", "quote_safe": true, "license": null, "methodology_url": null } }