Hardship and loyalty

Author: Charles Reed
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: The young Dutchman Gerard fell deeply in love with the beautiful and kind Margaret, but was betrayed by villains and forced to flee alone to a foreign land. In despair, he took the path of self-destruction but was saved after being stabbed. He then converted to religion and became an outstanding monk. One day in the church, he encountered Margaret, who had already given birth to his son, only to learn that their long separation in secret letters was all due to the villains. At this time, Gerard, having deeply hidden his extreme religious beliefs, dared not linger on worldly love and hid in a cave to live a reclusive life. Later, because Margaret repeatedly persuaded him in the middle of the night, holding her young son in her arms, he moved out of the hermitage to become a parish priest and won the trust of the congregation. Unfortunately, the city where his son studied was hit by the plague. Margaret rushed to rescue her son and was infected herself, dying shortly after in Gerard's arms when he finally arrived in a hurry. The love deeply hidden in Gerard's heart burst into immense sorrow, ultimately leaving him too sick to recover.