as ' Gerard' in Charles Reade 's famous romance
'THE CLOISTER AND THE
HEARTH'
Adapted as a radio serial by H. Beaufoy Milton
Produced by Peter Creswell
Part 12-'The End of the Story '
Characters
A Story Teller ; Gerard Eliassoen ; Catarina, his mother ; Margaret, his love ; Denys of Burgundy, a soldier of fortune ; Father Jerome, a Dominican monk; Chorus of monks, servant, etc.
The scene is Holland in the fifteenth century
Gerard's marriage to Margaret was interrupted at the altar, and he was compelled to flee from Holland by the enmity of the Burgomaster, Ghysbrecht van Swieten. In Rome he receives a letter giving him false news of Margaret's death, and in despair throws himself into the Tiber. He is saved from drowning and enters the Church, becoming Brother Clement.
On his way to England Gerard preaches in Rotterdam, where he sees Margaret, as he thinks, in a vision. He is called to shrive the dying Ghysbrecht van Swieten, who promises to make restitution to Margaret for an ancient wrong done to her family.
Gerard goes to Gouda, where he lives as a hermit in a cave. Here he is visited by Margaret, but resists all her entreaties to go back to her. When Margaret has left him, Gerard finds an unknown child in his cave.