Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-24


and ask them to give me n nights shelter. So
| turned off the road, and rang q heavy bell,
which was answered by a burly, rosy-cheeked
| lay brother and he forthwith conducted me TO
l the prior, who was called the Pere Joliyet, He
| received me very kindly, and we chatted away
for some time on politics and the affairs of the
| world; and when the brothers were summoned
| to the refectory, begged leave to join them,
! and share their simple repast. instead of eating
the solitary supper prepared for me- There
were two tables in the hall and was seated
next the prior. in a situation that paye me A
pretty good view ofthe whole company. and as
| cast my eyes round to take A survey of the
various countenances they were Suddenly ar
rested by one that struck me as ahout the most
remarkable had ever beheld. From the heioht
of its owner as he sat. indeed he must he a
very tall man, and the hiob reund shoulders
gave an idea of great physical strength, tbougb
at the same time the whole mass seemed COM
posed of bone, for there was very little muscle
to cover it. The color of his great coarse face
was of an unnatural whiteness, and the rigid
immobility of the features favored the idea that
the man was more dead than alive. There was
altogether something so remarkable in his
looks that could with difficulty turn nv eyes
from him. Nv fixed gaze. | imagine. reused
some emotions within him. for he returned nv
scrutiny with determined and terrific glare
If forced myself to turn owav NV head for
moment. round IL would come again and tbere
were his two great. mysterious eyes unon me .
and that stiff law SLOWLY and wecban;cat,y ma.
wing from side In side as he ote his snnnar
like something ac,ed on hv n nendulum II
was really dreadful. we seemed botb bewitcb-
ed TO stare at eocb o,ber and lonood sor ,he
signal to rise tbatI MIGHT he released from tbe
strange fascination This came M lenoth. and
although had promised myself to make some
injuries of the prior concerning the owner of
the eyes. vet not Gnd;no mvsa,s alone with hin,
during the evening forbore. and in dne ,;me
retired TO mycbamber intending IN nroceed on
my ;ournev tho fo,,o,vino day Ru, ,vbsr ,,,o
manning came 7 eornd mvself vor, un,vo,t ana
the bospitable nrior recommended mo not 10
leave INV he'd and fina,lv T ,vos ob,;oad',oro-
main there not only that day, but many days-
in short, it was nearly a month before was
well enough to quit the convent, s.a.'f
ain the meantime, however, had learnt the
story of Brother Lazarus-for so | found the
object of my curiosity was called; and had
thereby acquired some idea of the kind of in
fuence he had exercised over me. The window
of the little room occupied looked into the
buryinp place of the monastery and on the
day first left NV bed. perceived a monk he
low digging grave. lie was stoopine for
ward with his spade in his hand, and with his
back towards me and as my room was a good
way from the ground, aud the brothers were
all habited alike, could not distinguish which
of them it was.
"You have death amongst you n said to
the prior when he visited me.
"No," returned he Hwe have even no se-
rious sickness Mt present."
III see one of the brothers below digging a
grave" replied.
Hoh," said he, looking out, athat is Brother
Lazarus: he is digging his own praye.p
UWhat an extraordinarv fancv,p said tRut
perhaps It's penance ~ 81
mNot a renance imposed by me- replied
the prior, but by himself. Brother Lazarus
is a yery strange person. Perbaps Won NAV
have observed him in the refectorv-be sal
nearly onposite YOU at the other table ~
aBless me is that he? Oh yes, | observed