, 1873-06-22


the Court, sought out the Chamberlain Of the
King, who highly esteemed him on accouDt nj
some work which ha had made for his lady-Ioro
Tho Chamberlain at once promised his assist
ance, ordered his men to saddle his steed
they rode together to the Abbey o1
Saint German. The Abbot OF those days
was the Lord Hugo de Senecterre. who wat
very old, being SO years Of age. When they
were ushered into the Abbot's guest-ehamber
Lord Hugo to grant him something which woulc
be very agreeable to him. The Abbot, sinking
his head replied that the canons Of the Church
strictly Inhibited any such blind engagements Of
one's word.
Said the Chamberlain: "Dear father, this
Court, who has fallen desperately in love with a
young girl. daughter Of serf belonging to
the Abbey. And ask Of you, il you ever hope
to have you1 dearest wish granted, to free that
"Who is she7" demanded the Abbot Of An
sefn.
l" She is called Tiennette,' - said he, timidly.
"Ho, ho," laughed the, good old Hugo. 1.-THE
brat has brought us 6ne hsh. This is grave
matter, and cannot determine it alone"
mean by that" said the Chamberlain, knitting
his brows with disappointment.
Beau, Sire, replied the Able. "Do you
know the girl :"
So saying, he ordered 1iennette to be brought
in, telling his Secretary to clothe her in fne
In the meanwhile, the Chamberlain drew
the Tourangean apart, and advised him
to give up his whim, seeing that
it was like to cost him dear. There were many
young girls even OF noble birth who would glad
fy marry him, whereas the monks would make
him pay d round sum for Tiennette,
lam satisfied" said the goldsmith "Ihaye
laid up fow crowns."
money is all in ALL
Monaeigneur," said the goldsmith, turning
to the Abbot, and speaking very softly but very
resolutely too, "you represent here on earth the
goodness and the mercy Of God. who shows Him
to our miseries: If you will MD me in espouaing
this girl in lawful marriage, SO that my children
may be true, will not only pray for yon every
night and eveF morning. but will make for
you a pix for the holy Eucharist, which casket
shall be so elaboEately worried, 30 rich in
precious stones and Bculpturetl with figures of
winged angels, that trere shall be nothing like
it in Christonlom, and it shall remain unique
and lovely thing to rejoice your eyes and to bo
the glory Of your altar. SO that not only the
countries, shall run to see it. so magnificent
ehall 1t be-
ssafy son." replied the Abbot, ':surely you
lose your sen4as. II you aro resolved to have
Luls SiFl 1ol your lAWIl1 Nl1e Iueu you anu Eli
that is yours will belong to the Chapter of the
Abbey"
"Oh, nv Lord Abbot, though have lost my
sepseu over this poor girl. ard an more touched
even with her misory and Christian spirit than
am with the perfections of her body, yet am I
still moro astoniBhed at your hardness of heart,
and this gay knowing nv fate to be within
your hands. Yes, Lord, I know the law. But,
II my goods fall into your domain, it become
serf, if lose my house and my rank as FREQ
burgess, know" said he, with hot tears Of III
dgnation bursting from his eyes, "that you
cannot have the best part of me. Here" strik-
inp h;s forehead there is that which I have
won by painful labor aud long study; and here
lives Tint OF which no one. excepting God.
can la lord and master save mvrelf
And the whole wealth OF YOUR ABBEY
cannot rcpav to the world what it will lose when
you hnye silonced this. You will have nv BODY.
nv wife. nv children, hut -ou cannot have nv
art. for not even fortunes shall induce me to
The hardest iron. and more patient than suffer-
in1 ITSELF"
So saving. the goldsmith, maddened by the
calm, sslf-satished look OF the Abbot, who saem-
ed resolved to have his crowns for the Abbey.
struck with his clenched fist, on an oaken chair
had been broken by an iron mace.
"see there, great Lord, what sort OF servant
you will have, thst from maker Of divine
things, you will degrade into beast Of bur
Gen.
my son." replied the Abbot, "you are doubly
wrong, in that you have broken my chair snd
Judged my soul in error. This girl belongs to
the Abbey, not to me-. am but the faithful
guardian Of the rights and nsages OF this glori-
ous monastery, and though l should glye to
yet must account to God and to the Abbey
since there has been here an altar, monks, and
serfs, i'd est, from the time whereof the memory
OF man knowesh not to the contrary, such Q caso
has never happened whera free burgess has
become the property of the Abbey by marrying
with q HeTf-eirl. Hence it is my duty to exercise
this right. and to make use ct it, otherwise
it would become lost and would fall
into deBuetude, which would be the cause
Of Thousand troubles. And that this should
not be ia Of greater advantage to the State and
to the Abbey than your caskets, beautiful as
they are, seeing TINT from our treasury We can
purchase these thlnss, whereas no money can
buy establlehed laws and customs' ana for the
III