The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-26
THE SANCTITY OF LOVE

He thought that he penetrated the de-
signs, the wishes, the intentions of the
creator
Everything in nature seemed to him
created with an absolute and admirable
logic. The wherefore" and the "be-
cause" were always balanced. The dawns
were made to render glad your waking.
the days to ripen the harvest, the rains
to water them, the evenings to prepare
for sleeping, and the nights dark for
sleep.
The four seasons cOrresponded perfect
ly to all the needs Of agriculture; and to
him the suspicion could never have come
that nature has no intentions, and that
all which lives has bent itself, on the
contrary, to the hard conditions of differ
ent periods, of climates and Of matter.
Only he did hate women; he hated
them unconscionably, and he despised
them by instinct. He often repeated
the words Of his Master, Woman, what
have to DO with theeY' and he added,
Zone would almost say that God him
self was i'll pleased with that particular
work Of his hands" Woman was the
temptress who had ensnared the first
man; she was the being which is feeble,
dangerous, mysteriously troubling. And
even more than her weak body he hated
her loving soul.
He had often fel+ yomen's tenderness
attach itself to him, and though he knew
himself to be unassailable he grew ex-
asperated at the need of loving which
quivered always in their hearts.
Woman, to his mind, had only been
created to tempt man and to prove him.
You should not approach her without
these precautions for defense which you
would take, and those fears which yon
would cherish, near a trap. She was,
indeed, just like trap, with her arms
extended and her lips open toward
man.
He had indulgence only for nuns rem
dered harmless by their vow; but he
treated them harshly notwithstanding,
because, ever living at the bottom of
their chained up hearts, Of their chast-
ened hearts, he perceived that eternal
tenderness which constantly went out to
him although he was priest.
He was conscious of it in their looks,
more moist with piety than the looks of
monks; in their ecstacies, in their trans
ports of love, which angered him because
it was women's love; and he was also
conscious of it, Of that accursed tender
ness of their voices when they spoke to
him, in their lowered eyes, and in the
meekness of their tears when he reproved
them.
And he shook his cassock on issuing
from the doors of the convent, and he
went off with long strides, as though he
had fed before some danger.
He had a niece who lived with her
mother in little house near by. He
was bent on making her a sister of char
ity.
She was pretty, and hairbrained, and
q great tease. When the able sermon
lied she laughed, when he was angry at
her she kissed him vehemently, press
ing him to her heart, while he would
seek involuntarily to free himself from
this embrace, which, notwithstanding
made him taste certain sweet joy,
awaking deep within him that sensation
Of fatherhood which slumbers in every
man.
Often he talked to her of God, of his
God, walking beside her along the foot
paths through the fields. She hardly
listened, and looked at the sky, the grass,
the flowers, with JOY of living which
could be seen in her eyes. Sometimes
she rushed forward to catch some flying
creature. and. bringing it oack. would
cry: Look, my uncle, how pretty it Is!
l should like to Hiss it." And this ne
cessity to kiss flies" or lilac berries
worried, irritated and revolted the priest
who saw even in that the ineradicable
tenderness which ever springs at the
hearts of women.
And now one day the sacristan's wife,
who kept house for the Abba Marignan.
told him very cautiously that his niece
had lover
He experienced dreadful emotion,
and he stood choked with the soap all
over his face, being IN the act Of shaving.
When he found himself able 70 think
and speak once more he cried. 1t is not
true; you are lying, Melanie!'
But the peasant woman put her hand
on her heart May our Lord judge me if
l am lying. Monsieur le Cure. l tell you
she goes to him every evening as soon
as your sister is in bed. They meet
each other beside the river. You have
only to get there between 10 o'clock and
midnight, and see for yourself"
He ceased scratching his chin, and he
commenced 20 walk the room violently.
as he always did IN his hours Of gravest
thought. When he tried TO begin his
shaving again he cut himself three
times from nose to ear.
Anday long he remained silent. swollen
with anger and rage. To his priessly zeal
against the mighty power of love was
added the moral Indignation Of father.
of a teacher, OF keeper of souls, who
has been deceived. robbed. played with
by child. he had that egonsucal chok-
ing sensation such as parents feel when
their daughter announces that she has
chosen 8 husband without them and in
spite of their s<vice.
After his dinner he tried to reai lit
tie, but he cOuld not bring himself 50 far,
and he grew angrier and angrier. When
it struck 10 he took his cane. forE1i-
dable oslzen club which he always carried
when he had to go out at night to visit
the sick, and he smihDcly regarded the
enormous cudgel. hslding il In his solid
countrymsn's fss and cutting threaten
inr circles with It N fhe Sir- Thau sud