Evening star., 1905-09-30

lives of Gods most blessed saints. What
hast thou to say?"
The lay brother stood meek and silent,
with his arms still crossed in front of HIM.
"One thousand aves and many credos,
said standing with arms outstretched before
the shrine of the Virgin, may help thee 10
remember that the Creator hath given US
two ears and but one mouth, a token that
there is twice the work for the one as for
the other. Where is the master of the
novices?'
He is without, most holy father"
Send him hither"
The sandaled feet cIattered over the
wooden floor and the iron-bound door creak-
ed upon its hinges. In few moments 1T
opened again to admit a short, square monk
with a heavy, composed face and an au-
thoritative manner.
You have sent for me, holy father"'
"Yes, brother Jerome, / wish that this
matter be disposed of with little scandal
as may be, and yet 1t is needful that the
example should be public one" The abbot
spoke in Latin now, a language which
was more fitted by its age and solemnity TO
convey the thoughts of two high dignitaries
of the order.
TT would perchance be best that the
novices be not admitted" suggested the
master. This mention of woman may
turn their minds from their pious medita-
tions to worldly and evil thoughts"
'Womani woman!" groaned the abbot.
We'll has the holy Chrysostom termed them
radfx malo-am. From Eve downward, what
good hath come from any of them? Who
brings the plaint?'
1T is Brother Ambrose"
"A holy and devout young man.
A light and pattern to every novice"
Let the matter be brought to an issue
then according to our old-time monastic
habit. Bid the chancellor and the subchan-
cellor lead in the brothers according to age
together with brother John, the accused,
and Brother Ambrose, the accuser.''
And the nuVices?
Let them bide in the north alley of the
cloisters. Stay! Bid the subchancellor send
out TO them Thomas the lector to read unto
them from the 'Gesta beati Benedict 1t
may save them from foolish and pernicious
babbling."
The abbot was left to himself once more.
and bent his thin gray face over his illumi-
mated breviary. So he remained while the
senior monks filed slowly and sedateIy into
the chamber, seating themselves upon the
long odken benches which lined the wall on
either side. At the further end, in two high
chairs as large as that of the abbot, though
hardly as elaborately carved sat the master
OF the noYices and the-chance,lor the latter
a broad and portly priest with dark mirth-
fui eyes and a thick outgrowth of crisp
black hair all round his tonsured head. Be-
tween them stood a lean, white-faced broth
er who appeared to be Ill at ease, shifting
his feet from side to side and tapping mis-
chin nervously with the long parchment roll
which he held in his hand. The abbot, from
MS point OF vantage, looked down on the
two long lines of faces, placid and sun
Drowned for the most part. with the large
bovine eyes and unlined features which told
OF their easy unchanging existence Then
he turned his eager, fiery gaze upon the
pale-faced monk who faced him.
This plant is thine, as l learn, Brother
Ambrose" said he. May the holy Bene-
dict, patron of our house, be present this
day and aid us in our findings! How many
counts are there?'
Three. most holy father" the brother
answered in low and quavering voice
Have you set them forth according to
rule?" W
They are here set down, most holy ia
ther, upon cantle of sheepskin"
Let the sheepskin be handed to the chan
celior Bring In Brother John and let him
hear the plants which have been urged
against him."
AT this order lay brother swung open
the door. and two other lay brothers en-
tered, leading between them a young novice
OF the order. He was a man of huge stat
ure, dark-eyed and headed, with a pe-
cuiiar haif-humorous, half-defiant express
sion upon his bold. well-marked fea atures
HIS cowl was thrown back upon his shoul-
ders, and his gown, unfastened at the ton
disclosed round. sinewy neck, ruddy and
corded like the bark of the fir. Thick mus
GUAR arms, covered with reddish down
protruded from the wide sleeves of his
habit, while his white shirt, looped up upon
leg, SCARED and torn with the scratches Of
brambles. With bow to the abbot which
mad in 1t, perhaps, more plea asantry than
reverence. the novice strode across to the
carved prie-dieu which had been seen set
apart for him, and stood silent and erect.
with his hand upon the gold bell which was
used In the private orisons of the abbot s
own household. His dark eyes glanced rap
IDLY over the assembly, and finally settled
with grim and menacing twinkle upon the
face of his accuser.
The chamberlain rose and having slowly
unrolled the parchment scroll proceeded to
read 1t out in thick and pompous voice.
while subdued rustic and movement among
the brothers bespoke the interest with
which they followed the proceedings.
Charges brought upon the second Thurs
day after the Feast of the Assumption, in
the year of our Lord thirteen hundred and
stxty-six, against Brother John, formerly
known as Horde John, or John of Horde,
but now novice in the holy monastic order
OF the Cistercians. Read upon the same day
at the abbey of Beaulieu In the presence of
the most reverend Abbot Berghersh and of
the assembled order.
The charges against the said brother
John are the following, namely, to wit:
First, that on the aforementioned Feast
of the Assumption, small beer having been
served to the novices in the proportion of
one quart to each four; the said brother
John did drain the pot at one draught. to
the detriment of Brother Paul, Brother
Porphyry and Brother Ambrose, who could
scarce eat their none-meat of salted stock
fish on account of their exceeding dryness.' -
At this solemn Indictment the novice
raised his hand and twitched his lip, while
even the placid senior brothers glanced
across at each other and coughed to cover
their amusement. The abbot alone sat gray
and immutable, with a drawn face and a
brooding eye.
Item, that having been told by the mas
ter of the novices that he should restrict his
food for two days to single three pound
loaf of bran and beans. for the greater hon
oring and glorifying of st. Monica, mother
of the holy Augustine, he was heard by
Brother Ambrose and others to say that he
wished twenty thousand devils would fly
away with the said Monico mother Of the
holy Augustine, or any other saint who
came between a man and his meat. Item
that upon Brother Ambrose reproving him
for this blasphemous wish he did hold the
said brother face downward over the pisca-
torium, or fish pond. for space during
which the said brother was able to repeat
a pater and four aves for the better fortify-
ing of his soul against impending death"
There was buzz and murmur among the
white-frocked brethren at this grave charge,
but the abbot held UP his long, quivering
hand. What then?'' said he.
Item. that between nones and vespers on
the feast of James the Less the said Brother
John was observed upon the Brockenhurst
read. near the spot which is known as
D. q.