Evening star., 1905-09-30

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who hath been so much stirred and inward
ly troubled by the sight that he now lies in
a fever through it."
And the woman?" asked the abbot Did
she not break into lamentation and woe that
brother should so demean himsef?"
Nay: she smiled sweetly upon him and
thanked him. 1 can youch 1t and SO can
Brother Porphyry."
"Canst thou?' cried the abbot in a high
tempestuous tone. 'Canst thou so? Hast
forgotten that the five-and-thirtieth rule of
the order is that in the presence of a woman
the face should be ever averted and the
eyes cast down? Hast forgot it. I say? If
your eyes were upon your sandals, how
came ye to see this smile of which we pirate?
week in your cells, false brethren, a week
of rye bread and lentils with double lauds
and double mathis, may help ye to remem-
brance of the laws under which We live
AT this sudden outfame of wrath the two
witnesses sank their faces on to their chests
and sat men crushed. The abbot turned
his angry eyes away from them and bent
them upon the accused who met his search
ing gaze with a firm and composed face
What hast thou to say, Brother John.
upon these weighty things which are urged
against your
Little enough, good father little enough"
said the novice. speaking English with
broad West Saxon drawl. The brothers.
who were English to a man, pricked up
yet unfamiliar speech; but the abbot flushed
RED with anger and struck his hand upon
the oaken arm of his chair.
What talk is this? he cried rs this
tongue to be used within the walls of an old
and well-famed monastery? But grace and
learning have ever gone hand In hand, and
when one is lost it is needless to look for
the other
Il know not about that" said Brother
John. Il know only that the words come
kindly to my mouth, for 1t was the speech
of my fathers before me. Under your favor
shall either use it now or hold my peace"
The abbot patted his foot and nodded his
head, as one who passes point but does
not forget it.
For the matter of the ale" continued
Brother John, 'I had come in hot from the
fields and had scarce got the taste of the
thing before mine eye lit upon the bottom
of the pot 1t may be, too, that l spoke
somewhat shortly concerning the bran and
the beans, the same being poor provender
and untitled for q man of my inches 1t is
true also that l did lay my hands upon this
jack-fool of a Brother Ambrose though as
you can see, did him little seattle. AS re-
CARDS the maid too, IT is true that l did
heft her over the stream, she having on her
hosen and shoon, whilst l had but my wood
en- sandals which can take no hurt from the
water l should have thought shame upon
my manhood, well as my monkhood if l
had held back my hand from her" He
glanced around he spoke, with the half
amused look which he had worn during the
whole proceedings.
There is no need to go further" said the
abbot. HE has confessed to all 1t only
remains for me to portion out the punish
ment which is due to his evil conduct
He rose, and the two long lines of broth
ers followed his example, looking sideways
with scared faces at the angry prelate
John of Hordle," he thundered "ycu
have shown yourself during the two months
of your novitiate to be recreant monk, and
one who is unworthy to wear the white garb
which is the outer symbol of the spotless
spirit That dress shall therefore be strip
ped from thee. and thou shalt be cast into
the outer world without benefit of clerkship
and without lot or part in the graces and
blessings of those who dwell under the care
of the blessed Benedict. Thou shalt come
back neither to Beaulieu nor to any Of the
oranges of Beaulieu, and thy name shall be
struck off the scrolls Of the order"
The sentence appeared a terrible one to
the older monks. who had become so used
to the safe and regular life of the abbey
that they would have been as helpless as
children in the outer world. From their
pious oasis they looked dreamily out at the
desert of life. place full of stormings and
strtvings-comfortless restless and over
ever. appeared to have other thoughts, for
his eyes sparkled and his smile broadened
1t needed but that to add fresh fuel to the
fiery mood Of the prelate.
so much for thy spiritual punishment"
he cried But it is to thy grosser feelings
that we must turn in such natures as thine,
and as thou are no longer under the shield
of holy church there is the less difficulty.
Ho, there lay brothers-Francis, Naomi
Joseph-seize him and bind his arms! Drag
him forth. and let the foresters and the por-
ters scourge him from the precinctsr
AS these three brothers advanced toward
him to carry out the abbots direction the
smile faded from the novices face and he
glanced right and left with his fierce brown
eyes, like a bull at batting Then, with
sudden deep-chested shout. he tore up the
IAa nH kay, Il
taking two steps backward the while that
none might take him at a vantage.
by the black rood of Walthamr he
roared, IF any knave among you lays a
finger end upon the edge of my gown / will
crush his skull like flberti" With his
thick, knotted arms, his laundering voice
and his bristle of red hair, there was some
thing repellent in the man that the three
brothers few back at the very glare of him;
and the two rows of white monks strained
away from him like poplars in tempest.
The abbot only sprang forward with shining
eyes; but the chancellor and the master
hung upon either arm and wrested him back
out of dangers way.
He is possessed of devil!" they shout
ed. Run, Brother Ambrose, Brother Joach-
i'm! Call Hugh of the Mill, and Woodman
Wat, and Raoul with his arbalest and bolts
Tell themswe are in fear of our lives! Run,
run! for the love of the Virginr'
But the novice was strategist as we'll as
a man of action. Springing forward, he
hurled his unwieldly weapon at Brother Am
brose, and as desk and monk clattered onto
the floor together he sprang through the
open door and down the winding STAIR
Sleepy old Brother Athanasius, at the por-
ter's cell, had fleeting vision of twinkling
feet and flying skirts; but before he had
time to rub his eyes the recreant had passed
the lodge and was speeding fast as his
sandals could patter along the Lyndhurst
road
CTo be continued tomorrow