The San Francisco call., 1908-04-12
CHAPTER XIV
CAROTSAI,

TX fddIers already ridden in-but shall
j tlre TO show little that good fellow
knew OF the society OF st. Francis and what
e real OF the carousal then taking place in
q ne ruined. abbey at Medmenham
Il Is knowledge that the great refectory It
self had been little better than shell when Sir Francis
Dashwood hired for his monks. Money however, had
been upon the place beyond all and such
transformation effected that tradition OF 1t has en-
dured 10 modern times
Let pass by the many sentries posted upon the
main roads both from London and Reading and crossing
se fields the river gain admittance by the
5ars1 and closed when last visited the abbey.
Here may remark much that had not expected
discover in the first place the apartment is
1sns lrTier before gffc sbrines of Racchus and OF
Venus eyes can become clever in the dim light
shall decipher great scrolls upon walls. scrolls
u gold and green ana silver: roof open in places to
ouRded arches in the early English fashion and of
the ruin splendid glass window behind which
lights From the vicinity of this there comes
10 doeful chant OF monks singing, but not
the who the cistercian habit any that
Mark how silent the place for this
IN chanting Wonder across the gardens the old
river creeps. CLASSY way. toward the eternal sea
There is CLINT starlight its shining waters
bat evervvhere a message nights
5eries Nearer in the shadows the figures
may espied. but far of the brethren
ARG must wait fun 10 minutes during which the
canting continues but from changing ehoirs until at
last Il draws nearer. and one of the curtains being
pglea haci1 by an unseen hand a solemn procession
enters tle room and passes from shrine 20 snrine as
And what we're these unknown men singing what
was Tho burden Of this graduaI2 of Med
-e,rl eariy show that they had gone to old Master
-II-se for tl,er theme and in apt translation well
st 10 Gregorian tone. delivering ode to
cehus pin1selfyet 50 WONDERFULLY well done SO con
sstcntly acted. that monk from Subacum might
not lave detected s the fraud. I'd.
ly. rit thy What what thiekets these.
What cave shall hearken to my melodies,
Tuned ten Of Caesars praise?
Whom the Naiads dost inspire.
Bacchante strong from earth huge trees TO wing.
Not lowiy strain is mine.
81 mere mar s Q.
Thee follow. God of wine.
10 tbs weird refrain slowly and soemnly there en-
tered the great refeetory some 80 men their robes
sores ID th.r hands. their eyes meeky down to-
h5rGod lis name down to astonished history and will
be remembered when stone Of Medmenham abbey
yobias cambray What figure man. Vast,
asrieldy wearing no habit the others, but
plainly gsrbed "a ministers gown bands. Tobias
cambray is figure for imagination indeed.
spirit % Of t. JOY invoke darire tee tbee.,ant,
TO the monks respond again, in deep. sonorous
died away hear Tobias declaiming familiar lines
from one should have been ashamed in such
house-Joln Milton the master who assuredly would
made short work Of these monks and their mum
''The>sun is set. and after him the Star
OF FEesperus, whose Office is to bring
twilight upon the earth and men from end to end
Nights hemisphere mad yelled the horizon round.
such was the picture as many a wit and so called
gallant behed it that night Of unforgotten events
brown robed figures moving softly amid the shadows
torches lanterns held aloft; the glmmer or the
apers the hrnes; the evil that peered out
from the mock masks And for king and lord of all
Tobias Cambray. mounted the great rostrum al
last and grouping the brethren about him. began TO
cali the rail- IN voice that would nave brought no
shame upon chancellor
Brother Dunstan?
g 4Adsum." responded Brother Dunstan, old fop
known Ito the world Jonathan Whitwould He
bowed 10 tho chaplain and stepped back to make way
another.
Brother EipheGe2
-.Adsun.~ cried tipsy youth birmingham.
- The cfaplain entered the tremendous book
with flourish Of giants pen and called again;
'Brorher Bonifacey
Brother Boniface, it appears, was so far gone in
1iqnor answered the appeal incoherently-
the time the jest and ale house hulnoI
% .tbc company declared itself
'Adsum' chaplain; nay, thou has had
much, my brother" and turning his eyes away "a
though mastery tolerance of mere human frailties
called Brother Angela-no other than our Ole
friend Whitehead the poet
The calling OF the roll occupied hve precious
minutes perhaps. When il done, the great booh
signed TO remember the OF the meeting. anc
nc asked loudly where the corpus William Marquis
of ftcpton might be found To which Whitehead, the
poet answered that the marquis was unfor-
rising u all his majesty
-. without, truly" .roared he sas many better
than he has been and shall be in the OF i'm
MORTAL time. William, marquis Of Repton, is without
my brethren, what IS he without? Clothes.
Nay lie comes unashaned. Money? 1 tell yoJ
that his riches shining to him. Great
libra ooro Of country? What it. then? Brethren
will tell you. He is without the spirit the virtue
the privilege Of this enlightened order Humbiy
he stands the gate, asking for the light youl
of erecting this lamb?"
some in the veiled company. unmoved by To-
bias appeal suggested that the chaplain
sdid not mean "ewe lamb" but I O. U. lamb" ir