Evening star., 1928-03-11
The Story of Civilization

HiC A'tic AaS1oiSS WAS iCAt All orphan
girl.
Her uncle. Fulhert, Canon of the
Cathedral of Notre Dame, sent her for
many years to the convent at Argen-
teuil; and there. falling in love with
the books in the library. she became
the brightest student the nuns had
ever had When he learned that she
could converse in Latin as readily as
IN the crude French which was the
language of the people. Fulbert took
pride in her. and brought her to live
with him. thinking her too learned to
waste in nunnery: surely some rich
lord would marry her. and restore her
to the high rank from which her
mother had fallen.
X X Y
And so Heloisc. lovely and learned
and II, came back to Paris and heald
Of Ahclard. And now let the philoso-
pher bare his own heart:
There was in the city certain
young maiden by the name Of Heloisc
who. while in face she was not
inferior 10 other women, i'll the abun-
dance of her learning was supreme
Seeing In her therefore. all
those things which are wont to attract
lovers. I thought it suitable 10 Join her
with myself in love. and believed tina,
l could effect this most easily For
such renown had I then, and so en-
| celled in grace of youth and form, that
l feared no refusal from whatever wom-
an l might deem worthy Of my love-"
He did not know that already she
! had gazed upon him from afar with
awe and admiration, and that his fame
! had made her long to pass from the
Latin poets whom she read so fondly to
! the great philosophers whose names
filled the mouths OF the students that
/ she met, Picture her then. on that
h-cathleSS morning when the canon
/ introduced Abclari to her and an
! nounced that the great teacher would
/ now live with them. and tutor her in
/ literature and philosophy. Perhaps she
/ lored him from that day.
| X y X x
! He read with her such texts of Plato
/ and Aristotle as had survived the COM
! ing Of the barbarians, and they played
| merry games Of matching quotations
frcm Ovid and Horace and Virgil He
/ was 80 and she was II: was it not tust
/ the age which Aristotle had prescribed
for mating. in order that the intellect
Of the man might equal the intelligence
Of the woman? What more need I
say?" says Abelard.
First in one house we are united.
then in one mind So. under the pre-
text Of study. we abandoned ourselves
utterly to love. and the study of our
texts afforded US those secret retreats
which love demands. And so. our
books lying before us. more words of
| love than of letters rose to Our lips.
and kisses were more frequent than
speech. Oftener our hands went -
each others bosonlS than to the page.
And the more this pleasure
occupied me. the less leisure could /
find for philosophy and my school
Most tedious was it for me to go to
the school or to stay there; laborious
likewise to keep daily vigils of study and
nightly vigils Of love"
We shall never understand this love
if we think Of it in terms Of our cur
rent Cor recent moral code. Abelard
was aiming at the priesthood. as the
only road to advancement for scholars
and philosophers In his day: and mar
rage would have closed this door in
his face Heloise understood. and never
wished for marriage; she wanted him to
be great and reach the heights. and 1t
would be enough for her 10 have his
love. I. is strange romance.
Suddenly the canon. cbtuse before,
understood the whisperings OF the
students in the town, who oeplored the
destruction of Abelards lectures since
love had won him from philosophy.
Abelard accused and denying, was ban
ished from the canon's house, and
Heloise heard with terror the stern
command that she must never set eyes
on him again. She could not bear 1t;
she wrote him a note, proposing their
fight together; and the next day they
were riding, as fast as her condition
would let them. to his brothers home.
in distant Brittany. Leaving her there,
q. her own request he went back TO
Paris. 10 fight his way 10 place and
dignity.
But the canon was enraged. and let
IL be known that he would have the
philosophers life in penalty for the
theft CT her who had been dearer To
him than anything in this world except
his meals Abelard went to him. half
in pity and half In fear. acknowledged
his violation of trust and hospitality.
and offered to marry Heloise II the
canon would consent TO keep the mar
rage secret in order that Abelard might
enter the priesthood. The canon, care
less Of the canon law. agreed: Helo!$e.
leaving her infant son. Astrolabe, in
Brittany came home, protested that sh.
would ne'er be married. yielded at last
and then found herself practically i'm
priSoned in the canon's home. Al Abe
iard's suggestion she took refuge with
her old teachers. the nuns Of Argen-
| tueiI: and there she waited. hoping that
her .over would come.
II wait for thee" she said: "it may
be two or three years: no matter: ]
shall wait and my hoart will not
tighten till tidings reach me OF thy
ordination"
Iiebest0d.