travels with a donkey in the cevennes-第8章

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to　the　stables；　and　I　and　my　pack　were　received　into　Our　Lady　of　

the　Snows。







THE　MONKS







FATHER　MICHAEL；　a　pleasant；　fresh…faced；　smiling　man；　perhaps　of　

thirty…five；　took　me　to　the　pantry；　and　gave　me　a　glass　of　liqueur　

to　stay　me　until　dinner。　　We　had　some　talk；　or　rather　I　should　say　

he　listened　to　my　prattle　indulgently　enough；　but　with　an　

abstracted　air；　like　a　spirit　with　a　thing　of　clay。　　And　truly；　

when　I　remember　that　I　descanted　principally　on　my　appetite；　and　

that　it　must　have　been　by　that　time　more　than　eighteen　hours　since　

Father　Michael　had　so　much　as　broken　bread；　I　can　well　understand　

that　he　would　find　an　earthly　savour　in　my　conversation。　　But　his　

manner；　though　superior；　was　exquisitely　gracious；　and　I　find　I　

have　a　lurking　curiosity　as　to　Father　Michael's　past。



The　whet　administered；　I　was　left　alone　for　a　little　in　the　

monastery　garden。　　This　is　no　more　than　the　main　court；　laid　out　in　

sandy　paths　and　beds　of　parti…coloured　dahlias；　and　with　a　fountain　

and　a　black　statue　of　the　Virgin　in　the　centre。　　The　buildings　

stand　around　it　four…square；　bleak；　as　yet　unseasoned　by　the　years　

and　weather；　and　with　no　other　features　than　a　belfry　and　a　pair　of　

slated　gables。　　Brothers　in　white；　brothers　in　brown；　passed　

silently　along　the　sanded　alleys；　and　when　I　first　came　out；　three　

hooded　monks　were　kneeling　on　the　terrace　at　their　prayers。　　A　

naked　hill　commands　the　monastery　upon　one　side；　and　the　wood　

commands　it　on　the　other。　　It　lies　exposed　to　wind；　the　snow　falls　

off　and　on　from　October　to　May；　and　sometimes　lies　six　weeks　on　

end；　but　if　they　stood　in　Eden；　with　a　climate　like　heaven's；　the　

buildings　themselves　would　offer　the　same　wintry　and　cheerless　

aspect；　and　for　my　part；　on　this　wild　September　day；　before　I　was　

called　to　dinner；　I　felt　chilly　in　and　out。



When　I　had　eaten　well　and　heartily；　Brother　Ambrose；　a　hearty　

conversible　Frenchman　（for　all　those　who　wait　on　strangers　have　the　

liberty　to　speak）；　led　me　to　a　little　room　in　that　part　of　the　

building　which　is　set　apart　for　MM。　LES　RETRAITANTS。　　It　was　clean　

and　whitewashed；　and　furnished　with　strict　necessaries；　a　crucifix；　

a　bust　of　the　late　Pope；　the　IMITATION　in　French；　a　book　of　

religious　meditations；　and　the　LIFE　OF　ELIZABETH　SETON；　evangelist；　

it　would　appear；　of　North　America　and　of　New　England　in　particular。　　

As　far　as　my　experience　goes；　there　is　a　fair　field　for　some　more　

evangelisation　in　these　quarters；　but　think　of　Cotton　Mather！　　I　

should　like　to　give　him　a　reading　of　this　little　work　in　heaven；　

where　I　hope　he　dwells；　but　perhaps　he　knows　all　that　already；　and　

much　more；　and　perhaps　he　and　Mrs。　Seton　are　the　dearest　friends；　

and　gladly　unite　their　voices　in　the　everlasting　psalm。　　Over　the　

table；　to　conclude　the　inventory　of　the　room；　hung　a　set　of　

regulations　for　MM。　LES　RETRAITANTS：　　what　services　they　should　

attend；　when　they　were　to　tell　their　beads　or　meditate；　and　when　

they　were　to　rise　and　go　to　rest。　　At　the　foot　was　a　notable　N。B。：　　

'LE　TEMPS　LIBRE　EST　EMPLOYE　A　L'EXAMEN　DE　CONSCIENCE；　A　LA　

CONFESSION；　A　FAIRE　DE　BONNES　RESOLUTIONS；　ETC。'　　To　make　good　

resolutions；　indeed！　　You　might　talk　as　fruitfully　of　making　the　

hair　grow　on　your　head。



I　had　scarce　explored　my　niche　when　Brother　Ambrose　returned。　　An　

English　boarder；　it　appeared；　would　like　to　speak　with　me。　　I　

professed　my　willingness；　and　the　friar　ushered　in　a　fresh；　young；　

little　Irishman　of　fifty；　a　deacon　of　the　Church；　arrayed　in　strict　

canonicals；　and　wearing　on　his　head　what；　in　default　of　knowledge；　

I　can　only　call　the　ecclesiastical　shako。　　He　had　lived　seven　years　

in　retreat　at　a　convent　of　nuns　in　Belgium；　and　now　five　at　Our　

Lady　of　the　Snows；　he　never　saw　an　English　newspaper；　he　spoke　

French　imperfectly；　and　had　he　spoken　it　like　a　native；　there　was　

not　much　chance　of　conversation　where　he　dwelt。　　With　this；　he　was　

a　man　eminently　sociable；　greedy　of　news；　and　simple…minded　like　a　

child。　　If　I　was　pleased　to　have　a　guide　about　the　monastery；　he　

was　no　less　delighted　to　see　an　English　face　and　hear　an　English　

tongue。



He　showed　me　his　own　room；　where　he　passed　his　time　among　

breviaries；　Hebrew　Bibles；　and　the　Waverley　Novels。　　Thence　he　led　

me　to　the　cloisters；　into　the　chapter…house；　through　the　vestry；　

where　the　brothers'　gowns　and　broad　straw　hats　were　hanging　up；　

each　with　his　religious　name　upon　a　board　…　names　full　of　legendary　

suavity　and　interest；　such　as　Basil；　Hilarion；　Raphael；　or　

Pacifique；　into　the　library；　where　were　all　the　works　of　Veuillot　

and　Chateaubriand；　and　the　ODES　ET　BALLADES；　if　you　please；　and　

even　Moliere；　to　say　nothing　of　innumerable　fathers　and　a　great　

variety　of　local　and　general　historians。　　Thence　my　good　Irishman　

took　me　round　the　workshops；　where　brothers　bake　bread；　and　make　

cartwheels；　and　take　photographs；　where　one　superintends　a　

collection　of　curiosities；　and　another　a　gallery　of　rabbits。　　For　

in　a　Trappist　monastery　each　monk　has　an　occupation　of　his　own　

choice；　apart　from　his　religious　duties　and　the　general　labours　of　

the　house。　　Each　must　sing　in　the　choir；　if　he　has　a　voice　and　ear；　

and　join　in　the　haymaking　if　he　has　a　hand　to　stir；　but　in　his　

private　hours；　although　he　must　be　occupied；　he　may　be　occupied　on　

what　he　likes。　　Thus　I　was　told　that　one　brother　was　engaged　with　

literature；　while　Father　Apollinaris　busies　himself　in　making　

roads；　and　the　Abbot　employs　himself　in　binding　books。　　It　is　not　

so　long　since　this　Abbot　was　consecrated；　by　the　way；　and　on　that　

occasion；　by　a　special　grace；　his　mother　was　permitted　to　enter　the　

chapel　and　witness　the　ceremony　of　consecration。　　A　proud　day　for　

her　to　have　a　son　a　mitred　abbot；　it　makes　you　glad　to　think　they　

let　her　in。



In　all　these　journeyings　to　and　fro；　many　silent　fathers　and　

brethren　fell　in　our　way。　　Usually　they　paid　no　more　regard　to　our　

passage　than　if　we　had　been　a　cloud；　but　sometimes　the　good　deacon　

had　a　permission　to　ask　of　them；　and　it　was　granted　by　a　peculiar　

movement　of　the　hands；　almost　like　that　of　a　dog's　paws　in　

swimming；　or　refused　by　the　usual　negative　signs；　and　in　either　

case　with　lowered　eyelids　and　a　certain　air　of　contrition；　as　of　a　

man　who　was　steering　very　close　to　evil。



The　monks；　by　special　grace　of　their　Abbot；　were　still　taking　two　

meals　a　day；　but　it　was　already　time　for　their　grand　fast；　which　

begins　somewhere　in　September　and　lasts　till　Easter；　and　during　

which　they　eat　but　once　in　the　twenty…four　hours；　and　that　at　two　

in　the　afternoon；　twelve　hours　after　they　have　begun　the　toil　and　

vigil　of　the　day。　　Their　meals　are　scanty；　but　even　of　these　they　

eat　sparingly；　and　though　each　is　allowed　a　small　carafe　of　wine；　

many　refrain　from　this　indulgence。　　Without　doubt；　the　most　of　

mankind　grossly　overeat　themselves；　our　meals　serve　not　only　for　

support；　but　as　a　hearty　and　natural　diversion　from　the　labour　of　

life。　　Yet；　though　excess　may　be　hurtful；　I　should　have　thought　

this　Trappist　regimen　defective。　　And　I　am　astonished；　as　I　look　

back；　at　the　freshness　of　face　and　cheerfulness　of　manner　of　all　

whom　I　beheld。　　A　happier　nor　a　healthier　company　I　should　scarce　

suppose　that　I　have　ever　seen。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　on　this　bleak　

upland；　and　with　the　incessant　occupation　of　the　monks；　life　is　of　

an　uncertain　tenure；　and　death　no　infrequent　visitor；　at　Our　Lady　

of　the　Snows。　　This；　at　least；　was　what　was　told　me。　　But　if　they　

die　easily；　they　must　live　healthily　in　the　meantime；　for　they　

seemed　all　firm　of　flesh　and　high　in　colour；　and　the　only　morbid　

sign　that　I　could　observe；　an　unusual　brilliancy　of　eye；　was　one　

that　served　rather　to　increase　the　general　impression　of　vivacity　

and　strength。



Those　with　whom　I　spoke　were　singularly　sweet…tempered；　with　what　I　

can　only　call　a　holy　cheerfulness　in　air　and　conversation。　　There　

is　a　note；　in　the　direction　to　visitors；　telling　them　not　to　be　

offended　at　the　curt　speech　of　those　who　wait　upon　them；　since　it　

is　proper　to　monks　to　speak　little。　　The　note　might　have　been　

spared；　to　a　man　the　hospitallers　were　all　brimming　with　innocent　

talk；　and；　in　my　experience　of　the　monastery；　it　was　easier　to　

begin　than　to　break　off　a　conversation。　　With　the　exception　of　

Father　Michael；　who　was　a　man　of　the　world；　they　showed　themselves　

full　of　kind　and　healthy　interest　in　all　sorts　of　subjects　…　in　

politics；　in　voyages；　in　my　sleeping…sack　…　and　not　without　a　

certain　pleasure　in　the　sound　of　their　own　voices。



As　for　those　who　are　restricted　to　silence；　I　can　only　wonder　how　

they　bear　their　solemn　and　cheerless　isolation。　　And　yet；　apart　

from　any　view　of　mortification；　I　can　see　a　certain　policy；　not　

only　in　the　exclusion　of　women；　but　in　this　vow　of　silence。　　I　have　

had　some　experience　of　lay　phalansteries；　of　an　artistic；　not　to　

say　a　bacchanalian　character；　and　seen　more　than　one　association　

easily　formed　and　yet　more　easily　dispersed。　　With　a　Cistercian　

rule；　perhaps　they　might　have　lasted　longer。　　In　the　neighbourhood　

of　women　it　is　but　a　touch…and…go　association　that　can　be　formed　

among　defenceless　men；　the　stronger　electricity　is　sure　to　triumph；　

the　dreams　of　boyhood；　the　schemes　of　youth；　are　abandoned　after　an　

interview　of　ten　minutes；　and　the　arts　and　sciences；　and　

professional　male　jollity；　deserted　at　once　for　two　sweet　eyes　and　

a　caressing　accent。　　And　next　after　this；　the　tongue　is　the　great　

divider。



I　am　almost　ashamed　to　pursue　this　worldly　criticism　of　a　religious　

rule；　but　there　is　yet　another　point　in　which　the　Trappist　order　

appeals　to　me　as　a　model　of　wisdom。　　By　two　in　the　morning　the　

clapper　goes　upon　the　bell；　and　so　on；　hour　by　hour；　and　sometimes　

quarter　by　quarter；　till　eight；　the　hour　of　rest；　so　

infinitesimally　is　the　day　divided　among　different　occupations。　　

The　man　who　keeps　rabbits；　for　example；　hurries　from　his　hutches　to　

the　chapel；　the　chapter…room；　or　the　refectory；　all　day　long：　　

every　hour　he　has　an　office　to　sing；　a　duty　to　perform；　from　two；　

when　he　rises　in　the　dark；　till　eight；　when　he　returns　to　receive　

the　comfortable　gift　of　sleep；　he　is　upon　his　feet　and　occupied　

with　manifold　and　changing　business。　　I　know　many　persons；　worth　

several　thousands　in　the　year；　who　are　not　so　fortunate　in　the　

disposal　of　their　lives。　　Into　how　many　houses　would　not　the　note　

of　the　monastery　bell；　dividing　the　day　into　manageable　portions；　

bring　peace　of　mind　and　healthful　activity　of　body！　　We　speak　of　

hardships；　but　the　true　hardship　is　to　be　a　dull　fool；　and　

permitted　to　mismanage　life　in　our　own　dull　and　foolish　manner。



From　this　point　of　view；　we　may　perhaps　better　understand　the　

monk's　existence。　　A　long　novitiate　and　every　proof　of　constancy　of　

mind　and　strength　of　body　i