travels with a donkey in the cevennes-第11章
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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 o