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all the chocolate and all the blue … with which the buildings of the world
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are stained！ You could not wish for a better； simpler； or fresher harmony
than whitewash makes with the slight sunshine and the bright grey of an
English sky。
The grey…stone； grey…roofed monastery looks young in one sense … it is
modern； and the friars look young in another … they are like their brothers
of an earlier time。 No one； except the journalists of yesterday； would
spend upon them those tedious words； 〃quaint；〃 or 〃old world。〃 No such
weary adjectives are spoken here； unless it be by the excursionists。
With large aprons tied over their brown habits； the Lay Brothers work
upon their land； planting parsnips in rows； or tending a prosperous bee…
farm。 A young friar； who sang the High Mass yesterday； is gaily hanging
the washed linen in the sun。 A printing press； and a machine which slices
turnips； are at work in an outhouse； and the yard thereby is guarded by a St
Bernard； whose single evil deed was that under one of the obscure
impulses of a dog's heart …atoned for by long and self…conscious remorse …
he bit the poet； and tried； says one of the friars； to make doggerel of him。
The poet； too； lives at the monastery gates； and on monastery ground； in a
seclusion which the tidings of the sequence of his editions hardly reaches。
There is no disturbing renown to be got among the cabins of the Flintshire
hills。 Homeward； over the verge； from other valleys； his light figure flits
at nightfall； like a moth。
To the coming and going of the friars； too； the village people have
become well used； and the infrequent excursionists； for lack of intelligence
and of any knowledge that would refer to history； look at them without
obtrusive curiosity。 It was only from a Salvation Army girl that you
heard the brutal word of contempt。 She had come to the place with some
companions； and with them was trespassing； as she was welcome to do；
within the monastery grounds。 She stood； a figure for Bournemouth pier；
in her grotesque bonnet； and watched the son of the Umbrian saint … the
friar who walks among the Giotto frescoes at Assisi and between the
cypresses of Bello Sguardo； and has paced the centuries continually since
the coming of the friars。 One might have asked of her the kindness of a
fellow…feeling。 She and he alike were so habited as to show the world
that their life was aloof from its 〃idle business。〃 By some such phrase； at
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least； the friar would assuredly have attempted to include her in any
spiritual honours ascribed to him。 Or one might have asked of her the
condescension of forbearance。 〃Only fancy；〃 said the Salvation Army
girl； watching the friar out of sight； 〃only fancy making such a fool of
one's self！〃
The great hood of the friars； which is drawn over the head in
Zurbaran's ecstatic picture； is turned to use when the friars are busy。 As a
pocket it relieves the over…burdened hands。 A bottle of the local white
wine made by the brotherhood at Genoa； and sent to this house by the
West； is carried in the cowl as a present to the stranger at the gates。 The
friars tell how a brother resolved； at Shrovetide； to make pancakes； and not
only to make； but also to toss them。 Those who chanced to be in the
room stood prudently aside； and the brother tossed boldly。 But that was
the last that was seen of his handiwork。 Victor Hugo sings in La Legende
des Siecles of disappearance as the thing which no creature is able to
achieve： here the impossibility seemed to be accomplished by quite an
ordinary and a simple pancake。 It was clean gone； and there was an end
of it。 Nor could any explanation of this ceasing of a pancake from the
midst of the visible world be so much as divined by the spectators。 It
was only when the brother； in church； knelt down to meditate and drew his
cowl about his head that the accident was explained。
Every midnight the sweet contralto bells call the community； who get
up gaily to this difficult service。 Of all duties this one never grows easy
or familiar； and therefore never habitual。 It is something to have found
but one act aloof from habit。 It is not merely that the friars overcome the
habit of sleep。 The subtler point is that they can never acquire the habit
of sacrificing sleep。 What art； what literature； or what life but would gain a
secret security by such a point of perpetual freshness and perpetual
initiative？ It is not possible to get up at midnight without a will that is
new night by night。 So should the writer's work be done； and； with an
intention perpetually unique； the poet's。
The contralto bells have taught these Western hills the 〃Angelus〃 of
the French fields； and the hour of night … l'ora di notte … which rings with
so melancholy a note from the village belfries on the Adriatic littoral；
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when the latest light is passing。 It is the prayer for the dead： 〃Out of the
depths have I cried unto Thee； O Lord。〃
The little flocks of novices； on paschal evenings； are folded to the
sound of that evening prayer。 The care of them is the central work of the
monastery； which is placed in so remote a country because it is principally
a place of studies。 So much elect intellect and strength of heart
withdrawn from the traffic of the world！ True； the friars are not doing
the task which Carlyle set mankind as a refuge from despair。 These
〃bearded counsellors of God〃 keep their cells； read； study； suffer； sing；
hold silence； whereas they might be 〃operating〃 … beautiful word！ … upon
the Stock Exchange； or painting Academy pictures； or making speeches； or
reluctantly jostling other men for places。 Th