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flicker of Sirius and shortens the steady ray of the evening star。
The people scattered about are not mining people； but half…hearted
agriculturists； and very poor。 Their cottages are rather cabins；
not a tiled roof is in the country； but the slates have taken some
beauty with time； having dips and dimples； and grass upon their
edges。 The walls are all thickly whitewashed； which is a pleasure
to see。 How willingly would one swish the harmless whitewash over
more than half the colour … over all the chocolate and all the blue
… with which the buildings of the world 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 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； 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。 They might be among the involuntary
busybodies who are living by futile tasks the need whereof is a
discouraged fiction。 There is absolutely no limit to the
superfluous activities； to the art； to the literature； implicitly
renounced by the dwellers within such walls as these。 The output …
again a beautiful word … of the age is lessened by this abstention。
None the less hopes the stranger and pilgrim to pause and knock once
again upon those monastery gates。
RUSHES AND REEDS
Taller than the grass and lower than the trees； there is another
growth that feels the implicit spring。 It had been more abandoned
to winter than even the short grass shuddering under a wave of east
wind； more than the dumb trees。 For the multitudes of sedges；
rushes； canes； and reeds wer