Part 12 (2/2)

_Jerome._ [_Bending over him._] My poor Paul, this will wear him out; see how thin he has grown!

_Aloysius._ He is hard upon his body. He does not care what happens to his body.

_Jerome._ He was like this when he was a boy; some wild thought would come on him, and he would not know day from night, he would forget even to eat. It is a great pity he was so hard to himself; it is a pity he had not always someone to look after him.

_Aloysius._ G.o.d is taking care of him; what could men like us do for him? We cannot help him, it is he who helps us.

_Jerome._ [_Going on his knee and taking his hand._] He is awaking. Help me to lift him up. [_They lift him into a chair._

_Aloysius._ I will go and call the others now.

_Jerome._ Do not let them come for a little time, I must speak to him first.

_Aloysius._ I cannot keep them away long. One cannot know when the words may be put in his mouth.

[ALOYSIUS _goes out._ JEROME _stands by_ PAUL RUTTLEDGE, _holding his hand_.

_Paul Ruttledge._ [_Raising his head._] Ah, you are there, Jerome. I am glad you are there. I could not get up to drive away the mouse that was eating the wax that dropped from the candles. Have you driven it away?

_Jerome._ It is not evening now. It is almost morning. You were on your knees praying for a great many hours, and then I think you fainted.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I don't think I was praying. I was among people, a great many people, and it was very bright--I will remember presently.

_Jerome._ Do not try to remember. You are tired, you must be weak, you must come and have food and rest.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I do not think I can rest. I think there is something else I have to do, I forget what it is.

_Jerome._ I am afraid you are thinking of preaching again. You must not preach. The Superior says you must not. He is very angry; I have never seen him so angry. He will not allow you to preach again.

_Paul Ruttledge._ Did I ever preach?

_Jerome._ Yes. It was in the garden you got the trance last time. We found you like this, and we lifted you to the bench under the yew tree, and then you began to speak. You spoke about getting out of the body while still alive, about getting away from law and number. All the friars came to listen to you. We had never heard such preaching before, but it was very like heresy.

_Paul Ruttledge._ [_Getting up._] Jerome, Jerome, I remember now where I was. I was in a great round place, and a great crowd of things came round me. I couldn't see them very clearly for a time, but some of them struck me with their feet, hard feet like hoofs, and soft cat-like feet; and some pecked me, and some bit me, and some clawed me. There were all sorts of beasts and birds as far as I could see.

_Jerome._ Were they devils, Paul, were they the deadly sins?

_Paul Ruttledge._ I don't know, but I thought, and I don't know how the thought came to me, that they were the part of mankind that is not human; the part that builds up the things that keep the soul from G.o.d.

_Jerome._ That was a terrible vision.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I struggled and I struggled with them, and they heaped themselves over me till I was unable to move hand or foot; and that went on for a long, long time.

_Jerome._ [_Crossing himself._] G.o.d have mercy on us.

_Paul Ruttledge._ Then suddenly there came a bright light, and all in a minute the beasts were gone, and I saw a great many angels riding upon unicorns, white angels on white unicorns. They stood all round me, and they cried out, ”Brother Paul, go and preach; get up and preach, Brother Paul.” And then they laughed aloud, and the unicorns trampled the ground as though the world were already falling in pieces.

<script>