Part 30 (1/2)
”I scent the devil's artifice in what you say, for the highest graces are attached to this crown of prayers. The most Blessed Virgin herself revealed to the saints this means of prayer; she declared she delighted in it; that should be enough to make us love it.
”Do it, then, for her who has powerfully a.s.sisted in your conversion, who has interceded with her Son to save you. Remember, also, that G.o.d wished that all graces should come to us through her. St. Bernard expressly declares 'Totum nos habere voluit per Mariam.'”
The monk paused anew, and added,
”However, the rosary enrages fools, and that is a sure sign. You will for a penance recite ten every day for a month.”
He ceased, and then went on again, slowly,
”All of us, alas! retain that scar of original sin which is the inclination towards evil; each man encourages it more or less; as for you, since you grew up, the scar has been always open, but as you hate the wound G.o.d will close it.
”So I will say nothing of your past, as your repentance and your firm resolve to sin no more efface it. To-morrow, you will receive the pledge of reconciliation, you will communicate; after so many years the Lord will set out on the way to your soul and will rest there; approach Him with great humility, and prepare yourself from this moment, by prayer, for this mysterious meeting of hearts which His goodness desires. Now say your act of contrition and I will give you holy absolution.”
The monk raised his arms, and the sleeves of his white cowl rose above him like two wings. With uplifted eyes he uttered the imperious formula which breaks the bonds, and the three words, ”Ego te absolvo,” spoken more distinctly and slowly, fell upon Durtal, who trembled from head to foot. He almost sank to the ground, incapable of collecting himself or understanding himself, only feeling, in the clearest manner, that Christ Himself was present, near him in that place, and finding no word of thanks, he wept, ravished and bowed down under the great sign of the cross with which the monk enveloped him.
He seemed to be waking from a dream as the prior said to him,
”Rejoice, your life is dead; it is buried in a cloister, and in a cloister it will be born again; it is a good omen; have confidence in our Lord and go in peace.”
And the father added, pressing his hand, ”Do not be afraid of disturbing me, I am entirely at your service, not only for confession, but for interviews and for any advice which may be of use to you; you quite understand me?”
They left the auditorium together; the monk bowed to him in the corridor and disappeared. Durtal hesitated whether to meditate in his cell or in the church, when M. Bruno met him. Approaching Durtal he said,
”Well? that is a fine weight the less on your stomach!”
And as Durtal looked at him in astonishment he laughed.
”Do you think that an old sinner like me could not tell from a thousand nothings, if only from the way your poor eyes are now s.h.i.+ning, that you had not been reconciled when you landed here? Now I have just met the reverend father returning to the cloister, and I find you coming out of the auditorium; there is no need to be particularly sly to guess that the great wash has just taken place.”
”But,” said Durtal, ”you could not have seen the prior with me, for he had left before you came in, and he might have been performing some other duty.”
”No, for he was not in his scapular; he had his cowl on. And as he never puts on that robe except to go to church or at confessions, I was quite certain that he came from the auditorium, as there is no office at this hour. I may also point out that as the Trappists do not come to confession in this room, two persons only could have been with him, you or I.”
”You may say as much,” replied Durtal, laughing.
Father Etienne met them in the midst of all this, and Durtal asked him for a rosary.
”But I have not one,” exclaimed the monk.
”I have several,” said M. Bruno, ”and shall be most happy to offer you one. You will allow me, father?...”
The monk acquiesced by a sign.
”Then if you will come with me,” replied the oblate, addressing Durtal, ”I will hand it you without delay.”
They went upstairs together, and Durtal then learnt that M. Bruno lived in a room at the bottom of a small corridor, not far from his own.
His cell was very simply furnished with old middle-cla.s.s furniture, a bed, a mahogany bureau, a large book-case full of ascetic books, an earthenware stove and some arm-chairs. These articles were evidently the property of the oblate, for they were nothing like the furniture of La Trappe.
”Pray be seated,” said M. Bruno, indicating an arm-chair; and they conversed.
Having first discussed the Sacrament of Penance, the talk came round to the subject of Father Maximin, and Durtal admitted the high bearing of the prior had terrified him at first.