my　escape　into　the　court　with　somewhat　whirling　fancies；　and　stood
  like　a　man　bewildered　in　the　windy　starry　night。
  But　I　was　weary；　and　when　I　had　quieted　my　spirits　with　Elizabeth
  Seton's　memoirs　…　a　dull　work　…　the　cold　and　the　raving　of　the　wind
  among　the　pines　（for　my　room　was　on　that　side　of　the　monastery
  which　adjoins　the　woods）　disposed　me　readily　to　slumber。　　I　was
  wakened　at　black　midnight；　as　it　seemed；　though　it　was　really　two
  in　the　morning；　by　the　first　stroke　upon　the　bell。　　All　the
  brothers　were　then　hurrying　to　the　chapel；　the　dead　in　life；　at
  this　untimely　hour；　were　already　beginning　the　uncomforted　labours
  of　their　day。　　The　dead　in　life　…　there　was　a　chill　reflection。
  And　the　words　of　a　French　song　came　back　into　my　memory；　telling　of
  the　best　of　our　mixed　existence：
  'Que　t'as　de　belles　filles；
  Girofle！
  Girofla！
  Que　t'as　de　belles　filles；
  L'AMOUR　LET　COMPTERA！'
  And　I　blessed　God　that　I　was　free　to　wander；　free　to　hope；　and　free
  to　love。
  THE　BOARDERS
  BUT　there　was　another　side　to　my　residence　at　Our　Lady　of　the
  Snows。　　At　this　late　season　there　were　not　many　boarders；　and　yet　I
  was　not　alone　in　the　public　part　of　the　monastery。　　This　itself　is
  hard　by　the　gate；　with　a　small　dining…room　on　the　ground…floor　and
  a　whole　corridor　of　cells　similar　to　mine　upstairs。　　I　have
  stupidly　forgotten　the　board　for　a　regular　RETRAITANT；　but　it　was
  somewhere　between　three　and　five　francs　a　day；　and　I　think　most
  probably　the　first。　　Chance　visitors　like　myself　might　give　what
  they　chose　as　a　free…will　offering；　but　nothing　was　demanded。　　I
  may　mention　that　when　I　was　going　away；　Father　Michael　refused
  twenty　francs　as　excessive。　　I　explained　the　reasoning　which　led　me
  to　offer　him　so　much；　but　even　then；　from　a　curious　point　of
  honour；　he　would　not　accept　it　with　his　own　hand。　　'I　have　no　right
  to　refuse　for　the　monastery；'　he　explained；　'but　I　should　prefer　if
  you　would　give　it　to　one　of　the　brothers。'
  I　had　dined　alone；　because　I　arrived　late；　but　at　supper　I　found
  two　other　guests。　　One　was　a　country　parish　priest；　who　had　walked
  over　that　morning　from　the　seat　of　his　cure　near　Mende　to　enjoy
  four　days　of　solitude　and　prayer。　　He　was　a　grenadier　in　person；
  with　the　hale　colour　and　circular　wrinkles　of　a　peasant；　and　as　he
  complained　much　of　how　he　had　been　impeded　by　his　skirts　upon　the
  march；　I　have　a　vivid　fancy　portrait　of　him；　striding　along；
  upright；　big…boned；　with　kilted　cassock；　through　the　bleak　hills　of
  Gevaudan。　　The　other　was　a　short；　grizzling；　thick…set　man；　from
  forty…five　to　fifty；　dressed　in　tweed　with　a　knitted　spencer；　and
  the　red　ribbon　of　a　decoration　in　his　button…hole。　　This　last　was　a
  hard　person　to　classify。　　He　was　an　old　soldier；　who　had　seen
  service　and　risen　to　the　rank　of　commandant；　and　he　retained　some
  of　the　brisk　decisive　manners　of　the　camp。　　On　the　other　hand；　as
  soon　as　his　resignation　was　accepted；　he　had　come　to　Our　Lady　of
  the　Snows　as　a　boarder；　and；　after　a　brief　experience　of　its　ways；
  had　decided　to　remain　as　a　novice。　　Already　the　new　life　was
  beginning　to　modify　his　appearance；　already　he　had　acquired
  somewhat　of　the　quiet　and　smiling　air　of　the　brethren；　and　he　was
  as　yet　neither　an　officer　nor　a　Trappist；　but　partook　of　the
  character　of　each。　　And　certainly　here　was　a　man　in　an　interesting
  nick　of　life。　　Out　of　the　noise　of　cannon　and　trumpets；　he　was　in
  the　act　of　passing　into　this　still　country　bordering　on　the　grave；
  where　men　sleep　nightly　in　their　grave…clothes；　and；　like　phantoms；
  communicate　by　signs。
  At　supper　we　talked　politics。　　I　make　it　my　business；　when　I　am　in
  France；　to　preach　political　good…will　and　moderation；　and　to　dwell
  on　the　example　of　Poland；　much　as　some　alarmists　in　England　dwell
  on　the　example　of　Carthage。　　The　priest　and　the　commandant　assured
  me　of　their　sympathy　with　all　I　said；　and　made　a　heavy　sighing　over
  the　bitterness　of　contemporary　feeling。
  'Why；　you　cannot　say　anything　to　a　man　with　which　he　does　not
  absolutely　agree；'　said　I；　'but　he　flies　up　at　you　in　a　temper。'
  They　both　declared　that　such　a　state　of　things　was　antichristian。
  While　we　were　thus　agreeing；　what　should　my　tongue　stumble　upon　but
  a　word　in　praise　of　Gambetta's　moderation。　　The　old　soldier's
  countenance　was　instantly　suffused　with　blood；　with　the　palms　of
  his　hands　he　beat　the　table　like　a　naughty　child。
  'COMMENT；　MONSIEUR？'　he　shouted。　　'COMMENT？　　Gambetta　moderate？
  Will　you　dare　to　justify　these　words？'
  But　the　priest　had　not　forgotten　the　tenor　of　our　talk。　　And
  suddenly；　in　the　height　of　his　fury；　the　old　soldier　found　a
  warning　look　directed　on　his　face；　the　absurdity　of　his　behaviour
  was　brought　home　to　him　in　a　flash；　and　the　storm　came　to　an　abrupt
  end；　without　another　word。
  It　was　only　in　the　morning；　over　our　coffee　（Friday；　September
  27th）；　that　this　couple　found　out　I　was　a　heretic。　　I　suppose　I　had
  misled　them　by　some　admiring　expressions　as　to　the　monastic　life
  around　us；　and　it　was　only　by　a　point…blank　question　that　the　truth
  came　out。　　I　had　been　tolerantly　used　both　by　simple　Father
  Apollinaris　and　astute　Father　Michael；　and　the　good　Irish　deacon；
  when　he　heard　of　my　religious　weakness；　had　only　patted　me　upon　the
  shoulder　and　said；　'You　must　be　a　Catholic　and　come　to　heaven。'
  But　I　was　now　among　a　different　sect　of　orthodox。　　These　two　men
  were　bitter　and　upright　and　narrow；　like　the　worst　of　Scotsmen；　and
  indeed；　upon　my　heart；　I　fancy　they　were　worse。　　The　priest　snorted
  aloud　like　a　battle…horse。
  'ET　VOUS　PRETENDEZ　MOURIR　DANS　CETTE　ESPECE　DE　CROYANCE？'　he
  demanded；　and　there　is　no　type　used　by　mortal　printers　large　enough
  to　qualify　his　accent。
  I　humbly　indicated　that　I　had　no　design　of　changing。
  But　he　could　not　away　with　such　a　monstrous　attitude。　　'No；　no；'　he
  cried；　'you　must　change。　　You　have　come　here；　God　has　led　you　here；
  and　you　must　embrace　the　opportunity。'
  I　made　a　slip　in　policy；　I　appealed　to　the　family　affections；
  though　I　was　speaking　to　a　priest　and　a　soldier；　two　classes　of　men
  circumstantially　divorced　from　the　kind　and　homely　ties　of　life。
  'Your　father　and　mother？'　cried　the　priest。　　'Very　well；　you　will
  convert　them　in　their　turn　when　you　go　home。'
  I　think　I　see　my　father's　face！　　I　would　rather　tackle　the
  Gaetulian　lion　in　his　den　than　embark　on　such　an　enterprise　against
  the　family　theologian。
  But　now　the　hunt　was　up；　priest　and　soldier　were　in　full　cry　for　my
  conversion；　and　the　Work　of　the　Propagation　of　the　Faith；　for　which
  the　people　of　Cheylard　subscribed　forty…eight　francs　ten　centimes
  during　1877；　was　being　gallantly　pursued　against　myself。　　It　was　an
  odd　but　most　effective　proselytising。　　They　never　sought　to
  convince　me　in　argument；　where　I　might　have　attempted　some　defence；
  but　took　it　for　granted　that　I　was　both　ashamed　and　terrified　at　my
  position；　and　urged　me　solely　on　the　point　of　time。　　Now；　they
  said；　when　God　had　led　me　to　Our　Lady　of　the　Snows；　now　was　the
  appointed　hour。
  'Do　not　be　withheld　by　false　shame；'　observed　the　priest；　for　my
  encouragement。
  For　one　who　feels　very　similarly　to　all　sects　of　religion；　and　who
  has　never　been　able；　even　for　a　moment；　to　weigh　seriously　the
  merit　of　this　or　that　creed　on　the　eternal　side　of　things；　however
  much　he　may　see　to　praise　or　blame　upon　the　secular　and　temporal
  side；　the　situation　thus　created　was　both　unfair　and　painful。　　I
  committed　my　second　fault　in　tact；　and　tried　to　plead　that　it　was
  all　the　same　thing　in　the　end；　and　we　were　all　drawing　near　by
  different　sides　to　the　same　kind　and　undiscriminating　Friend　and
  Father。　　That；　as　it　seems　to　lay　spirits；　would　be　the　only　gospel
  worthy　of　the　name。　　But　different　men　think　differently；　and　this
  revolutionary　aspiration　brought　down　the　priest　with　all　the
  terrors　of　the　law。　　He　launched　into　harrowing　details　of　hell。
  The　damned；　he　said　…　on　the　authority　of　a　little　book　which　he
  had　read　not　a　week　before；　and　which；　to　add　conviction　to
  conviction；　he　had　fully　intended　to　bring　along　with　him　in　his
  pocket　…　were　to　occupy　the　same　attitude　through　all　eternity　in
  the　midst　of　dismal　tortures。　　And　as　he　thus　expatiated；　he　grew
  in　nobility　of　aspect　with　his　enthusiasm。
  As　a　result　the　pair　concluded　that　I　should　seek　out　the　Prior；
  since　the　Abbot　was　from　home；　and　lay　my　case　immediately　before
  him。
  'C'EST　MON　CONSEIL　COMME　ANCIEN　MILITAIRE；'　observed　the
  commandant；　'ET　CELUI　DE　MONSIEUR　COMME　PRETRE。'
  'OUI；'　added　the　CURE；　sententiously　nodding；　'COMME　ANCIEN
  MILITAIRE　…　ET　COMME　PRETRE。'
  At　this　moment；　whilst　I　was　somewhat　embarrassed　how　to　answer；　in
  came　one　of　the　monks；　a　little　brown　fellow；　as　lively　as　a　grig；
  and　with