Very beautiful in Basil's eyes showed the
piety and calm which here surrounded him, and his reverence for the
founder of this house of peace fell little short of that with which
he regarded the Saints in heaven. Never before--unless it were at
certain moments when conversing with the Lady Silvia--had he felt
the loveliness of a life in which religion was supreme; and never,
assuredly, had there stirred within him a spirit so devout. He
longed to attain unto righteousness, that entire purity of will,
which, it now seemed to him, could be enjoyed only in monastic
seclusion. All his life he had heard praise of those who renounced
the world; but their merit had been to him a far-off, uncomprehended
thing, without relation to himself. Now he understood. A man, a
sinner, it behoved him before all else to chasten his soul that he
might be pleasing unto God; and behold the way! For one who had
sinned so grievously, it might well be that there was no other path
of salvation.
This morning he went forth with the monks to labour. Brother Marcus
conducted him to a plot of garden ground where there was light work
to be done, and there left him.
Pages:
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506