FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74  
75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   >>   >|  
the angry multitude. 'Let us pray for the souls' rest of the departed.' 'Then will your prayers be offered for Robespierre, for Couthon, and St. Just,' said I boldly. 'And who are they who need more the saints' intercession--who have ever been called to judgment with such crimes to expiate--who have ever so widowed France, and so desecrated her altars? Happily, a few yet remain where piety may kneel to implore pardon for their iniquity. Let us recite the Litany for the Dead,' said he solemnly, and at once began the impressive service. As I knelt beside the rails of the altar, and heard the prayers which, with deep devotion, he uttered, I could not help feeling the contrast between that touching evidence of Christian charity and the tumultuous joy of the populace, whose frantic bursts of triumph were borne on the air. 'And now come with me, Maurice,' said he, as the Litany was concluded. 'Here, in this little sacristy, we are safe from all molestation; none will think of us on such a day as this.' And as he spoke he drew his arm around me, and led me into the little chamber where once the precious vessels and the decorations of the church were kept. 'Here we are safe,' said he, as he drew me to his side on the oaken bench, which formed all the furniture of the room. 'To-morrow, Maurice, we must leave this, and seek an asylum in another land; but we are not friendless, my child--the brothers of the "Sacred Heart" will receive us. Their convent is in the wilds of the Ardennes, beyond the frontiers of France, and there, beloved by the faithful peasantry, they live in security and peace. We need not take the vows of their order, which is one of the strictest of all religious houses; but we may claim their hospitality and protection, and neither will be denied us. Think what a blessed existence will that be, Maurice, my son, to dwell under the same roof with these holy men, and to imbibe from them the peace of mind that holiness alone bestows; to awake at the solemn notes of the pealing organ, and to sink to rest with the glorious liturgies still chanting around you; to feel an atmosphere of devotion on every side, and to see the sacred relics whose miracles have attested the true faith in ages long past. Does it not stir thy heart, my child, to know that such blessed privileges may be thine?' I hung my head in silence, for, in truth, I felt nothing of the enthusiasm with which he sought to inspire me. The per
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74  
75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Maurice
 

devotion

 

Litany

 

France

 

prayers

 

blessed

 
houses
 

receive

 

Sacred

 

brothers


denied

 

protection

 

hospitality

 

friendless

 
faithful
 

peasantry

 

beloved

 

security

 

convent

 

strictest


Ardennes
 

frontiers

 

religious

 
miracles
 
relics
 

attested

 

privileges

 

sought

 

enthusiasm

 

inspire


silence

 

sacred

 

imbibe

 

holiness

 

bestows

 

solemn

 

chanting

 
atmosphere
 

liturgies

 

pealing


glorious

 

existence

 
implore
 
pardon
 

iniquity

 

recite

 
remain
 

altars

 
Happily
 

solemnly