AND THE PRIEST. 19 means may bring about great ends; they are like humble friends, sometimes much the most useful. So thought the prior; and therefore minute to escape his nothing was too watchfulness was His observation. un So bounded; his penetration immense. thoroughly did he study the nature and to read their character of every one within his reach, that he almost seemed thoughts. Through this knowledge, n power naturally increased; and as his de sions were as prompt as the punishme which followed, those under his ruis had learned to regard him with fear ant awe,-for, to their common minds. Some thing supernatural prompted the imel This distin gence he possessed. gratified him it was a beginning. Im a very poor Benedictine friar 104 risen, without the advantages of it fortune, to be prior of a m : great importance. He had er Tr i the force of his will, by eternal round of human littlenesses wearied and galled him to the very soul: it was like the pricking of pins to his ardent spirit; but he bore it, and spressed outward show of irritation. "Some squabble amongst the m petty thieving of the servants.” but to himself as he mounted his mi he went, notwithstanding: and dung s four miles ride no sign of innarenes escaped him, save now and the men te over-fed and lazy animal i seemed more inclined to lie dom, on te hill than to ascend it. Or sver Pr the holy father would dismount 2.0 upon his attendants to drive a to: he hastily reached the Then, as he strode alan te might have been seen martial step of the you of his eye, the rapic But when once more vation of his fellow-t himself upon his sorry drawn down, and, as i leading to the num was again the mee in come to minister to the welfare of his lambs. The abbess was in the chapel of the convent when the prior arrived; but, as the last notes of the chant were dying upon the air, he turned down the cloisters, and, desiring the lay-sister in attendance to await the termination of the service before informing the Lady Isolda of his presence, he entered the parlour, and was admitted at once behind the grating to the private sitting-room of the lady abbess. |