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fall upon a monks shoulders, best knows; but it would have suited a Bramin, and had I met it upon the plains of Indostan, I had reverenced it. The rest of his outline may be given in a few strokes; one might put it into the hands of any one to design, for twas neither elegant or otherwise, but as character and expression made it so: it was a thin, spare form, something above the common size, if it lost not the distinction by a bend forwards in the figurebut it was the attitude of entreaty; and as it now stands presented to my imagination, it gaind more than it lost by it. When he had enterd the room three paces, he stood still; and laying his left hand upon his breast, (a slender white staff with which he journeyd being in his right)when I had got close up to him, he introduced himself with the little story of the wants of his convent, and the poverty of his orderand did it with so simple a graceand such an air of deprecation was there in the whole cast of his look and figureI was bewitchd not to have been struck with it A better reason was, I had predetermined not to give him a single sous. The Monk Calais Tis very true, said I, replying to a cast upwards with his eyes, with which he had concluded his addresstis very trueand heaven be their resource who have no other but the charity of the world, the stock of which, I fear, is no way sufficient for the many great claims which are hourly made upon it. As I pronounced the words great claims, he gave a slight glance with his eye downwards upon the sleeve of his tunickI felt the full force of the appealI acknowledge it, said Ia coarse habit, and that but once in three years, with meagre dietare no great matters; and the true point of pity is, as they can be earnd in the world with so little industry, that your order should wish to procure them by pressing upon a fund which is the property of the lame, the blind, the aged, and the infirmthe captive who lies down counting over and over again the days of his afflictions, languishes also for his share of it: and had you been of the Order of Mercy, instead of the Order of St. Francis, poor as I am, continued I, pointing at my portmanteau, full chearfully should it have been opend to you, for the ransom of the unfortunate.The monk made me a bowbut of all others, resumed I, the unfortunate of our own country, surely, have the first rights; and I have left thousands in distress upon our own shoreThe monk gave cordial wave with his headas much as to say, No doubt there is misery enough in every corner of the world, as well as within our conventBut we distinguish, said I, laying my hand upon the sleeve of his tunic, in return for his appealwe distinguish, my good father! betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labourand those who eat the bread of other peoples, and have no other plan in Life, but to get through it in sloth and ignorance, for the Love of God. The poor Franciscan made no reply; a hectic of a moment passd across his cheek, but could not tarryNature seemed to have done with her resentments in him; he shewed nonebut letting his staff fall within his arm, he pressd both his hands with resignation upon his breast, and retired. The Monk Calais My heart smote me the moment he shut the doorPsha! said I, with an air of carelessness, three several timesbut it would not do: every ungracious syllable I had utterd, crouded back into my imagination:I reflected I had no right over the poor Franciscan, but to deny him; and that the punishment of that was enough to the disappointed without the addition of unkind languageI considerd his gray hairshis courteous figure seemd to re-enter, and gently ask me what injury he had done me?and why I could |
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