THE MONK. 37 



appeared as if visible through the thin bony frame which 

 surrounded but hardly seemed to hide it. 



The mere sight of him was enough to remind people of their 

 souls; but however this might have been with those about him, 

 it is certain that the Good Father never forgot that he had a 

 soul himself; and, what was more, he thought about the souls 

 of other people, especially about that of his portly patron. 

 He had long, indeed, entertained misgivings on account of that 

 precious jewel, none the safer for the thickness of the fleshy 

 casket which enclosed it; but great, nevertheless, was his 

 horror on discovering, one day, perhaps by the probings of the 

 confessional, that the treasure committed (as he believed) to 

 his own careful keeping, as well as its possessor's own heedless 

 charge, had been actually stolen by the arch-thief of souls, in 

 other words, that the baron, though a Catholic in all outward 

 observances was (in those days a thing wonderful as horrible) 

 an unbeliever. 



Piercing swords from the word, leaden bullets from the 

 Fathers, threatened thunder-bolts from Rome, all were at 

 the holy man's disposal, and boldly and zealously (although in 

 secret) did he ply these sacred weapons for the ejection of his 

 patron's spiritual foes; but they still kept fast possession of 

 the baron's soul ; and the baron (as well he might) swore that 

 he had not a soul to keep. 



But Providence appoints its own means as well as its own 

 times and seasons. There are certain shrouds of the Cater- 



VOL. II. D 



