THE MONK. 99 



face, and may be called forth by the first stroke of sorrow, or even 

 by the tale of suffering and distress ; but in age, when the more acute 

 feelings have been blunted, and the genuine impulses of our nature 

 have been checked, when the heart has been chilled by a contact with 

 a cold world, and the softer passions have been subdued, severe indeed 

 must be that blow, which can cause those fountains, so long dried up, 

 to again flow with the bitter waters of affliction. 



" The unconscious youth was now removed to another apartment, 

 and the customary restoratives applied. By degrees, animation be- 

 gan to return, and great hopes were entertained of his recovery. In 

 the mean time, Colonel Hamilton had regained his composure, and 

 proceeded to give the monk before spoken of, a short history of Ar- 

 thur, and of the circumstances that had obliged him to become an ex- 

 ile from his native land. The holy man heard him with increasing 

 attention, and during the narrative asked many questions as to the ex- 

 act time and place, when the supposed murder of the priest occurred. 

 * Mysterious providence' at length he exclaimed, ' how inscrutable 

 are thy ways ! How infinitely beyond the scope of human intellect to 

 fathom I How far beyond the reach of human knowledge to define ! 

 The darkness and the storm may do thy bidding, and display thy 

 mercy equally with the bright sunbeam, or the gentle zephyr ; the 

 cup of death and misery may contain the elixir of life and the Lethe 

 of sorrow ; the very instruments of woe and destruction, may be con- 

 verted into the means of happiness and salvation.' 



" As he spoke, all gazed upon him with astonishment, and waited 

 anxiously for some exposition of his strange words. He continued, 

 addressing himself to Colonel Hamilton, ' at the time this unfortunate 

 afiair occurred to your young friend, I was travelling in the neigh- 

 bourhood of , collecting contributions for our order. One day, 



on passing a small chalet situated near an unfrequented path of the 

 mountain, my attention was called by a cry of distress. I immediately 

 turned to the hut ; and on entering it, discovered stretched, upon the 

 floor, a man evidently in a dying state, with the blood flowing from a 

 recent wound in his side. I gave him some wine, which in some 

 measure revived him. He had on the habiliments of a friar ; but, 

 under his dress, was a belt containing a pistol, and several stilettos. 

 When he was able to speak, he asked if I were a priest, and would 

 shrive him. On being required to confess a shudder passed over 

 him ; he turned his face from me, but I entreated him, by every ar- 

 gument, not to plunge his soul into eternity with all its load of sin 

 unrepented. He heard me with strong emotion, and, after some he- 



