xxiv 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



more security up to the regions of eternal bliss. After 

 educating those entrusted to his charge with a care 

 and affection truly paternal, he burst a blood-vessel, 

 and retired to Palermo, for the benefit of a warmer 

 climate. There he died the death of the just, in the 

 habit of St. Ignatius. 



One day, when I was in the class of poetry, and 

 W'hich was about two years before I left the college 

 for good and all, he called me up to his room, 

 <^ Charles," said he to me, in a tone of voice perfectly 

 irresistible, " I have long been studying your dispo- 

 sition, and I clearly foresee that nothing will keep 

 you at home. You will journey into far distant 

 countries, where you will be exposed to many dan- 

 gers. There is only one way for you to escape them. 

 Promise me that, from this day forward, you will 

 never put your lips to wine, or to spirituous liquors. 

 The sacrifice is nothing," added he, " but, in the end, 

 it will prove of incalculable advantage to you." I 

 agreed to his enlightened proposal ; and, from that 

 hour to this, which is now about nine and thirty 

 years, I have never swallowed one glass of any kind 

 of wine, or of ardent spirits. 



At Stonyhurst there are boundaries marked out 

 to the students, which they are not allowed to pass ; 

 and there are prefects always pacing to and fro 

 within the lines, to prevent any unlucky boy from 

 straying on the other side of them. Notwithstanding 

 the vigilance of these lynx-eyed guardians, I would 

 now and then manage to escape, and would bolt into 

 a very extensive labyrinth of yew and holly trees? 

 close at hand. It was the chosen place for animated 



