Where There is Nothing Part 12

_Third Friar._ He was too patient with him. He would have made short work of any of us if we had gone so far.

_First Dancer._

Nam, et si ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis, Non timebo mala, quoniam tu mec.u.m es.

_First Friar._ They are singing the twenty-second Psalm. What madness to sing!

_Second Dancer._

Virga tua, et baculus tuus, Ipsa me consolata sunt.

_First Dancer._

Parasti in conspectu meo mensam Adversus eos qui tribulant me.

_Second Dancer._

Impinguasti in oleo caput meum; Et calix meus inebrians quam praeclarus est.

_Second Friar._ Here is the Superior. There'll be bad work now.

SUPERIOR _comes in_.

_Superior._ [_Holding up his hand._] Silence!

[_They stop singing and dancing._

_First Dancer._ It's the Superior.

_Superior._ Stop this blasphemy! Leave the chapel at once! I will deal with you by-and-by. [_Dancing_ Friars _go out_.

_Jerome._ [_Stooping over_ PAUL.] He has not wakened from the trance yet.

_Aloysius._ [_Who still remains perfectly motionless._] Not yet, but he will soon awake--Paul!

_Superior._ It is hardly worth while being angry with those poor fools whose heads he has turned with his talk. [_Stoops and touches his hand._] It is quite rigid. I will wait till he is alive again, there is no use wasting words on a dead body.

_Jerome._ [_Stooping over him._] His eyes are beginning to quiver. Let me be the first to speak to him. He may say some wild things when he awakes, not knowing who is before him.

_Superior._ He must not preach. I must have his submission at once.

_Jerome._ I will do all I can with him. He is most likely to listen to me. I was once his close friend.

_Superior._ Speak to him if you like, but entire submission is the only thing I will accept. [_To the other_ Monks.] Come with me, we will leave Father Jerome here to speak to him. [SUPERIOR _and_ Friars _go to the door_.] Such desecration, such blasphemy. Remember, Father Jerome, entire submission, and at once. [SUPERIOR _and_ Friars _go out_.

_Jerome._ Where are the rest of his friends, Father Aloysius? Bartley and Colman ought to be with him when he is like this.

_Aloysius._ They are resting, because, when he has given his message, they may never be able to rest again.

_Jerome._ [_Bending over him._] My poor Paul, this will wear him out; see how thin he has grown!

_Aloysius._ He is hard upon his body. He does not care what happens to his body.

_Jerome._ He was like this when he was a boy; some wild thought would come on him, and he would not know day from night, he would forget even to eat. It is a great pity he was so hard to himself; it is a pity he had not always someone to look after him.

_Aloysius._ G.o.d is taking care of him; what could men like us do for him? We cannot help him, it is he who helps us.

_Jerome._ [_Going on his knee and taking his hand._] He is awaking. Help me to lift him up. [_They lift him into a chair._

_Aloysius._ I will go and call the others now.

_Jerome._ Do not let them come for a little time, I must speak to him first.

_Aloysius._ I cannot keep them away long. One cannot know when the words may be put in his mouth.

[ALOYSIUS _goes out._ JEROME _stands by_ PAUL RUTTLEDGE, _holding his hand_.

_Paul Ruttledge._ [_Raising his head._] Ah, you are there, Jerome. I am glad you are there. I could not get up to drive away the mouse that was eating the wax that dropped from the candles. Have you driven it away?

_Jerome._ It is not evening now. It is almost morning. You were on your knees praying for a great many hours, and then I think you fainted.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I don't think I was praying. I was among people, a great many people, and it was very bright--I will remember presently.

_Jerome._ Do not try to remember. You are tired, you must be weak, you must come and have food and rest.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I do not think I can rest. I think there is something else I have to do, I forget what it is.

_Jerome._ I am afraid you are thinking of preaching again. You must not preach. The Superior says you must not. He is very angry; I have never seen him so angry. He will not allow you to preach again.

_Paul Ruttledge._ Did I ever preach?

_Jerome._ Yes. It was in the garden you got the trance last time. We found you like this, and we lifted you to the bench under the yew tree, and then you began to speak. You spoke about getting out of the body while still alive, about getting away from law and number. All the friars came to listen to you. We had never heard such preaching before, but it was very like heresy.

_Paul Ruttledge._ [_Getting up._] Jerome, Jerome, I remember now where I was. I was in a great round place, and a great crowd of things came round me. I couldn't see them very clearly for a time, but some of them struck me with their feet, hard feet like hoofs, and soft cat-like feet; and some pecked me, and some bit me, and some clawed me. There were all sorts of beasts and birds as far as I could see.

_Jerome._ Were they devils, Paul, were they the deadly sins?

_Paul Ruttledge._ I don't know, but I thought, and I don't know how the thought came to me, that they were the part of mankind that is not human; the part that builds up the things that keep the soul from G.o.d.

_Jerome._ That was a terrible vision.

_Paul Ruttledge._ I struggled and I struggled with them, and they heaped themselves over me till I was unable to move hand or foot; and that went on for a long, long time.

_Jerome._ [_Crossing himself._] G.o.d have mercy on us.

_Paul Ruttledge._ Then suddenly there came a bright light, and all in a minute the beasts were gone, and I saw a great many angels riding upon unicorns, white angels on white unicorns. They stood all round me, and they cried out, "Brother Paul, go and preach; get up and preach, Brother Paul." And then they laughed aloud, and the unicorns trampled the ground as though the world were already falling in pieces.