〃That is true。〃
〃Saint Terentius； Bishop of Port； where the mouth of the Tiber empties into the sea； requested that on his tomb might be engraved the sign which was placed on the graves of parricides； in the hope that passers…by would spit on his tomb。
This was done。 The dead must be obeyed。〃
〃So be it。〃
〃The body of Bernard Guidonis； born in France near Roche…Abeille； was； as he had ordered； and in spite of the king of Castile； borne to the church of the Dominicans in Limoges； although Bernard Guidonis was Bishop of Tuy in Spain。
Can the contrary be affirmed？〃
〃For that matter； no； reverend Mother。〃
〃The fact is attested by Plantavit de la Fosse。〃
Several beads of the chaplet were told off； still in silence。 The prioress resumed：
〃Father Fauvent； Mother Crucifixion will be interred in the coffin in which she has slept for the last twenty years。〃
〃That is just。〃
〃It is a continuation of her slumber。〃
〃So I shall have to nail up that coffin？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And we are to reject the undertaker's coffin？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃I am at the orders of the very reverend munity。〃
〃The four Mother Precentors will assist you。〃
〃In nailing up the coffin？
I do not need them。〃
〃No。 In lowering the coffin。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Into the vault。〃
〃What vault？〃
〃Under the altar。〃
Fauchelevent started。
〃The vault under the altar？〃
〃Under the altar。〃
〃But〃
〃You will have an iron bar。〃
〃Yes； but〃
〃You will raise the stone with the bar by means of the ring。〃
〃But〃
〃The dead must be obeyed。
To be buried in the vault under the altar of the chapel； not to go to profane earth； to remain there in death where she prayed while living； such was the last wish of Mother Crucifixion。
She asked it of us； that is to say； manded us。〃
〃But it is forbidden。〃
〃Forbidden by men； enjoined by God。〃
〃What if it became known？〃
〃We have confidence in you。〃
〃Oh！
I am a stone in your walls。〃
〃The chapter assembled。
The vocal mothers； whom I have just consulted again； and who are now deliberating； have decided that Mother Crucifixion shall be buried； according to her wish； in her own coffin； under our altar。
Think； Father Fauvent； if she were to work miracles here！
What a glory of God for the munity！ And miracles issue from tombs。〃
〃But； reverend Mother； if the agent of the sanitary mission〃
〃Saint Benoit II。； in the matter of sepulture； resisted Constantine Pogonatus。〃
〃But the missary of police〃
〃Chonodemaire； one of the seven German kings who entered among the Gauls under the Empire of Constantius； expressly recognized the right of nuns to be buried in religion； that is to say； beneath the altar。〃
〃But the inspector from the Prefecture〃
〃The world is nothing in the presence of the cross。
Martin； the eleventh general of the Carthusians； gave to his order this device： Stat crux dum volvitur orbis。〃
〃Amen；〃 said Fauchelevent； who imperturbably extricated himself in this manner from the dilemma； whenever he heard Latin。
Any audience suffices for a person who has held his peace too long。 On the day when the rhetorician Gymnastoras left his prison； bearing in his body many dilemmas and numerous syllogisms which had struck in； he halted in front of the first tree which he came to； harangued it and made very great efforts to convince it。
The prioress； who was usually subjected to the barrier of silence； and whose reservoir was overfull； rose and exclaimed with the loquacity of a dam which has broken away：
〃I have on my right Benoit and on my left Bernard。
Who was Bernard？ The first abbot of Clairvaux。
Fontaines in Burgundy is a country that is blest because it gave him birth。
His father was named Tecelin； and his mother Alethe。
He began at Citeaux； to end in Clairvaux； he was ordained abbot by the bishop of Chalon…sur…Saone； Guillaume de Champeaux； he had seven hundred novices； and founded a hundred and sixty monasteries； he overthrew Abeilard at the council of Sens in 1140； and Pierre de Bruys and Henry his disciple； and another sort of erring spirits who were called the Apostolics； he confounded Arnauld de Brescia； darted lightning at the monk Raoul； the murderer of the Jews； dominated the council of Reims in 1148； caused the condemnation of Gilbert de Porea； Bishop of Poitiers； caused the condemnation of Eon de l'Etoile； arranged the disputes of princes； enlightened King Louis the Young； advised Pope Eugene III。； regulated the Temple； preached the crusade； performed two hundred and fifty miracles during his lifetime； and as many as thirty…nine in one day。
Who was Benoit？
He was the patriarch of Mont…Cassin； he was the second founder of the Saintete Claustrale； he was the Basil of the West。
His order has produced forty popes； two hundred cardinals； fifty patriarchs； sixteen hundred archbishops； four thousand six hundred bishops； four emperors； twelve empresses； forty…six kings； forty…one queens； three thousand six hundred canonized saints； and has been in existence for fourteen hundred years。
On one side Saint Bernard； on the other the agent of the sanitary department！ On one side Saint Benoit； on the other the inspector of public ways！ The state； the road missioners； the public undertaker； regulations； the administration； what do we know of all that？ There is not a chance passer…by who would not be indignant to see how we are treated。
We have not even the right to give our dust to Jesus Christ！
Your sanitary department is a revolutionary invention。 God subordinated to the missary of police； such is the age。 Silence； Fauvent！〃
Fauchelevent was but ill at ease under this shower bath。 The prioress continued：
〃No one doubts the right of the monastery to sepulture。
Only fanatics and those in error deny it。
We live in times of terrible confusion。 We do not know that which it is necessary to know； and we know that which we should ignore。
We are ignorant and impious。
In this age there exist people who do not distinguish between the very great Saint Bernard and the Saint Bernard denominated of the poor Catholics； a certain good ecclesiastic who lived in the thirteenth century。 Others are so blasphemous as to pare the scaffold of Louis XVI。 to the cross of Jesus Christ。
Louis XVI。
was merely a king。 Let us beware of God！
There is no longer just nor unjust。 The name of Voltaire is known； but not the name of Cesar de Bus。 Nevertheless； Cesar de Bus is a man of blessed memory； and Voltaire one of unblessed memory。
The last arch…bishop； the Cardinal de Perigord； did not even know that Charles de Gondren succeeded to Berulle； and Francois Bourgoin to Gondren； and Jean…Francois Senault to Bourgoin； and Father Sainte…Marthe to Jean…Francois Senault。 The name of Father Coton is known； not because he was one of the three who urged the foundation of the Oratorie； but because he furnished Henri IV。； the Huguenot king； with the material for an oath。 That which pleases people of the world in Saint Francois de Sales； is that he cheated at play。
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