The monastery; The abbot.

62 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
out the boon by importunity. And thus I am' dishonoured in the eyes of
my religious brethren, who behold me treated like a child which hath no
sense of its own - I will bear it no longer!- Brother Bennet," - (alay
brother answered to his call) — "tell Father Eustace that I need not his
presence."
"I came to say to your reverence, that the holy father is entering even
now from the cloisters."
"Be it so," said the Abbot," he is welcome, - remove these things - or
rather, place a trencher, the holy father may be a little hungry - yet, noremove them, for. there is no good fellowship in him - Let the stoup of wine
remain, however, and place another cup."
The lay brother obeyed these contradictory commands in the way he
judged most seemly - he removed the carcass of the half-sacked capon, and
placed two goblets beside the stoup of Bourdeaux. At the same instant
entered Father Eustace.
He was a thin, sharp-faced, slight-made little man, whose keen grey eyes
seemed almost to look through the person to whom he addressed himself.
His body was emaciated not only with the fasts which he observed with
rigid punctuality, but also by the active and unwearied exercise of his sharp
and piercing intellect;A fiery soul, which working out its way,
Fretted the puny body to decay,
And o'er-informed the tenement of clay.
He turned with conventual reverence to the Lord Abbot; and as they
stood together, it was scarce possible to see a more complete difference of
form and expressidn. The good-natured rosy face and laughing eye of the
Abbot, which even his present anxiety could not greatly ruffle, was a wonderful contrast to the thin pallid cheek and quick penetrating glance of the
monk, in which an eager and keen spirit glanced through eyes to which it
seemed to give supernatural lustre.
The Abbot opened the conversation by motioning to his monk to take a
stool, and inviting to a cup of wine. The courtesy was declined with
respect, yet not without a remark, that the vesper service was past.
"For the stomach's sake, brother," said the Abbot, colouring a little"You know the text."
"It is a dangerous one," answered the monk, "to handle alone, or at late
hours. Cut off from human society, the juice of the grape becomes a
perilous companion of solitude, and therefore I ever shun it."
Abbot Boniface had poured himself out a goblet which might hold about
half an English pint; but, either struck with the truth of the observation,
or ashamed to act in direct opposition to it, he suffered it to remain untasted
before him, and immediately changed the subject.
" The Primate hath written to us," said he, " to make strict search within
our bounds after the heretical persons denounced in this list, who have withdrawn themselves from the justice which their opinions deserve. It is
deemed probable that they will attempt to retire to England by our Borders,
and the Primate requireth me to watch with vigilance, and what not."
"Assuredly," said the monk, "the magistrate should not bear the sword
in vain - those be they that turn the world upside down - and doubtless
your reverend wisdom will with due diligence second the exertions of the
Right Reverend Father in God, being in the peremptory defence of the Holy
Church."
"Ay, but how is this to be done?" answered the Abbot; " Saint Mary
aid us! The Primate writes to me-as if I were a temporal baron - a man
under command, having soldiers under him! He says, send forth - scour
the country-guard the passes-Truly these men do not travel as those who
would give their lives for nothing-the last who went south passed the dryarch at the Riding-burn with an escort of thirty spears, as our reverend