The Monks of Thelema. A novel. (Reprinted from 'The World.')

Chapter I

" Friendship is constant in all pther things Save in the office and affairs of love." Alan mused over Desdemona's advice for the whole of the next week. His solitary work in the fields made him introspective, and he was beginning to find out reasons for his failure in the defects of his own character. His great defect, of which he was unconscious, was that he lacked that bonhomie which is infectious, and spreads from man to man, like a ball which is caught up and thrown from hand to hand. He was a grave man, and to the rustics he appeared as a schoolmaster or as a clergyman, ahvays preaching unpleasant things, to which one had to listen. When one of them emerged from the VOL. II. I Spotted Lion, after a simple half-pint, it was painful to him, especially if he were a rustic of sensitive disposition, to encounter the deep sad eyes and grave face of the Squire.

Had Alan been able to meet that backslider with a hearty round of abuse by way of admonition, something might have been effected. But as the case stood to the village, here was the seigneur of the village come doAvn from his high estate, without any apparent motive ex cept that of meddlesomeness, working among them and for them, dressed as one of them selves, leading, the saintliest of lives, more laborious in the field than themselves, more abstinent than any baby : the thing was from the very first disagreeable, and it became in the course of months a matter of profound resentment. Alan kneAv that he was personally unpopu lar among the people, which he attributed to his unfortunate inability "to enter into their minds" ; and as has been seen, he did not scorn to seek advice from his friends.

There was a general assent among them that it was no use working all day in the fields if none of the men liked to work Avith him ; that the profession of temperance, if no one folloAved the example, was foolish ; and that it was a pity to keep on inviting people to be taught who preferred to remain ignorant, or to Avash themselves Avhen they preferred the ancient unwashedness. From that point they diverged. The Vicar stuck to the principle that men want officers and orders — not superior comrades. Miranda thought that the men should have their wages on the condition of night-school, which was a Avoman's way of looking at things. Mr. Rondelet, clinging to his neAV views, in vited Alan to give up the whole thing, and leave swine who liked AvalloAving, to wallow ; "only," he said, "let them have separate sties, a long way from us."

And Tom Caledon said that to him it was foolishness ; that gentle men should live with gentlemen ; and that in this realm of England people who have the pluck to rise can rise, and eA'en run their sons for the prizes of social position. And while he was in this dubiety, and while the cold feeling, which damps all enthusiasm, was beginning to creep over him that he might be making himself ridiculous, and sa- 1—2 crificing youth, wealth, and ease for the sake of making rustics snigger, there came this hint from Desdemona, that with the aid of a wife he might at least do something with the children. Of late, he confessed to himself with sorrow, he had felt strange yearnings for the old manner of life ; and there were mo ments Avhen there flashed across his mind visions splendid and beautiful, in Avhich Miranda was chatelaine of Weyland Court.

But to marry : to have a Avife who Avould share in his aims, and strive to realise his ideas : — but then he thought that for such a wife he must look in the class among whom his labour was to lie. No lady could do what he wanted her to do : a lady, indeed, would fail for the same reason and in the same way that he had failed. His wife must be of the lower class by birth ; she must represent their virtues, and be cognisant, by experience, of their failings ; she must be able to reveal their sympathies, and show him the avenues by which to reach their hearts. As for the farm-work, he would give that up as useless. The evenings of mental prostration after a hard day of pitchforking were a proof that labour of that kind was useless ; and by learning his way to the affections of the people by changing their sentiments towards him so that they should no longer shuffle out of his path, he would be of far greater use than by merely going through the form of companion ship in labour.

Whom to marry? He was not a man with a roving eye which lights on beauty here and beauty there. Quite the contrary ; he thought very little of beauty — much less than most young men, whose thoughts, I believe, run a good deal on pretty faces : when he did think of beauty at all it was to illustrate the topic with the face of Miranda. Yet it occurred to him at once that the young woman must be comely. Prudence Driver, for instance, who quite sympathised with his views, was out of the question by reason of her unfortunate figure, which was a little twisted. Who, then ? But that was a matter of detail, and it would wait. Meantime, he would go over to the Hall, and see Miranda. Fortunately, Desdemona was with her. " I have been thinking over what you suggested, Desdemona," he said, calmly. " What was that ?"

" About having a wife." " The man speaks as calmly as if he were going to buy a horse," said Desdemona. " The more I think of it, the more I like the idea," Alan went on. "It is an idea," replied Desdemona, "which has commended itself to all your ancestors ; in fact it is with you an hereditary idea — almost a family trait." " We men lack insight," he said, gravely. " We do our best, but women surpass us in that sympathetic power of vision which pierces the most rugged shell of selfishness and rudeness. You are quite right ; I must have a wife, and I want your advice." " For such a sensible resolve as that, Alan, I will give you as much advice as you can carry away. But had you not better begin by falling in love ?" " Oh ! no, not at all. That is not what I mean." " But you must, Alan," Desdemona gasped.

" Was it a dream ? Or what did he mean ?" Miranda looked perplexed and pained. No ; I am not at all likely to fall in love with the person I marry. Esteem and respect, of course, she will look for." " But, Alan, what is the meaning ? we do not understand you." " I mean that my wife, in order to be the helpmeet that I want, must belong to the lower classes, the very lowest " " Good heavens !" cried Desdemona, " Is the man going to marry a housemaid ?" " Not a housemaid necessarily; though why not ? However, I want to find some poor man's daughter who will understand her class, and help me to enter into their minds." " My poor Alan," said Desdemona, " they haven't got any minds. I am sure they hi. ii aven t. She smiled from the superiority of her knoAvledge. " Will you, however, you two friends and allies of mine, the closest and the best, help me to find such a girl ?"

It was Miranda who made answer. Her face had gone suddenly pale, and there was a strange light in her eyes. " I will help you," she said, " in everything. If you think this is the wisest thing for you, you will only tell me what I am to do in order to help you." " I do not think I can promise, Alan," said Desdemona, slowly. " This is a very serious step which you propose. And I must think of Lord AKvyne." " You see now," said Alan, " why there need be no question of love." " But marriage without love ? Ah ! Alan, you do not know, you cannot guess what that Avill be." "No, Alan," said Miranda. " I should not like you to fall in love with a girl of that class. Of course it is impossible." She spoke with the noble scorn which ahvays seizes a demoiselle at the mere mention of the possibility of a gentleman falling in love with a maid of low degree.

And yet she had read of King Cophetua, and the Earl of Bur leigh, and Cinderella, and Griselda, and many other cases. Young ladies, indeed, seldom fall in love with the sons of gardeners. Pau line and Claude Melnotte do not form a case in point, because poor Pauline was grossly deceived. Therefore they argue that the re verse case is impossible. They should put a few confidential questions to the shop girls, who might surprise them. But, perhaps, on the whole, they had better not. " We must not think of love," Miranda repeated. " But you must look for something. Ideas you will not get, nor companionship." " Not at first. But women are receptive. Companionship will come. For the first thing. I want great power of sympathy." "Cannot Prudence Driver do what you want without ?" Miranda could not bring her self to frame the word.

Alan shook his head. " No," he replied. " She will not do. I want a wife. It is only by the constant com panionship of mind Avith mind that I can hope to bridge over the gulf between myself and my villagers." " She ought to be pretty, too," Miranda went on. " I should not like to see you married to a perfectly common woman." " You will not see me very often," he said, " after I am married I have to put my shoul der to the wheel, and I must not look back ; nor regret the days of old." There was a little bouquet of cut roses lying •on the table, which Miranda had brought in from the garden. Alan picked out a bud. " This is a beautiful bud, Miranda — wear it in your hair to-night. I will dine with the Order. It will not be many times more that you will see me among them." " Oh ! Alan." Miranda's eyes filled Avith tears.

She was so stately to all the rest, and to him alone so womanly. " Alan, you will not desert me, will you ? What would my life have been — what will it be — without you ?" Had there been in the enthusiast's eyes the slightest touch of softening, Desdemona would have swiftly and suddenly vanished from the room. But there was not. He did not look in her eyes, where love lay hiding, but visible to him, had not his heart been of stone. He was looking far away. " I must not be tempted, Miranda, even by you. If I marry in the village I shall be tied for life to the village. One must not leave a young wife, even though she has red arms." Miranda said nothing. The prospect thus suddenly opened was appalling to her. There was silence, and presently Alan rose to go. " We are to help you then, Alan," said the artful Desdemona ; but if we are to render any real help you must promise not to act hastily, and without consulting us."

" I promise you," said Alan, " that I will marry no one without your approval. Does that content you, Miranda ?" " It ought to, Alan," she said, smiling rather wearily. "It is very good of you." And then he went away. " We have got the power of veto, my dear," said Desdemona. " And we will exercise it." Then she got up and shook her voluminous skirts. " You goose," she said, addressing no one by name. " Oh ! you goose. All men here are geese ; but you— oh ! you are the most goosely goose. Have you eyes ? have you ears ? have you understanding ?" " Desdemona dear !" " Miranda, here is a house full of lively, ac complished, and sweet young ladies. And Alan is a rich, handsome, clever, and pleasant young man. That is all I mean, my dear child — that is all. And again and again I say — oh ! you goose ! you goose !" s

Chapter II

" Idalian Aphrodite beautiful, Fresh as the foam new bathed in Paphian wells, With rosy, slender fingers backward drew From her warm brows and bosom, her deep hair Ambrosial, golden, round her lucid throat." "We must help him, Desdemona," said Miranda. Her cheek was grown suddenly pale, and there was a strange light of pain in her beautiful eyes, which she lifted heavily as she spoke. " We must help Alan in every thing." " Except in this, Miranda, which is suicide." " It need not be quite so bad as it seems." " It is certain to be much worse than it seems, unless," Desdemona murmured, half to herself, " unless we can stop him in time." " There must be, somewhere, if only one knew her," Miranda went on, "a girl who would come up to poor Alan's ideal. I have shamefully neglected the poor people, Desde mona, and noAv this is my punishment."

" That is nonsense, my dear. It is true that you have not gone poking and prying into cottages, like some ladies. But as to neglect !" " She must be, first of all, a good-tempered girl. Good temper is such a very great thing." " It depends," said Desdemona, " greatly on the size of the house. Of course, in a cottage good temper is everything. At Dalmeny Hall or the Abbey you might almost dispense with it. Some day I will write an essay on good temper, especially as required for the stage." " Good temper, at all events," Miranda went on, " is almost an equivalent for good breeding among poor people." " Unfortunately, it generally goes with stu pidity," said Desdemona. " But that will be part of my essay." " She must not be stupid. And she must have a soft voice. If possible she should have taste in dress.

But I suppose we can not hope for everything." " A lady's-maid," said Desdemona, " would perhaps be the nearest approach to Alan's ideal. Can you not spare him your own ? And, oh ! Miranda, to think that it was my OAvn doing — mine— to put the notion into his dear, queer, cracked brain. What will Lord Alwyne say, when I tell him that it Avas my suggestion ?" It is not an easy thing to find a village girl possessed of those virtues which were thought by Miranda requisite for Alan's wife. Per haps she looked for too much. Good temper : gentleness : the germs of good taste : modesty of deportment : refinement in personal habits : ready sympathy : quick wit : and some pre tensions to good looks. Miranda was not above the Aveakness of her class, which can seldom acknoAvledge beauty below a certain rank.

Ladies Avould have said, for instance, and doubtless did say, of Nelson's Emma, that she was a person who might be called good-looking by some. — Could all these qualities be found united in one person ? And where was that person ? " Let us, like Austria, claim the right to a veto," said Desdemona, " and then we can ot> on exercising it for the next fifty years or so, until Alan is quite cured of this folly." " Can we have a fete in the Park, and in vite all the girls from Weyland and the vil lages round ? Perhaps we shall be able to see some one who may be thought of." This idea seemed promising, and Desde mona began to consider hoAv such a fete could be organised. First, she thought it might consist exclu sively of the girls and young unmarried women of the country-side. True that in no rank of life would maidens look forward with rapture, or even complacency, to a gathering in which there were to be no young people of the opposite sex.

That was a draAvback. Yet Desdemona thought that by prolonging the festivities till late in the evening, a door Avould be opened, so to speak, for the young people of the opposite sexto meet the maidens, home returning, in the lanes. Desdemona, although cut to the heart to think of assisting at Alan's social suicide, was a kindly person, and thoughtful of her guests' happiness. Then, she thought, independently of the pos sibilities of a moonlight ramble home, each sola cum solo, there would be a novelty in the exclusion of lovers, brothers, fathers, mothers, and babies. There should be no children. The youngest girl should be at least sixteen. Every girl in Weyland village and all the neighbouring hamlets within a radius of six miles should be invited to come, and bring with her every other girl of sixteen and up wards whom she might knoAA*.

And then the busy brain of the actress began to contrive means for making the thing into a pageant and a show. She took the Brothers and Sisters, one after the other, into consultation separately and together. Tom Caledon, who volunteered to do anything that Avas asked of him, except kiss-in-the-ring, thought that if the Brethren alone had to amuse these young persons, there might be jealousies. Nelly observed that if that was the arrangement proposed, she should feel it her duty to put on her habit and ride about as a mounted policeman all the day. Miranda was quite sure that the monks of Thelema might be safely trusted not to flirt with village girls. All the monks present became at once much graver of aspect than was at all natural THE MOSKS OF TMELEMA. '.' or usual with them ; and Brother Peregrine, in a sepulchral voice, remarked that monks in all ages were notoriously above suspicion in that respect.

Sister Cecilia changed the conversation by asking to be allowed the se lection of the music. She Avas going to have nothing but old English tunes and songs, such as Cnru Sleeve^ Li/lifattLro, and so on. The unappreciated novelist suggested a reading, and volunteered to devote the whole afternoon, If necessary, to readings from her own works. Other offers and suggestions were made, considered, and adopted or drop ped, until the thing resolved itself into a grand series of entertainments designed to last the whole of the afternoun and evening. The fete was fixed for a Saturday; it was to be held, if the weather proved fine, in that part ol the park which lies between the Court and the little river Wey, which here winds its pretty course, and makes a great tongue of land, in which stand noble elms and sycamores, and where there is a goodly stretch of sloping grass.

The grass, however, was covered with tents and marquees, and was gay with Vene tian masts and bunting of every kind, so that VOL. II. ? it was festive to look at. There were tents for everything, including a theatre and a concert room. The whole of the amusements except the band and the choirof boys, were personally provided by the members of the order, who were the hosts and hostesses. Only Miranda begged that there should be no Avaiting on the girls by the Sisters. That part of school feasts and village festivals, she said, where the ladies go round Avith plates, and do awkwardly Avhat trained servants do well, spoils the pleasure of the guests by making them feel awkAvard and ill at ease, and turns hospitality intocondescen sion. Miranda was one of the very few peo ple who understand how to give.

The programme was printed in red and gold on silk, so that every girl might carry aAA*ay and keep hers as a little memento, just as right-minded men love to keep the menus of good dinners, and turn to them in after years, with mingled feelings of regret for the excellent things eaten, drunk, and said, on those joyous occasions. And it ran as fol lows — the red and gold are here unavoidably omitted : ABBEY OF THELEMA. Floral Games, July 28, 1877. To be enacted, represented, and performed for and by the maidens of Weyland Village and the country round. The games will commence at three p.m. But those who arrive earlier will find dinner laid for them in the long marquee at one. The Band will begin to play at two, and will go on with intermissions all the day. At 3 p.m. — There will be a canoe race on the river between Brother Peregrine and Brother Lancelot.

The prize will be permission to bestow a gold locket on any •one of the guests. At 3.30 — The Wizard of Assam. At 4 p.m. — A game of Polo, in which the Monks of the Abbey will each worthily play a monkly part. At 5 p.m. — There will be a running race for the younger girls. Prize, a new bonnet to be selected by the winner At 5.30 p.m. — Tea in the long marquee. At 6.30 p.m. — A Lottery in the Lottery tent. At 7.0 p.m. — The performance of a new and original village Comedy, written especially for this entertainment by Sister Desdemona. Music and songs by Sister Cecilia. The characters will be sustained by the Brethren and Sisters of the Order. At 8 p.m. — A concert of old English music. At 8.30 p.m. — Dancing and Lighting of the Lamps. At 9.30 p.m. — Supper in the Long Marquee. At 10 p.m. — A Grand Surprise, by Brother Peregrine.

At 10.30 — Fireworks. The guests are invited to enter freely all the tents, especially that of the Gipsy, and that of the Magic Mirror. God save the Queen. 2 — This programme looked very pretty indeed, edged round with flowers, and beautifully printed, as I have said, in red and gold. It was presented to every visitor, on arriving at the lodge gate. There were about a hundred and fifty girls in all. They came from all sorts of places for miles round ; they came on foot ; they came in spring carts ; they came in omni busses ; they came in vans. They came hours before the time. They came dressed in their very best, and in the happiest mood. But though they knew something of the prepara tions which had been made, they were not prepared for the splendour and beauty of the scene which awaited them ; for the Venetian masts, the streaming banners, the bright tents, the music— which began sooner than was advertised, because there were so many who came as early as noon — and the crowd which went to and fro, and gave life to everything.

There were no men except the servants, for the monks did not appear till the time came for their performances. Ladies there were in plenty come to see the fete, the real purpose of which was known only to Desde mona and Miranda, but no gentlemen were admitted with them. I do not think the rural nymphs lamented the absence of their swains. Some few might, perhaps, have allowed a transitory feeling of regret that so much care on their appearance would have no result in attracting some other girl's young man ; some might have felt that with a bashful lover at one's elbow things would have seemed more complete. But with most there was a feeling that the shepherd swains would certainly have got drunk, as they did at Mr. Dunlop's festival, and so spoiled everything. Fancy a lot of drunken louts among these beautiful tents and flags.

Village beauty is a flower of not unusual occurrence, as many of my readers have observed. In Gloucestershire there is a preva lent oval type which sometimes gives a face of singular sweetness : in Somersetshire the type is squared off, somehoAV, and when you get a pretty face there it carries an expres sion of something like sullenness : the Hamp shire folk, with their brown hair and round faces, are sometimes comely : and the Northumbrians with their long faces, blue eyes, and gentle voices, are often charming. At Wey land Park, which, as everybody knows, is in no one of these counties, the average of village beauty was not, perhaps, very high, but there was plenty of health in the rosy faces, and of vigour in the sturdy arms : considered as the mothers of England's future sons they afforded reason for rejoicing ; but the general type of face was decidedly common.

Yet there were exceptions. No one among them all who could have guessed the real reason of this lavish pre paration for a simple girls' merry-making. To Miranda, no expenditure could be too lavish, so that it was for Alan. With a sorrowful heart she provided this magnificent entertainment as a sort of welcome to his wife ; suppos ing that his wife was among the hundred and fifty country nymphs who graced her feast. The Brothers and Sisters dropped in one by one, and fell into the places assigned to them in the programme. The canoe race was paddled on the narrow little river, as tortuous as the Jordan, by Tom Caledon and Brother Peregrine, and it was won by Tom because his adversary, in his extreme eagerness to win, lost his balance and upset, to the rapturous joy of the assemblage. But some thought that he upset himself on purpose, in order to present the pleasing and interesting spectacle of a figure dripping wet, embellished with duck-Aveed, and running over the lawns to change flannels.

In former days this amuse ment used ahvays to be provided on Proces sion-day at Cambridge ; the boats taking it, I believe, in turns to sacrifice themselves on the altar of public derision. Sister Desdemona presented Tom Caledon with his prize, a gold locket and the permission to give it to whatever girl he pleased. There Avas a general flutter among the maidens as he stood like a sultan, the locket in his hand. They stood grouped together in little knots, as if jealous of each other ; and all eyes Avere open, all lips parted in eager expectation of his choice. There was one girl among them who looked at Tom with a kind of confidence — she alcne among them all. She was a fair haired, blue-eyed girl ; tall, pretty, and of graceful figure. " Alma thinks she's going to get it," they murmured.

"There's lots prettier than her." Tom, however, did not give it to her. He stepped straight to where, quite in the back ground, little Prudence Driver, Alan's librarian, stood little thinking of the honour that was about to fall upon her. She Avas not pretty, nor was she graceful, but Tom knew hoAv Miranda regarded her, and he thought to please the Abbess. An angry flush rose to the cheek of the girl they called Alma, but there was no possibility of disputing the award. The Polo fell rather flat, although the Brothers played Avell and with address. Polo does not powerfully appeal to the village maiden's imagination. Then there came the lottery — all prizes and no blanks. The prizes were articles of costume, useful and ornamental. Nelly held the bag, and each girl on drawing her number rushed straight to the lottery-tent, to see what was her prize.

Then came the wizard with his Indian conjuring tricks, which made them breathless with wonder and terror. And all this time the music played under the trees ; and there was the gipsy's tent, in which your fortune was told for nothing, and you came out knowing exactly not only what kind of husband you Avere to have, but also, what Mrs. Harris yearned to extort from Mrs. Gamp, your " number." And then — ah ! then — there was the tent of the Magic Mirror. Within among many curtains, and in a dim twilight, sat an aged, white-bearded man in black robes and wonderful hat, who asked your name and your age, and who then invited you to behold yourself in a mirror. That was not much to do, but as you looked, your own face disap peared and behind it came a picture — a scene in your future life. And then this remarkable old man told you things.

These must have been different because some of the girls came out with heaving bosoms, glistening eyes, flushed cheeks, and pallid lips, gasping in anticipation of the promised joy. But some emerged with downcast looks, pale and trembling, their day's enjoyment gone. The prophet was no other than Brother Peregrine himself ; it was no business of any one's that he had with him in the tent a certain " wise woman " who whispered him little secrets about every girl as she came in. She was in visible behind a curtain. I regret to say that the fame of this wonderful sorcerer spread ing upAvards, so to speak, many of the ladies and some of the Sisters sought the tent of the Magic Mirror. Among these was Nelly who came out looking sad and disappointed, and when she met Tom sighed and said, " I am so sorry that I went into the tent of the Magic Mirror.