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It was only the unhappy souls who suffered not for Christ at all, whom he considered were truly to be compassionated. "And if," he murmured as he moved on "this knight of former days, who is now known to us chiefly, alas! as 'Le Mourant', was a faithful servant of our Blessed Lord, why then it is as well with him as with any of the holy martyrs. May his soul rest in peace!"
No dark furrows of hesitation, cowardice, cunning, meanness or weakness marred the expressive dignity and openness of the Cardinal's countenance, the very poise of his straight spare figure and the manner in which he moved, silently asserted that inward grace of spirit without which there is no true grace of body, and as he paused in his slow pacing to and fro to gaze half-wistfully, half-mournfully upon the almost ghastly artistic achievement of "Le Mourant" he sighed, and his lips moved as if in prayer.
Through the beautiful rose-window of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, he flashed his parting rays, weaving bright patterns of ruby, gold and amethyst on the worn pavement of the ancient pile which enshrines the tomb of Richard the Lion-Hearted, as also that of Henry the Second, husband to Catherine de Medicis and lover of the brilliant Diane de Poitiers, and one broad beam fell purpling aslant into the curved and fretted choir-chapel especially dedicated to the Virgin, there lighting up with a warm glow the famous alabaster tomb known as "Le Mourant" or "The Dying One."
A strange and awesome piece of sculpture truly, is this same "Mourant"! showing, as it does with deft and almost appalling exactitude, the last convulsion of a strong man's body gripped in the death-agony.
At ease on soft couches, in hanging gardens set with fountains, these beings feasted with every refinement of cruelty. Kneeling slaves were their living tables; while for their food Tous les oiseaux de l'air, tous les poissons de l'onde, Tout ce qui vole ou nage ou rampe dans le monde, Mourant pour leur plaisir des plus cruels trepas De sanglantes savours composent leurs repas. . . .
"Victime des desirs, esclave des regrets, L'homme s'agite, et s'use, et vieillit sans progres Sur sa toile de Penelope; Comme un sage mourant, puissions-nous dire en paix J'ai trop longtemps erre, cherche; je me trompais; Tout est bien, mon Dieu m'enveloppe." Upon the small remains of Amiel's prose outside the Journal there is no occasion to dwell.
I have ordered Matthew to turn thief, and steal you a quart of honey; what is honey to the sweetness of thee, who art sweeter than all the flowers it comes from! I love you to distraction, Kitty, and will love you on so to eternity so adieu, and believe, what time will only prove me, that I am, "Yours." "Qui ne changera pas qu'en mourant.
"Vouloir ce que Dieu veut est la seule science Qui nous met en repos." None of us can escape the play of contrary impulse; but as soon as the soul has once recognized the order of things and submitted itself thereto, then all is well. "Comme un sage mourant puissions nous dire en paix: J'ai trop longtemps erre, cherche; je me trompais: Tout est bien, mon Dieu m'enveloppe." January 28, 1881.
M. Charles Greville avait tenu la plume du Conseil dans des circonstances deelicates et s'etait trouve mele a une foule d'incidents; en mourant il chargea Reeve de publier ses memoires. Cette publication eut un grand retentissement. 'Reeve etait fier d'appartenir a votre compagnie. Lorsque l'Universite d'Oxford me confera le degre de docteur il etait pres de moi.
I dare not breathe for fear of putting the dream to flight a dream traversed by angels. "Comme autrefois j'entends dans l'ether infini La musique du temps et l'hosanna des mondes." V. Scene v. "Mon epoux en mourant m'a laisse ses lumieres; Son sang dont tes bourreaux viennent de me couvrir M'a dessille les yeux et me les vient d'ouvrir. "I feel! I believe! I see!"
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