The monk rushed out of the church, and through the streets till he
reached the Convent of the Augustines which he sought. He rang, was
admitted, and led into the refectory, where the Prior sat at a
covered table surrounded by priests who were entertained in the
convent in order to make their confessions, and to take the
communion during the fast. Before them were pheasants, with truffles
and hard-boiled eggs, salmon and oysters, eels and heads of wild
boar--above all, quantities of wine in pitchers and glasses.
"Sit down, little monk!" was the Prior's greeting. "You have a
letter: good! Put it under the table-cloth. Eat, drink, and be
merry, for tomorrow we die!"
The monk sat down, but it was Friday, and he could not bring himself
to eat flesh on that day. It pained him also to see the licence
which prevailed here; still they were his superiors, and the rule of
his order forbade him to reprove them.
The Prior, who had just been speaking with some special guest,
continued to talk volubly, although conversation was forbidden.
"Yes, worthy friend, we have come as far as this now in Rome. This
is Christ's Kingdom as it was announced at the first Christmas, 'One
Shepherd, One Sheepfold.' The Holy Father rules over the whole Roman
Empire as it was under Caesar and Augustus.
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