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Article THE TRAPPISTS. ← Page 5 of 5
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The Trappists.
upon a bier in the centre ; the monks , with the superior at their head , forming a circle round it . The dim light of the tapers on the altar , and the torches carried by the brothers , gave a mellow tone to the scene which a painter ' s hand could alone do justice to , or a poet ' s tongue describe . A priest read , in a most impressive manner , the awful service of the dead , and the ashes of the deceased were consigned to their
parent earth . Returning through the cloisters , I encountered the father of the hotel , who conducted me to the apartment where I hacl left my companion , who seemed all the better pleased at my return , observing , that two Englishmen ivould be a match for any six of them . AVe soon after retired to our cells , ivhere we found the accommodation much superior to what we had ventured to anticipate . At midnight I was
disturbed by the chapel-bell summoning the brothers to their devotions . I would willingly have witnessed them , but was prevented , my cell being barred on the outside . Tliis , however , excited no alarm , and I slept soundly till morning . After an early breakfast , ive took leave of our countryman , Spencer , ivhose mannerswhatever his previous rank in life , gave indication of a
, gentleman . The baronet gave him a warm shake of the hand , and advised him to return to Old England , ancl leave the half-starved set with whom he was associating . AVe then departed , much pleased with our first , and perhaps last , visit to the far-famed monastery of La Trappe .
SIR COLQUHOUN GRANT , the present colonel of the 15 th hussars , being in command of a corps at Clonmel , gave offence to an honest shopkeeper named Mulcahy , who struck him on parade , in presence of the whole regiment . The officers rushed forward to seize the delinquent ; but Sir Colqnhoun interposed , declaring that he had been the aggressor , and as the gentleman thought proper to resent his conduct in so a mannerit remained for him to seek the usual reparation
gross , . " Oh ! " exclaimed Mulcahy , " if it ' s for fighting you are , I'll fight you , but it shall neither he with swords nor pistols , nor any thing else but my two fists ; " ( and fine big mutton fists they were , sure enough . ) "A Veil , then , " replied the gallant officer , " with all my heart . By insulting you , I have put myself on a level with you , and of course cannot refuse to meet you on your own terms . Come along , sir . " The men ivere dismissed , ancl Sir Colquhoun , accompanied by his
adversary , ancl some mutual friends , repaired to the mess-room , ivhere he very speedily closed up Mr . Mulcahy ' s peepers , ancl sent him home perfectly satisfied . That was the proudest day of Mulcahy ' s life ; and many a clay has he boasted of the black eye he got from a K . C . B ., as if it ivere an honour emblazoned upon his escutcheon . "Ever since that morning , " ivould he say , " let me meet Sir Colquhoun Grant where i might , in town or country , among lords or ladies , dressed in plain clothes , or dizened out in gold and scarlet , ho would give me his hand , and say , ' How are you Billy ?'"
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Trappists.
upon a bier in the centre ; the monks , with the superior at their head , forming a circle round it . The dim light of the tapers on the altar , and the torches carried by the brothers , gave a mellow tone to the scene which a painter ' s hand could alone do justice to , or a poet ' s tongue describe . A priest read , in a most impressive manner , the awful service of the dead , and the ashes of the deceased were consigned to their
parent earth . Returning through the cloisters , I encountered the father of the hotel , who conducted me to the apartment where I hacl left my companion , who seemed all the better pleased at my return , observing , that two Englishmen ivould be a match for any six of them . AVe soon after retired to our cells , ivhere we found the accommodation much superior to what we had ventured to anticipate . At midnight I was
disturbed by the chapel-bell summoning the brothers to their devotions . I would willingly have witnessed them , but was prevented , my cell being barred on the outside . Tliis , however , excited no alarm , and I slept soundly till morning . After an early breakfast , ive took leave of our countryman , Spencer , ivhose mannerswhatever his previous rank in life , gave indication of a
, gentleman . The baronet gave him a warm shake of the hand , and advised him to return to Old England , ancl leave the half-starved set with whom he was associating . AVe then departed , much pleased with our first , and perhaps last , visit to the far-famed monastery of La Trappe .
SIR COLQUHOUN GRANT , the present colonel of the 15 th hussars , being in command of a corps at Clonmel , gave offence to an honest shopkeeper named Mulcahy , who struck him on parade , in presence of the whole regiment . The officers rushed forward to seize the delinquent ; but Sir Colqnhoun interposed , declaring that he had been the aggressor , and as the gentleman thought proper to resent his conduct in so a mannerit remained for him to seek the usual reparation
gross , . " Oh ! " exclaimed Mulcahy , " if it ' s for fighting you are , I'll fight you , but it shall neither he with swords nor pistols , nor any thing else but my two fists ; " ( and fine big mutton fists they were , sure enough . ) "A Veil , then , " replied the gallant officer , " with all my heart . By insulting you , I have put myself on a level with you , and of course cannot refuse to meet you on your own terms . Come along , sir . " The men ivere dismissed , ancl Sir Colquhoun , accompanied by his
adversary , ancl some mutual friends , repaired to the mess-room , ivhere he very speedily closed up Mr . Mulcahy ' s peepers , ancl sent him home perfectly satisfied . That was the proudest day of Mulcahy ' s life ; and many a clay has he boasted of the black eye he got from a K . C . B ., as if it ivere an honour emblazoned upon his escutcheon . "Ever since that morning , " ivould he say , " let me meet Sir Colquhoun Grant where i might , in town or country , among lords or ladies , dressed in plain clothes , or dizened out in gold and scarlet , ho would give me his hand , and say , ' How are you Billy ?'"