Lives of Alcyone

Buddhist parents put on the robe for a year or two, and lived during
that time in the monastery as did the others, the number who really
made this permanently their life was comparatively small. In
Alcyone’ s case, however, the pious mother was eagerly
enthusiastic for the life of the Order, and at an early age she fired
her son with the same enthusiasm, so that he promised her to make
this his vacation.
That promise stood him in good stead in a time of trial, for he
was scarcely more than fifteen when he fell deeply in love with
Ajax—an unusually lovely young lady who was some sort of cousin
of his. The girl reciprocated his feelings, for he was strikingly
handsome boy. Their affection was deep and true and passionate,
and after their mutual confession of it and their pledges of undying
love it would certainly have followed the usual path, but for the
boy’ s recollection of that promise to his mother.
He said nothing of the matter to his father and mother, but he
had a long and terrible struggle with himself, principally because
though he felt clear as to the direction in which his duty lay,
inclination was clear to point out to him that perhaps he had no right,
even though prepared to make the sacrifice himself, to force similar
sacrifice upon Ajax. It cost him much to make his decision, and
caused him many days of great mental anguish; but at last he
decided that at all costs to himself his true vocation must be
followed, and the promise to his mother must be kept, and that
against the disappointment of his cousin, if he took one course, he
must set the even greater disappointment of his mother, if he took
the other.