Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

THE VISION OF OLD ANDREW THE WEAVER.
domed the gorgeous roof, the stalls and canopios, aye, and
every one of those beaming stars above, BI.-UL forth llx'ii- vnis
in unison with that sainted congregation at whose devotions
they were assisting.
Slow and solemn was the strain and plaintive, breathing at
once of hopes deferred, and of earnest and trustful prayer,
embodying together, as it were, the feelings of those two
classes of God's saints, whom Andrew had this night been permitted
to behold the one ; suffering, assembled there behind
him in the nave, the other triumphing, yet full of sympathy for
their less fortunate brethren, and therefore met together in the
chancel before him to intercede for them. Now it was as the
Toice of one pleading his cause with tears, and bowing bown
to the very dust to sue for mercy, and now it was as the united
efforts of thousands determined even to do violence to heaven,
and clamorous before the throne of God, " that eternal rest
might be given to the souls in prison, and perpetual light be
made to shine upon them "* and anon the full chorus would
;
burst forth joyously, s if its prayer was heard, for truly it was
proper to raise up a hymn of jubilation in Siou, and to pay
TOWS in Jerusalem, to Him who had heard the prayer of His
children and granted their petition.!
Andrew listened as one in a trance. Every faculty seemed
to be absorbed in the sense of hearing ; and when at length
of dis-
the harmony suddenly took up another mode expressive
may and anguish, and tha voices even of saints and angels
grew tremulous, as they sung of " the day of wrath, that dread-
ful day," he bent down and pressed his hands over his eyes, as
if at onoe to shut out the fearful images that rose up before
him, and to exclude every sight that could mar the effect of the
sublime strains that were searching into his very sonL And
thus did he remain quite absorbed in that wondrous hymn, al-
ternately terrified, and consoled, and filled with hope and love,
as the deep meanings of it stirring words were infused into his
oul by the changeful voices of that unearthly choir.
At length the chanters ceased, and Andrew raised his head
to watch the ceremonies at the altar. He perceived that
the deacon was just about to chant the gospel, and instinctively
stood up to listen to it. He easily recognized the
words, for it was the Gospel of the Mass for All Souls' Day
which he knew was the account of the conversation between
Jesus and Martha just before He raised her brother Lazarus
from the tomb. But never had its meaning come so home to
his heart as now. To hear those words of Jesus, " thy brother
shall rise again, believest thou this ? " and the reply of Martha,
" I know that h shall rise again in the resurrection of the last
day," thus sung by lips that for ages, perhaps, had been
mouldering in the grave ; and to look at the same time at the
than his.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, there was a pause. Andrew
had been told that this was the proper time for the sermon,
but he could not imagine what instruction saints, already immersed
in glory, such as the congregation before him, could
want ; so he stood wondering what new scene might be pre-
itated whether to dare even to whisper it.
Bequiem ternam dona ail Domino ;
Hua for th Dead.
T te drat hymnm, Dem in Sion j
audl orationem lueam. Ib.
t lui prpetua lucet elm. Introi* of
t tibi rdatur TOtum In Jerusalem ; ei-
" Make haste, if thon hast aught to ask," the voice resumed,
"ortho ceremony will proceed."
" "
I had a wish," the old roan now replied, but I think it is
worse than useless to speak of it here."
" Thou shult see," was the rejoinder, and at a motion pf the
Seraph's hand, one of the occupants of the stalls gently glided
from his place, and stood before the astonished and now trem-
bling weaver.
He had the appearance of a man somewhat past the prime of
life, and might have been thought toil-worn and emaciated, but
for an inexpressible glow that seemed to radiate from his fea-
tures, lending a charm to those wrinkles and deep marked furrows,
that told of cares and labors long endured, and would
have made a face less glorified painful to look upon. He wa
dressed in a coarse brown habit reaching to his feet, with a
hood of the same material thrown back behind. A rough cord
formed his girdle, and from it hung a rudely carved rosary,
with its wooden cross and skull. His neck and feet were bare,
the latter being protected only by leather sandals. His head
too was uncovered, and entirely shaven round the crown. But
his coarse habit and girdle, and rough. formed sandals, everything
in fact that he wore, though conveying an idea of the
lowest poverty, seemed interwoven with threads of gold, and
glittered as if powdered over with diamonds. ^
His arms were crossed upon his breast, his head bowed downwards,
and his eyes cast upon the ground, and his countenance
and whole demeanor spoke of such a deep humility and of such
pure benevolence that old Andrew's heart leaped up into his
throat for love of him as he gazed upon him.
" What would you with me, brother ?" he began, seeing that
Andrew was abashed and confused. His soft and winning
Toice quite reassured the old man, and he venture*} to mention
the wish of which he had already repented, adding " that he
would not have thought of speaking of it here, only for the
angel. For, of course, no one would be willing to exchange
heaven for earth, when once he had got safe there. " " Not so
much a thing of course," the saint replied, " if a Christian's
soul can be saved thereby."
"But you wouldn't have me believe," asked Andrew, "that
any one would give up such bliss as yours to come again to
earth, even for the salvation of a thousand souls ?"
"It has been done," was the reply, "by one whose bliss
surpassed even that which the highest of the saints enjoys ;
and He has told us to learn of Him. Why should this lesson,
of which He set us the example, be the only one left un-
shining bodies of so many who had believed in Jesus just risen
from their tombs, did indeed give a force to the narative of the
Evangelist, that practised?"
Andrew fixed his eyes upon
might well strike a far more tutored mind
the speaker to see if he was
really in earnest. But everything in that glowing countenance
showed that what he said was from the heart, and that he was
ready, if it were allowed him, to make a sacrifice such as this.
" But is it possible 1" faltered the old man "
would ; you
no I cannot believe it I daren't ask the question."
"Would I, you mean to say," the holy man proceeded,
" consent to exchange my lot for yours ?"
paring.
But for a few minutes all was still, until he seemed to hear
ft voice, that came, he fancied, from one of the angels at his
side, yet not from his lips, nor did it enter through his own
ears, though it was clearly audible in his heart.
"Child of clay," it seemed
"
to say, hast thou not some request
to make ? Now is the "
proper time for it.
He was bewildered by the question, and began to ransack
his memory to find out what he stood most in need of, when
gradually the wish that he had uttered, of changing places
with some one in the church-yard, came back to his mind.
But so extravagant did it seem to be renewed Andrew scarce dared to express
here, that he hes-
his assent, but the saint replied,
as if to his thoughts: "Yes, willingly; if Jesus will
permit, and your salvation can be secured thereby."
He cast his eyes for a moment up to the rood above, as if it
were to ask to be allowed to forego the privileges of his glorified
state for the sake of charity, and it seemed to Andrew, aa
if his look was responded to by ft new and brighter flood of
glory descending on his head.
"
But he was still incredulous. Excuse me, sir," he began,
"if I make bold to say, that either the world's mightily
changed since your days, or else you don't know what poverty
is, nor how poor and miserable I am."
" The world is and always has been much the same," was
the reply, " as far as trials and crosses go. And as for poverty,
look at my dress. Suppose it to be divested of the beauty
which the goodness of Jesus has shed upon it, and then tell
think it too coarse
me, would not the poorest of your cottagers
and thread-bare to be worn ? It was my dress on earth, and is
good sample of "
everything that was about mo,
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