CHAPTER II. HOW ALLEYNE EDRICSON CAME OUT INTO THE WORLD.

NeverhadthepeacefulatmosphereoftheoldCistercianhousebeensorudelyruffled.Neverhadtherebeeninsurrectionsosudden,soshort,andsosuccessful.YettheAbbotBerghershwasamanoftoofirmagraintoallowoneboldoutbreaktoimperilthesettledorderofhisgreathousehold.Inafewhotandbitterwords,hecomparedtheirfalsebrother'sexittotheexpulsionofourfirstparentsfromthegarden,andmorethanhintedthatunlessareformationoccurredsomeothersofthecommunitymightfindthemselvesinthesameevilandperilouscase.Havingthuspointedthemoralandreducedhisflocktoafittingstateofdocility,hedismissedthemoncemoretotheirlaborsandwithdrewhimselftohisownprivatechamber,theretoseekspiritualaidinthedischargeofthedutiesofhishighoffice. TheAbbotwasstillonhisknees,whenagentletappingatthedoorofhiscellbrokeinuponhisorisons. Risinginnoverygoodhumorattheinterruption,hegavethewordtoenterbuthislookofimpatiencesofteneddownintoapleasantandpaternalsmileashiseyesfelluponhisvisitor. Hewasathin-faced,yellow-hairedyouth,ratherabovethemiddlesize,comelyandwellshapen,withstraight,lithefigureandeager,boyishfeatures.Hisclear,pensivegrayeyes,andquick,delicateexpression,spokeofanaturewhichhadunfoldedfarfromtheboisterousjoysandsorrowsoftheworld.Yettherewasasetofthemouthandaprominenceofthechinwhichrelievedhimofanytraceofeffeminacy.Impulsivehemightbe,enthusiastic,sensitive,withsomethingsympatheticandadaptiveinhisdispositionbutanobserverofnature'stokenswouldhaveconfidentlypledgedhimselfthattherewasnativefirmnessandstrengthunderlyinghisgentle,monk-bredways. Theyouthwasnotcladinmonasticgarb,butinlayattire,thoughhisjerkin,cloakandhosewereallofasombrehue,asbefittedonewhodweltinsacredprecincts.Abroadleatherstraphangingfromhisshouldersupportedascriporsatchelsuchastravellerswerewonttocarry.Inonehandhegraspedathickstaffpointedandshodwithmetal,whileintheotherheheldhiscoiforbonnet,whichboreinitsfrontabroadpewtermedal