CHAPTER XIII.

How he spent the Carnival time.

WHEN the Carnival was close at hand, on the evening that the Alleluias are left off,³³   The eve of Septuagesima Sunday, when the Alleluias are left off in the divine office, They are not resumed until Easter. and the foolish people of this world begin to abandon themselves to merriment, he set about keeping in his heart a heavenly carnival, in this wise:—In the first place he considered how short-lived and hurtful the pleasure of this earthly carnival is, and how some persons with a momentary joy purchase for themselves long suffering; and then he said a “Miserere” to the adorable God for all the sins and the dishonour which would be offered to Him at this time of dissipation. This carnival he called the peasants carnival, as be fitting those who knew nothing better. His other carnival consisted in a contemplation of 45that which is the prelude of eternity; namely, how God makes merry with His chosen friends, while still clothed in this mortal body, through the heavenly consolations which He gives them; and he recounted with praises and thanksgiving those which he had himself received, and he was full of joy in the Almighty God.

At this same season of his beginnings, God once gave him a spiritual carnival, and it was in this wise. It was the carnival time, and he had gone before compline into a warm little room to warm himself, for he was miserably cold and hungry, and yet this did not cause him so much pain as the thirst from which he suffered. Now when he saw them eating meat there and drinking good wine, while he was hungry and thirsty, he was so affected by it interiorly that he soon went out again and began to lament himself, and to sigh from the very bottom of his heart. That same night it seemed to him in a vision that he was in an infirmary, and that outside the room he heard some one singing a heavenly song, and the tones rang so sweetly that no earthly harp ever sent forth the like; and it was as if a little schoolboy of twelve years old was singing there alone. The Servitor forgot all about the body’s food as he listened to the sweet 46melody, and he exclaimed with longing heart:—Ah me! what is it that is singing there? Never on earth heard I tones so sweet. A noble-looking youth, who stood by, answered him and said:—Thou shouldst know that this Boy who sings so well is singing for thee, and that thou art the object of His song. The Servitor replied:—Alas! God help me! Ah, heavenly youth, bid Him sing more. The Boy sang again, so that it resounded high in the air, and he sang about three heavenly canticles from the beginning to the end. When the song was ended it seemed as though the same Boy who sang so sweetly came through the air to the little window of the room, and presented the youth with a pretty basket filled with red fruit, like ripe red strawberries, and they were large in size. The youth took the basket from the Boy, and offered it joyfully to the brother, saying:—Look, comrade and brother! this red fruit is sent thee by thy friend and heavenly Lord, the delightful Boy, the Son of the heavenly Father, who has been singing to thee. Ah, how very dear thou art to Him! At this the brother’s face became all on fire and red with joy, and he received the basket longingly, saying:—Ah, it is well with me. This is indeed 47a lovely gift for me from the delightful heavenly Boy. My heart and soul shall ever rejoice in this. Then he said to the youth and the other heavenly beings who were there:—Ah, dear friends, is it not meet that I should be enamoured of this heavenly Boy, who is so full of graces? Yes, verily, it is meet that I should be enamoured of Him, and whatever I shall know to be His dearest will that I will always do. Then turning to the aforenamed youth, he said:—Tell me, dear youth, am I not right? The youth smiled sweetly, and said:—Yes, thou art right. It is meet for thee to be enamoured of Him; for He has regarded and honoured thee more than many other men. Therefore love Him very dearly; and I tell thee thou must also suffer more than many other men. Wherefore make thyself ready for it. The Servitor answered:—Ah, this I will do right gladly; but, I pray thee, help me to see Him and to thank Him for His beautiful gift. The youth replied:—Go then to the little window and look out. The Servitor opened the window, and there he saw standing before the window the tenderest and loveliest little boy that eye has ever seen; and when he tried to force himself through the window to get at Him, the boy turned lovingly towards 48him, and inclining Himself sweetly to him, with a friendly blessing, vanished from his sight. Thus the vision departed, and when the Servitor came to himself again, he thanked God for the good carnival which He had bestowed upon him.