to sound faith and good conversation. This experience of
parish work must have been of the greatest value to the future bishop,
for the tragedy and comedy of life is just as visible in the smallest
village as it is in the largest empire. The cloister-bred lad must have
learnt on this small organ to play that good part which he afterwards
was called upon to play upon a larger instrument. One instance is
recorded of his discipline. A case of open adultery came under his
notice. He sent for the man and gave him what he considered to be a
suitable admonition. The offender replied with threats and abuse. Hugh,
gospel in hand, pursued him first with two and then with three
witnesses, offering pardon upon reform and penance. No amendment was
promised. Both guilt and scandal continued. Then Hugh waited for a
festival, and before a full congregation rebuked him publicly, declared
the greatness of his sin, handed him over to Satan for the death of his
flesh with fearful denunciations, except he speedily came to his senses.
The man was thunderstruck, and brought to his knees at a blow. With
groans and tears he confessed, did penance (probably at the point of the
deacon's stick), was absolved and received back to the fold; so
irresistible was this young administrator who knew St. Augustine's
advice that "in reproof, if one loves one's neighbour enough, one can
even say anything to him."

But Hugh was ill at ease in his charge, and his heart burned towards the
mountains, where the Grande Chartreuse had revived the austerities of
ancient monasticism. It seemed so grand to be out of and above the
world, in solitary congregation, with hair shirt, hard diet, empty flesh
pot, and full library, in the deep silence and keen air of the
mountains. Here hands that had gripped the sword and the sceptre were
turned to the spade and lifted only in prayer. There were not only the
allurements of hardship, but also his parents' faith and his own early
lessons tugging at his heart strings. He found means to go with his
prior into the awful enclosure, and the austere passion seized him. He
told his heart's desire to an old ex-baron, who probably felt some alarm
that a young gentleman who had campaigned so slightly in the plains of
active life should aspire to dwell upon these stern hills of
contemplation. "My dear boy, how dare you think of such a thing?" he
answered, and then, looking at the refined young face before him, warned
the deacon against t