第26部分(第1/7 頁)

fore　taking　solemn　vows；　which　can　only　be　dissolved　by　the　Pope。　pare　this　caution　with　the　approved　facility　with　which　a　man　may　bind　himself　for　long　periods　as　a　soldier　or　for　life　in　marriage！　I　may　eventually　regret　it；　but　what　may　not　be　regretted；　and　how　many　things　have　most　men　done　which　they　do　regret！　Surely　you　should　not　omit　to　do　a　good　thing　because　you　may　regret　it。　I　might　say　a　good　deal　more；　but　have　no　time。　I　once　more　thank　you　for　writing　as　you　did；　with　your　old　warmth　and　not　without　your　old　eloquence。　Finally；　if　you　like　to　e　here；　if　you　have　the　time；　the　inclination；　and　the　opportunity；　I　am　sure　the　Abbot　would　be　very　glad　to　acmodate　you　for　any　time　under　three　months　（that　is　the　rule）　in　the　guest…house。　I　warn　you　however　that　the　fare　is　very　frugal；　and　twenty…four　hours　might　exhaust　your　patience。

Very　sincerely　yours；

J。　Sheil。

It　seems　to　me　that；　in　the　above　letter；　dear　Sheil　goes　far　towards　justifying　the　attack　that　I　had　evidently　made　upon　his　position。　“Permit　me　。　。　。　at　least　to　think　of　flight。”　He　admits　that　he　had　run　away　from　the　world　and　its　temptations　because　of　“the　hideous　consequences　of　defeat；”　i。e。　the　loss　of　his　soul。　His　idea　was　that　by　shutting　himself　up　in　an　iron　box　he　would　avoid　sin　and　its　“hideous　consequences。”　But　I　wonder　now；　as　I　wondered　then；　whether；　supposing　the　capitulation　to　the　natural　impulses　of　the　body　to　be　cardinal　sin；　such　sin　is　really　avoided　by　the　method　of　the　iron　box？　True；　they　cannot　be　gratified；　for；　if　you　wish　to　drink；　there　is　no　whisky；　if　you　wish　to　make　love；　there　is　no　woman；　and　so　forth。　Yet　in　that　case　does　not　the　wish　assume　the　proportions　of　the　acplished　deed？　A　noted　passage　in　the　New　Testament　seem