human
Revile that stone, and beat it soundly.
gpt
Did the stone say anything? He answered,
human
No.
gpt
Unto this perfection shalt thou one day come.
human
What were you before you were a monk? He answered,
gpt
A shepherd. Then he asked again,
human
And do you live a harder or an easier life now than then? He replied,
gpt
I have more comforts now. Then said the other,
human
Seest thou this abbot? When he was in the world he was the father of emperors. A thousand slaves with golden girdles and tippets of velvet waited on him, and rich carpets were spread under him. _Thou_ hast gained by the change which has made thee a monk; it is thou who art now encompassed with comforts, but he is afflicted.
gpt
Abbot, where are you?
human
I stand before the judgment seat.
gpt
What, father! do you you too fear? think of your works.
human
I have no confidence till I shall have met my God.
gpt
Is it good to cloak a brother's fault?
human
As often as we hide a brother's sin, God hides one of ours, but he tells ours in that hour in which we tell our brother's.
gpt
Unless a man says in his heart, I and my God are the only two in the world, he will not have rest.
human
I weep, he said,