Портрет художника в юности

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           —REMEMBERONLYTHYLASTTHINGSANDTHOUSHALTNOTSINFOREVER—wordstaken,mydearlittlebrothersinChrist,fromthebookofEcclesiastes,seventhchapter,fortiethverse.InthenameoftheFatherandoftheSonandoftheHolyGhost.Amen.

           Stephensatinthefrontbenchofthechapel.FatherArnallsatatatabletotheleftofthealtar.Heworeabouthisshouldersaheavycloak;hispalefacewasdrawnandhisvoicebrokenwithrheum.Thefigureofhisoldmaster,sostrangelyrearisen,broughtbacktoStephen’smindhislifeatClongowes:thewideplaygrounds,swarmingwithboys;thesquareditch;thelittlecemeteryoffthemainavenueoflimeswherehehaddreamedofbeingburied;thefirelightonthewalloftheinfirmarywherehelaysick;thesorrowfulfaceofBrotherMichael.Hissoul,asthesememoriescamebacktohim,becameagainachild’ssoul.

           —Weareassembledheretoday,mydearlittlebrothersinChrist,foronebriefmomentfarawayfromthebusybustleoftheouterworldtocelebrateandtohonouroneofthegreatestofsaints,theapostleoftheIndies,thepatronsaintalsoofyourcollege,saintFrancisXavier.Yearafteryear,formuchlongerthananyofyou,mydearlittleboys,canrememberorthanIcanremember,theboysofthiscollegehavemetinthisverychapeltomaketheirannualretreatbeforethefeastdayoftheirpatronsaint.Timehasgoneonandbroughtwithititschanges.