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ST. ANTHONY AND THE HOLY CHILD.[3]
St. Anthony had been sent a long way off to preach;[4] by the way fatigue overtook him, and he found hospitality for a few days in a monastery by the way. Later in the evening came a Protestant[5] and asked hospitality, and he also was received, because you know there are many Protestants who are very good; and, besides that, if the man needed hospitality the monks would give it, whoever he might be.
The monks were all in their cells by an early hour in the evening, but the Protestant walked up and down the corridors smoking.
Suddenly through the cracks and the keyhole and all round the lintel of the door he saw a bright light issue where anon all was dark; it seemed as if the cell was on fire. ‘One of the good monks has set fire to his bedclothes!’ he said, and looked through the keyhole. What did he see? on the open book from which a father who was kneeling before it had been taking his meditations stood a beautiful Child whom it filled you with love to look at, and from Whom shone a light too bright to bear.
Anxious to obtain a better view of the glorious sight the Protestant knocked at the door; St. Anthony, for it was he, called to him to come in; but instantly the vision vanished.
‘Who was that Child who was talking to you?’ asked the Protestant.
‘The Divine Infant!’ answered St. Anthony with the greatest simplicity.
The next night the Protestant, curious to know if the Child would appear again, again walked up and down the corridor smoking, keeping his eye on the door of St. Anthony’s cell; nor was it long before the same sight met his eye, but this time he was led to prolong his converse with the saint. The next night there was the same prodigy, and that night they sat up all night talking.
When morning came he told the father abbot he wished to make his adjuration and join the order, and he finally took the habit in that monastery.