What are
you reading, my lord? - asked father Hyacinth.
- Tenth
chapter of "Confessions" by Saint Augustine - said Monsignor Paul.
- "I have
learned to loved you late, my love" - quoted master Adalbert ambitiously.
- It was
three pages ago - said Monsignor Paul. - Now I am reading about libido sciendi.
- Oh, if
only my seminarians could have this libido - said master Adalbert - but with these
fools you go nowhere.
- When I
was at high school - said Monsignor Paul – I once read about Augustine in one study,
that he talked about this kind of feeling: a "libido sciendi", in the
tenth chapter of "Confessions." I liked it so much. First, because it
was in Latin, and second, because I felt that it also expressed my feelings. I had
it too! I decided I had to read the tenth chapter. Because I read Latin fairly
well already then.
- But I had
one problem - continued Monsignor Paul - where could I get
"Confessions" in the original? In our parish library they had "Confessions",
to be sure, but not in Latin.
- Well, I
went to our Latin teacher - continued Monsignor Paul. - She was about
thirty-five then, but was already archetypically severe. There were legends circulating
about her, that her personal life was very unsuccessful, or stormy. Something
of this sort.
- But she liked
me somehow - continued Monsignor Paul – even though she ignored my problem with
Augustine and his, that is my, libido sciendi. She said there was much better Latin
literature than neo-Platonists. It was only later that...
- That? - said
master Adalbert encouragingly.
- Because
we lived in the same neighborhood and there was renovation of pipes, no tap water,
and we all walked around with buckets. And then we had met in a line, and I
say: "Professor, can I help?" And I brought her water to the second
floor. Gentlemen! I searched for nothing but these books. Maybe she had "Confessions"?
But she had very few books at home. One shelf over an old sofa. God, how
disappointed I was! I remember I went out and said - well, it’s good I decided to
become a priest. Because I was already at seminary - finished Monsignor Paul
and opened his Augustine again.
- And that’s
it? – enquired master Adalbert.
- Only later I
found out that she was in the middle of moving to another place, to live with
one retired colonel. All books securely exported earlier. But actually, if she
had "Confessions," or not, I do not know. And also I did not get any
water from this bucket of hers.