But Sir Oliver had spent both money and loving care in restoring
and beautifying the little place, and now the daily mass was said
there by Brother Emmanuel, and the members of the household were
encouraged to attend as often as their duties would permit. The
brother, too, would go about amongst the people and talk with them
as they pursued their tasks, and not one even of the rudest and
roughest but would feel the better for the kindly and beneficent
influence of the youthful ecclesiastic.

Brother Emmanuel had one of those keenly intelligent and versatile
minds that are always craving a wider knowledge, and think no
knowledge, even of the humblest, beneath notice. He would ask the
poorest wood cutter to instruct him in the handling of his tool or
in the simple mysteries of his craft as humbly as though he were
asking instruction from one of the learned of the land. No
information, no occupation came amiss to him. He saw in all toil a
dignity and a power, and he strove to impress upon every worker, of
whatever craft he might be, that to do his day's work with all his
might and with the best powers at his command was in truth one
excellent way of serving God, and more effectual than any number of
Paters and Aves said whilst idling away the time that should be
given to his master's service.

Such teaching might not be strictly orthodox from a monkish
standpoint, but it commended itself to the understanding and the
approval of simple folks; and the brother was none the less beloved
and respected that his talk and his teaching did not follow the
cut-and-dried rules of his order. Sir Oliver and his wife thought
excellently of the young man, and to the boys he was friend as well
as tutor.