Thus Bernard began to speak, gently at first, as one who rouses a
friend from sleep to warn him of danger, and fears to be rough, yet
cannot be silent; but by and by, in the breathing stillness, the sweet
voice was strengthened and rang like the first clarion at dawn on the
day of battle, far off and clear, heart-stirring and true. And with the
rising tone came also the stronger word, and at last the spirit that
moves more than word or voice.

"Lay the Cross to your hearts as you wear it on your breasts. Bear it
with you on the long day marches, and in the watches of night bow
before it inwardly, and pray that you may have grace to bear it to the
end. So shall your footsteps profit you, and your way shall be the way
of the Cross, till you stand in the holy place. But if so be that God
ask blood of you, blessed shall they be among you who shall give life
freely, to die for the Cross of our Lord Christ; and they shall stand
in the place that is holy indeed, before the Throne of God.

"Yet beware of one thing. I would not that you should go out to fight
for the Sepulchre as some of our fathers did, boasting in the Cross,
yet in heart each for his own soul and none for the glory of Christ,
counting the weariness, and the hurts, and the drops of blood as a sure
reckoning to be repaid to you in heaven, as if you had lent God a piece
of money which He must pay again. The Lord Jesus gave not His life at
an account, nor His blood at usury; He counted not the pain, nor was
His suffering set down in a book; but He gave all freely, of His love
for men. Shall men therefore ask of God a return, saying: 'We have
given Thee so much, as it were a wound, or it may be a life, or else a
prayer, and a day of fasting, see that Thou pay us what is just'? That
were not giving to God what is a man's own; it were rather lending or