To Esther he wrote by the same post:
My dear Sister Esther Magdalene,
Do not be angry with me for running away, and do not despise me for
trying to enter a monastery in such a mood. I'm as much the prey of
religion as you are. And I am really horrified by the revelation of
what I am capable of. I saw in your eyes yesterday the passion of
your soul for Divine things. The memory of them awes me. Pray for
me, dear sister, that all my passion may be turned to the service
of God. Defend me to your brother, who will not understand my
behaviour.
Mark.
Three days later Mark wrote again to the Rector:
The Abbey,
Malford,
Surrey.
June 27th.
My dear Rector,
I do hope that you're not so much annoyed with me that you don't
want to hear anything about my monastic adventures. However, if you
are you can send back this long letter unopened. I believe that is
the proper way to show one's disapproval by correspondence.
I reached Malford yesterday afternoon, and after a jolly walk
between high hazel hedges for about two miles I reached the Abbey.
It doesn't quite fulfil one's preconceived ideas of what an abbey
should look like, but I suppose it is the most practicable building
that could be erected with the amount of money that the Order had
to spare for what in a way is a luxury for a working order like
this.
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