Letters416 Letter CDXVI. To a person unknown.

Bernard assures him that he has not been charged with the distribution of Count Theobald’s alms.

- A biting letter, such as you sent me lately, according to your habit, shows that you are irritated against me. I thought at first that it was a form of pleasantry in which you were as usual indulging, and that you did not mean seriously what you said: but a monk who happened to come here from your neighbourhood, disabused me of that idea. He knew nothing previously of those letters of yours, except what he had heard from me: but without knowing it he repeated to me the exact sense of them, though in other words: so that I could no longer doubt LETTER CDXVII.

that you had been indulging suspicions against me with respect to the almsgiving of the Count of Champagne, that I had in some way done injustice to absent friends.

And you thought this, because you imagined that the gifts of the Count passed through my hands. But anyone must be very ignorant both of the Count and of me, to suppose that he acts or determines his gifts, according to my advice. Now that matter is settled. Furthermore, I have permitted myself to request importunately, I might.almost say impudently, that some gift might be made to various monasteries, and in particular to that very bishop, in whose cause (for I suppose you did not write to me openly on your own behalf) you have spoken so harshly; and I have failed. The Count himself has made distribution of his means, what he chose, and ter whom he chose; partly indeed in my presence, but not by my hands; and I am far from complaining of this. I might perhaps have been able to obtain something for myself, had I chosen to do so; but I thank God that by His help, I was so far from doing this, that I declined what was offered to me. At present you may, if you think fit, believe me rather than common report, in matters concerning myself; there is no reason that I know of why you should think the Bishop or me unworthy of the bounties which you have been accustomed to bestow up to the present time. Be sure of this, that we are prepared to go without, whatever we are not considered worthy to have.