Theodosius and Constantia
Dublin Core
Title
Theodosius and Constantia
Creator
[Unknown]
Source
http://addison.vt.edu/record=b1775388~S1
Publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Date
July 1875
Contributor
Michelle Seref, Kelly Holler
Rights
Permission to publish images from The Gray Jacket must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Type
short story
Identifier
LD5655.V8 L4, ser.1, v.1, no.1 (July 1875), p.1-2
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Constantia was a woman of extraordinary wit and beauty, but very unhappy in a father who, having arrived at great riches by his own industry, took delight in nothing but his money.
Theodosius was the younger son of a decayed family, of great parts and learning, improved by a genteel and virtuous education. When he was in the twentieth year of his age, he became acquainted with Constantia; who had not then passed her fifteenth. As he lived but a few miles distant from her father's house, he had frequent opportunities of seeing her; and by the advantages of a good person and a pleasing conversation made such an impression on her heart as it was impossible for time to efface : he was himself no less smitten with Constantia. A long acquaintance made them still discover new beauties in each other, and by degrees raised in them that mutual passion -which had an influence on their following lives. It unfortunately happened that in the midst of their intercourse of love and friendship, there broke out an irreparable quarrel between their parents, the one valueing himself too much upon his birth, and the other upon his possessions. The father of Constantia was so incensed at the father of Theodosius - that he contracted an unreasonable aversion toward his son, insomuch that he forbade him his house, and charged his daughter never to see him more.
The next morning she was alarmed by two or three messengers that came to her father's house to inquire if they had beard any thing of Theodosius, who, it seams, had left his chamber about !midnight, and could nowhere be found.
Constantia, had now but in her divotions and exercises of religion, to which her afflictions had so entirely subjected. her mind that after some years had abated the violence of her sorrowers, and settled her thoughts in a kind of tranquility, she resolved to pass the remainder of her days in a convent. Accordingly her father carried her to a neigh boring city, in order to look out a sisterhood of nuns, among whom to place his daughter.
There was in this place a father of a convent, who was very much renowned for his piety and exemplary life ; and as it is usual in the Romish Church for those who are under any great affliction or trouble of mind, to apply themselves to most confessors for pardon and consolation our beautiful votary took the opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
We must now return to Theodosius who, the very morning that the above enquiries had been made after him arrived at a religious house in the city where now Constantia resided.
Having in youth, made a good progress in learning, that he might dedicate himself more entirely to religion, he entered into holy orders.
It was to this holy man whom Constantia had determined to apply herself in confession, though neither she nor any other, besides the prior of the convent, knew any thing of his name.
Theodosius had now taken upon him the name of Father Francis, and was so far concealed in a long beard, a shaven head, and a religious habit, that it was impossible to discover the man of the world in the venerable conventual.
As he was one morning shut up in his confessional Constantin, kneeling by him, opened the state of her soul to him. "My behavior," said she, "has, I fear, been the death of a man who had no other fault but that of loving me too much. Heaven only knows how dear he was to me."
Seeing his penitent overwhelmed with grief, he was only able to bid her from time to time be comforted -- to tell her that her sins were forgiven her, directing her at the same to repair to him again the next day, that he might encourage her in the good resolutions she had taken.
Constantia retired and the next morning renewed her application.
"The rules of our orders" said Father Francis, "will not permit that I should see you more, but assure yourself not only of having a place in my prayers, but of receiving such frequent instructions as I can convey to you by letters."
As soon as her reception was over, she retired with the abbess into her own apartment.
The abbess had hen informed, the night before, of all that had passed between her novitiate and Father Francis, from whom she now delivered to her the following letter:
"I must acquaint you that Theodosius is still alive, and that the father to whom you have confessed is he.
"Consider him as still dead, but assure yourself of one who will not cease to pray for you in Father "Francis."
Constantia saw that the handwriting agreed with the content of the letter, and upon reflecting on the voice of the person, and the behavior, she discovered Theodosius in every particular. After having wept with tears of joy, she said, "It is enough, Theodosius is still in being I shall live with comfort and die in peace."
It so happened that, after Constantia had lived about ten years in the cloister a violent fever broke out in the place, which swept away great multitudes, and among others, Theodosius. Upon his death-bed he sent his benediction in a very moving manner to Constantia, who at that time was herself so far gone in he fatal distemper that she lay delirious.
Upon the interval which generlly cedes death in sickness of this nature, the abbess, finding that the physicians had given her over, told her that Theodosius was dust gone before her, and that he had sent her his benediction in his last Moments.
Constantia died soon after and was interred according to her request, with Theodosius.
Theodosius was the younger son of a decayed family, of great parts and learning, improved by a genteel and virtuous education. When he was in the twentieth year of his age, he became acquainted with Constantia; who had not then passed her fifteenth. As he lived but a few miles distant from her father's house, he had frequent opportunities of seeing her; and by the advantages of a good person and a pleasing conversation made such an impression on her heart as it was impossible for time to efface : he was himself no less smitten with Constantia. A long acquaintance made them still discover new beauties in each other, and by degrees raised in them that mutual passion -which had an influence on their following lives. It unfortunately happened that in the midst of their intercourse of love and friendship, there broke out an irreparable quarrel between their parents, the one valueing himself too much upon his birth, and the other upon his possessions. The father of Constantia was so incensed at the father of Theodosius - that he contracted an unreasonable aversion toward his son, insomuch that he forbade him his house, and charged his daughter never to see him more.
The next morning she was alarmed by two or three messengers that came to her father's house to inquire if they had beard any thing of Theodosius, who, it seams, had left his chamber about !midnight, and could nowhere be found.
Constantia, had now but in her divotions and exercises of religion, to which her afflictions had so entirely subjected. her mind that after some years had abated the violence of her sorrowers, and settled her thoughts in a kind of tranquility, she resolved to pass the remainder of her days in a convent. Accordingly her father carried her to a neigh boring city, in order to look out a sisterhood of nuns, among whom to place his daughter.
There was in this place a father of a convent, who was very much renowned for his piety and exemplary life ; and as it is usual in the Romish Church for those who are under any great affliction or trouble of mind, to apply themselves to most confessors for pardon and consolation our beautiful votary took the opportunity of confessing herself to this celebrated father.
We must now return to Theodosius who, the very morning that the above enquiries had been made after him arrived at a religious house in the city where now Constantia resided.
Having in youth, made a good progress in learning, that he might dedicate himself more entirely to religion, he entered into holy orders.
It was to this holy man whom Constantia had determined to apply herself in confession, though neither she nor any other, besides the prior of the convent, knew any thing of his name.
Theodosius had now taken upon him the name of Father Francis, and was so far concealed in a long beard, a shaven head, and a religious habit, that it was impossible to discover the man of the world in the venerable conventual.
As he was one morning shut up in his confessional Constantin, kneeling by him, opened the state of her soul to him. "My behavior," said she, "has, I fear, been the death of a man who had no other fault but that of loving me too much. Heaven only knows how dear he was to me."
Seeing his penitent overwhelmed with grief, he was only able to bid her from time to time be comforted -- to tell her that her sins were forgiven her, directing her at the same to repair to him again the next day, that he might encourage her in the good resolutions she had taken.
Constantia retired and the next morning renewed her application.
"The rules of our orders" said Father Francis, "will not permit that I should see you more, but assure yourself not only of having a place in my prayers, but of receiving such frequent instructions as I can convey to you by letters."
As soon as her reception was over, she retired with the abbess into her own apartment.
The abbess had hen informed, the night before, of all that had passed between her novitiate and Father Francis, from whom she now delivered to her the following letter:
"I must acquaint you that Theodosius is still alive, and that the father to whom you have confessed is he.
"Consider him as still dead, but assure yourself of one who will not cease to pray for you in Father "Francis."
Constantia saw that the handwriting agreed with the content of the letter, and upon reflecting on the voice of the person, and the behavior, she discovered Theodosius in every particular. After having wept with tears of joy, she said, "It is enough, Theodosius is still in being I shall live with comfort and die in peace."
It so happened that, after Constantia had lived about ten years in the cloister a violent fever broke out in the place, which swept away great multitudes, and among others, Theodosius. Upon his death-bed he sent his benediction in a very moving manner to Constantia, who at that time was herself so far gone in he fatal distemper that she lay delirious.
Upon the interval which generlly cedes death in sickness of this nature, the abbess, finding that the physicians had given her over, told her that Theodosius was dust gone before her, and that he had sent her his benediction in his last Moments.
Constantia died soon after and was interred according to her request, with Theodosius.