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And so, when the Psalms are finished, and the daily assembly, as we
said above, is broken up, none of them dares to loiter ever so little or to
gossip with another: nor does he presume even to leave his cell throughout
the whole day, or to forsake the work which he is wont to carry on in it,
except when they happen to be called out for the performance of some
necessary duty, which they fulfil by going out of doors so that there may
not be any chattering at all among them. But every one does the work
assigned to him in such a way that, by repeating by heart some Psalm or
passage of Scripture, he gives no opportunity or time for dangerous schemes
or evil designs, or even for idle talk, as both mouth and heart are
incessantly taken up with spiritual meditations. For they are most
particular in observing this rule, that none of them, and especially of the
younger ones, may be caught stopping even for a moment or going anywhere
together with another, or holding his hands in his. But, if they discover
any who in defiance of the discipline of this rule have perpetrated any of
these forbidden things, they pronounce them guilty of no slight fault, as
contumacious and disobedient to the rules; nor are they free from suspicion
of plotting and nefarious designs. And, unless they expiate their fault by
public penance when all the brethren are gathered together, none of them is
allowed to be present at the prayers of the brethren.
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