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Dranslated"b/"%rmand".."'aMer http://NNN.armand&baMer.com/inde .html D*!"#@S!B!B!""O%"Beli+ious":e+endP" b/"$ustavo"%dol&o"'(c)uer " " " %"&eN"months"a+o"@"visited"the"renoNned"%bbe/"o&".itero,"and"Nhile"@"Nas" looMin+"throu+h"some"o&"the"booMs"in"the"abandoned"librar/,"in"one"corner"@"discovered" several"old"sheets"o&"music"that"Nere"covered"Nith"dust"and"had"alread/"been"cheNed"on" b/"rats." " @t"Nas"a"Miserere." " @"MnoN"ver/"little"about"music,"but"@"en5o/"listenin+"to"it"so"much"that,"even"i&"@" donQt"understand"it,"@"have"sometimes"taMen"a"musical"score"and"spent"time"lea&in+" throu+h"the"pa+es,"e aminin+"the"complicated"+roups"o&"notes,"the"semicircles"and"

trian+les,"and"the"stran+e"thin+"the/"call"Me/s8"all"that,"Nithout"understandin+"an/thin+"or" receivin+"much"bene&it"&rom"it." " 7onsistent"Nith"this"mania"o&"mine,"@"looMed"throu+h"the"sheets"o&"music"and"the" &irst"thin+"@"noticed"Nas"the"&act"that,"althou+h"the"last"pa+e"ended"Nith"Nord"finis,"Nhich" in":atin"means"RDhe"end,S"the"#iserere"Nas"not"&inished,"because"the"music"did"not"have" more"than"ten"verses." " Dhis"Nas"Nhat"+ot"m/"attention"at"&irst,"but"Nhen"@"looMed"more"closel/"at"the" sheets"o&"music,"@"noticed"that,"instead"o&"the"@talian"terms"the/"usuall/"use,"liMe" maestoso, allegro, "ritardando, pi vivo, pianissimo, "there"Nere"some"lines"Nritten"in" &ine"print"in"$erman,"some"o&"Nhich"mentioned"thin+s"that"Nould"be"di&&icult"to"do,"liMe:" Rthe/"are"creaMin+T,"the"bones"creaM"and"it"should"seem"liMe"cries"that"come"&rom"the" marroNS8"or"this"other"one,"Rthe"chord"moans"Nithout"bein+"out"o&"tune,"the"brass" thunders"but"does"not"dea&en8"there&ore,"ever/thin+"is"heard"and"nothin+"is"lost,"and"all"o&" this"is"*umanit/"that"sobs"and"moansS8"and"then"undoubtedl/"the"stran+est"o&"all,"at"the" end"o&"the"&inal"verse"it"declared:" " RDhe"notes"are"bones"covered"Nith"&lesh8"und/in+"li+ht,"the"heavens"and"their" harmon/T,"stren+th<T,"stren+th"and"sNeetness.S" " ROnce"@"Nas"able"to"translate"some"o&"the"phrases"that"seem"to"be"Nritten"b/"a" madman,"@"asMed"an"elderl/"mad"Nho"Nas"Nith"me,"RAo"/ou"MnoN"Nhat"this"means?S" " Dhe"old"man"then"told"me"the"stor/,"Nhich"@"am"noN"+oin+"to"repeat"&or"/ou." " " " @" " " #an/"/ears"a+o,"on"a"darM"and"rain/"ni+ht,"a"pil+rim"arrived"at"the"door"to"the" cloister"o&"this"%bbe/"and"he"asMed"&or"a"&ire"to"dr/"his"clothes,"some"bread"to"satis&/"his" hun+er,"and"a"place"to"sta/"until"the"ne t"da/"Nhen"he"Nould"continue"his"5ourne/." " %&ter"+ivin+"the"pil+rim"a"li+ht"meal,"a"plain"bed,"and"a"&ire"to"Narm"and"dr/"him," and"a&ter"he"had"time"to"recover"&rom"his"&ati+ue,"the"la/"brother"Nho"provided"these" services"asMed"him"about"the"purpose"o&"his"pil+rima+e"and"the"destination"to"Nhich"he" Nas"travelin+." " R@"am"a"musician,S"the"he"ansNered."R@"Nas"born"&ar"&rom"here,"and"in"m/" homeland"@"had"achieved"+reat"renoNn."Uhen"@"Nas"/oun+,"@"used"m/"artistic"talent"as"a" Neapon"o&"seduction"and"Nith"it"@"i+nited"some"passions"that"led"me"to"a"crime."FoN"that" @"am"old"@"Nant"to"taMe"the"abilities"@"used"&or"evil"and"use"them"&or"somethin+"+ood8"in" this"Na/"@"hope"to"redeem"m/sel&"Nith"the"ver/"thin+"that"Nould"condemn"me.S" " Since"these"eni+matic"Nords"o&"the"stran+er"Nere"not"clear"to"the"la/"brother" Nhose"curiosit/"had"been"aNaMened,"he"asMed"more")uestions,"and"the"pil+rim"continued" in"this"&ashion:" " RAeep"inside"me"@"Nas"&eelin+"+uilt"&or"Nhat"@"had"done8"@"Nanted"to"asM"$od"&or" &or+iveness"but"couldnQt"&ind"the"appropriate"Nords"to"e press"m/"repentance"Nhen,"b/" chance,"m/"e/es"happened"to"&all"on"a"sacred"booM."@"opened"it"and"on"one"o&"its"pa+es"@" &ound"an"e ample"o&"true"contrition,"a"psalm"o&"Aavid"Nhich"be+ins:"Miserere mei, Deus! " !ver"since"the"moment"Nhen"@"read"the"Nords"o&"that"psalm,"m/"onl/"thou+ht"has" been"to"discover"a"musical"&orm,"so"ma+ni&icent"and"so"sublime,"that"it"could"e press"the" +lorious"h/mn"o&"pain"b/"the"Crophet"Vin+."@"still"havenQt"&ound"it8"but"i&"@"am"ever"able"

to"conve/"Nhat"@"&eel"in"m/"heart"and"Nhat"@"hear"in"m/"mind,"@"am"sure"to"create"a" Miserere"so"marvelous"that"nothin+"on"earth"could"compare"to"it,"so"poi+nant"that"on" hearin+"the"&irst"chord"the"archan+els"Nill"5oin"me"and"the/"Nill"sa/"to"the":ord:"R*ave" merc/<S8"and"the":ord"Nill"have"merc/"&or"his"poor"creature.S" " On"reachin+"this"point"in"his"stor/,"the"pil+rim"Nas")uiet"&or"a"moment"and"then," Nith"a"si+h"he"continued"speaMin+."Dhe"la/"brother,"some"servants"o&"the"abbe/,"and" several"shepherds"&rom"the"&arm"belon+in+"to"the"abbe/"Nere"all"+athered"in"a"circle" around"him,"and"the/"listened"Nith"+reat"interest." " R%&ter"that,S"he"continued,"R@"traveled"throu+h"the"entire"countr/"o&"$erman/,"all" o&"@tal/,"and"most"o&"this"classical"countr/,"searchin+"&or"reli+ious"music8"but"@"still"have" not"&ound"a"Miserere"that"could"inspire"me,"and"@"have"noN"listened"to"so"man/"that"@" thinM"@"have"heard"them"all.S" " R*eard"them"all,S"one"o&"the"shepherds"asMed,"interruptin+"him,"Rbut"have"/ou" heard"the"Miserere of the Mountain?S" " RDhe"Miserere of the Mountain<S"said"the"musician"Nith"an"air"o&"pu22lement." RUhat""Miserere"is"that?S" " R@t"is"as"@"said,S"the"shepherd"replied"and"then"continued"as"thou+h"he"Nere" e plainin+"somethin+"m/sterious."RDhis"is"a"Miserere"Nhich"those"o&"us"Nho"travel" throu+h"hill"and"dale"&olloNin+"the"herds"are"able"to"hear"b/"accident8"it"is"part"o&"a"ver/" old"stor/,"but"it"is"true,"even"thou+h"it"ma/"seem"unbelievable."@t"tells"that"in"the"most" remote"re+ion"o&"the"mountains"Nhich"surround"the"valle/"at"the"bottom"o&"Nhich"this" %bbe/"is"located,"man/"/ears"a+o,"or"in"&act"man/"centuries"a+o,"there"Nas"a"monaster/" Nhich"the/"sa/"Nas"built"b/"a":ord"Nhose"propert/"Nas"to"have"been"inherited"b/"a"son" Nhom"he"disinherited"be&ore"he"died"&or"the"evil"thin+s"he"had"done."Hntil"this"point" ever/thin+"Nas"&ine8"but"as"Ne"Nill"see"in"Nhat"&olloNs,"this"son"seemed"to"be"a"disciple" o&"the"Aevil,"or"perhaps"the"Aevil"himsel&."So"Nhen"he"&ound"that"his"Nealth"had"been" +iven"to"the"priests"and"his"castle"Nas"trans&ormed"into"a"church,"he"+athered"his"dissolute" companions"Nho"had"le&t"their"&amilies"to"participate"in"this"ruinous"li&e,"and"on"the"ni+ht" o&"#aund/"Dhursda/,"Nhen"all"the"monMs"Nere"in"the"choir"and"at"the"e act"moment" Nhen"the/"Nere"about"to"be+in,"or"had"alread/"be+un,"the"Miserere,"the/"set"&ire"to"the" monaster/"and"the/"entered"the"church"to"sacM"it."%ccordin+"to"Nhat"some"said,"and" others"denied,"the/"also"murdered"all"o&"the"monMs."%&ter"this"these"evildoers,"alon+"Nith" their"leader,"marched"o&&"to"$od"MnoNs"Nhere,"perhaps"the"boNels"o&"the"earth."Dhe" &lames"reduced"the"monaster/"to"ashes8"Nhat"remains"o&"the"ruins"o&"the"church"is"still" located"on"top"o&"a"holloN"rocM"&rom"Nhich"Nater"&loNs"to"&orm"the"stream"Nhich"comes" to"Nash"the"Nalls"o&"this"%bbe/.S" " R'ut,S"the"impatient"musician"interrupted,"RNhat"about"the"Miserere?S" " RGust"Nait,S"the"shepherd"replied8"R@"Nill"come"to"that"in"due"time.S"*avin+"said" that,"he"continued"Nith"his"stor/." " R%ll"the"people"in"the"surroundin+"re+ion"Nere"shocMed"b/"the"crime:"&rom"&ather" to"son"and"&rom"son"to"+randson,"the/"told"the"stor/"o&ten"and"on"man/"di&&erent" occasions8"but"Nhat"stands"out"in"their"memor/"is"that"ever/"/ear,"on"the"ni+ht"Nhen"it" Nas"burned,"one"can"see"li+hts"shinin+"throu+h"the"broMen"NindoNs"o&"the"church8"one" can"also"hear"the"m/sterious"sounds"o&"music"and"mourn&ul"son+s"that"are"carried"b/"the" +usts"o&"Nind."@t"is"the"monMs"Nho"perhaps"have"died"Nithout"bein+"able"to"pur+e"their" sins"be&ore"the/"entered"the"7ourt"o&"$od"and"have"there&ore"come"bacM"&rom"Cur+ator/"

to"asM"&or"merc/"b/"sin+in+"the"Miserere. S" " Dhose"Nho"Nere"listenin+"to"the"stor/"looMed"at"each"other"in"ama2ement8"it"Nas" onl/"the"pil+rim"Nho"seemed"to"be"deepl/"concerned"b/"the"events"o&"the"stor/,"and"he" asMed"the"person"Nho"Nas"tellin+"it:" " R%nd"/ou"sa/"that"this"Nonder"still"occurs?S" " R@n"three"hours"it"Nill"start"a+ain,"because"this"is"the"ni+ht"o&"#aund/"Dhursda/," and"it"5ust"strucM"ei+ht"on"the"clocM"in"the"%bbe/.S" " R*oN"&ar"aNa/"is"the"monaster/?S" " RCerhaps"about"one"and"a"hal&"lea+ues.S" " R'ut"Nhat"are"/ou"doin+?"Uhere"are"/ou"+oin+"on"a"ni+ht"liMe"this?"*ave"/ou"lost" /our"mind?S"the/"e claimed"as"the/"saN"the"pil+rim"rise"o&&"his"bench"and"taMe"his"sta&&," NalMin+"aNa/"&rom"the"hearth"toNard"the"door." " RUhere"am"@"+oin+?"Uh/"to"hear"this"marvelous"music,"to"hear"the"real"Miserere," the""Miserere"o&"those"Nho"return"&rom"the"dead"and"MnoN"Nhat"it"is"to"die"in"sin.S" " Dhe"Nind"moaned"maMin+"the"doors"creaM"as"i&"a"poNer&ul"hand"Nas"tr/in+"to"tear" them"o&&"their"hin+es8"the"rain"Nas"&allin+"in"torrents,"beatin+"a+ainst"the"+lass"in"the" NindoNs,"and"&rom"time"to"time"a"streaM"o&"li+htnin+"lit"the"hori2on." " R*eQs"mad<S"the"la/"brother"said"Nhen"the"&irst"moment"o&"astonishment"had" passed." " R*eQs"mad,S"the"others"a+reed,"as"the/"stirred"the"&ire"and"+athered"around"the" hearth." " " " @@" " " %&ter"travelin+"&or"tNo"or"three"hours"the"m/sterious"pil+rim,"Nho"Nas"considered" a"madman"b/"those"in"the"abbe/,"&inall/"reached"the"stream"Nhich"had"been"mentioned"b/" the"shepherd,"and"at"this"point"he"Nas"&inall/"able"to"see"the"darM"and"imposin+"ruins"o&" the"monaster/." " Dhe"rain"had"stopped8"lar+e,"darM"clouds"Nere"still"&loatin+"across"the"sM/"and" &rom"time"to"time"a"&urtive"ra/"o&"li+ht"shone"throu+h"them8"the"Nind"Nas"still"moanin+"as" it"Nhipped"the"massive"buttresses"and"spread"throu+h"the"deserted"cloister."Fevertheless," there"Nas"nothin+"stran+e"or"supernatural"that"strucM"the"ima+ination.".or"someone"Nho" had"spent"man/"ni+hts"sheltered"b/"the"ruins"o&"an"abandoned"toNer"or"a"solitar/"castle," Nho"had"passed"throu+h"thousands"o&"storms"and"torments"durin+"his"len+th/"pil+rima+e," all"these"si+hts"and"sounds"Nere")uite"&amiliar." " Arops"o&"rain"that"dripped"throu+h"cracMs"in"the"broMen"arches"and"&ell"on"the" stone"slabs"Nith"a"rh/thmic"sound"liMe"that"o&"the"pendulum"in"a"clocM8"the"hootin+"o&"an" oNl"perched"under"the"stone"halo"o&"a"statue"that"Nas"still"standin+"in"a"recess"o&"the"Nall8" the"hissin+"o&"snaMes"Nho,"aNaMened"&rom"their"lethar+/"b/"the"storm,"poMed"their"u+l/" heads"out"o&"their"holes"or"slithered"throu+h"the"Needs"and"brambles"+roNin+"at"the"&oot" o&"the"altars,"or"throu+h"the"5oints"betNeen"the"burial"slabs"that"&ormed"the"&loor"o&"the" church,"all"these"stran+e,"m/sterious"sounds"o&"the"countr/side"and"the"solitude"o&"the" ni+ht"Nere"perceptible"to"the"ears"o&"the"pil+rim"Nho"Nas"seated"on"the"broMen"statue"o&"a" tomb,"an iousl/"aNaitin+"the"hour"Nhen"the"marvelous"event"Nould"&inall/"occur." " Dhe"moments"passed"b/"and"still"nothin+"happened8"the"con&usin+"sounds"o&"the"

ni+ht"could"still"be"heard,"and"the/"blended"to+ether"in"thousands"o&"di&&erent"Na/s"but" Nere"alNa/s"the"same." " R7ould"@"have"been"deceived?S"the"musician"Nondered8"but"5ust"then,"he"heard"a" neN"sound,"an"ine plicable"sound"liMe"a"clocM"maMes"in"the"moment"be&ore"it"striMes"the" hour:"the"sound"o&"Nheels"that"are"turnin+,"o&"cords"that"are"stretchin+,"o&"a"mechanism" that"is"shaMin+"and"about"to"use"its"stran+e,"mechanical"vitalit/8"and"a"bell"chimed"oneT" tNoT"threeT"until"eleven"chimes"Nere"heard." " @n"the"ruined"church"Nhere"the"pil+rim"Nas"seated"there"Nas"no"bell,"no"clocM,"nor" even"a"toNer"that"Nas"still"standin+." " Dhe"last"stroMe"o&"the"clocM"Nas"passin+"&rom"echo"to"echo"and"its"vibration"Nas" still"tremblin+"in"the"air,"Nhen"the"+ranite"canopies"that"covered"the"sculptures,"the" marble"steps"o&"the"altars,"the"stones"o&"the"vaulted"arches,"the"ornate"railin+"o&"the"choir," the"+arlands"o&"clover"on"the"cornices,"the"blacM"buttresses"o&"the"Nalls,"the"&loors"and"the" vaults,"the"entire"church,"Nas"illuminated"spontaneousl/,"even"thou+h"there"Nas"no"torch," and"no"candle"or"lamp"could"be"seen"to"cause"the"m/sterious"bri+htness."Dhe"remains"o&" the"church"resembled"a"+iant"sMeleton"Nhose"bones"Nere"emittin+"a"phosphoric"+as"that" Nas"shinin+"in"the"darMness"Nith"a"timid"and"uncertain"+loN." " @t"all"seemed"to"come"alive"but"Nith"a"+alvanic"movement"that"imposes" contractions"on"death"so"that"it"parodies"li&e,"an"instantaneous"chan+e"that"is"even"more" &ri+htenin+"than"the"inertia"o&"a"corpse"shaMen"b/"an"unseen"&orce."Stones"reconnected"to" stones8"the"altar,"Nhose"broMen"pieces"Nere"scattered,"rose"up"intact,"as"thou+h"the" architect"had"5ust"made"the"&inal"bloN"o&"his"chisel8"the"altar,"the"demolished"chapels,"the" broMen"spires,"as"Nell"as"an"immense"netNorM"o&"broMen"arches,"rose"up"and"reconnected" Nith"the"&allen"columns,"&ormin+"an"ama2in+"lab/rinth"o&"stone." " Once"the"church"Nas"restored,"a"distant"chord"Nas"heard"that"could"have"been" mistaMen"&or"a"+ust"o&"air,"but"Nas"a"solemn"chorus"o&"voices"that"seemed"to"rise"&rom"the" boNels"o&"the"earth"and"spread"out,"little"b/"little,"becomin+"more"and"more"noticeable." " Dhe"bold"pil+rim"became"&ri+htened,"but"stru++lin+"a+ainst"his"&ear"Nas"his" intense"and"lon+=lastin+"&anaticism,"and"encoura+ed"b/"it"he"arose"&rom"the"tomb"Nhere" he"had"been"seated,"bent"over"the"ed+e"o&"the"ravine"Nhere"the"stream"had"become"a" torrent"that"Nas"pourin+"over"the"rocMs,"and"his"hair"stood"on"end"in"horror." " 'arel/"covered"Nith"the"remains"o&"their"disheveled"habits"and"hoods,"under" Nhich"the"empt/"cavities"o&"their"e/es,"their"&leshless"5aNs,"and"their"Nhite"teeth" contrasted"Nith"the"darM"&abric,"he"saN"the"sMeletons"o&"the"monMs"Nho"Nere"climbin+"out" o&"the"Nater,"holdin+"onto"the"cracMs"in"the"rocMs"Nith"their"bon/"hands"until"the/"reached" the"ed+e"o&"the"ravine"and,"Nith")uiet,"sepulchral"voices"and"a"pro&ound"e pression"o&" sorroN,"the/"Nere"repeatin+"the"&irst"verse"o&"the"psalm"o&"Aavid:"Miserere mei, Deus, secundum"magnam misericordiam tuam! " " Uhen"the"monMs"reached"the"colonnade"o&"the"church"the/"&ormed"tNo"columns" and,"marchin+"into"it,"the/"Nent"to"Mneel"in"the"choir"Nhere,"Nith"sli+htl/"louder"voices," the/"continued"sin+in+"the"verses"o&"the"psalm."Dhere"Nas"music"accompan/in+"their" voices:"the"music"Nas"the"distant"sound"o&"thunder"Nhich"becomes"so&ter"as"the"storm" disappears8"it"Nas"the"sound"o&"the"Nind"that"Nas"moanin+"in"a"holloN"o&"the"mountains8" it"Nas"the"monotonous"noise"o&"a"cascade"that"Nas"&allin+"over"the"rocMs,"o&"the"drops"o&" Nater"that"Nere"drippin+,"the"hoots"o&"an"oNl"that"Nas"hidden,"and"the"slitherin+"o&" restless"reptiles."

" Dhe"music"Nas"all"this,"and"even"more"that"can"not"be"e plained"nor"scarcel/" ima+ined,"and"there"Nas"also"somethin+"that"seemed"liMe"the"echo"o&"an"or+an"that" accompanied"the"verses"o&"the"remarMable"h/mn"o&"contrition"b/"the"psalmist"Min+,"Nith" notes"and"chords"as"impressive"as"its"terrible"Nords." " %s"the"ceremon/"continued,"the"ama2ed"and"terri&ied"musician"Nho"Nitnessed"it" &elt"as"thou+h"he"Nas"someNhere"outside"the"Norld"o&"realit/,"in"a"bi2arre"state"o&"dreams," Nhere"ever/thin+"Nas"cloaMed"in"stran+e"and"&antastic"&orms." " %"terrible"spasm"o&"shaMin+"brou+ht"him"out"o&"the"stupor"Nhich"had"been" blocMin+"the"&aculties"o&"his"spirit."*is"nerves"Nere"5olted"b/"a"poNer&ul"shocM,"his"teeth" chattered,"and"he"shooM"Nith"a"tremblin+"that"Nas"impossible"to"control"as"the"cold" penetrated"to"the"marroN"o&"his"bones." " %t"that"moment"the"monMs"repeated"these"&ri+htenin+"Nords"o&"the"Miserere:"RIn iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. S" " %s"the"Nords"o&"this"verse"resounded"and"its"echoes"reverberated"throu+h"the" church,"a"terrible"Nail"arose"that"sounded"liMe"a"cr/"o&"pain"&rom"all"*umanit/"&or"the" aNareness"o&"their"sins8"it"Nas"a"horrible"cr/"produced"b/"all"the"laments"o&"mis&ortune," all"the"shouts"o&"desperation,"all"the"oaths"o&"blasphem/8"a"monstrous"presentation,"a" North/"interpretation"o&"those"Nho"live"in"sin"and"Nere"conceived"in"a"state"o&"ini)uit/." " Dhe"music"continued8"&irst"it"Nas"sad"and"then"liMe"a"ra/"o&"sunli+ht"shinin+" throu+h"a"darM"cloud,"resoundin+"Nith"a"burst"o&"terror"and"then"a"burst"o&"5ubilation,"until" there"Nas"a"sudden"trans&ormation"and"the"church"shone"as"thou+h"it"Nas"bathed"in"a" heavenl/"li+ht8"the"bones"o&"the"monMs"Nere"clothed"Nith"&lesh8"a"shinin+"halo"+loNed" over"their"heads8"the"dome"o&"the"church"opened"and"throu+h"it"the"li+ht"o&"the"open"sM/" became"liMe"an"ocean"o&"li+ht"be&ore"the"e/es"o&"the"ri+hteous." " Dhe"seraphim,"the"an+els"and"archan+els,"all"the"hierarchies"o&"heaven" accompanied"the"ne t"verse"Nith"a"sound"o&"+lor/"that"ascended"to"the"throne"o&"the":ord" liMe"a"harmonic"NhirlNind,"liMe"a"ma+ni&icent"spiral"o&"sonorous"incense:"R uditui meo dabis gaudium et l!titiam: et e"utabunt ossa humiliata. " " %t"that"moment"the"da22lin+"bri+htness"blinded"the"pil+rimQs"e/es,"his"temples" shooM,"his"ears"bu22ed,"he"&ell"to"the"+round"unconscious,"and"that"Nas"the"last"thin+"he" heardT" " " " @@@" " " Dhe"ne t"da/,"a&ter"the"la/"brother"had"told"them"o&"the"stran+e"visit"o&"the" previous"ni+ht,"the"monMs"o&"the"%bbe/"o&".itero"saN"the"m/sterious"pil+rim,"Nho"Nas" pale"and"e hausted,"pass"throu+h"its"doors." " RSo"Nere"/ou"able"to"hear"the"Miserere,S"the"la/"brother"asMed"him"Nith"a"certain" tone"o&"iron/,"Nhile"+lancin+"meanin+&ull/"at"his"superiors." " R3es,S"the"musician"ansNered." " R%nd"Nhat"did"/ou"thinM"o&"it?S" " R@"am"+oin+"to"Nrite"it,S"he"said,"and"turnin+"to"the"abbot,"he"continued8"Ri&"/ou" +ive"me"&ood"and"lod+in+"here"&or"several"months,"@"Nill"+ive"to"/ou"an"immortal"NorM"o&" art,"a"Miserere"that"Nill"erase"m/"sins"in"the"e/es"o&"$od"and"eternali2e"m/"memor/,"and" also"that"o&"this"abbe/.S"

" Dhe"monMs,"Nho"Nere"curious,"advised"the"abbot"to"+rant"this"re)uest."%lthou+h" the"abbot"thou+ht"he"Nas"mad,"out"o&"compassion"he"a+reed"and,"once"he"Nas"settled"in" the"monaster/,"the"musician"started"to"NorM." " %ll"da/"and"all"ni+ht"he"NorMed"&everishl/"Nithout"stoppin+."@n"the"midst"o&"his" tasM"he"Nould"hesitate"&or"a"moment"Nhile"he"seemed"to"listen"to"somethin+"he"heard"in" his"mind8"his"pupils"Nould"dilate,"he"Nould"5ump"to"his"&eet"and"e claim:" " R3es,"thatQs"it8"thatQs"hoN"it"should"beS8"then"he"Nould"sit"doNn"and"continue" Nritin+"Nith"an"avidit/"that"astonished"those"Nho"Nere"Natchin+"him"in"secret." " *e"Nrote"the"be+innin+"verses"and"those"that"&olloNed"until"he"Nas"more"than"hal&" Na/"throu+h"the"psalm8"but"a&ter"he"+ot"to"the"last"verse"he"had"heard"on"the"mountain,"he" Nas"unable"to"continue." " *e"Nrote"one,"tNo,"one"hundred,"tNo"hundred,"rou+h"dra&ts:"to"no"avail."%&ter"that" he"Nas"unable"to"sleep,"he"lost"his"appetite,"he"became"&everish,"and"he"&inall/"died" Nithout"bein+"able"to"&inish"the"Miserere"Nhich,"because"it"Nas"such"a"stran+e" composition,"the"monMs"decided"to"Meep,"and"it"is"still"preserved"in"the"archive"o&"the" %bbe/"toda/.S" " " " W" " " Uhen"the"old"man"&inished"tellin+"me"this"stor/,"@"could"not"help"but"+o"bacM"and" looM"at"the"manuscript"a+ain,"Nhich"Nas"still"l/in+"open"on"one"o&"the"tables." " In peccatis concepit me mater mea#" " @t"Nas"these"Nords"on"the"pa+e"in"&ront"o&"me"that"seemed"to"mocM"me"Nith"their" notes,"their"Me/s,"and"the"unintelli+ible"scribbles"&or"those"Nho"do"not"MnoN"hoN"to"read" music." " @"Nould"have"+iven"the"Norld"to"be"able"to"read"them." " 'ut"Nho"MnoNs"i&"this"Nould"not"have"been"madness?" " " " !FA "

"