Molly battles with her conscience...

Just let me say that I am better now, and I have recovered from reading the poem. The doctor says if I remain quiet and take the tablets I should be all right.

I have had nightmares about my blood and that of Father Mingling as One!

This would, of course, be a case of Nature breaching the Holy Law of Celibacy via a Parasitical Insect.

My fellow housekeepers you'll recall my advice on how a Housekeeper can de-flea herself from Father's pet after they have shared quarters.

You may care to look up my advice.

I pointed out in my counseling that it is important that a Flea should NOT Jump from the body of the Housekeeper to Father's Holy and Celibate Person.

Oh, my dears, perhaps I have not really recovered from a well-meaning person sending this verse:

The Flea
by John Donne

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,
How little that which thou deny'st me is;
It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,
And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be;
Thou knowest that this cannot be said
A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead.
Yet this enjoys before it woo,
And pampered, swells with one blood made of two,
And this, alas, is more than we would do.

Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,
Where we almost, yea, more than married are.
This flea is you and I, and this
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;
Though parents grudge, and you, we are met
And cloistered in these living walls of jet.
Though use make you apt to kill me,
Let not to that self murder added be,
And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.

Cruel and sudden, hast thou since
Purpled thy nail in blood of innocence?
Wherein could this flea guilty be
Except in that drop which it sucked from thee?
Yet thou triumph'st, and sayest that thou
Find'st not thyself, nor me, the weaker now.
'Tis true, then learn how false fears be;
Just so much honor, when thou yieldst to me,
Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.

Perhaps I have created an Occasion of Sin in reproducing this poem for other Housekeepers of Persona Christi.

I shall never be able to look upon a Flea in future without regarding it as a Creature of Adultery and Temptation.

I must admit I blushed from head to foot after reading it.

And I, a Woman of Canonical Age!

I have since redouble my anti-flea efforts and have purchased a miniature Flame Thrower from Mitre Ten.

Until next time, Good Housekeeping!

Molly Arbeit

Molly Arbeit is ready to give tips to housekeepers in the Vineyard of the Lord. Molly has been a housekeeper to priests, bishops and even cardinals since about the time Adam was a little boy and knows more about the in and outs of clerical politics and good manners than even Ratz does.

Molly welcomes your pearls of wisdom, and just plain good old housekeeperly tips, in our discussion forum and she always welcomes your questions and feedback.

©2006 Clifford Baxter

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