I  dare  not  promise  that  I  will  come,  but  I  will  do
my  best  to  visit  you.  I  have  loved  you  from  the
beginning,  and  will  do  so  for  ever.  I  say  it  boldly,
T  cannot  be  separated  for  eternity  from  one  I  have
so  loved.  He  does  not  perish  for  me,  he  goes  before
me.  Only  be  mindful  of  me  when  you  have  arrived
at  that  place  whither  you  are  gone  before,  that  it
may  be  granted  to  me  to  follow  you  swiftly,  and  to
be  with  you  again.  Never  think  that  your  sweet
memory  can  fade  from  my  mind,  although,  alas,  your
presence  is  withdrawn  from  me.  Yet  is  God  able
to  grant  you  to  our  prayers,  and  preserve  you  to
our  necessities,  and  of  this  we  need  not  entirely
despair." l

A.D.  RSI.  These  last  words  indicate  that  the  above  letter
was  written  before  Suger's  illness,  which  extended
over  a  period  of  four  months,  had  put  on  a  hopeless
character.  Towards  Christinas  of  the  year  1150,
he  became  rapidly  worse.  He  prayed  earnestly  that
his  death  might  not  happen  till  the  festival  was
over,  lest  days  of  rejoicing  should  be  turned  into

(1)  St.  Bern.  Epist.,  266.
CHAP.  V.]  OF  SAINT  BERNARD.  497

days  of  mourning  through  his  decease.     And  it  was    A.D.  1153.
piously  thought  that  his  petition  was  heard,  for  he    AETAT- ^
survived  till  the  12th  of  January,  when  he  died  as
he  was  repeating  the  Lord's  Prayer.
Just  a  year  after  Suger's  death,  occurred  that  of  Death  of  COU
Count  Theobald  of  Champagne,  Bernard's  life-long
friend  and  benefactor,  in  January,  1152.
Another  year  passed,  and  Pope  Eugenius,  Ber
nard's  disciple,  fell  asleep  in  July,  1153.
