Every Monk Goes Back to His Cell After Prayers

And so, when the Psalms are finished and the daily assembly, as we said above, has broken up, none of them dares to linger even a little or to gossip with another. Nor does he presume even to leave his cell the whole day long, or to abandon the work he usually carries on in it, except when they happen to be called out to perform some necessary duty. And this they carry out, going out of doors, in such a way that there is no chattering at all among them. Instead, each one does the work assigned to him while repeating by heart some Psalm or passage of Scripture. In this way he gives no opening or time for dangerous schemes or evil designs, or even for idle talk, since both mouth and heart are unceasingly taken up with spiritual meditation.

For they are most particular in keeping this rule: that none of them, and especially none of the younger ones, may be caught stopping with another even for a moment, or going anywhere with another, or holding his hands in his own. If they discover any who, in defiance of the discipline of this rule, have done any of these forbidden things, they pronounce them guilty of no small fault, as stubborn and disobedient to the rules; nor are such men free from suspicion of plotting and wicked designs. And unless they make up for their fault by public penance, when all the brothers are gathered together, none of them is allowed to be present at the prayers of the brothers.