Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister Hypocrisy Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Line)

Quote #4

How go on your flowers? None double?
[...]
Strange! – And I, too, at such trouble,
Keep them close-nipped on the sly! (lines 45-48)

The speaker politely inquires after Brother Lawrence's flowers, then tells the reader that he secretly sneaks out and nips the flower buds on the sly. Why does he even pretend to care about the flowers? Seems pretty hypocritical.

Quote #5

Or, my scrofulous French novel (line 57)

Wait, the speaker has a "scrofulous," or naughtily erotic, French novel? What kind of a monk is he? How can he accuse Brother Lawrence of the sin of lust if he owns naughty novels?