For a moment she envied their working environment.
For centuries they were also tolerated by the commons; but the other orders - ecclesiastics and nobles - resented their religious exclusiveness or envied their wealth, and gradually fostered the growth of popular prejudice against them.
As to the serfs the only indication was that three out of their huge retinue disappeared during the night, but nothing was stolen; and as to the value of their possessions, the thirty peasant carts that had come in from their estates and which many people envied proved to be extremely valuable and they were offered enormous sums of money for them.
Many an earnest heart full of disappointment or enthusiasm has gone through a similar struggle, has learnt to look upon all earthly gains and hopes as worse than vanity, has envied the calm life of the cloister, troubled by none of these things, and has longed for an opportunity of entire selfsurrender to abstinence and meditation.
While Dean's mood had slowly improved, he still envied their contentment.