Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/193

 but they  marvelled  greatly  at  the  winsome  light,

and returned  astonished  to  their  impious  lord.

Then he  reproached  them   furiously  because  they  had  wondered so  much

at the  shining  light,  and  had  not  dared  to  defile  her.

Then he  himself  ran  in  with  shameful  intent,

but he  fell  prostrated  before  the  maiden,  struck  down

by the  devil  whom  he  foolishly  obeyed.

He lay  there,  as  if  dead,  a  long  time  upon  the  floor;

then his  companions  thought  that  he  was  busied

about his  evil  deeds,  then  one  of  them  came  to  see,

and found  him  dead,  and  immediately  cried  out  in  grief,

Alas! ye ever  pious  Romans,

help us  quickly,  this  cruel  harlot

with her  witchcraft  hath  destroyed  our  lord! '

Then straightway  the  citizens  ran  thither  astonished,

and the  father  also  came,  crying  aloud,

Thou crudest  woman,  wouldst  thou  show

thy fiendlike  sorcery,  to  destroy  my  son   '

Agnes said  to  him,  'Why  are  the  others  living

who came  in  hither,  but  because  they  worshipped

the Almighty  God  who  compassionately  clothed  me,

and sent  me  His  Angel,  who  preserved  my  body,

which was,  from  the  cradle,  consecrated  to  Christ?

Thy shameless  son,  with  shameless  intent

ran in  towards  me,  but  the  Angel  felled  him,

and delivered  him  to  the  devil  who  straightway  destroyed  him.'

Then said  the  Prefect  to  the  holy  maiden,

' Thy  saying  will  be  manifested  if  thou  wilt  pray  the  self-same  angel

that he  will  now  raise  up  my  only  son  in  sound  health.'

The blessed  Agnes  answered  him  thus,

' Thou  art  not  worthy  to  see  that  wonder,

but nevertheless  it  is  time  that  the  Lord's  might  be  manifested.

Go ye  now  therefore  all  out,  that  I  may  pray  alone.'

Then went  they  all  out,  and  she  prayed  alone,

beseeching her  Lord  that  He  would  raise  the  dead.