Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/533

 he heard  how  the  men  spake  amongst  themselves,  and  often  and frequently swore  allegiance  to  Christ,   and  they  used  no   speech there save  ever  about  Christ's  name. When he  heard  such  speech, then Malchus  feared  exceedingly,  and  he  was  utterly  frightened thereat, and  said  in  his  mind,  "  Lo!  whatever  can  this  be  that  I hear  wondrously  here?    At  first  I  saw  a  great  wonder,  now  I  hear one  still  greater;  yesterday  evening  no  man  could  name  Christ's name  with  safety,  and  now  to-day  on  every  man's  tongue  Christ's name  is  ever  in  the  chief  place." Then said  he  again  to  himself, " Truly  it  never  seemeth  to  me  that  it  can  be  true  that  this  is  the city  of  Ephesus,  because  it  is  all  ordered  in  another  manner  and  all built  with  other  dwellings;  neither  does  any  man  here  speak  in  the manner  of  heathen  men,  but  all  after  the  customs  of  Christian men." Then he  changed  his  thoughts  again,  and  answered  himself thus,  "  But  again  I  know  not,  neither  knew  I  ever  yet,  that any  other  city  was  near  to  us  except  Ephesus  alone,  here  just beside  the  Celian  Hill; "  and  he  stood  there  still  a  little   while, and  thought  within    himself  what    truth  there   might   be   in  it. Then he  saw  a  young  man,  and  went  to  the  same,  and  began  to ask  him,  and  said,  "  Lo!  well   may  it  be  with  thee,  good   man! I  earnestly  desire  to  know  from  thee  the  right  name  of  this  city, if  thou  wilt  inform  me." Then said  the  young  man  to  him,  "  I will  tell  thee  full  quickly;  this  city  is  called  Ephesus,  and  it  was thus  called  from  a  very  early  time." Then he  thought  in  his  mind, and said  to  himself,  "Now  I  was  in  the  right  way  in  my  inward thought,  but  better  will  it  be  that  I  go  out  of  this  town  again lest   I   be  too  greatly  bewildered,  and    so    may  not  come  to  my comrades  who  ere  while  sent  me  here;  certainly  I  have  here  perceived   that  the   over  anxiety  of  my  mind  hath  here  seized   me, so  that  I  know  not  very  certainly  why  I  thus  act." (He, Malchus,