Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/535

 afterwards related  all  to  his  companions,  how  it  happened  to  him in all  these  things,  when  he  came  again  to  them  in  the  cave,  of which  we  before  spake,  and  when    their   wonderful    arising   was revealed to  all  men,  and  their  holy  life  was  all  manifested).     And he,  Malchus,  when  everything  that  he  saw  and  heard  seemed  so wonderful  to  him,  and  as  he  desired  to  go  out  of  the  town,  yet went  he  in  the  disguise  of  a  beggar  very  near  where  they  were selling  bread  in  the  market;  and  when  he  came  thither,  he  at  once drew  pennies  out  of  his  bosom,  and  gave  them  to  the  market-men, in  exchange  for  bread ;  and  they,  the  market-men,  looked  at  the pennies  very  earnestly,  and  they  wondered  enquiringly  at  seeing such  money,  and    they  beheld   the    pennies    there  as  a  curiosity, and  handed  them  over  amongst  themselves  from  bench  to  bench, and  showed  [them]  to  be  looked  at,  and  said  among  themselves, "  Without  doubt  that  which  we  all  see  here  is  true,  that  this  unknown young man  hath  found  very  long  ago  a  very  old  gold-treasure,  and hath hid  it    secretly  now  for  many  years."     But  when   Malchus saw  that  they  looked  at  his  pennies  so  earnestly,  he  feared  then  very  greatly,  and  all  as  he  stood  there  he  quaked  and  trembled, thinking  only  that  every  man  recognised  him,  and  said  then  in his  thought,   "  Alas,  my  Lord,  what! how pitiably  have  I  now fared here! nor can  I  expect  for  myself  anything  else,  but  that they will  now  take  me  to  Decius;   then  can  I  bring  no  certain news to  my  companions."     And  then  the  chapmen  looked  at  him very  earnestly,  and  considered  in  thought  about  him,  what  manner of  man  he  might  be.     Then  said  he  to  them  all  with  timid  words; "Lo! Masters! I pray  you  very  earnestly,  grant  me  that  which  I seek ;  there  ye  have  the  pennies  in  hand,  employ  them  even  as  ye will. I desire  from  you  no  bread,  but  ye,  best  of  all  men,  may keep both  pennies  and  bread."