Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/19

 who might  edify  him  in  some  thing  which  he  himself  knew  not before. And thus  for  six  and  twenty  days  he  continued  his  journey,   as   if   he  were  certainly  going  towards    some    man. When the hour  of  noon  approached,  he  stopped  for  some  time,  abstaining from  the  journey,  and  turning  eastwards;  and  prayed  in  the usual way,  because  he  was  accustomed  at  a  fixed  hour  of  the  day to determine  the  course  of  his  journey,  and  to  sing  standing,  and to pray  with  bended  knees. Whilst then  he  sang,  and  with  fervent regard looked  up  and  beheld  the  sky,  then  he  saw  on  his  right side, as  he  stood  in  prayer,  as  if  some  one  was  appearing  to  him in the  likeness  of  a  human  form  bodily,  and  thereupon  he  was  at  first  much  affrighted,  because  he  thought  it  was  a  delusion  of an  [evil]  spirit  which  he  there  saw. But nevertheless  he  instantly fortified  himself  with    the   sign  of    Christ's  rood,  and  cast  away his fear  from  him. Then also  the  end  of  his  prayer  was  indeed fulfilled;   he   turned    his   eyes,  and  there  actually  saw  a  person hastening westwards  in  the  desert,  and  in  truth  it  was  a  woman that was  visible    there;    she  was  very  swart  of   body  by  reason of the  sun's  heat,  and   the  locks  of  her  head  were  as  white  as  wool,  and  they  [reached]  no  farther  than  to  the  neck. Zosimus was on  this  wise  earnestly  beholding,  and  on  account  of  the  [long] desired sweetness  of  the  glorious  vision  he  ran  very  quickly,  being rendered glad,  in  the  direction  whither  he  had  seen  that  hastening which had  there  appeared  to  him. Truly before,  in  all  those  days, he had  seen  no  human  appearance,  neither  the  form  of  any  beasts or of  birds  or  of  wild  animals;  and  he  therefore  ran  eagerly,  desiring to  know  what  manner  of  wild  creature  that  might  be  which appeared to  him. Verily as  soon  as  Zosimus  saw  her,  then,  overcoming his   old   age,    and  making   nothing  of  the  labour  of  his journey, he  ran  on  advancing  with  a  very  swift  course,  because  he desired  to  associate  with  that  which  there  fled  away;  for  he  was pursuing her,  and  she  was  fleeing. Then was   Zosimus,  by  his running, in  some   measure  made  nearer. When he  was  so  near that she  could  hear  his  voice,  then  began  he  to  send  forth  such  a voice  as  this,  with  loud  calling,  and  thus    said,  weeping,  '  Why fleest thou  me,  an  aged  sinner,  thou  servant  of  God? Wait for  me,