Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/351

 come a  eunuch  from   the  king's  household  who  desireth  speech with thee.'      So  the  abbot  went   out;    and  she   immediately  fell at his  feet,  and  when  she  had    received   his   blessing,   they  sat together. Then quoth  the  abbot:  'child,  for  what  cause  camest thou hither?'     Then  said  she,  '  I  was  in  the  king's  household  and I am  a  eunuch;    and  I  ever  desired  to  turn  to  the  monastic  life, but such  a  life  is  not  customary  in  our  city;  now  I  have  heard  of your  illustrious  conduct,  and  my  will  is  that  I  may  dwell  with  you, if that  be  your  will. I have manifold  possessions;  and  if  God  will grant me  rest  here,  I  will  cause  them  to  come  hither.'     Then  quoth the abbot,  'Welcome  be  thou,  my  child;  behold,  this  is  our  minster; abide here  with  us  if  it  please  thee.'     Then  asked  he  him  what  his name was. Then said  he,  '  I  am  called  Smaragdus.'     The  abbot said to  him:    '  thou  art  young;    thou  canst  not  dwell  alone,  but thou needest  to  have  one  who  can  teach  thee  monastic  life  and  the holy rule.'     Then  quoth  he,  '  I  will  do,  my  father,  according  to  thy words.'    Then  he  drew  forth  the  fifty  mancuses,  and  gave  them to the  abbot,  and  said,  '  Take,  father,  this  money  on  account,  and if I  continue  here  the  remainder  shall  come  here.'     Then  the  abbot called a  brother  to  him  who  was  named  Agapitus,  a  man  of  holy life and  honourable  in  manners;  and  delivered  to  him  the  aforesaid Smaragdus, and  said  to  him:   '  henceforth  this  shall  be  thy  son  and thy  disciple.'     Then   Agapitus    took   him   into    his    cell. Then, because   the  same   Smaragdus   was  beautiful  in   countenance,   as often  as  the  brothers  came  to   church,  the  accursed   spirit   sent manifold thoughts  into  their  minds,   and  they  were   exceedingly tempted by  his  fairness;    and  at  last   they  were   all   stirred  up against  the  abbot  because  he  had  brought  so  beautiful  a  man  into their minster;    and  he  thereupon  called  Smaragdus  to  him,  and said:  '  my  child,  thy  countenance  is  beautiful,  and  to  the  brothers Cometh great  ruin  on  account  of  their  frailty. Now I  will  that thou  sit   by  thyself  in    thy  cell,  and    sing  there  thy  hours,  and eat   therein;    but    I    desire    not    that    thou    go    anywhere   else.' And he  then  bade  Agapitus  to  prepare  an  empty  cell  and  bring Smaragdus in  thither. So Agapitus  fulfilled  that  which  his  abbot commanded him,  and  brought  Smaragdus  into  the  deserted  cell,