Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/369

 and   ye  two   shall  both  (thou  and  thy  brother)  be  martyred  together.'

And the  angel  therewith  returned  up  to  heaven.

Then they  pondered   with  gladness   and  spake  concerning  God's will,

until his  brother  came  blithely  in  the  morning  to  them,

and kissed  them  both,  and  said  with  joy:

'I wonder  exceedingly  how  now,  on  a  winter's  day,

here lily-blossom  or  rose's  breath

smells so  winsomely  and  so  sweetly.

Though I  had  the  blossoms  in  my  hand

they could  not  make  such  a  winsome  perfume;

and I  say  in  sooth  that  I  am  so  filled

with the  sweet  breath  as  if  I  were  made  anew.'

Then said  the  brother:    '  through  my  prayer

this   winsome    breath    came    to    thee,    that    thou    mayest    know

henceforth

whose blood  is  red  in  likeness  to  a  rose,

and whose  body  is  white  with  a  lily's  fairness.

We (both)  have  holy  crowns  with  us

shining like  a  rose  and   snow-white  like  a  lily,

which thou  mayest  not  see,  though  they  be  shining.'

Then said  Tiburtius,  '  tell  me,  brother  mine,  hear  I  this  in  sleep,

or sayest  thou  it  in  earnest ?'   The  other  said  to  him,

'Until this  we  have  lived  as  if  we  were  asleep,

but now  we  are  turned  unto  righteousness;

the gods  which  we  worshipped  are  cruel  devils.'

Then said  the  other;    '  how  became  that  known  to  thee?'

Valerian answered;    'God's  angel  taught  me,

and him  thou  mayest  see  if  indeed  thou  wilt  be

washed in  baptism  from  foul  idolatry.'

So they  spake  long  time  until  he  turned  to  the  faith,

and the  brother  desired  to  be  baptized.

Then enquired  Tiburtius  who  should  baptize  him.

The other  said  to  him:  '  Urban  the  pope.'

Then again  Tiburtius  answered  him  and  said;