Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/415

 he is  God's  friend,  and  God's  angels  serve  him;

my soul  was  verily  led  to  heaven

by God's  angels,  and  I  there  saw

the glorious  palace  which  Thomas  hath  made  thee,

in the  very  likeness  in  which  he  planned  it  here,

adorned with  precious  stones,  fair  beyond  all.

While I  was  regarding  the  shining  palace,

the angels  said  to  me:  "  These  are  the  buildings

which Thomas  hath  built  for  thy  brother  on  earth."

Then I  wished  that  I  might  be  at  least  a  doorkeeper

in that  glorious  house. Then said  the  Lord's  angels:

" Thy  brother  is  not  worthy  of  this  work's  fairness;

if thou  desire  to  have  it,  we  will  pray  the  Saviour

to raise  thee  up  from  cruel  death,

and  thou    shalt    buy    it    afterward,    that   thy   brother   may   receive

his money  which  he  thinketh  to  be  wholly  lost  to  him." '

After these  words  he  hastened  to  the  prison,

and sought  the  apostle,  saying  with  weeping:

'My brother  knew  not,  Lord,  that  thou  wert  the  apostle

of the  living  God,  and  he  hath  highly  sinned.'

Then he  quickly  unbound  him,  and  besought  him  to  receive

costly raiment. Then said  the  Lord's  servant:

Yet knowest  thou  not  that  those  who  follow  Christ

and desire  to  possess  heavenly  virtues,

wear not  splendid  garments  nor  fleshly  adornings.

This pallium  which  I  wear  will  last  me  out,

and my  sark  will  not  fail,  nor  my  shoes  burst  out

before my  soul  departs  from  the  body.'

Lo! then, as  they  went  out  of  the  old  dungeon,

Gondophorus came  towards  the  apostle  of  God,

earnestly beseeching  pardon  for  his  misdeeds.

Then said  Thomas  to  him:  '  Christ  my  Lord