Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/423

 and came,  seeing  clearly,  unto  her  kinswoman

named Migdonia,  who  had  left  her  blind.

Then said  Migdonia:  '  This  man  is  God  Himself,

or God's  angel,  who  hath  enlightened  thine  eyes

thus without  leechcraft.'     And  they  spake  thus  a  long  while

until they  both  went  to  where  the  apostle  was  preaching.

Then Migdonia  believed  on  the  living  God

through the  apostle's  lore,  and  would  no  longer  come

to her  husband's  bed,  after  that  preaching.

This Migdonia  was  the  king's  wife's  sister;

and her  husband  then  prevailed  with  Mazdai  the  king,

so that  the  apostle  straightway  was  put  in  prison.

Then Migdonia  came  sorrowfully  to  the  prison,

and fell  at  his  feet  with  fear,  saying:

'I beseech  thee,  master,  apostle  of  the  living  God,

that thou  wilt  not  for  me  undergo  so  foul  a  reproach,

lest God's  anger  come  upon  me  on  that  account.'

The man  of  God  said  to  her:    '  Go  thou  home  again,

and I  will  come  home  to  thee,  that  thou  mayest  thereby  understand

that I,  of  my  own  will,  suffer  for  my  Creator's  name,

and how  much  faith  may  accomplish  through  God.'

Then she  did  so,  and  locked  her  door,

lying prostrate  in  prayers  within  her  bower.

Behold then,  in  the  same  night  came  the  apostle

to Migdonia,  and  said:  '  Even  as  thou  shalt  come   through  me

to the  eternal  life,  so  likewise  I  shall  come

through thee  to  Christ  with  the  crown  of  martyrdom.

Be now  very  steadfast.'     She  answered  with  fear,

' Oh  master! I pray  thee  to  enlighten  my  soul

that I  may  behold  the  right  way,

so that  I  fall  not  into  the  foul  pit.'

Thomas said  to  her:    '  Take  heed  that  thou  fast