Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/425

 for  seven    days    earnestly,   and    afterward    I    will    come    again  to  thee,

and I  will  baptize  thee  from  former  sins,

and each  one  who  believeth  on  the  living  God.'

After this  came  her  husband  to  the  king  Mazdai,

and earnestly  prayed  the  king  that  the  queen  might

speak to  her  sister,  and  try  if  she  could

incline her  mind  that  she  might  be  his  consort:

' I  cannot  entice  her  nor  by  fear  compel  her

to eat  with  me,  or  even  to  look  upon  me.'

Then the  king  permitted  the  queen  to  go  thither,

and she  spake  straightway  to  her  sister  thus:

'Oh, thou  Migdonia! my beloved  sister,

why despisest  thou  thy  husband  and  dishonourest  thyself?

The king  himself  bemoaneth  it,  and  all  his  men,

that thou  so  suddenly  hast  lost  thy  wits.'

Migdonia answered  her:    'Oh! thou my  sister,

knewest thou  what  I  know,  thou  wouldest  not  have  said  these words;

the apostle  worketh  many  wonders  among  men,

and saith  to  us  for  a  truth,  that  there  is  another  life,

immortal and  eternal,  freed  from  every  evil.

Even to-night  the  prince  went  to  visit  him

because his  son  had  suddenly  died,

and led  the  apostle  to  the  lifeless  boy,

and he  immediately  raised  his  son  from  death:

now he  sitteth  and  teacheth  the  faith  in  that  house,

and healeth  the  sick,  all  who  come  to  him.'

Triptia the  queen  said  to  her  in  answer:

'If it  is  so  as  thou  sayest,  I  will  see  the  man:

it would  be  foolish  to  despise  that  eternal  life,

and stubborn  is  the  man  who  cannot  believe  this.'

Then they  both  went  to  hear  his  preaching,