Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/51

 the   brethren    went    abroad    after    the    customary   prayers    and psalm-singings; and  he  himself  was  left  in  the  minster,  and  there remained  kept  in   by  a  bodily  infirmity. Zosimus very  readily called to  mind  the  holy  command,  when  she  said  to  him  that  he would  not  be  able  to  go  out  of  his  minster  though  he  wished  it. Nevertheless, not  many  days  after,  he  recovered  of  the  sickness, and served  in  the  minster. Truly, when  the  monks  returned  home and assembled  themselves  together  on  the  holy  eve  of  the  sacred day, then  he  did  as  was  bidden  him  before,  and  put  into  a  little cup some  portion  of  the  pure  Body  and  of  the  precious  Blood  of our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  took  in  his  hand  a  little  basket  filled with dried  figs,  and  with  the  fruits  of  the  palm-tree  that  we  call finger- apples  [dates],  and   a   few   lentils   steeped   in  water,    and arrived in  the  evening  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Jordan,  and  there sorrowfully awaited   the   arrival  of  the   holy  woman,  when   she should come  thither. Zosimus in  no  wise  slumbered,  and  earnestly looked towards    the  wilderness;    and,   considering   with   himself, thus thought  and  spake:    '  Ah,  what  if  she  come  here,  and  heed me not,  and  has  turned  from  me,  and  gone  back! '   Thus  speaking he wept  bitterly,  lifting  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  humbly  prayed to God,  thus  saying:     '  O  Lord,   do  not  banish  the  vision  that Thou didst  before  shew  me,  that  I  may  not  at  any  rate  return hence in  vain,  bearing  the  reproach  of  my  sins.'      As  he  was praying thus  with  tears,  again  another  thought  came  into  his  mind: ' And  how  now  if  she  cometh? How shall  she  cross  over  the  river, now that  there  is  no  ship   wherein  she   may  come   to  me,  who am unworthy? Ah! me miserable! me, who  am  banished  from  a vision  so   righteous!'      Whilst  he  thought  thus,  he   saw   where she stood  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream. Zosimus seeing  her, rose up  with  great  and  happy  joy,  and  praising  God. Nevertheless