Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/55

 which I  have  brought  hither.'     And  she  said:  ' Reach  hither  the basket that  thou  hast  brought  with  thee .'     Then  immediately  she touched with  the  very  tip  of  her  finger  the  lentils  (which  are  peas), and put  into  her  mouth  about  the  quantity  of  three  grains,  and said thus,  that  such  a  gift  sufficed  for  one  who  kept  her  soul  steadfast in  purity. And she  said  to  the  old  man:  '  Pray  for  me,  and protect me,  for  my  unhappy  state.'     At  once  he  touched  her  feet with tears,  praying  that  she  might  worship  in  the  holy  assembly of God. And then  she  left  him,  weeping  and  sighing;    and  he dared  in  no  wise  to  hinder  her. She could  in  no  wise  be  hindered; but again  [began]  to  touch  the  Jordan  by  dipping  in  it  the  mark of the  holy  rood,  and  went  over  the  water's  soft  waves  just  as  she  748 did before  thitherwards. Then Zosimus  returned  with  great  joy, and was  suddenly  filled  with  great  awe. Regretfully he  reproached himself that  he  had  [not]  asked  the  Saint's  name. Nevertheless he hoped  that,  in  the  succeeding  year,  he  might  know  it. Then, after the  space  of  a  year  had  passed  away,  he  came  to  the  wilderness, and  diligently  hastened  towards  the  wonderful  vision;  and went for  a  long  while,  seeking  hither  and  thither,  until  that  he should  perceive  a  sure  token  of  the  desired  vision  and  some  indication  of  the  place;    eagerly  looking,  with   the    sharpness  of his  eyes,  both  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  just  like  a  most skilful hunter,  if  he  could  catch  there  that  sweetest  creature. When he could   not   find   anything   that    stirred,   he   began    to    suffuse himself with  tears;    and,  with  eyes    uplifted,   prayed   and   said: 'Make known  to  me,  O  Lord,  that  hidden  treasure  which  thou didst once  deign  to  reveal  to  myself;  I  pray  thee,  Lord,  for  Thy glory's sake.'     When  he  had  thus  prayed,  he  arrived  at  the  place where the  bourn  was  marked  out  where  they  first  spake  together; and there,  standing  on  the  other  side,  he  saw  as  it  were  a  shining sun, and  the  body  of  the  holy  woman  lying  lifeless;  and  the  hands were laid  as  they  should   be,  and  turned  eastwards. Then he immediately  ran  thither,  and  washed  her  feet  with  his  tears;    he did  not  dare  to  touch  any  other  part  of  the  body. Then, with much weeping,  he  performed  the  burial-service,  with  psalm-singing and other  prayers  that  belonged  to  that  matter. Then he  began