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Rh he filled a sack full of stones, and laid it on his neck and bare it many journeys together through the desert. Then another hermit met him and demanded him why he bare so great a burden, and he answered: 'I travail my body because it suffereth not me in peace, and thus I vex him that vexed me.'

This holy abbot S. Macarius saw passing tofore him a devil in the habit of a man, which was the clothing of a herald, all linen full of holes, and in every hole hung a pyolle, and he demanded him whether he went. The devil answered him, I go for to give drink unto these hermits; then demanded him S. Macarius, wherefore he bare so many pyolles. And he answered: 'I shall offer to them one, and if he may not drink of that one, I shall proffer him another, and so the third, and of all the other, each after other, until they may find something pleasant to them for to fall into temptation.' And when he came again, S. Macarius called him, and demanded him what he had found, and he answered that he had evil sped, for they were all so holy and blessed that they recked not of his drink, save one only which is named Theodistus. Then S. Macarius arose and came to these hermits, and found them all in good point save him whom the devil had tempted. Then S. Macarius did so much by his exhortation that he brought him again in the right way. Another time S. Macarius met the devil and demanded him whence he came, and the devil answered: 'I come from visiting thy brethren.' Then said S. Macarius: 'How do they?' The devil answered: 'Evil.' And he asked wherefore, and the devil said: 'For they be all holy,

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