Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/531

looked thitherward, and beheld the holy sign of the cross of Christ, where it stood fastened with honour above the town-gate ; and thereupon extraordinary wondering seized him, and at the sight wondrous amazement came upon him, and he stood and beheld, and it seemed marvellous to him; and he beheld everywhere on every side, and he gazed at the rood, and it seemed all wonderful to him ; and he thought in his mind what it might be. Then he went thence to another town-gate, and he again saw the holy rood, and he wondered exceedingly thereat; and then he visited all the town-gates, and saw the holy rood standing upon each one, and he was all full of wondering and amazement; moreover he saw the city turned all into another kind from what it was before, and the dwellings throughout the city all built in another fashion from what they were before; and he could recognise no part of the city, any more than the man who had never seen it with his eyes. And while he, thus wondering, thought that he was dreaming in the night, then he turned again to the same town-gate at which he had first arrived, and he thought in his heart and said to himself, " Whatever marvel may this chance to be, that I see here so wonderfully, that yesterday evening in all this city the sign of the holy cross was nowhere visible, and now it is everywhere manifest, and is to-day fastened on each town-gate. And he again thought in his mind, and lifted up his hand, and crossed himself and thus said; " God Almighty bless me! is it all true, or do I dream in sleep all the strange wonder that I see here? " And he, after this thought, partly took comfort, and enwrapped his head with a cloth, and timidly went into the town, and sheltered himself very carefully ; and so he came very near to the market where all men sold their ware. Then