master, that thou art Placidas, tribune of the soldiers, and wert afterwards in baptism named Eustace, whom likewise the Saviour Himself vouchsafed, by means of the hart, to call to His mercy so that he believed on Him; and he then, because of manifold trials which came to him, took his wife, who I am, and his two sons, Agapitus and Theodistus, and journeyed to the land of Egypt; and, as we rowed, then the ship-master took me by compulsion from him, because he was heathen, and he held me captive in his country; and Christ is my witness that neither he nor any man hath defiled me unto this day; but Christ the Living one preserved my chastity. Now that I have said all this as it happened, now I pray thee, by the great power of our Lord, that thou tell me whether thou know this.'
When Eustace had heard this, then he beheld her and recognised her by her beauty, and for great bliss wept and kissed her, and thanked God Who comforteth all those that trust in Him, and delivereth from all anguish. Then said she to him, ' Lord, where are the sons of us two?' He answered, ' Wild beasts caught them.' And then he related to her how they were taken. Then said she, 'Let us give thanks to Christ; I believe verily, that like as God hath granted us that we two should find each other, that He likewise will grant that we two may discover our bairns.'
Then said Eustace, ' But did I not tell thee, that the wild beasts caught them? ' Then said she, ' Yesterday I sat within my hall, when I heard how two young knights spake betwixt themselves about their childhood; now know I, of a truth, that they are our bairns; neither knew they themselves that they were brothers save through the narrative which the elder brother related to the younger. Understand now how great is God's mercy, which granted them to know that they are brothers.' Then bade Eustace to call them to him, and asked who they were; and they immediately related to him even as we said above; and he then knew that they were his sons, and took them to him, and embraced and kissed them, and they then all bowed their knees to Christ, and with weeping and fervour made thanksgiving for their meeting from the second hour of the day until the sixth hour.
