Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/357

almsdeeds and other unnumbered good works; and. that a man should not love father and mother and other worldly things before God; and told him the apostolic saying that ' tribulation worketh patience,' and he shall thus be tried. And she said yet again, 'believe me, God will not despise thee; and if thy daughter were fallen into any loss, then would God show it thee, that she should not be lost. But trust in God that she hath chosen for herself some good counsel. Lay aside thy great torment; Agapitus my master hath related to me concerning thee, how sorely thou art afflicted about thy daughter, and how thou hast besought the aid of the abbot and his brothers. Now will I myself also, though I be weak and sinful, pray God that He will give thee endurance and patience, and grant thee that which is best for thee and fittest for her. Frequently have I desired to see thee that thou mightest find some comfort by means of me, humble as I am '; and she then said to him: 'go now, my lord.' Then Paphnutius was much strengthened by her exhortation, and departed from her, and went to the abbot, and said to him; ' my mind is strengthened by help of this brother; I am as blithe as if I had found my daughter.' And he commended himself to the abbot and to the brothers for their prayers, and went home praising God. Then Smaragdus fulfilled, in that unknown state, eight and thirty years, and fell into a sickness, and therein likewise died. Then came Paphnutius again to the minster, and after speech with the abbot and the brothers, he prayed that he might go to Smaragdus; then the abbot bade them conduct him thither. So Paphnutius sat beside him being thus sick; and, weeping, said to him: ' Woe is me! where are now thy promises which thou didst promise me, that I might yet see my daughter? Lo now! we had some comfort by thy means, and thou wilt leave us! Woe is me! who shall now comfort my old age; to whom shall I go that will succour me? My sorrow is doubled. Now is it for eight and thirty years that my daughter hath been lost to me; and no revelation hath come to me, though I have earnestly yearned for it; unendurable sorrow holdeth me; in what may I henceforth hope, or what comfort can I receive? Mourning thus on every account, I shall go down to