S. BENEDICT AND S. SCHOLASTICA
It happed that S. Benet went to visit his sister, named Scholastica, and as they sat at table she prayed her brother that he would abide there all that night, but he in no wise would grant her, and said he might not live out of his cloister. And when she saw that he would not grant to her to abide, she inclined her head and made her prayers to our Lord, and anon it began to thunder and to lighten, and the air to wax dark which tofore was fair and clear, and a great rain fell down so that for nothing he might depart. And like as she wept with her eyen, right so forthwith the rain and storm came, and then she lifted up her head. Then S. Benet said to his sister: 'Almighty God forgive you that ye have done, for ye have letted me that I may not depart hence.' And she said: 'Fair brother, God is more courteous than ye be, for ye would not accept my prayer; but God hath heard me. Now go if ye may.' And then S. Benet abode there all the night, speaking of God between him and his sister without sleeping, till they were both eased. On the morn S. Benet went to his abbey, and on the third day he lift up his eyes to heaven, and saw the soul of his sister mount up into heaven in the likeness of a dove. And anon he did the body of her to be brought to his abbey, and did it to be buried in his tomb which he had do make for himself.
88
