the apostle she knew that he was an Hebrew, because he ate not, but had alway his eyen firm toward heaven. And as the maid sang tofore him in Hebrew, she said: 'The God of heaven is one only God, the which created all things and founded the seas.' And the apostle made her to say these words again. And the butler beheld him, and saw that Thomas ate not ne drank not, but alway looked upward to heaven. And he came to the apostle and smote him on the cheek; and the apostle said to him: 'That in time to come it be pardoned to thee, and that now a wound transitory be given to thee'; and said: 'I shall not arise from this place till the hand that hath smitten me be eaten with dogs.' And anon after, the butler went for to fetch water at a well, and there a lion came and slew him and drank his blood, and the hounds drew his body into pieces, in such wise that a black dog brought the right arm into the hall in the middle of the dinner. And when they saw this, all the company was abashed, and the maid remembered the words, and threw down her pipe or flute, and fell down at the feet of the apostle. And this vengeance blameth S. Austin in his book of Faustius, and saith that this was set in of some false prophets, for this thing might be suspicious unto many things. Whether it be true or no it appertaineth not to me, but I wot well that they should be like as our Lord teacheth, which saith: 'If any man smiteth thee on that one cheek, show and offer to him that other,' and certainly the apostle held within his courage the will of God and of dilection, and without forth he [the butler] required example of correction.
