thus lived, I saw at a certain season a great multitude of Africans and Egyptians running together as it were towards the sea. Then I suddenly met one of them, and asked him whither he supposed that the multitude desired to hasten. He answered me, and spake thus, saying, that they wished to go to Jerusalem out of reverence for the Holy Rood, which should receive due honour not many days afterward. Then said I to him: "Thinkest thou that they will take me too, if I wish to go with them? " Then said he: "If thou hast the passage-money, none of them will refuse you." Then said I to him: " Brother, verily I have no passage-money to give; but I wish to go and embark in one of the ships, and they shall support me, though they do not wish it; and I will entrust myself to them; and let them have my body at their pleasure for the passage-money, that they may the more readily receive me." Pity me, abbot, because I desired to go with them, that I might have the more associates in the passion of my desires. I said before to thee, "pity me, thou 'holy man;" in order that thou shouldst not compel me to recount my shame. God knoweth that I fear my own words, because I know that these words of mine pollute both thee and the very air.' Zosimus indeed, bedewing the earth with his tears, said to her: ' Ah, thou spiritual mother, say on, I pray thee, for God's sake, and be not silent as to the sequel of so sanctifying a history.' And then she said thus: ' The young man soon heard the shamefulness of my words, and departed from me, laughing. Thereupon I soon cast from me the flax-stick [better, spindle] which I was seldom wont to have in my hands, and ran to the sea, where I saw them assembled. Then I saw ten young men standing together on the
