evils she had preserved me. Verily I am fed to the full with sufficient sustenance, that is to say, with the promise of my salvation; and I am clothed upon with the protecting garment of the word of God, who encloses and embraces everything. Verily man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of God's mouth.' Then indeed Zosimus, hearing her utter the words of the holy scriptures, both of the Gospels and of many other books, said unto her: ' Ah, mother! didst thou ever learn the psalms or other holy writings 1 ' When she heard this, she glanced smilingly towards him and said: ' Believe me, I have never seen anyone but thee or wild beasts, nor creature of any kind since I passed over the water of Jordan and arrived hither in this wilderness; nor did I ever learn to read, nor ever listened to any of those people who pondered and read. But the word of God is quick and sharp, teaching this human intelligence within me. And this is now the end of those things that are accomplished concerning me. Now I beseech thee, entreating thee by the incarnate Word of God, to pray for me, a miserable sinner.' When she had said this, the old man ran towards her with bent knees, to prostrate himself upon the earth, crying aloud with sorrowful tears: ' Blessed be God, who alone worketh manifold wonders; and blessed be thou, O Lord God, who hast shewn me the gloriousness that thou givest to them that dread Thee. Now I wot verily that Thou forsakest none of them that seek Thee.' Then she, however, anticipated the old man, and suffered him not to prostrate himself fully upon the earth; but said to him, ' O man, thou hast heard these things. Behold I also beseech thee, by the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer, not to recount them to any man before God shall release me from the bonds of the flesh. But now that these things are disclosed, go home in peace. And I will again appear to thee, within the space of a year, at this same season, and thou shalt see me. And do thou at least truly as I now bid thee: when the holy Lenten fast recurs in the coming year, do not pass over Jordan as men are wont to go from your minster.' Then began Zosimus to wonder yet again, how she knew with such exactness the rule of the minster;
