him wearing a ragged shirt, and his breast was naked and bare, and his outer garment was dragged round in front of him. And, behold, a certain Count came to see him, and when his followers knocked at the door, and called the old man, he went out to meet him quite carelessly; and I took a small piece of coarse cloth and threw it over his shoulders that his breast might be covered, but the old man took it in his hand and waved it, and threw it away. And when the Count went I said to him, “Father, what is this that thou hast done? For a nobleman came unto thee to be helped, and to gain profit, and behold, he hath perhaps gone away offended.” And the old man said unto me, “Get thee gone, Abbâ. We are still subject unto men. We have done the deed, and he is gone; but whether he wisheth to be benefited, or whether he wisheth to be offended is his affair. As for me, as far as I am able I shall always meet men of this kind in this way.” And he commanded his disciple, saying, “If any man cometh and wisheth to see me, say not to him anything after the manner of men, but if I am eating, tell him that I am eating, and if I am asleep, tell him that I am asleep.”
471. A certain woman who was afflicted in her lungs with the disease called cancer, heard concerning Longinus and wished to see him; now he used to dwell in [the monastery of] Hantôn in Alexandria. And whilst the woman was seeking and wishing for him, it happened that the blessed man was gathering sticks on the sea-shore, and when the woman found him, she said unto him, “Father, where dwelleth the man of God, Abbâ Longinus?” Now she did not know that he himself was Longinus. And he said unto her, “What dost thou want with that lying hypocrite? Do not go to him, for he is a liar. What is it that causeth thee pain?” Then the woman shewed him the place, and the old man made the sign of the Cross over it, and he dismissed her, saying, “Go, and may our Lord heal thee, for Longinus is unable to do thee any good whatsoever.” And the woman went away believing in the word, and she was healed straightway; and afterwards when she was telling folks the story, she said, “I have learned by the marks which were on the old man that he himself was Abbâ Longinus.”
472. On one occasion a certain governor arranged to see Abbâ Sîmôn, and the clergy told him beforehand, saying, “Father, make thyself ready, for a certain governor hath heard of thy life and works, and he wisheth to come and be blessed by thee”; and the old man said unto them, “I am ready.” Then the old man went in and took in his hand some bread and cheese, and went out to the door and sat down there, and
