Blanquerna

It came to pass one day that Evaft and Aloma had attended to their sick folk, and went to seek some person who would give them food for the love of God, for Whose love they had given food to many that were sick in the hospital. Now as they went along a path that was near to the palace of the Bishop of that city, the Bishop came riding by with many of his canons and clergy from taking his pleasure without the city. This thing the Bishop did daily that his health might profit and his appetite be the heartier at table. After¬ ward he caused Mass to be sung, and after Mass he went to dine. When the Bishop saw Evaft and Aloma, he bade them dine with him, so they dined with the Bishop on that day.

2. When they had dined and were ready to give thanks to God, a burgess of that city, the same that had bought the house of Evaft, brought a roaft peacock, well bafted, to the Bishop, who as yet had not risen from table. The Bishop fell to eating once more and tafted the peacock, and sent a portion thereof to Evaft and Aloma, who were sitting humbly upon the ground before the Bishop like poor folk. All those to whom the Bishop sent a portion of the peacock to eat, partook thereof, save Evaft and Aloma, who would not taste it Then the Bishop enquired of them wherefore they tafted it not. “ My lord ! " replied Evaft, “ It is the o dmanee and will of God that man should eat to satisfy

neerifl t l° h'S needs> and that which is not

causTnf !' y “ "0t °rdained of God a"d tnay be the

which is /C ,!eSS an<1 dcath| and belongeth unto gluttony, which ,s contrary to temperance. Wherefore, since we have

OF LUST

satisfied the body, as is fitting, neither for a peacock nor for other meat will we ad contrarily to the will of God and to temperance, neither will we be to ourselves the occasion of sickness or death.”

3. All that day did the Bishop think deeply upon the words which Evaft had spoken, remembering the noble and honourable estate wherein Evaft and Aloma had lived, and how they had forsaken the world and sold their house, which was among the nobleft and moft ancient in the city, and how it had been bought by that man who had sent the peacock to him. As the Bishop thought in this manner and considered the great good which Evaft and Aloma did, he felt an uneasiness within him1 because he had eaten to excess, which uneasiness came to him many times through repletion and often caused him sickness. Wherefore, so deeply did the Bishop consider the good cflate of Evaft and Aloma, and so fervently did he reproach himself and avow his sin, that thenceforward he sang Mass himself each morning be¬ fore riding abroad, and was chastened for the vice wherein gluttony had held him captive ; and such temperance had he that his other virtues were increased and he lived for many years in health and did many good works.