Blanquerna

There was in that city a very wealthy man, who had desired to buy Evaft’s house. That house, which was very beau¬ tiful, was situated in such a place that at all times when that rich man went out of his house he saw it, and greatly envied it; and so great was the envy that he had of that house, that he desired mortal injury to its owner, and daily he considered how he might acquire it.

2. For long this man bore envy and ill-will. While he was in this state of sin, it came to pass by the ordinance of God that the rich man who had bought the house of Evaft passed from this life. At his door were many poor folk awaiting alms, according to the cuftom whereby, when a man is to be buried, alms are given to the poor at his house for the good of his soul. Among these same poor folk were Evas'! and Aloma, who waited there in cxpeftation of alms.

3. Great was the humility and great the example which all the chief mourners who had followed the body had of EvaSt and Aloma, whom they saw among the poor awaiting alms, and much speech had they concerning them. And while they spake of Evaft and Aloma, extolling the good works which they did, the man that was envious heard them, and knew and remembered his sin, and spake within him¬ self these words :

4- “ O foolish and senseless man 1 Of what avail is this house to him that was lord thereof? And which has the better fame, whether he that is dead or Evaft who has sold the house and with the money has builded the hospital w erein so great alms are done? Sinful, envious man that 5JV?1 CTil did th* dead man to thee, for the

1C thou haft for so long and without reason soever borne ££ Wf LWretched ™»! How canft thou make 9o " t0r th,s Sln> for ^ which Envy has held thee

OF WRATH

so long time at the gates of everlafting fire, which never ceases to torment all those that in the sin of envy die? CouldSt thou do naught that would keep envy from thy heart for ever ? ”

5. While he considered thus, and reproached himself for the sin into the which he had fallen, he purposed in his heart to do, while he had the good will, some notable thing, that he might be strengthened in charity and virtue by the grace of God and that envy should thus have no more power over him. Wherefore, in the hearing of all the mourners who had come to honour the dead man and were about to depart, he spake these words :

6. “ O my lords, and ye that have come to this place to honour the man who aforetime was mafter of this house 1 I beseech you, by God and by Saint Mary, that ye follow me to my dwelling, and that EvaSl and Aloma, and all these poor men, come with us.” So Evaft and Aloma, and all the men and women that were assembled there, followed him to his house. And when he was come to the entrance of his house, he threw wide the doors, and there in the Street, before them all, he confessed his sin. Then he put Evast and Aloma in possession of his house, which was very noble, and gave it to the hospital. And he said before them all that he had desired to make this gift in their presence and to say that which he had said, that he might be led thereby to abjure envy and become subjeft to love, and that he might the more be punished for his sin.