XXVIII.

When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed

countenance for very anger, but his orators and temple-keepers stood

speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds of argument

in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and with glad

countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path, where no path was,

for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth of a foeman and enemy was

establishing the truth; and the leader of error had proved a defender

of the right cause.

But the king, although furiously enraged with Nachor, was nevertheless

unable to do him any mischief, because of the proclamation already read

before all, wherein he urged him to plead without fear in behalf of the

Christians. So he himself made answer in many words, and by dark

speeches hinted that Nachor should relax his resistance, and be worsted

by the argument of the orators. But Nachor the more mightily

prevailed, tearing to pieces all their propositions and conclusions and

exposing the fallacy of their error. After the debate had been

prolonged till well-nigh eventide, the king dismissed the assembly,

making as though he would renew the discussion on the morrow.

Then said Ioasaph to the king his father, "As at the beginning, Sir,

thou commandedst that the trial should be just, so too crown the end

thereof with justice, by doing one or other of these two things.

Either allow my teacher to tarry with me to-night, that we may take

counsel together as touching those things which we must say unto our

adversaries tomorrow: and do thou in turn take thine advisers unto

thee, and duly practise yourselves as ye will. Or else deliver thy

counsellors to me this night, and take mine to thyself. But if both

sides be with thee, mine advocate in tribulation and fear, but thine in

joy and refreshment, me thinketh it is not a fair trial, but a

tyrannical misuse of power, and a breaking of the covenants." The

king, compelled to yield by the gracefulness of this speech took his

wise men and priests to himself, and delivered Nachor to his son, still

having hopes of him and thinking fit to keep his agreement.

The king's son, therefore, departed unto his own palace, like a

conqueror in the Olympic games, and with him went Nachor. When alone,

the prince called him and said, "Think not that I am ignorant of thy

tale, for I wot, of a surety, that thou art not saintly Barlaam, but

Nachor the astrologer; and I marvel how it seemed thee good to act this

play, and to think that thou couldst so dull my sight at mid-day, that

I should mistake a wolf for a sheep. But well sung is the proverb,

'The heart of a fool will conceive folly.' So this your device and

counsel was stale and utterly senseless; but the work that thou hast

accomplished is full of wisdom. Wherefore, rejoice, Nachor, and be

exceeding glad. I render thee many thanks, that thou hast been to-day

advocate of the truth, and hast not polluted thy lips with foul words

and crafty simulation, but hast rather cleansed them from many

defilements, and thoroughly proven the error of the gods, as they be

wrongly called, and hast established the truth of the Christian faith.

I have been zealous to bring thee hither with me for two reasons; that

the king might not privily seize and punish thee, because thou spakest

not after his heart, and next that I might recompense thee for the

favour that thou hast done me to-day. And what is my recompense for

thee? To show thee how to turn from the evil and slippery road which

thou hast trodden until now, and to journey along the straight and

saving pathway which thou hast avoided, not in ignorance, but by wilful

wrongdoing, throwing thyself into depths and precipices of iniquity.

Understand then, Nachor, man of understanding as thou art, and be thou

zealous to gain Christ only, and the life that is hid with him, and

despise this fleeting and corruptible world. Thou shalt not live for

ever, but, being mortal, shalt depart hence ere long, even as all that

have been before thee. And wo betide thee, if, with the heavy load of

sin on thy shoulders, thou depart thither where there is righteous

judgement and recompense for thy works, and cast it not off, while it

is easy to rid thyself thereof!"

Pricked at heart by these words, spake Nachor, "Well said! Sir prince,

well said! I do know the true and very God, by whom all things were

made, and I wot of the judgement to come, having heard thereof from

many texts of the Scriptures. But evil habit and the insolence of the

ancient supplanter hath blinded the eyes of my heart, and shed a thick

darkness over my reason. But now, at thy word, I will cast away the

veil of gloom, and run unto the light of the countenance of the Lord.

May be, he will have mercy on me, and will open a door of repentance to

his wicked and rebellious servant, even if it seem impossible to me

that my sins, which are heavier than the sand, be forgiven; sins,

which, wittingly or unwittingly, I have sinned from childhood upwards

to this my hoary age."

When the king's son heard these words, immediately he arose, and his

heart waxed warm, and he began to try to raise Nachor's courage which

was drooping to despair, and to confirm it in the faith of Christ,

saying, "Let no doubt about this, Nachor, find place in thy mind. For

it is written, God is able of these very stones to raise up children

unto Abraham. What meaneth this (as father Barlaam said) except that

men beyond hope, stained with all manner of wickedness, can be saved,

and become servants of Christ, who, in the exceeding greatness of his

love toward mankind, hath opened the gates of heaven to all that turn,

barring the way of salvation to none, and receiving with compassion

them that repent? Wherefore to all that have entered the vineyard at

the first, third, sixth, ninth or eleventh hour there is apportioned

equal pay, as saith the holy Gospel: so that even if, until this

present time, thou hast waxen old in thy sins, yet if thou draw nigh

with a fervent heart, thou shalt gain the same rewards as they who have

laboured from their youth upwards."

With these and many other words did that saintly youth speak of

repentance to that aged sinner Nachor, promising him that Christ was

merciful, and pledging him forgiveness, and satisfying him that the

good God is alway ready to receive the penitent, and with these words,

as it were with ointments, did he mollify that ailing soul and give it

perfect health. Nachor at once said unto him, "O prince, more noble in

soul even than in outward show, well instructed in these marvellous

mysteries, mayst thou continue in thy good confession until the end,

and may neither time nor tide ever pluck it out of thine heart! For

myself, I will depart straightway in search of my salvation, and will

by penance pacify that God whom I have angered: for, except thou will

it, I shall see the king's face no more." Then was the prince

exceeding glad, and joyfully heard his saying. And he embraced and

kissed him affectionately; and, when he had prayed earnestly to God, he

sent him forth from the palace.

So Nachor stepped forth with a contrite heart, and went bounding into

the depths of the desert, like as doth an hart, and came to a den

belonging to a monk that had attained to the dignity of the priesthood,

and was hiding there for fear of the pressing danger. With a right warm

heart knelt Nachor down before him, and washed his feet with his tears,

like the harlot of old, and craved holy Baptism. The priest, full of

heavenly grace, was passing glad, and did at once begin to instruct

him, as the custom is, and after many days, perfected him with baptism

in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And

Nachor abode with him, always repentant of his sins, and blessing that

God who never willeth that ally should perish, but receiveth all that

turn again unto him, and lovingly accepteth the penitent.

Now on the morrow when the king heard what had befallen Nachor, he

despaired of the hopes that he once had in him: and, seeing those wise

and foolish orators of his mightily discomfited, he was at his wits'

end. Them he visited with terrible outrage and dishonour, scourging

some severely with whips of oxhide, besmearing their eyes with soot,

and casting them away from his presence. He himself began to condemn

the impotence of the gods falsely so called, although as yet he refused

to look fully at the light of Christ, for the dense cloud of darkness,

that enveloped him, still bound the eyes of his heart. Howbeit he no

longer honoured his temple-keepers, nor would he keep feasts, nor make

drink offerings to his idols, but his mind was tossed between two

opinions. On the one hand, he poured scorn on the impotence of his

gods; on the other, he dreaded the strictness of the profession of the

Gospel, and was hardly to be torn from his evil ways, being completely

in slavery to the pleasures of the body, and like a captive drawn

towards sinful lusts, and being drunken, as saith Esay, but not with

wine, and led as it were with the bridle of evil habit.

While the king was thus wrestling with two opinions, his noble and

truly royal-hearted son dwelt at peace in his palace, proving to all

men by his deeds the nobility, order and steadfastness of his nature.

Theatres, horse-races, riding to hounds, and all the vain pleasures of

youth, the baits that take foolish souls, were reckoned by him as

nothing worth. But he hung wholly on the commands of Christ for whom

he yearned, his heart being wounded with love divine. For him he

longed, who alone is to be longed for, who is all sweetness and desire

and aspiration insatiable.

Now, when he came to think upon his teacher Barlaam, and as in a mirror

saw his life, his soul was enchanted with love, and he much occupied

himself a-thinking how he might see him; and ever carrying his sayings

in his heart, he was like the tree in the Psalms planted by the river

side, unceasingly watered, and bringing forth unto the Lords his fruits

in due season. Many were the souls that he delivered from the snares

of the devil, and brought safely unto Christ; for many resorted unto

him, and profited by his wholesome words. And not a few left the way

of error, and ran toward the word of salvation; while others bade a

long farewell to the concerns of the world, and came to the

wrestling-school of the monastic life. He himself spent his time in

prayers and fastings, and would often offer up this prayer, "O Lord, my

Lord and King, in whom I have trusted, to whom I have fled and been

delivered from my error, render thou due recompense to Barlaam thy

servant, because when I was in error he pointed thee to me, who art the

way of truth and life. Forbid me not to behold once more that angel in

bodily shape, of whom the world is not worthy, but grant me in his

company to finish the residue of my life, that, treading in the

footsteps of his conversation, I may be well-pleasing to thee my God

and Lord."