er's eye was off him, he fled. An immediate and diligent search was
made for him, but he could not be found until the second day, when he
was discovered still hiding in a grove near by, for he was totally
ignorant of the way he ought to take. They brought him immediately to
the patriarch. When he arrived, he was met by reproaches and revilings,
and the servants, by order of the patriarch beat him, and put him into
confinement. This was at Diman, a pleasant, airy situation belonging to
Cannobeen, and about an hour's distance from it. Soon after this, he was
taken up to the latter place, when he was left a little more at large,
but was always under the watch of a keeper.

One evening, when all had gone in the chapel for prayers, he lay as if
he had been asleep, and the monk, his keeper, thinking him really so,
went in with the rest, but took with him, as a precaution, Asaad's
silver inkhorn, supposing that if he should wake, and think of escaping,
he would not be willing to leave behind him so valuable an article. When
Asaad saw that all were gone, knowing the length of their prayers, he at
once left the convent, and ran about an hour's distance. People were
despatched in search of him with all diligence, but they returned
without finding him. On account of his ignorance of the way, he remained
secreted near the road till the day broke, when he continued his flight
until he had reached the distance of three hours or more from his
prison, when a couple of men in the service of the patriarch, having
been apprized of his escape by the pursuers during the night, discovered
him, and called out, "Who are you? Are you Asaad?" He replied, "I am
Asaad." They at once took him into custody, and brought him back, but
without any violence or indignity, to the patriarch. A different
treatment, however, awaited him at the convent. He had no sooner reached
it, than they covered him with insult, beating him, and mocking him, and
saying, "fool that you are, why did you answer to your name?" He
replied, "God has laid a curse upon the lying mouth, and therefore I
cannot use it." They said, "If you do not return to your faith, and hold
to all that has been ordained by the church and the fathers, you are
ruined. You will die under your tortures, and go to perdition." He
replied, "Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. I
am willing to expose myself to every indignity and suffering for the
sake of Him who loved us, and shed hi