hat have defiled themselves by foul practices." Hereupon
Ioasaph was carried thence by his guides; and, when he came to himself,
immediately he trembled from head to foot, and, like a river, his eyes
dropped tears, and all the comeliness of that wanton damsel and her
fellows was grown more loathsome to him than filth and rottenness. And
as he mused in his heart on the memory of the visions, in longing for
the good and in terror of the evil, he lay on his bed utterly unable to
arise.

Then was the king informed of his son's sickness; and he came and asked
what ailed him. And Ioasaph told him his vision, and said, "Wherefore
hast thou laid a net for my feet, and bowed down my soul? If the Lord
had not helped me, my soul had well nigh dwelt in hell. But how loving
is God unto Israel, even unto such as are of a true heart! He hath
delivered me that am lowly from the midst of the dogs. For I was sore
troubled and I fell on sleep: but God my Saviour from on high hath
visited me, and showed me what joy they lose that provoke him and to
what punishments they subject themselves. And now, O my father, since
thou hast stopped thine ears not to hear the voice that will charm thee
to good, at least forbid me not to walk the straight road. For this I
desire, this I long for, to forsake all, and reach that place, where
Barlaam the servant of Christ hath his dwelling, and with him to finish
what remaineth of my life. But if thou keep me back by force, thou
shalt quickly see me die of grief and despair, and thou shalt be no
more called father, nor have me to thy son."

XXXI.

Again therefore the king was seized with despondency, and again he was
like to abjure his whole way of life; and with strange thoughts he went
again unto his own palace. But the evil spirits, that had been sent
out by Theudas for to attack the young saint, returned to him, and,
lovers of leasing though they were, confessed their shameful defeat,
for they bare visible tokens of their defeat, upon their evil
countenance. Said Theudas, "And be ye so weak and puny that ye cannot
get the better of one young stripling?" Then did the evil spirits,
constrained, to their sorrow, by the might of God, bring to light the
truth, saying, "We cannot abide even the sight of the might of Christ,
and the symbol of his Passion, which they call the Cross. For, when
that sign is made, immediately all we, the princes of the air, and the
rulers of the darkness of the