she had a tabernacle of rest, and dwelt in the house of her God."
And then, bidding them bless God, who had brought them safe over the
Alps, and across the sea, and all along that weary road, she went on
her way, and they saw her no more.

Then with this fair mysterious face clinging to his memory, and it
may be never leaving it, Godric took his mother safe home, and
delivered her to his father, and bade them both after awhile
farewell, and wandered across England to Penrith, and hung about the
churches there, till some kinsmen of his recognised him, and gave
him a psalter (he must have taught himself to read upon his
travels), which he learnt by heart. Then, wandering ever in search
of solitude, he went into the woods and found a cave, and passed his
time therein in prayer, living on green herbs and wild honey, acorns
and crabs; and when he went about to gather food, he fell down on
his knees every few yards and said a prayer, and rose and went on.

After awhile he wandered on again, until at Wolsingham, in Durham,
he met with another holy hermit, who had been a monk at Durham,
living in a cave in forests in which no man dare dwell, so did they
swarm with packs of wolves; and there the two good men dwelt
together till the old hermit fell sick, and was like to die. Godric
nursed him, and sat by him, to watch for his last breath. For the
same longing had come over him which came over Marguerite
d'Angouleme when she sat by the dying bed of her favourite maid of
honour--to see if the spirit, when it left the body, were visible,
and what kind of thing it was: whether, for instance, it was really
like the little naked babe which is seen in mediaeval illuminations
flying out of the mouths of dying men. But, worn out with watching,
Godric could not keep from sleep. All but despairing of his desire,