But when this emptiness had through the fulness of Thy goodness
begun to cease in her heart, I knew not, and rejoiced admiring what
she had so disclosed to me; though indeed in that our discourse also
in the window, when she said, "What do I here any longer?" there
appeared no desire of dying in her own country. I heard afterwards
also, that when we were now at Ostia, she with a mother's
confidence, when I was absent, one day discoursed with certain of my
friends about the contempt of this life, and the blessing of death:
and when they were amazed at such courage which Thou hadst given to
a woman, and asked, "Whether she were not afraid to leave her body
so far from her own city?" she replied, "Nothing is far to God; nor
was it to be feared lest at the end of the world, He should not
recognise whence He were to raise me up." On the ninth day then of her
sickness, and the fifty-sixth year of her age, and the
three-and-thirtieth of mine, was that religious and holy soul freed
from the body.
I closed her eyes; and there flowed withal a mighty sorrow into my
heart, which was overflowing into tears; mine eyes at the same time,
by the violent command of my mind, drank up their fountain wholly dry;
and woe was me in such a strife! But when she breathed her last, the
boy Adeodatus burst out into a loud lament; then, checked by us all,
held his peace.
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