Chapter I.
I and a Gallic friend had
assembled in one place, this Gaul being a man very dear to me, both on
account of his remembrance of Martin (for he had been one of his
disciples), and on account of his own merits, my friend Postumianus
joined us. He had just, on my account, returned from the East, to
which, leaving his native country, he had gone three years before. Having embraced this most affectionate friend, and kissed both his knees and his feet, we were for a moment or two, as it were, astounded; and, shedding mutual tears of joy, we walked about a good deal. But by and by we sat down on our garments of sackcloth laid upon the ground. Then Postumianus, directing his looks towards me is the first to speak, and says,—
“When I was in the remote parts of Egypt, I
felt a desire to go on as far as the sea. I there met with a merchant
vessel, which was ready to set sail with the view of making for
Narbonne. The same night you seemed in a dream to
stand beside me, and laying hold of me with your hand, to lead me away
that I should go on board that ship. Ere long, when the dawn dispersed
the darkness, and when I rose up in the place in which I had been
resting, as I revolved my dream in my mind, I was suddenly seized with
such a longing after you, that without delay I went on board the ship. Landing on the thirtieth day at Marseilles, I came on from that and arrived here on the tenth day—so prosperous a voyage was granted to my dutiful desire of seeing you. Do thou only, for whose sake I have sailed over so many seas, and have traversed such an extent of land, yield yourself over to me to be embraced and enjoyed apart from all others.”
“I truly,” said I, “while you were
still staying in Egypt, was ever holding fellowship with you in my mind
and thoughts, and affection for you had full possession of me as I
meditated upon you day and night. Surely then, you cannot imagine that
I will now fail for a single moment to gaze with delight upon you, as I
hang upon your lips. I will listen to you, I will converse with you, while no one at all is admitted to our retirement, which this remote cell of mine furnishes to us. For, as I suppose, you will not take amiss the presence of this friend of ours, the Gaul, who, as you perceive, rejoices with his whole heart over this arrival of yours, even as I do myself.”
“Quite right,” said Postumianus, “that
Gaul will certainly be retained in our company; who, although I am but
little acquainted with him, yet for this very reason that he is greatly
beloved by you, cannot fail also to be dear to me. This must especially
be the case, since he is of the school of Martin; nor will I grudge, as
you desire, to talk with you in connected discourse, since I came
hither for this very purpose, that I should, even at the risk of being
tedious, respond to the desire of my dear Sulpitius ”—and
in so speaking he affectionately took hold of me with both his
hands.