CHAPTER V

ALEXANDRA

[1] HE told me also of a maid-servant named Alexandra, who having left the city and shut herself up in a tomb, received the necessaries of life through an opening, seeing neither women nor men face to face for ten years. And in the tenth year she fell asleep, having arrayed herself (for death): and so the woman who went as usual to see her and got no answer informed us. So we broke down the door and entering in found her fallen asleep. [2] Concerning her also the thrice-blessed Melania, about whom I shall speak later, used to say: “I never saw her face to face, but standing by the opening I urged her to say the reason why she shut herself up in a tomb. And she called out to me through the opening: ‘A man was distressed in mind because of me and, lest I should seem to afflict or disparage him, I chose to betake myself alive into the tomb rather than cause a soul made in the image of God to stumble.’ [3] When I said,” she continued, “ ‘How then do you endure never meeting any one, but struggling with accidie?’ she replied: ‘From early morn to the ninth hour I pray hour by hour, spinning flax the while. During the remaining hours I meditate on the holy patriarchs and prophets and apostles and martyrs. And having eaten my bread I remain in patience for the other hours, waiting for my end with cheerful hope.’ ”