§ 68. Seeing that he kept silence, I said, “I see, my Lord Bishop, that you have suffered much from your complaint since we left you, and I marvel that you were so unwilling for us, when we departed, to send you some of our number to wait upon you.” He replied, “It was done by the providence and the will of God, that I might be left without any society or aid of man, and suffer somewhat of affliction. For when you were gone, my languor began to increase, so that I left my cell and came hither to meet any one who might be on his way to see me, that he might not have the trouble of going further. Now, from the moment of my coming until the present time, during a space of five days and five nights, I have sat here without moving.” — “And how have you supported life, my Lord Bishop?” asked I: “have you remained so long without taking food?” Upon which, turning up the couch on which he was sitting, he showed me five onions concealed therein, saying, “This has been my food for five days — for, whenever my mouth became dry and parched with thirst, I cooled and refreshed myself by tasting these;” — now one of the onions appeared to have been a little gnawed, but certainly not more than half of it was eaten; — “and,” continued he, “my enemies have never persecuted me so much during my whole stay in the island, as they have done during these last five days.” I was not bold enough to ask what kinds of persecutions he had suffered: I only asked him to have some one to wait upon him. He consented, and kept some of us with him; amongst whom was the priest Beda the elder, who had always been used to familiar attendance upon him. This man was consequently a most faithful witness of every thing which he gave or received, whom Cuthbert wished to keep with him to remind him if he did not make proper compensation for any presents which he might receive, that before he died he might render to every one his own. He kept also another of the brethren with him, who had long suffered from a violent diarrhœa, and could not be cured by the physicians; but, for his religious merit, and prudent conduct and grave demeanour, was thought worthy to hear the last words of the man of God, and to witness his departure to the Lord.