The Seven Years of Seeking 99

the Deluge, but had been saved as an isle
inviolate amid the fountains of the great
deep; and they asked each other whether
not one of all these Sea-farers would ever
bring back a fruit or a flower or a leaf from
the arbours of delight in which our first
parents had dwelt. They spoke of the voy-
age of Brendan the Saint, and of the exceed-
ing loveliness of the Earthly Paradise, and
of the deep bliss of breathing its air celestial,
till it needed little to set many of them off
on a like perilous adventure.

Of all the brethren Serapion was the most
eager to begin that seeking. And this was
what brought him to it at last.

There came to the Abbey on a day in
spring that youthful Bishop of Arimathea
who in after time made such great fame in
the world. Tall and stately was he, and
black-bearded; a guest pleasant and wise,
and ripe with the experience of distant
travel and converse with many chief men.
Now he was on his way to the great house
of Glastonbury oversea, to bring back with
him, if he might be so fortunate, the body
of the saint of his city who had helped our