he
implored God, crying aloud and saying, "Show me, O Lord, show me the
man that was the means of my knowledge of thee, and the cause of my
many blessings. Because of the multitude of mine offences, deprive me
not of this good thing; but grant me to see him, and fight with him the
ascetic fight."

By the grace of God, he found a cave, by following footsteps that led
thither. There he met a monk pursuing a hermit life. Him he embraced
and saluted tenderly. He asked where to find Barlaam's dwelling, and
told him his own tale, laying all bare. Of him then he learned the
abode of the man whom he sought, and thither went foot-hot, as when a
cunning hunter happeneth on the tracks of his game. And when he had
met with certain signs, pointed out to him by this other old hermit, he
went on rejoicing, strong in hope, like a child hoping after long
absence to see his father. For when divine love hath broken into a
soul, it proveth hotter and stronger than the natural.

So he stood before the door of the cave, and knocked, saying "Benedic,
father, benedic!" When Barlaam heard his voice, he came forth from the
cave, and by the spirit knew him, who by outward appearance could not
easily be known, because of the marvellous change and alteration that
had changed and altered his face from its former bloom of youth; for
Ioasaph was black with the sun's heat, and overgrown with hair, and his
cheeks were fallen in, and his eyes deep sunken, and his eyelids seared
with floods of tears, and much distress of hunger. And Ioasaph
recognised his spiritual father, for his features were, for the more
part, the same. So the old man stood, and, facing the East, offered up
to God a prayer of thanksgiving; and, after the prayer, when they had
said the Amen, they embraced and kissed each other affectionately,
taking their full fill of long deferred desire.

But, when they had done with embracing and greeting, they sat them down
and conversed. Barlaam began, saying, "Welcome art thou, son well
beloved son of God, and inheritor of the heavenly kingdom through Jesus
Christ our Lord, whom thou lovest, whom thou rightly desirest above the
things that are temporal and corruptible! Like a prudent and wise
merchant, thou hast sold all, and bought the pearl that is beyond
price, and hast found the treasure that cannot be stolen, hidden in the
field of the commandments of the Lord; thou hast parted with all, and
spared naught of the things that so