because nothing can
be of no value to me which so precious a will offers;" and, turning to
his companions, "Saddle this horse for me, for it is suitable for me,
and will suffice for a long time." This done, he mounts. And at first he
considered it rough, as it was, but afterwards, by a wonderful change,
he found that it suited him well and ambled pleasantly. And that there
might not _fall_ on _the ground_ any part of the word which he had
spoken,[534] till the ninth year, the year in which he died,[535] it did
not fail him, and became an excellent and very valuable palfrey.
And--that which made the miracle more evident to those that saw--from
being nearly black it began to grow white, and after no long time[536]
there was scarcely a whiter horse to be found than it.

[Sidenote: 1140, March]

37. (21). To me also it was granted to see the man on that journey,[537]
and by the sight of him and by his word I was refreshed, and _I
rejoiced as in all riches_;[538] and I, in turn, though a sinner, _found
grace in his sight_[539] then, and from that time up to his death, as I
said in the Preface.[540] He also, deigning to turn aside to
Clairvaux,[541] when he saw the brothers was deeply moved; and they
were not a little edified by his presence and his speech. So accepting
the place and us, and gathering us into his inmost heart, he bade us
farewell and departed. And crossing the Alps he came to Ivrea,[542] a
city of Italy, where he immediately healed the little son of his host
who _was sick and ready to die_.[543]

[Sidenote: 1140, May]

38. Pope Innocent II., of happy memory, was then in the Apostolic
See.[544] He received him courteously, and displayed kindly pity for him
on account of his long pilgrimage. And Malachy in the first place asked
with many tears for that which he had fixed most deeply in his heart,
that he might be allowed to live and die at Clairvaux, with the
permission and blessing of the chief Pontiff. He sought this, not
forgetful of the purpose for which he had come, but influenced by the
longing for Clairvaux which he had brought with him.[545] But he did not
obtain his request, because the apostolic man decided that he should be
employed to more profitable advantage. He was not, however, wholly
disappointed of _his heart's desire_,[546] since it was granted him if
not to live, at least to die there. He spent a whole month in the City,
visiting the holy places and resorting to them for prayer. During