V WITNESS TO THE MIRACULOUS 165 



smallest wishes, Eginhard was naturally greatly 

 perplexed what to do. While in this state of 

 mind, he was one day contemplating his " great 

 and wonderful treasure, more precious than all 

 the gold in the world," when it struck him that 

 the chest in which the relics were contained was 

 quite unworthy of its contents ; and, after vespers, 

 he gave orders to one of the sacristans to take the 

 measure of the chest in order that a more fitting 

 shrine might be constructed. The man, having 

 lighted a wax candle and raised the pall which 

 covered the relics, in order to carry out his 

 master's orders, was astonished and terrified to 

 observe that the chest was covered with a blood- 

 like exudation (loculum mirum in modum humore 

 sanguineo undique distillantem), and at once sent 

 a message to Eginhard. 



Then I and those priests who accompanied me beheld this 

 stupendous miracle, worthy of all admiration. For just as when 

 it is going to rain, pillars and slabs and marble images exude 

 moisture, and, as it were, sweat, so the chest which contained 

 the most sacred relics was found moist with the blood exuding 

 on all sides. (Cap. ii. 16.) 



Three days' fast was ordained in order that the 

 meaning of the portent might be ascertained. All 

 that happened, however, was that, at the end of 

 that time, the " blood," which had been exuding in 

 drops all the while, dried up. Eginhard is careful 

 to say that the liquid " had a saline taste, some- 

 thing like that of tears, and was thin as water 



