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WE have seen another who lived alone, who declared that he had never
enjoyed food by himself alone, but that even if for five days running none
of the brethren came to his cell he constantly put off taking food until on
Saturday or Sunday he went to church for service and found some stranger
whom he brought home at once to his cell, and together with him partook of
refreshment for the body not so much by reason of his own needs, as for the
sake of kindness and on his brother's account. And so as they know that the
daily fast is broken without scruple on the arrival of brethren, when they
leave, they compensate for the refreshment which has been enjoyed on their
account by a greater abstinence, and sternly make up for the reception of
even a very little food by a severer chastisement not only as regards
bread, but also by lessening their usual amount of sleep.
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