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Abba Daniel used to say: Abba Alexander dwelt with Abba Agathon, and the old man loved Abba Alexander because he was a man of labour, and he was gentle and gracious. And it happened that all the brothers were washing their linen arm-cloths in the river, and Alexander was quietly washing his with them ; but the brothers said to Abba Agathon, ' Brother Alexander does nothing,' and the old man, wishing to quiet his disciples, said to him, 'Wash well, O brother, for the arm-cloth is [made] of linen.' Now when Alexander heard [this] he was grieved, and afterwards the old man entreated him, saying, 'What then? Do I not know that you canst wash well? But I spake as I did to you before them so that I might rebuke their minds by your obedience.'
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