Abbot Machetes, Awake Only for Spiritual Talk

We knew an old man named Machetes, who lived far from the crowds of the brothers. By his daily prayers he obtained this grace from the Lord: whenever a spiritual conference was held, whether by day or by night, he was never overcome by sleep at all. But if anyone tried to bring in a word of slander or idle talk, he dropped off to sleep at once, as though the poison of slander could not possibly reach his ears to defile them. [a]