Bede sees without any starry-eyed sentimentality what could overcome the deep mistrust of the pagan kings when asked to abandon their traditional gods. According to the most touching speech in Bede's entire history, the clinching moment of persuasion for one noble was nothing more than a gambler's bet. It seems to me, my Lord, the present life of men here on earth is as though a sparrow in winter time should come to a house and very swiftly fly through it, entering at one window and straight away passing out through another, while you sit at dinner with your captains in a hall made warm with a great fire, while outside there are the raging tempests of winter rain and snow. For that short time it be within the house, the bird feels no smart of the winter storm, but soon passes again from winter back to winter and escapes your sight. So the life of man here appears for a little season, but what follows or what has gone before, that surely we do not know. Wherefore, if this new learning has brought us any certainty, methinks it is worthy to be followed.


比德总能理智地思考，如何才能除去异教国王深埋心中的疑虑，让他们能够摒弃传统的神祗。根据比德演讲史上最动人心弦的一场演说，对于一个贵族而言，最脆弱的时刻莫过于他赌上自己的前身后世之时。陛下，在我看来，一个人现世的生活，就好似一只麻雀，在隆冬进入一间暖屋，转瞬之间便穿堂而过。从一扇窗中进入，自另一扇飞出，当你在此，和你的部下们围火而坐，尽享美食，而外面却值严冬，狂风大作雨雪交加，在这房中短促的时间内，鸟对窗外的寒冬毫无预警，但很快地便会飞出。从严寒中来，往严寒中去，脱离你的视线。人的一生也不过转瞬，而我们从哪里来，最终要到哪里去，我们无从得知。因此，若这道理有任何启发作用，在我看来都是值得遵从的。