een, coming
under the influence of Francis from hearing one of his sermons, she,
too, became one of his followers and left her father's palace in Assisi
to take the vows of perpetual and voluntary poverty at the altar of the
Portiuncula. Followed by two women, she passed swiftly through the town
in the dead of the night, and through dark woods, her hurrying figure
seeming like some spirit driven by winds towards an unknown future. One
thing alone was clear before her--that she was nearing the abode of
Francis Bernardone whose preaching at San Giorgio only a month before
had thrilled her, inspiring her in this strange way to seek the life he
had described in fiery words. Just as she came in sight of the
Portiuncula the chanting of the brethren, which had reached her in the
wood, suddenly ceased, and they came out with lighted torches in
expectation of her coming. Swiftly and without a word she passed in
to attend the midnight mass which Francis was to serve, and the scene is
thus described:--

"The ceremony was simple, wherein lies the charm of all things
Franciscan. The service over and the last blessing given, St.
Francis led Clare toward the altar, and with his own hands cut off
her long, fair hair and unclasped the jewels from her neck. But a
few minutes more and a daughter of the proud house of Scifi stood
clothed in the brown habit of the order, the black veil of religion
falling about her shoulders, lovelier far in this nun-like severity
than she had been when decked out in all her former luxury of
silken gowns and precious gems.

"It was arranged that Clare was to go afterward to the Benedictine
nuns of San Paolo, near Bastia, about an hour's walk farther on in
the plain. So when the final vows had been taken, St. Francis took
her by the hand and they passed out of the chapel together just as
dawn was breaking, while the brethren returned to their cells
gazing half sadly, as they passed, at the coils of golden hair and
the little heap of jewels which still lay upon the altar cloth."

Clara founded a convent and lived as its abbess, and the great church of
Santa Chiara is built on the site of this convent. She was born in
Assisi in 1194, and died in 1253, surviving Francis by twenty-seven
years. Her father was the Count Favorini Scifi, and he had destined his
daughter--who had great beauty--to a rich and brilliant marriage. He
viole