n creatures.)
Saint Saulieu frequently repeated his visits, speaking divinely of
spiritual things. I could not understand how a man without any
preparatory study could speak in so sublime a manner of the divine
mysteries. I believed him to be really inspired by the Holy Ghost. He
said himself that he was dead to nature. He had been a soldier, and
had returned from the wars as chaste as a child. By dint of abstinence
he had lost the taste of food, and could no longer distinguish wine
from beer! He passed the greater part of his time on his knees in the
churches. He was seen to walk in the street with a modest air and
downcast eyes, never looking at anything, as if he had been alone in
the world. He visited the poor and sick, giving away all he possessed.
In winter time, if he saw a poor man without a garment, he would draw
him aside, take off his own coat, and give it him. My heart overflowed
with joy to see that there were still such men in the world. I thanked
God, and thought I had found the counterpart of myself. Priests and
other pious persons put the same confidence in him, went to consult
him, and receive his good advice.

"It was quite foreign to my feelings to quit my peaceful retreat, and
establish the asylum for children that Saint Saulieu had recommended to
me. But he brought me a tradesman who had begun the same thing, and
who offered me a house where he had already located a few poor girls.
I took possession in November, 1653. I cleaned these children. They
were shockingly dirty, but after a great deal of trouble, I cleaned
them myself, having nobody with me who liked the occupation. But at
last I made a rule, and followed it myself, putting every thing in
common, and making every one eat at the same table. I kept myself as
retired as I could; but I was obliged to speak to all sorts of persons.
Friars came, as well as devotees whose conversations did not much
please me... I was frequently sick to death.

"The house in which Saint Saulieu taught having been destroyed, and
himself sent away, he went to live with the tradesman of whom I have
already spoken. They solicited me to make an asylum, like mine, for
boys. In order to raise a necessary fund, Saint Saulieu was to take an
office in the town on lease, that brought in two thousand francs
a-year, and the revenue was to be applied to this foundation, myself
being security for him. He received the produce of one year, and then
said it wa