s, who visited each other in a dream,
and explained some passages of Plato, both remaining asleep in their
own houses.

These sufferings, and this peculiar species of active labour, were
like a single ray of light, which enlightened her whole life. Infinite
was the number of spiritual labours and sympathetic sufferings which
came from all parts and entered into her heart--that heart so burning with
love of Jesus Christ. Like St. Catherine of Sienna and some other
ecstatics, she often felt the most profound feeling of conviction that
our Saviour had taken her heart out of her bosom, and placed his own
there instead for a time.

The following fragment will give some idea of the mysterious
symbolism by which she was interiorly directed. During a portion of the
year 1820 she performed many labours in spirit, for several different
parishes; her prayers being represented under the figure of most severe
labour in a vineyard. What we have above related concerning the nettles
is of the same character.

On the 6th of September her heavenly guide said to her: ' "You weeded,
dug around, tied, and pruned the vine; you ground down the weeds so
that they could never spring up anymore; and then you went away
joyfully and rested from your prayers. Prepare now to labour hard from
the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin to that of St. Michael;
the grapes are ripening and must be well watched." Then he led me,' she
continued, 'to the vineyard of St. Liboire, and showed me the vines at
which I had worked. My labour had been successful, for the grapes were
getting their colour and growing large, and in some parts the red juice
was running down on the ground from them. My guide said to me: "When the
virtues of the good begin to shine forth in public, they have to combat
bravely, to be oppressed, to be tempted, and to suffer persecution. A
hedge must be planted around the vineyard in order that the ripe grapes
may not be destroyed by thieves and wild beasts, i.e. by temptation and
persecution." He then showed me how to build a wall by heaping up stones,
and to raise a thick hedge of thorns all around. As my hands bled from
such severe labour, God, in order to give me strength, permitted me to
see the mysterious signification of the vine, and of several other
fruit trees. Jesus Christ is the true Vine, who is to take root and
grow in us; all useless wood must be cut away, in order not to waste
the sap, which is to become the wine, an