leasure to
lose all for the Lord! The love of poverty, thus contracted, is the
kingdom of tranquillity.

I forgot to mention that toward the end of my miserable state of
privation, when just ready to enter into newness of life, our Lord
illuminated me so clearly to see that the exterior crosses came from
Him, that I could not harbor any resentment against the persons who
procured me them. On the contrary, I felt the tenderness of compassion
for them, and had more pain for those afflictions which I innocently
caused to them, than for any which they had heaped upon me. I saw that
these persons feared the Lord too much to oppress me as they did, had
they known it. I saw His hand in it, and I felt the pain which they
suffered, through the contrariety of their humors. It is hard to
conceive the tenderness which the Lord gave me for them, and the desire
which I have had, with the utmost sincerity, to procure them every sort
of advantage.

After the accident which befell me (fall from the horse) from which I
soon wonderfully recovered, the Devil began to declare himself more
openly mine enemy, to break loose and become outrageous. One night,
when I least thought of it, something very monstrous and frightful
presented itself. It seemed a kind face, which was seen by a glimmering
blueish light. I don't know whether the flame itself composed that
horrible face or appearance; for it was so mixed and passed by so
rapidly, that I could not discern it. My soul rested in its calm
situation and assurance, and it appeared no more after that manner. As
I arose at midnight to pray, I heard frightful noises in my chamber and
after I had lain down they were still worse. My bed often shook for a
quarter of an hour at a time, and the sashes were all burst. Every
morning while this continued, they were found shattered and torn, yet I
felt no fear. I arose and lighted my wax candle at a lamp which I kept
in my room, because I had taken the office of sacristan and the care of
waking the sisters at the hour they were to rise, without having once
failed in it for my indispositions, ever being the first in all the
observances. I made use of my little light to look all over the room
and at the sashes, at the very time the noise was strongest. As he saw
that I was afraid of nothing, he left off all on a sudden, and attacked
me no more in person. But he stirred up men against me, and that
succeeded far better with him; for he found them disposed to