said, I will degrade and suspend you.

This manner of speaking somewhat surprised the Father. He well enough
understands the rules of suspension, which is not executed on such
things. He replied:

"My lord, I am ready, not only to suffer the suspension, but even
death, rather than do anything against my conscience." Having said
that, he retired.

He directly sent me this account by an express, to the end that I might
take proper measures. I had no other course to take but to retire into
a convent. I received a letter informing me that the nun to whom I had
entrusted my daughter had fallen sick, and desiring me to go to her for
some time. I showed this letter to the sisters of our house, telling
them that I had a mind to go; but if they ceased to persecute me, and
would leave Father La Combe in peace, I would return as soon as the
mistress of my daughter should be recovered. Instead of this, they
persecuted me more violently, wrote to Paris against me, stopped all my
letters, and sent libels against me around the country.

The day after my arrival at Tonon, Father La Combe set off for the
valley of Aoust, to preach there in Lent. He had come to take leave of
me, and told me that he should go from thence to Rome, and perhaps not
return, as his superiors might detain him there; that he was sorry to
leave me in a strange country, without succor, and persecuted of
everyone. I replied, "My father, that gives me no pain; I use the
creatures for God, and by His order. Through His mercy, I do very well
without them, when He withdraws them. I am very well contented never to
see you, and to abide under persecution, if such be His will." He said
he would go well satisfied to see me in such a disposition, and then
departed.

As soon as I got to the Ursulines, a very aged and pious priest, who
for twenty years past had not come out of his solitude, came to find
me. He told me that he had a vision relative to me; that he had seen a
woman in a boat on the lake; and that the Bishop of Geneva, with some
of his priests, exerted all their efforts to sink the boat she was in,
and to drown her; that he continued in this vision above two hours,
with pain of mind; that it seemed sometimes as if this woman were quite
drowned, as for some time she quite disappeared; but afterward she
appeared again, and ready to escape the danger, while the Bishop never
ceased to pursue her. This woman was always equally calm; but he never
saw her entirel