could say: "Master, we have laboured all night, and
have taken nothing."[2]

More merciful to me even than to His beloved disciples, Our Lord
Himself took the net, cast it, and drew it out full of fishes. He
made me a fisher of men. Love and a spirit of self-forgetfulness
took possession of me, and from that time I was perfectly happy.

One Sunday, closing my book at the end of Mass, a picture of Our
Lord on the Cross half slipped out, showing only one of His Divine
Hands, pierced and bleeding. I felt an indescribable thrill such
as I had never felt before. My heart was torn with grief to see
that Precious Blood falling to the ground, and no one caring to
treasure It as It fell, and I resolved to remain continually in
spirit at the foot of the Cross, that I might receive the Divine
Dew of Salvation and pour it forth upon souls. From that day the
cry of my dying Saviour--"I thirst!"--sounded incessantly in my
heart, and kindled therein a burning zeal hitherto unknown to me.
My one desire was to give my Beloved to drink; I felt myself
consumed with thirst for souls, and I longed at any cost to snatch
sinners from the everlasting flames of hell.

In order still further to enkindle my ardour, Our Divine Master
soon proved to me how pleasing to him was my desire. Just then I
heard much talk of a notorious criminal, Pranzini, who was
sentenced to death for several shocking murders, and, as he was
quite impenitent, everyone feared he would be eternally lost. How
I longed to avert this irreparable calamity! In order to do so I
employed all the spiritual means I could think of, and, knowing
that my own efforts were unavailing, I offered for his pardon the
infinite merits of Our Saviour and the treasures of Holy Church.

Need I say that in the depths of my heart I felt certain my
request would be granted? But, that I might gain courage to
persevere in the quest for souls, I said in all simplicity: "My
God, I am quite sure that Thou wilt pardon this unhappy Pranzini.
I should still think so if he did not confess his sins or give any
sign of sorrow, because I have such confidence in Thy unbounded
Mercy; but this is my first sinner, and therefore I beg for just
one sign of repentance to reassure me." My prayer was granted to
the letter. My Father never allowed us to read the papers, but I
did not think there was any disobedience in looking at the part
about Pranzini. The day after his execution I hastily opened the
paper, _La