r child,
you are a privileged little flower which Our Lord wishes to
gather. I will put no obstacle in the way."

Joyfully I went home. . . . The clouds had quite disappeared from
the sky, and in my soul also dark night was over. Jesus had
awakened to gladden my heart. I no longer heard the roar of the
waves. Instead of the bitter wind of trial, a light breeze swelled
my sail, and I fancied myself safe in port. Alas! more than one
storm was yet to rise, sometimes even making me fear that I should
be driven, without hope of return, from the shore which I longed
to reach.

I had obtained my uncle's consent, only to be told by you, dear
Mother, that the Superior of the Carmelites would not allow me to
enter till I was twenty-one. No one had dreamt of this serious
opposition, the hardest of all to overcome. And yet, without
losing courage, I went with Papa to lay my request before him. He
received me very coldly, and could not be induced to change his
mind. We left him at last with a very decided "No." "Of course,"
he added, "I am only the Bishop's delegate; if he allows you to
enter, I shall have nothing more to say."

When we came out of the Presbytery again, it was raining in
torrents, and my soul, too, was overcast with heavy clouds. Papa
did not know how to console me, but he promised, if I wished, to
take me to Bayeux to see the Bishop, and to this I eagerly
consented.

Many things happened, however, before we were able to go. To all
appearances my life seemed to continue as formerly. I went on
studying, and, what is more important, I went on growing in the
love of God. Now and then I experienced what were indeed raptures
of love.

One evening, not knowing in what words to tell Our Lord how much I
loved him, and how much I wished that He was served and honoured
everywhere, I thought sorrowfully that from the depths of hell
there does not go up to Him one single act of love. Then, from my
inmost heart, I cried out that I would gladly be cast into that
place of torment and blasphemy so that He might be eternally loved
even there. This could not be for His Glory, since He only wishes
our happiness, but love feels the need of saying foolish things.
If I spoke in this way, it was not that I did not long to go to
Heaven, but for me Heaven was nothing else than Love, and in my
ardour I felt that nothing could separate me from the Divine Being
Who held me captive.

About this time Our Lord gave me the consolation o