ly.

A holy nun of our community annoyed me in all that she did; the
devil must have had something to do with it, and he it was
undoubtedly who made me see in her so many disagreeable points. I
did not want to yield to my natural antipathy, for I remembered
that charity ought to betray itself in deeds, and not exist merely
in the feelings, so I set myself to do for this sister all I
should do for the one I loved most. Every time I met her I prayed
for her, and offered to God her virtues and merits. I felt that
this was very pleasing to Our Lord, for there is no artist who is
not gratified when his works are praised, and the Divine Artist of
souls is pleased when we do not stop at the exterior, but,
penetrating to the inner sanctuary He has chosen, admire its
beauty.

I did not rest satisfied with praying for this Sister, who gave me
such occasions for self-mastery, I tried to render her as many
services as I could, and when tempted to answer her sharply, I
made haste to smile and change the subject, for the _Imitation_
says: "It is more profitable to leave everyone to his way of
thinking than to give way to contentious discourses." And
sometimes when the temptation was very severe, I would run like a
deserter from the battlefield if I could do so without letting the
Sister guess my inward struggle.

One day she said to me with a beaming face: "My dear Soeur
Therese, tell me what attraction you find in me, for whenever we
meet, you greet me with such a sweet smile." Ah! What attracted me
was Jesus hidden in the depths of her soul--Jesus who maketh sweet
even that which is most bitter.

I spoke just now, dear Mother, of the flight that is my last
resource to escape defeat. It is not honourable, I confess, but
during my noviciate, whenever I had recourse to this means, it
invariably succeeded. I will give you a striking example, which
will, I am sure, amuse you. You had been ill with bronchitis for
several days, and we were all uneasy about you. One morning, in my
duty as sacristan, I came to put back the keys of the
Communion-grating. This was my work, and I was very pleased to
have an opportunity of seeing you, though I took good care not to
show it. One of the Sisters, full of solicitude, feared I should
awake you, and tried to take the keys from me. I told her as
politely as I could, that I was quite as anxious as she was there
should be no noise, and added that it was my right to return them.
I see now that it