would have been more perfect simply to yield,
but I did not see it then, and so I followed her into the room.
Very soon what she feared came to pass: the noise did awaken you.
All the blame fell upon me; the Sister I had argued with began a
long discourse, of which the point was: Soeur Therese made all the
noise. I was burning to defend myself, but a happy inspiration of
grace came to me. I thought that if I began to justify myself I
should certainly lose my peace of mind, and as I had too little
virtue to let myself be unjustly accused without answering, my
last chance of safety lay in flight. No sooner thought than done.
I hurried away, but my heart beat so violently, I could not go
far, and I was obliged to sit down on the stairs to enjoy in quiet
the fruit of my victory. This is an odd kind of courage,
undoubtedly, but I think it is best not to expose oneself in the
face of certain defeat.

When I recall these days of my noviciate I understand how far I
was from perfection, and the memory of certain things makes me
laugh. How good God has been, to have trained my soul and given it
wings All the snares of the hunter can no longer frighten me, for
"A net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have
wings."[32]

It may be that some day my present state will appear to me full of
defects, but nothing now surprises me, and I do not even distress
myself because I am so weak. On the contrary I glory therein, and
expect each day to find fresh imperfections. Nay, I must confess,
these lights on my own nothingness are of more good to my soul
than lights on matters of Faith. Remembering that "Charity
covereth a multitude of sins,"[33] I draw from this rich mine,
which Our Saviour has opened to us in the Gospels. I search the
depths of His adorable words, and cry out with david: "I have run
in the way of Thy commandments since Thou hast enlarged my
heart."[34] And charity alone can make wide the heart. O Jesus!
Since its sweet flame consumes my heart, I run with delight in the
way of Thy New Commandment, and I desire to run therein until that
blessed day when, with Thy company of Virgins, I shall follow Thee
through Thy boundless Realm, singing Thy New Canticle--The
Canticle of Love.
______________________________

[1] 1 Kings 16:7.

[2] Tobias 12:7.

[3] Cf. Isaias 3:10.

[4] Prov. 9:4.

[5] Isa. 66:12, 13.

[6] Cf. Ps. 70[71]:17, 18.

[7] Soeur Therese had charge of the novices without being given
the