o do anything when left
to myself."

Thus spoke that wise and prudent Virgin on her deathbed, and her
lamp, filled to the brim with the oil of virtue, burned brightly
to the end. If, as the Holy Spirit reminds us in the Book of
Proverbs: _"A man's doctrine is proved by his patience,"_[9] those
who have heard her may well believe in her doctrine, for she has
proved it by a patience no test could overcome.

At each visit the doctor expressed his admiration. "If only you
knew what she has to endure! I have never seen any one suffer so
intensely with such a look of supernatural joy. . . . I shall not
be able to cure her; she was not made for this earth." In view of
her extreme weakness, he ordered some strengthening remedies.
Therese was at first distressed because of their cost, but she
afterwards admitted: "I am no longer troubled at having to take
those expensive remedies, for I have read that when they were
given to St. Gertrude, she was gladdened by the thought that it
would redound to the good of our benefactors, since Our Lord
Himself has said: 'Whatever you do to the least of My little ones,
you do unto Me.'"[10] "I am convinced that medicines are powerless
to cure me," she added, "but I have made a covenant with God that
the poor missionaries who have neither time nor means to take care
of themselves may profit thereby."

She was much moved by the constant gifts of flowers made to her by
her friends outside the Convent, and again by the visits of a
sweet little redbreast that loved to play about her bed. She saw
in these things the Hand of God. "Mother, I feel deeply the many
touching proofs of God's Love for me. I am laden with them . . .
nevertheless, I continue in the deepest gloom! . . . I suffer much
. . . very much! and yet my state is one of profound peace. All my
longings have been realised . . . I am full of confidence."

Shortly afterwards she told me this touching little incident: "One
evening, during the 'Great Silence,' the Infirmarian brought me a
hot-water bottle for my feet, and put tincture of iodine on my
chest. I was in a burning fever, and parched with thirst, and,
whilst submitting to these remedies, I could not help saying to
Our Lord: 'My Jesus, Thou seest I am already burning, and they
have brought me more heat and fire. Oh! if they had brought me
even half a glass of water, what a comfort it would have been!
. . . My Jesus! Thy little child is so thirsty. But she is glad to
have this