n lying by her husband. She remained six years in this
state; at the end of that period, having her disorderly life in
horror, she confessed herself to a priest, and by his advice began to
perform several acts of piety, as much to obtain pardon for her crime
as to deliver herself from her abominable lover. But when the husband
of this woman was informed of the circumstance, he left her, and would
never see her again.

This unhappy woman was informed by the devil himself that St. Bernard
would soon come to Nantes, but she must mind not to speak to him, for
this abbot could by no means assist her; and if she did speak to him,
it would be a great misfortune to her; and that from being her lover,
he who warned her of it would become her most ardent persecutor.

The saint reassured this woman, and desired her to make the sign of
the cross on herself on going to bed, and to place next her in the bed
the staff which he gave her. "If the demon comes," said he, "let him
do what he can." The demon came; but, without daring to approach the
bed, he threatened the woman greatly, and told her that after the
departure of St. Bernard he would come again to torment her.

On the following Sunday, St. Bernard repaired to the Cathedral church,
with the Bishop of Nantes and the Bishop of Chartres, and having
caused lighted tapers to be given to all the people, who had assembled
in a great crowd, the saint, after having publicly related the
abominable action of the demon, exorcised and anathematized the evil
spirit, and forbade him, by the authority of Jesus Christ, ever again
to approach that woman, or any other. Everybody extinguished their
tapers, and the power of the demon was annihilated.

This example and the two preceding ones, related in so circumstantial
a manner, might make us believe that there is some reality in what is
said of demons incubi and succubi; but if we deeply examine the facts,
we shall find that an imagination strongly possessed, and violent
prejudice, may produce all that we have just repeated.

St. Bernard begins by curing the woman's mind, by giving her a stick,
which she was to place by her side in the bed. This staff sufficed for
the first impression; but to dispose her for a complete cure, he
exorcises the demon, and then anathematizes him, with all the _eclat_
he possibly could: the bishops are assembled in the cathedral, the
people repair thither in crowds; the circumstance is recounted in
pompous terms;