ion when her husband
appeared. "Why have you permitted these lewd fellows to stay
under our portico?" he asked. The woman replied that she had
refused to receive them into the house, but had given them
permission to sleep under the portico where there was nothing
for them to steal but the bench.

The cold was very sharp; but taking them for thieves no one gave
them any covering.

As for them, after having enjoyed on their bench no more sleep
than was necessary, warmed only by divine warmth, and having for
covering only their Lady Poverty, in the early dawn they went to
the church to hear mass.

The lady went also on her part, and seeing the friars devoutly
praying she said to herself: "If these men were rascals and
thieves as my husband said, they would not remain thus in
prayer." And while she was making these reflections behold a man
of the name of Guido was giving alms to the poor in the church.
Coming to the friars he would have given a piece of money to
them as to the others, but they refused his money and would not
receive it. "Why," he asked, "since you are poor, will you not
accept like the others?" "It is true that we are poor," replied
Brother Bernardo, "but poverty does not weigh upon us as upon
other poor people; for by the grace of God, whose will we are
accomplishing, we have voluntarily become poor."

Much amazed, he asked them if they had ever had anything, and
learned that they had possessed much, but that for the love of
God they had given everything away.... The lady, seeing that the
friars had refused the alms, drew near to them and said that
she would gladly receive them into her house if they would be
pleased to lodge there. "May the Lord recompense to you your
good will," replied the friars, humbly.

But Guido, learning that they had not been able to find a
shelter, took them to his own house, saying, "Here is a refuge
prepared for you by the Lord; remain in it as long as you
desire."

As for them, they gave thanks to God and spent several days with
him, preaching the fear of the Lord by word and example, so that
in the end he made large distributions to the poor.

Well treated by him, they were despised by others. Many men,
great and small, attacked and insulted them, sometimes going so
far as to tear off their clothing; but thou