ds
over to him again. And then, feeling quite sure he had discovered God's
Holy Will, he began to obey it _at once_. He took off his shoes; he laid
aside his second garment, making himself a rough brown habit; he put
down his staff, and he exchanged his belt for a bit of rope. Then,
feeling full of joy, he set out along the stony road on his bare feet,
towards the town--not to beg this time, but to give the greeting of
"Peace," and to tell the people to make up their quarrels and forgive
each other, and turn with all their hearts to the Lord Christ.

The people of the town did not laugh now, and jeer; they saw that St.
Francis was speaking to them from the bottom of his pure heart--a heart
on fire with the love of God--and that the grace of Jesus Christ, his
Master, was upon him. And before long two men of Assisi had joined him
as the first of the great company who were to follow him--for you
remember how he was to be a leader, and that the palace of his dream had
been promised to him and his followers.

This is the story of St. Francis's first recruit. His name was Bernard
de Quintavalle, and he was a rich merchant, serious and God-fearing, and
not a bit like the gay, eager St. Francis. But seeing how unselfish and
hard-working a life St. Francis led, and that God's Holy Spirit was with
him, he began to visit the young preacher, and to receive him in his
house. St. Francis willingly gave his friendship to such a good man.

Bernard used to like St. Francis to sleep on a bed in his own room.
Often at night he would lie awake, thinking; and he would notice that
after a short sleep St. Francis got out of bed and knelt down, and spent
the rest of the night praying to God. The only words Bernard could hear
were just "My God and my All, my God and my All," which St. Francis
repeated over and over again, as if his soul was really seeing God, and
his heart was so full of love for Him that he could say nothing else.
And Bernard understood the secret of St. Francis's holiness and purity,
for to one who prays like that God pours out very much grace, so that he
can begin to be all that he knows he ought to be if he is really to
please the Lord Christ, his Master.

So one day Bernard told St. Francis that he wanted to give back to God
all his riches and become his poor brother. So St. Francis said what
they ought to do would be to go to the church and read in the Gospel,
where the words of Jesus Christ would show them what to do.