ecclesiastic. After all his impotent
attempts here, he went off to Annecy, in order to sow discord, and to
effect more mischief to Father La Combe.

CHAPTER 6

He went directly to the Bishop of Geneva, who till then had manifested
much esteem and kindness for me. He persuaded him, that it would be
proper to secure me to that house, to oblige me to give up to it the
annual income I had reserved to myself; to engage me thereto, by making
me prioress. He had gained such an ascendancy over the Bishop, that the
people in the country called him the Little Bishop. He drew him to
enter heartily and with zeal into this proposition, and to resolve to
bring it about whatever it should cost.

The ecclesiastic, having so far carried his point, and being swelled
with his success, no longer kept any measures in regard to me. He began
with causing all the letters which I sent, and those which were
directed to me, to be stopped. That was in order to have it in his
power to make what impressions he pleased on the minds of others, and
that I should neither be able to know it, nor to defend myself, nor to
give or send to my friends any account of the manner in which I was
treated. One of the maids I had brought wanted to return. She could
have no rest in this place, the other that remained was infirm, too
much taken up by others to help me in anything. As Father La Combe was
soon to come, I thought he would soften the violent spirit of this man,
and that he would give me proper advice.

In the meantime they proposed to me the engagement, and the post of
prioress. I answered, that as to the engagement it was impossible for
me, since my vocation was elsewhere. And I could not regularly be the
prioress, till after passing through the novitiate, in which they had
all served two years before their being engaged. When I should have
done as much, I should see how God would inspire me. The prioress
replied quite tartly, that if I would ever leave them it were best for
me to do it immediately. Yet I did not offer to retire, but continued
still to act as usual. I saw the sky gradually thickening and storms
gathering on every side. The prioress then affected a milder air. She
assured me, that she had a desire, as well as I, to go to Geneva; that
I should not engage, but only promise her to take her with me, if I
went thither. She pretended to place a great confidence in me, and
professed a high esteem for me. As I am very free, and have n