tigation of the Bishop of Geneva, the ecclesiastic, and the
sisters at Gex, stirred up all the persons of piety against me. I had
but little uneasiness on my own account. If I could have had it at all,
it would have been on account of Father La Combe, whom they vilely
aspersed, though he was absent. They even made use of his absence, to
overset all the good he had done in the country, by his missions and
pious labors, which were inconceivably great. At first I was too ready
to vindicate him, thinking it justice to do it. I did not do it at all
for myself; and our Lord showed me that I must cease doing it for him,
in order to leave him to be more thoroughly annihilated; because from
thence he would draw a greater glory, than ever he had done from his
own reputation.

Every day then invented some new slander. No kind of stratagem, or
malicious device in their power, did they omit. They came to surprise
and ensnare me in my words; but God guarded me so well, that therein
they only discovered their own malevolence. I had no consolation from
the creatures. She who had the care of my daughter behaved roughly to
me. Such are the persons who regulate themselves only by their gifts
and emotions. When they do not see things succeed, and as they regard
them only by their success, and are not willing to have the affront of
their pretensions being though uncertain, and liable to mistake, they
seek without for supports. As for me who pretended to nothing, I
thought all succeeded well, inasmuch as all tended to self-annihilation.
On another side, the maid I had brought, and who stayed with me, grew
tired out. Wanting to go back again, she stunned me with her complaints,
thwarting and chiding me from morning till night, upbraiding me with
what I had left, and coming to a place where I was good for nothing.
I was obliged to bear all her ill-humor and the clamor of her tongue.

My own brother, Father La Mothe, wrote to me that I was rebel to my
bishop, staying in his diocese only to give him pain. Indeed, I saw
there was nothing for me to do here, so long as the bishop should be
against me. I did what I could to gain his goodwill, but this was
impossible on any other terms than the engagement he demanded, and that
I knew to be my duty not to do. This, joined to the poor education of
my daughter, affected my heart. When any glimmering of hope appeared,
it soon vanished; and I gained strength from a sort of despair.

During this time Fat