he weakness of a child, the evident tokens of divine strength.
Her heart was quite shut up to me all the time I was there. Our Lord,
however, made me foretell events which should happen, which since that
time have actually been fulfilled, as well to herself as to her
daughter, and to the virtuous ecclesiastic who lived at her house. She
did not fail, at last, to conceive more friendship for me, seeing then
that Christ was in me. It was the force of self-love, and fear of
reproach, which had closed up her heart. Moreover, she thought her
state more advanced than in reality it was, by reason of her being
without tests; but she soon saw by experience that I had told her the
truth. She was obliged for family reasons to leave Turin, and go to
live on her own estate. She solicited me to go with her; but the
education of my daughter did not permit. To stay at Turin without her
seemed improper, because, having lived very retired in this place, I
made no acquaintance in it. I knew not which way to turn. The Bishop of
Verceil, where Father La Combe was, most obligingly wrote to me,
earnestly entreating me to come, promising me his protection, and
assuring me of his esteem, adding, "that he should look upon me as his
own sister; that he wished extremely to have me there." It was his own
sister, one of my particular friends, who had written to him about me,
as had also a French gentleman, an acquaintance of his. But a point of
honor kept me from it. I would not have it said that I had gone after
Father La Combe, and that I had come to Turin only for the purpose of
going to Verceil. He had also his reputation to preserve, which was the
cause that he could not agree to my going thither, however importunate
the Bishop was for it. Had we believed it to be the will of God, we
would both of us have passed over these considerations. God kept us
both in so great a dependence on His orders, that He did not let us
foreknow them; but the divine moment of His providence determined
everything. This proved of very great service to Father La Combe, who
had long walked in assurances, to die to them and to Himself. God by an
effect of His goodness, that he might thus die without any reserve,
took them all from him.

During the whole time of my residence at Turin, our Lord conferred on
me very great favors. I found myself every day more transformed into
Him, and had continually more knowledge of the state of souls, without
ever being mistaken or dec