ll my disgraces, and put me
in a condition of infallibly doing Thy will. Thou designedst me a
prison far different from that of the rock, and quite another
banishment than that of the uninhabited island. Thou reservest me to be
battered by billows, more irritated than those of the sea. Calumnies
proved to be the unrelenting waves, to which I was to be exposed, in
order to be lashed and tossed by them without mercy. By the tempest we
were kept back, and instead of a short day's passage to Genoa, we were
eleven days making it. How peaceable was my heart in so violent an
agitation! We could not land at Savona. We were obliged to go on to
Genoa. We arrived there in the beginning of the week before Easter.

While I was there I was obliged to bear the insults of the inhabitants,
caused by the resentment they had against the French because of the
havoc of a late bombardment. The Doge was newly gone out of the city,
and had carried off with him all the coaches. I could not get one, and
was obliged to stay several days at excessive expenses. The people
there demanded of us exorbitant sums, and as much for every single
person as they would have asked for a company at the best eating place
in Paris. I had little money left, but my store in Providence could not
be exhausted. I begged with the greatest earnestness for a carriage at
any price, to pass the feast of Easter at the Marchioness of Prunai's
house. It was then within three days of Easter. I could scarce any way
get myself to be understood. By the force of entreaty, they brought me
at length a sorry coach with lame mules, and told me that they would
take me readily to Verceil, which was only two days journey, but
demanded an enormous sum. They would not engage to take me to the
Marchioness of Prunai's house, as they knew not where her estate lay.
This was to me a strong mortification; for I was very willing to go to
Verceil; nevertheless the proximity of Easter; and want of money, in a
country where they used every kind of extortion and tyranny, left me no
choice. I was under an absolute necessity of submitting to be thus
conveyed to Verceil.

Thus Providence led me whither I would not. Our muleteer was one of the
most brutal men; and for an increase of my affliction, I had sent away
to Verceil the ecclesiastic who accompanied us, to prevent their
surprise at seeing me there, after I had protested against going. That
ecclesiastic was very coarsely treated on the road, throu