the obliging offers he had made me; since which he no longer
expressed any desire to see me.

It seemed to me then as if I were rejected from the face of the earth,
without being able to find any refuge, and as if all creatures were
combined to crush me. I passed that night without sleep, not knowing
what course I should be obliged to take, being persecuted by my
enemies, and a subject of disgrace to my friends.

When it was known at the inn, that I was one of Father La Combe's
acquaintance, they treated me with greatest respect and kindness. They
esteemed him as a saint. The father knew not how to tell the bishop of
my arrival, and I felt his pain more than my own. As soon as that
Prelate knew that I was arrived, he sent his niece, who took me in her
coach, and carried me to her house. These things were only done out of
ceremony; and the bishop, not having seen me yet, knew not what to
think of a journey so very unexpected, after I had thrice refused,
though he sent expresses on purpose to bring me to him. He was out of
humor with me. Nevertheless, as he was informed that my design was not
to stay at Verceil, but to go to the Marchioness of Prunai's house, he
gave orders for me to be well treated. He could not see me till Easter
Sunday was over. He officiated all the eve and all that day. After it
was over, he came in a chaise to his niece's house to see me. Though he
understood French hardly any better than I did Italian, he was very
well satisfied with the conversation he had with me. He appeared to
have as much favour for me as he had of indifference before.

He conceived as strong a friendship for me as if I had been his sister;
and his only pleasure, amid his continual occupations, was to come and
pass half an hour with me in speaking of God. He wrote to the Bishop of
Marseilles to thank him for having protected me in the persecutions
there. He wrote to the Bishop of Grenoble; and he omitted nothing to
manifest his regard for me. He now seemed to think alone of finding out
means to detain me in his diocese. He would not hear of my going to see
the Marchioness of Prunai. On the contrary, he wrote to her to come and
settle with me in his diocese. He sent Father La Combe to her, on
purpose to exhort her to come; assuring her that he would unite us all
to make a congregation. The Marchioness entered into it readily, and so
did her daughter. They would have come with Father La Combe, but the
Marchioness was sick. The