quire, as I had
written them, in order to send them to the three commissioners. I also,
as occasion presented, cleared up the dubious and obscure places. I had
written them at a time when the affairs of Molinos had not broken out,
I used the less precaution in expressing my thoughts, not imagining
that they would ever be turned into an evil sense. This work was
entitled, 'THE JUSTIFICATIONS.' It was composed in fifty days, and
appeared to be very sufficient to clear up the matter. But the Bishop
of Meaux would never suffer it to be read.

After all the examinations, and making nothing out against me, who
would not have thought but they would have left me to rest in peace?
Quite otherwise, the more my innocence appeared, the more did they, who
had undertaken to render me criminal, put every spring in motion to
effect it. I offered the Bishop of Meaux to go to spend some time in
any community within his diocese, that he might be better acquainted
with me. He proposed to me that of St. Mary de Meaux, which I accepted;
but in going in the depth of winter I had like to have perished in the
snow, being stopped four hours, the coach having entered into it, and
being almost buried in it, in a deep hollow. I was taken out at the
door with one maid. We sat upon the snow, resigned to the mercy of God,
and expected nothing but death. I never had more tranquillity of mind,
though chilled and soaked with the snow, which melted on us. Occasions
like these are such as show whether we are perfectly resigned to God or
not. This poor girl and I were easy in our minds, in a state of entire
resignation, though sure of dying if we passed the night there, and
seeing no likelihood of anyone coming to our succor. At length some
waggoners came up, who with difficulty drew us through the snow.

The bishop, when he heard of it, was astonished, and had no little
self-complacency to think that I had thus risked my life to obey him so
punctually. Yet afterward he denounced it as artifice and hypocrisy.

There were times indeed when I found nature overcharged; but the love
of God and His grace rendered sweet to me the very worst of bitters.
His invisible hand supported me; else I had sunk under so many
probations. Sometimes I said to myself, "All thy waves and thy billows
are gone over me," (Psa. 42:7). "Thou hast bent thy bow and set me as a
mark for the arrow; thou has caused all the arrows of thy quiver to
enter into my reins" (Lam. 3:12, 13). It