involve in trouble my friends and my
family, to whom they might attribute my escape. I took the resolution
of continuing in Paris, of living there in some private place with my
maids, who were trusty and sure, and to hide myself from the view of
the world. I continued thus for five or six months. I passed the day
alone in reading, in praying to God, and in working. But the December
27, 1695, I was arrested, though exceedingly indisposed at that time,
and conducted to Vincennes. I was three days in the custody of Mons.
des Grez, who had arrested me; because the king would not consent to my
being put into prison; saying several times over, that a convent was
sufficient. They deceived him by still stronger calumnies. They painted
me in his eyes, in colors so black, that they made him scruple his
goodness and equity. He then consented to my being taken to Vincennes.

I shall not speak of that long persecution, which has made so much
noise, for a series of ten years imprisonments, in all sorts of
prisons, and of a banishment almost as long, and not yet ended, through
crosses, calumnies, and all imaginable sorts of sufferings. There are
facts too odious on the part of divers persons, which charity induces
me to cover.

I have borne long and sore languishings, and oppressive and painful
maladies without relief. I have been also inwardly under great
desolations for several months, in such sort that I could only say
these words, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" All creatures
seemed to be against me. I then put myself on the side of God, against
myself.

Perhaps some will be surprised at my refusing to give the details of
the greatest and strongest crosses of my life, after I have related
those which were less. I thought it proper to tell something of the
crosses of my youth, to show the crucifying conduct which God held over
me. I thought myself obliged to relate certain facts, to manifest their
falsehood, the conduct of those by whom they had passed, and the
authors of those persecutions of which I have been only the accidental
object, as I was only persecuted, in order to involve therein persons
of great merit; whom, being out of their reach by themselves, they,
therefore, could not personally attack, but by confounding their
affairs with mine. I thought I owed this to religion, piety, my
friends, my family, and myself.

While I was prisoner at Vincennes, and Monsieur De La Reine examined
me, I passed my time