l than ever. In a plague which raged there, he daily exposed his own
life to assist his flock. The saint often met with injurious treatment,
and very reviling words, which he ever repaid with such meekness and
beneficence as never failed to gain his very enemies. A lewd wretch,
exasperated against him for his zeal against a wicked harlot, forged a
letter of intrigue in the holy prelate's name, which made him pass for a
profligate and a hypocrite with the duke of Nemours and many others: the
calumny reflected also on the nuns of the Visitation. Two years after,
the author of it, lying on his death-bed, called in witnesses, publicly
justified the saint, and made an open confession of the slander and
forgery. The saint had ever an entire confidence in the divine
providence, was ever full of joy, and resigned to all the appointments
of heaven, to which he committed all events. He had a sovereign contempt
of all earthly things, whether riches, honors, dangers, or sufferings.
He considered only God and his honor in all things: his soul perpetually
breathed nothing but his love and praises; nor could he contain this
fire within his breast, for it discovered itself in his countenance;
which, especially while he said mass, or distributed the blessed
eucharist, appeared shining, as it were, with rays of glory, and
breathing holy fervor. Often he could not contain himself in his
conversation, and would thus express himself to his intimate friends:
"Did you but know how God treats my heart, you would thank his goodness,
and beg for me the strength to execute the inspirations which he
communicates to me. My heart is filled with an inexpressible desire to
be forever sacrificed to the pure and holy love of my Saviour. Oh! it is
good to live, to labor, to rejoice only in God. By his grace I will
forevermore be nothing to any creature; nor shall any creature be
anything to me but in him and for him." At another time, he cried out to
a devout friend: "Oh! if I knew but one string of my heart which was not
all God's, I would instantly tear it out. Yes; if I knew that there was
one thread in my heart which was not marked with the crucifix, I would
not keep it one moment."

In the year 1622, he received an order from the duke of Savoy to go to
Avignon to wait on Louis XIII., who had just finished the civil wars in
Languedoc. Finding himself indisposed, he took his last leave of his
friends, saying, he should see them no more; which drew from