, that
since that time his soul had experienced great peace in regard to this
matter.

An hour or two later we went to dinner, and, while Master Polancus and
I were dining with him, St. Ignatius said that Master Natalis and
others of the Society had often asked him to give a narrative of his
life, but he had never as yet decided to do so. On this occasion,
however, after I had spoken to him, he reflected upon it alone. He was
favorably inclined toward it. From the way he spoke, it was evident
God had enlightened him. He had resolved to manifest the main points
of his interior life up to the present, and had concluded that I was
the one to whom he would make these things known.

At that time St. Ignatius was in very feeble health. He did not
promise himself one day of life, but, on the contrary, if any one were
to say, "I shall do that within two weeks or a week," St. Ignatius was
accustomed to say: "How is that? Do you think you are going to live
that long?" However, on this occasion, he said he hoped to live three
or four months to finish the narrative. The next day when I asked him
when he wished to begin, he answered that I should remind him every
day until he had an opportunity for it. As he could not find time,
partly on account of his many occupations, he told me to remind him of
it every Sunday. In the following September he called me, and began to
relate his whole life clearly and distinctly with all the
accompanying circumstances. Afterward, in the same month, he called me
three or four times, and told me the history of his life up to the
time of his dwelling at Manresa. The method followed by St. Ignatius
is so clear that he places vividly before our eyes the events of the
past.

It was not necessary to ask him anything, as nothing important was
omitted. I began to write down certain points immediately, and I
afterward filled out the details. I endeavored to write nothing that I
did not hear from him. So closely did I adhere to his very words that
afterward I was unable to explain the meaning of some of them. This
narrative I wrote, as I have indicated above, up to September, 1553.
From that time until the 18th of October, 1554, when Father Natalis
came, St. Ignatius did not continue the narrative, but pleaded excuse
on account of infirmities or other business, saying to me, "When such
and such a business is settled, remind me of it." When that work was
done, I recalled it to his memory. He replied, "Now I