e relief of their poorer brethren.
The association was to be under the management of the cure of the
parish, and every good woman might belong to it. Its members were to
devote themselves to the service of the poor for the love of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, their Patron. They were to tend the sick cheerfully and
kindly, as they would their own children, not disdaining to minister
to them with their own hands. The work developed quickly;
confraternities of charity were soon adopted in nearly all the
parishes of France and have since extended over the whole Christian
world.

The de Gondis, in the meantime, had discovered the place of Vincent's
retreat and had written him several letters, piteously urging him to
return. They had succeeded in enlisting as their advocate a certain M.
du Fresne, a friend of Vincent's, who had promised to plead their
cause and who set about it with a shrewd common sense that was not
without its effect. The work at Chatillon, he represented to Vincent,
could be carried on by any good priest now that it had been set
agoing, whereas in refusing to return to the de Gondis he was
neglecting an opportunity for doing good on a very much larger scale.
Helped by their money and their influence, not only their vast
estates, but Paris itself, lay open to him as a field for his labors.
Moreover, he had taken his own way in going to Chatillon; was he sure
that it was God's way?

Vincent was humble enough to believe that he might be in the wrong. He
consented to go to Paris to see M. de Berulle and to allow himself to
be guided by his advice. The result was a foregone conclusion, for the
de Gondis had won over de Berulle completely to their side. The next
day Vincent returned to the Hotel de Gondi, where he promised to
remain during the lifetime of the Countess.

Delighted to have him back at any price, Vincent's noble patrons asked
for nothing better than to further all his schemes for the welfare of
the poor and infirm. Confraternities of charity like that of Chatillon
were established on all the de Gondi estates, Madame de Gondi herself
setting the example of what a perfect Lady of Charity should be.
Neither dirt, discourtesy nor risk of infection could discourage this
earnest disciple of Vincent. In spite of weak health she gave freely
of her time, her energy and her money.

M. de Gondi was, as we have already seen, General of the King's
Galleys, or, as we should now say, Admiral of the Fleet. It was n