o be very
faint at five different times, and begged of them to help him, and
move him violently. The thing happened as he had predicted.

On Friday, the 26th of June, M. de la Richardiere, having gone to the
mass at St. Maur, asserted that he should be cured on that day. After
mass, the priest put the stole upon his head and recited the Gospel of
St. John, during which prayer the young man saw St. Maur standing, and
the unhappy shepherd at his left, with his face bleeding from the five
knife-wounds which he had given him. At that moment, the youth cried
out, unintentionally, "A miracle! a miracle!" and asserted that he was
cured, as in fact he was.

On the 29th of June, the same M. de la Richardiere returned to Noysi,
and amused himself with shooting. As he was shooting in the vineyards,
the shepherd presented himself before him; he hit him on the head with
the butt-end of his gun. The shepherd cried out, "Sir, you are killing
me!" and fled. The next day, this man presented himself again before
him, and asked his pardon, saying, "I am called Damis; it was I who
cast a spell over you which was to have lasted a year. By the aid of
masses and prayers which have been said for you, you have been cured
at the end of eight weeks. But the charm has fallen back upon myself,
and I can be cured of it only by a miracle. I implore you then to pray
for me."

During all these reports, the _mare chausee_ had set off in pursuit of
the shepherd; but he escaped them, having killed his two dogs and
thrown away his crook. On Sunday, the 13th of September, he came to M.
de la Richardiere, and related to him his adventure; that after having
passed twenty years without approaching the sacraments, God had given
him grace to confess himself at Troyes; and that after divers delays
he had been admitted to the holy communion. Eight days after, M. de la
Richardiere received a letter from a woman who said she was a relation
of the shepherd's, informing him of his death, and begging him to
cause a requiem mass to be said for him, which was done.

How many difficulties may we make about this story! How could this
wretched shepherd cast the spell without touching the person? How
could he introduce himself into young M. de la Richardiere's chamber
without either opening or forcing the door? How could he render
himself visible to him alone, whilst none other beheld him? Can one
doubt of his corporeal presence, since he received five cuts from a
knife