acia, 'this
matter, which was but warm, burned Christina, raising blisters on her
skin.'

"This continued for three days. At length, one evening, Friar Wipert,
quite exasperated, began to recite the prayers for exorcism; but a
terrific uproar shook the room, the candles went out, and he was hit in
the eye by something so hard that he exclaimed, 'Woe is me! I am blind
of an eye!'

"He was led, feeling his way, into an adjoining room, where the garments
they changed were dried, and where water was constantly heated for their
ablutions; he was cleansed, and his eye washed. It had suffered no
serious injury, and he returned to the other room to say Matins with the
two Benedictines and Peter of Dacia. But before chanting the service he
went up to the patient's bed and clasped his hands in amazement.

"She was covered with filth indeed, but all was changed. The smell,
which had been supernaturally foul, was changed to angelic fragrance;
Christina's saintly resignation had routed the tempter of souls; and
they all joined in praising God. What do you say to that narrative?"

"It is astounding, certainly; but is this the only instance of such
infernal filth?"

"No; in the next century analogous circumstances haunted Elizabeth de
Reute, and likewise the Blessed Betha. Here again Satan allowed himself
such filthy sport. It may also be noted that in modern times acts of the
same kind were observed in the house of the Cure d'Ars."

"But in all this I see nothing to illustrate the symbolism of perfumes,"
remarked Durtal. "At any rate, the subject would seem to be narrow or
ill-defined, and the number of odours that can be named is small.

"There are certain essences mentioned in the Old Testament prefiguring
the Virgin. Some of them are interpreted in other senses, as spikenard,
cassia, and cinnamon. The first represents strength of soul; the second,
sound doctrine; and the third, the sweet savour of virtue. Then there
is the essence of cedar, which in the thirteenth century symbolized the
Doctors of the Church; and there are three specifically liturgical
perfumes: incense, balm, and myrrh; besides the odour of sanctity, which
in the case of some saints could be analyzed; and the demoniacal stench,
from a mere animal smell to the horrible nastiness of rotten eggs and
sulphur.

"We must now inquire whether the personal fragrance of the Elect is in
harmony with the qualities or acts of which each was, on earth, the
example or