surprised to find him playing at
chess with a private soldier; for he had formed in his imagination, the
idea of a man who was recollected and austere, one who never appeared in
public, but to discourse of eternity, or to work miracles: "What, in the
name of God," said Norogna, "is this your saint! For my part, I believe
not one syllable of his sanctity, and am much deceived if he be not as
arrant a priest as any of his fellows." Don Pedro de Castro, his comrade,
and cousin, took pains, to little purpose, to persuade Norogna of the
wonderful things which had been wrought by Xavier: Norogna still adhered
to his opinion, because he always found the Father cheerful, and in good
humour. The whole company going ashore on the coast of Malabar, he
perceived Xavier taking a walk by himself into a wood, and sent after him
one of his servants to observe his actions: The servant found the man of
God raised from the ground into the air; his eyes fixed on heaven, and
rays about his countenance. He ran to give notice of his discovery to his
master; who, upon the report, came thither, and was himself a witness of
it. Then Norogna was satisfied that Xavier was truly a saint, and that
his holiness was not incompatible with the gaiety of his conversation. By
these methods the apostle of the Indies attracted the hearts of the
soldiery to himself, before he gained them to our Lord.

He took almost the same measures with the merchants; for he seemed to be
concerned for nothing more than for their interests: He gave his
benediction to the vessels which they were sending out for traffic, and
made many enquiries concerning the success of their affairs, as if he had
been co-partner with them. But while he was discoursing with them of
ports, of winds, and of merchandizes, he dexterously turned the
conversation on the eternal gains of heaven: "How bent are our desires,"
said he, "on heaping up the frail and perishable treasures of this world,
as if there were no other life besides this earthly being, nor other
riches besides the gold of Japan, the silks of China, and the spices of
the Moluccas! Ah, what profits it a man to gain the universe, and lose
his soul?" These very words, which Father Ignatius had formerly used to
Xavier, in order to loosen him from the world, were gotten familiar to
him, and he had them frequently in his mouth. In respect of the new
Christians, his conduct was altogether fatherly. He suffered their rough
and barbarous beh