o wait upon lepers.[41] His own ideal was the life of the
hermits of the Thebaide, as it is related in the then popular legends of
St. Anthony, St. Paul, St. Paconius, and twenty others. He once passed
Lent in one of the grottos of the Carceri. Holy Thursday having arrived,
Francis, who was also there, summoned all the brethren who were
dispersed about the neighborhood, whether in grottos or huts, to observe
with him the memories to which this day was consecrated. Rufino refused
to come; "For that matter," he added, "I have decided to follow him no
longer; I mean to remain here and live solitary, for in this way I
shall be more surely saved than by submitting myself to this man and his
nonsense."

Young and enthusiastic for the most part, it was not always without
difficulty that the Brothers formed the habit of keeping their work in
the background. Agreeing with their master as to fundamentals, they
would have liked to make more of a stir, attract public attention by
more obvious devotion; there were some among them whom it did not
satisfy to be saints, but who also wished to appear such.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] 1 Cel., 44; 3 Soc., 55.

[2] 3 Soc., 56; _Spec._, 32b; _Conform._, 217b, 1; _Fior. Bibl.
Angel._, Amoni, p. 378.

[3] This forest has disappeared. Some of Francis's counsels have
been collected in the Admonitions. See 1 Cel., 37-41.

[4] Vide Angelo Clareno, _Tribul._ cod. Laur., 3b.

[5] 2 Cel., 3, 97 and 98. The Conformities, 142a, 1, cite
textually 97 as coming from the _Legenda Antiqua_. Cf. _Spec._,
64b.--2 Cel., 3, 21. Cf. _Conform._, 171a, 1; _Spec._, 19b. See
especially Rule of 1221, _cap._ 7; Rule of 1223, _cap._ 5; the
Will and 3 Soc. 41. The passage, _liceat eis habere ferramenta
et instrumenta suis artibus necessaria_, sufficiently proves
that certain friars had real trades.

[6] A. SS., Aprilis, t. iii., pp. 220-248; _Fior. Vita
d'Egidio_; _Spec._, 158 ff; _Conform._, 53-60.

[7] Other examples will be found below; it may suffice to recall
here his sally: "The glorious Virgin Mother of God had sinners
for parents, she never entered any religious order, and yet she
is what she is!" A. SS., _loc. cit._, p. 234.

[8] The passage of the Will, _firmiter volo quod omnes
laborent_, ... has a capital importance because it shows Francis
renewing in the most solemn manner injunctio