still a Virgin." And when they renewed this absurd falsehood, her whole defence consisted in repeating: "Indeed I am a Virgin" — "Indeed I am a Virgin !" This circumstance did not change her conduct at all. However her heart grieved at this frightful calumny, she continued to serve with the same love the author of it: but in the secret of her chamber, she took refuge in prayer: "My omnipotent Saviour, my beloved Spouse, thou know the delicacy of a female's reputation and how carefully thy spouses should preserve their honor from the slightest reproach. For this cause thou did confide thy glorious Mother to St. Joseph, you are acquainted with the efforts of the father of lies, to deter me from what thy love has urged me to undertake; help me then, my Lord and my God, for thou know that I am innocent, and suffer not the old serpent to prevail against me. " While she thus poured out before God her tears and prayers, the Saviour of the world appeared to her: he held in his right hand a crown of gold enriched with precious jewels, and in his left a crown of woven thorns: "Beloved daughter," said he to her, "know that thou must bear successively, these very different crowns: choose the one that thou now prefers. If thou take the crown of thorns for this life, I will reserve the other for thee after thy death: but if now thou take the precious one, hereafter thou shalt wear the thorns." "Lord," replied Catherine, "I have long since renounced my own will, and have promised to follow thine in all things: hence I have no choice to make; but if thou wilt have me to answer, during this life, I desire to be conformed to thy blessed Passion, and find my chief delight in suffering with thee." Saying this she took the crown of thorns with both hands, as the Saviour presented it to her, and
