Page:Lifeofsaintcatha.djvu/219

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he always attributes his conversion to her who had predicted it, and continually tells the tale to every willing listener.

To make a recapitulation here, of all that has reference to souls, I am about to relate a fact of which God rendered me the witness, but which is better appreciated by dom Bartholomew de Ravenne who was then, and is still Prior of the Carthusians, in Gorgone Island, thirty miles from the port of Livourno. This Religious, who possessed fervent piety joined to a consummate prudence, was greatly attached to Catherine, and extremely edified by her admirable instructions; he often pressed her to come and pass a day in his island, that he might conduct his Brethren to her and let them profit by God's holy word, and he entreated me to support his petition. Catherine consented to it; we made the voyage to the number of about twenty persons. The night of our arrival, the Prior lodged the " Blessed " and her companions about a mile from the monastery; and the following morning he conducted all of his monks to Catherine and requested her to favor them with some words of edification. Catherine refused at first, excusing herself on the grounds of her incapacity, her ignorance, and her sex; saying that it was meet that she should listen to God's servants, rather than speak in their presence. Overcome at last by the earnest prayers of the Father and of his spiritual sons, she began to speak, and said what the Holy Ghost inspired her in reference to the numerous temptations and illusions which Satan presents to solitaries, and concerning the means of avoiding his wiles and of gaining a complete victory, and all this she did with so much method and distinctness, that I was filled with amazement, as indeed were all her audience. When she