THE PEARL AMONG THE VIRTUES
197
enemy, and conquered him in his own stronghold. A heavenly warfare is certain of success. You are astonished that in the course of centuries, so many chosen youths renounced all the conveniences of life, their riches, the honors which the future held out to them, preferring, instead, a life in the desert, where they buried themselves, as it were, and fought against themselves as against their greatest enemy, by fasting, night-watches, penances, and unceasing labors; they were always intent upon preserving or restoring their purity of heart. This is the secret of their many sacrifices and self-denials. With hedges of thorns they surrounded themselves, in order
