Chapter V. How as he was praying the devil showed him a woman; and concern- ing the answer which God gave him; and his treatment of lepers

9. Thus already beneath his worldly attire he wore the spirit of Religion, and, withdrawing from frequented places to solitary ones, he was full often admonished by visitations of the Holy Ghost. For he was carried away and drawn on by that chiefest sweetness which was shed upon him so abundantly even from the first that it never left him as long as he lived. But while he was frequenting hidden places (as being suitable for prayer) the Devil strove to disturb his devotions by a malign counterfeit. He made him think of a certain woman, an inhabitant of his city, who was monstrously hunchbacked and presented a hideous sight to all: and he threatened to make him resemble her if he did not give up what he had begun. But the Lord of salvation and of grace encouraged him, and he rejoiced as he heard this answer: "Francis," said God to him in the spirit, "thou shalt exchange what thou hast loved carnally and vainly for spiritual things; and, if thou wilt acknowledge Me, take thou the bitter instead of the sweet, and despise thyself, for the savour of the things whereof I speak to thee shall be to thee reversed". Forthwith he was compelled to obey the Divine behests, and was led to actual experience; for among all the wretched spectacles of the world Francis naturally shrank from lepers; and one day while he was riding near Assisi he met a leper, and though the leper caused him no small disgust and horror, still, lest like a transgressor of the commandment he should break the obligation of his plighted faith, he dismounted and hastened to the leper in order to kiss him: and when the leper held out his hand as though to receive something, he received money and a kiss with it. Francis immediately remounted, and as he looked round this way and that, though the country / was free and open on all sides and there were no obstacles, he could not see that leper at all: whereat he was filled with wonder and joy, and a few days after gave heed to do the like again. He went to the abodes of lepers and, as he gave each leper money, he kissed him on the hand and mouth. Thus he took the bitter instead of the sweet, and manfully prepared to perform the rest.