Chapter LIII. Of the cloak given to an old woman at Celano

86. It happened at Celano in winter-time that S. Francis was wearing a cloth folded like a cloak, which a friend of the brethren, a man of Tivoli, had lent him; and when he was in the palace of the Bishop of Marsica he met an old woman asking alms. Immediately he unfastened the cloth from his neck, and though it did not belong to him, gave it to the poor old woman, saying: "Go and make thyself a gown, for thou art in sore need of one". The old woman smiled, being overcome either by shyness or joy, took the cloth from his hands, hurried off, and, fearing that it might be asked for again if she delayed, cut it up with her scissors. But finding that the cloth she had cut would not be enough for a gown, she was encouraged by his former kindness to go back to the holy man and point out that there was too little cloth-He looked round at his companion, who had just such another cloth on his back, and said: "Hearest thou, brother, what this poor woman is saying? Let us bear the cold for the love of God, and do thou give her cloth to finish her gown with." Whereupon his companion gave, even as he had given, and both remained naked that the old woman might be clothed.