Chapter XCVIII

Of his Concealment of the Stigmata

135. We may not keep silence concerning the thick veil wherewith he covered those marks of the Crucified, meet to be revered even by the highest Spirits, nor concerning his carefulness in hiding them. From the time when true love of Christ had first "changed "the lover "into the same image," he concealed and hid that treasure with such care that it was long before even his familiar friends were aware of it. But God's Providence would not suffer it to be hid for ever and not to come to the eyes of those dear [to the Saint]. And indeed the exposed position of the limbs did not allow this thing to be concealed. Once when one of his companions saw the stigmata in his feet, he cried: "What is this, good brother?" "Mind your own business," said S. Francis. 136. Another time the same brother asked for S. Francis' tunic to shake it out, and, seeing that it was bloody, he said to the holy man after he had returned it: "What manner of blood is this wherewith the tunic seems stained? "But the Saint put his finger to his eye, and answered: "Ask what that is, if you don't know it to be an eye". He rarely washed his hands all over, only bathing the fingers, lest that thing should be revealed to the bystanders. His feet he washed most rarely, and not less secretly than rarely. If any one asked for his hand to kiss he half uncovered it, holding out the fingers, only so far as to leave place for the kiss, and sometimes he held out his sleeve only instead of his hand. He wore woollen socks on his feet that they might not be seen, putting skin over the wounds to lessen the harshness of the wool. But though the holy father could not wholly hide from his companions the stigmata in his hands and feet, he was distressed if any one looked at them, wherefore also his companions themselves, filled with prudence of spirit, used to turn their eyes away whenever any necessity compelled him to uncover his hands or feet.