Letter 1286. To the Reverend Mother Mane de la Trinité

Prioress of the Carmelites at Troyes.

My very dear and honoured Mother,—I beg our gracious Saviour to make the delights of His holy love to abound in your soul! Since He is pleased to leave me in this painful and pitiful life, and yet not without the comfort of knowing that your noble heart continues to love me, I must give myself the satisfaction of telling you the sweet thought holy faith provides: In the eternal happiness which the incomprehensible goodness of God has prepared for His children, they will again meet and remember the peculiar consolations and advantages of their holy friendships while on earth. Obtain, my very dear Mother, by your holy prayers and those of your pious daughters that I be not deprived by my ingratitude of this happiness.

I have heard from our sisters at Troyes how great has been the consolation and spiritual help they have received through your kindness in allowing them to enter your monastery and in speaking to them in so kind and motherly away.t I thank you for it and for the many other kind acts by which your charity has assisted them. So they are indeed your daughters, and I beg of you to continue to give them your good advice, for I tell them in their difficulties to have recourse to you in perfect trustfulness. Ah! if I could but have that happiness once more, how tenderly we should embrace each other, my very dear Mother, and what a sweet pleasure it would be, in all simplicity and frankness, to exchange thoughts with you; but I do not deserve such a favour. I remain, with incomparable affection, yours, etc.