Letter 1699. To Mother Marie Aimée de Rabutin

[By the hand of a Secretary.| My dearest Mother,—Our good sister cellarer is unable to answer your long letter, but she will do so another time. She says she has received all your Charity’s letters. Our unique Mother is very well, and bids me salute your Charity for her. She begs of you to get many prayers against the plague which is spreading on all sides in Provence, Languedoc, and Dauphiné. They have written to Chambéry about your law affairs, but, the plague having broken out there, we do not know if the Senate is sitting.

[By the hand of the Saint.| My most dear Daughter,—Do not investigate too minutely the faults that are committed in your community. It is sometimes well to make believe one does not see them, lest hearts get embittered, and especially when they are not faults of malice, or of bad motive; and believe what they tell you, even though appearances may make it somewhat doubtful, otherwise you may upset them dreadfully. Return our good God thanks, and get others to do so, I beg of you, for His goodness to me in my vocation, and ask Him to pardon me my ingratitude, and that henceforth I may serve Him in singleness of heart and humility all the days of my life; and to give me patience under the cross He has placed on my shoulders. May He be for ever blessed, and may He preserve you and fill you all with His holy love, but may He above all replenish with it your heart, which I so singularly love!