Letter 290. To Father Gracian, Salamanca, October 4, 1579

Purchase of a house at Salamanca. 'The Saint objeSis to the Seville nuns' changing their residence.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your

Paternity !

ANGELA has not been able to free herself entirely from her suspicions. It is not surprising, for she finds no comfort, nor will her affections allow her to find comfort elsewhere. As she says, she has many trials, is weak by nature, and is grieved at finding her attachment unreturned.

Kindly tell that gentleman that, though he may be naturally forgetful, he ought not to be so in this case, for when love exists, it does not slumber so long.

However, we will change the subjecft. I am very sorry to hear how exhausted your head is. For the love of God, moderate your work, for unless you attend to the matter in time, you will find all remedies unavailing. Master and control yourself, and learn from other people's experience, since God's glory is concerned, and you know how necessary your health is to us all.

I thank His Majesty heartily that our affairs are so prosperous that, with His mercy, we may look upon arrangements as concluded, and so established as to show clearly that the work has been done by God. Setting aside the importance of the matters themselves, I am delighted on account of your Paternity as you will now see the fruit of your labours for which you have certainly paid dearly. But it will be a great joy to you to be in perfedl peace and most beneficial for your successors.

O my Father, what a trouble this house is to me! Even though the matter was settled, the devil managed to keep us out of the house, which is the most suitable in all Salamanca, and the bargain was a very good one for the landlord. It is impossible to trust the sons of Adam! The owner himself offered us the place: he is an upright gentleman, looked upon in Salamanca as the most honourable neglect in answering her letters. Angela is the Saint ; the cabalkro is Father Gracian.

man in the city, whose word is as good as his bond. He had not only given his promise, but had signed the agreement in the presence of witnesses, having himself brought the lawyer with him, yet he has broken off the contracft. Every one is astonished except certain gentlemen who persuaded him to this course for the sake of their own or their relatives' interests. They had more influence over him than the many friends who objected, especially one of his brothers who had shown us great kindness in the matter and who is much pained by the affair. He had placed the matter in our Lord's hands, so what has happened must be best for us. The trouble is that nothing else at all suitable can be found in Salamanca.

If only these nuns had such a convent as the Seville sisters have, they would think they were in heaven. I am deeply grieved at the folly of the prioress, who has greatly lost credit with me. I fear that the devil has begun his work on that house and wants to destroy it completely.

I assure your Paternity that I was highly pleased by the letter from the young lady which you sent me by Dona Juana. If you are satisfied, I shall be glad to receive her as she wishes, for I had already heard much in her favour. She must be admitted at Seville when God wills, for I cannot endure the foxiness shown by the community, and that prioress is more astute than befits her state. Indeed, as I told her at Seville, I fear she has never been frank with me. I assure you that I had much to bear from her there. As she has written several times since saying that she repented, I thought that she had improved as she acknowledged her fault. To tell the poor nuns that the house is very unhealthy, is enough to cause them to believe that it makes them ill. I have written her some terrible letters, and I might just as well have struck an anvil. The enclosed letter from Father Nicolas will show the state of affairs. For love of God, if you think you have more influence over her, tell one of the friars to write to her. I think we ought to send some nuns there who possess the sound judgmentrequired in such important business. Will your Paternity ask Father Nicolas to write at once to Father Prior requesting him to decline discussing the subject with her, for he must be much to blame. I feel certain that they are mistaken in attributing their ill-health to the house itself, and the one they think of taking would be far worse, being on the bank of the river, they tell me. Besides, it has not the fine views to be seen from their present convent, which are a great recreation for the nuns. In fa<ft, it is the best house in Seville, and the envy of this comrhunity. May God bring the matter right.

His care for me and let me see you soon. It is past three o'clock in the morning.

To-day is the feast of St. Francis.

Your unworthy servant and daughter, Teresa de Jesus.