might happen to meet, and his fidelity in accomplishing this obligation deserved to receive a token of the Divine approval. It was the custom at that time for seculars, and among them the more pious of the university scholars, to be present at Matins, then commonly recited at midnight not merely in religious choirs, but even in most parish churches. One night Jordan rose, intending to assist at the Office at Notre Dame, and believing himself to be late, he hastily threw on his mantle, girding himself with a belt richly ornamented with silver clasps. As he left the house a poor beggar accosted him and asked an alms, and Jordan, not having his purse with him, stripped off his belt, as the only valuable article he had about him, and gave it to the beggar. When he reached the church he found to his surprise that it was still early and that the doors were closed; he therefore waited patiently outside until they were opened, and as he entered went, according to his wont, to say a prayer at the foot of the great crucifix. What was not his astonishment as he looked at the sacred figure to see it girt with the very same girdle which he had parted with but an hour before for the love of Christ, recalling to his mind those words of his Master, "What you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Jordan had taken his degree as bachelor, and had received the subdiaconate when St. Dominic came to Paris. He was present at some of the saint's sermons, and felt his very soul captivated by the power of that inspired word. Seeking his presence, he placed the direction of his conscience in the hands of one who from the first moment of their acquaintance had gained his entire confidence. "I went frequently to confession to him," he says, "and by his desire received the diaconate." But intimate as was the friendship established between them, the saint, guided by the Spirit of God, did not press what he clearly discerned to be the vocation of his penitent. He was content to cast the seed, leaving it to another hand to bring it to maturity. The month of Dominic's stay in Paris passed swiftly away, and he prepared to set out on his return journey to ST. D aly. We are told t apital he was strongl in the centre of gove guments brought in med a deaf ear. 1 romits the foundatio nsiderations than th weighed the ques the saint adhered to h cancy which was a Bertrand of Garrigua, vernment of St. Rom liam de Montferrat e had brought from ddle of July, this t eding his steps south We are told that both at Toulouse and also in the al he was strongly urged to remain in France and there he centre of government for the whole Order. To the ments brought in support of this proposal, however, he ed a deaf ear. The decisions of those to whom God nits the foundation of great works are guided by other derations than those of human prudence; and having weighed the question in the balance of the sanctuary, saint adhered to his resolution with that invincible cony which was a part of his character. Despatching rand of Garrigua, therefore, to Toulouse to resume the rnment of St. Romain, Dominic took as his companions iam de Montferrat and a lay-brother named John, whom ad brought from Spain, and left the capital about the le of July, this time passing through Burgundy, and ing his steps southwards by the way of Avignon. CHAPTER XXIV. FROM PARIS TO BOLOGNA. August, 1219. THE first place where we come on the track of the travellers is the town of Châtillon-sur-Seine, where they were charitably received by a worthy ecclesiastic whose generous hospitality Dominic had an opportunity of abundantly rewarding. For while they were still being entertained within his house it chanced that a young man, his nephew, fell from the roof, and was picked up, having received mortal injuries. While the relations of the youth were mourning over him as dead or dying, the saint prostrated in prayer, and with tears, besought God to restore the sufferer; then, taking him by the hand, he gave him back safe and sound to his weeping mother and the rest of the afflicted family, who knew not in what words to pour forth their joy and gratitude. The kind old priest himself could not be satisfied without inviting his friends and neighbours to a modest banquet in honour of his guest, and among those present was his sister, mother to the youth in whose favour the miracle had been wrought. There was set on the table, among other things, a dish of eels, of which, being invited to partake, the good woman excused herself, giving as her reason that she was then suffering from a quartan fever. When the saint heard this, he took a small portion of one of the eels, and making over it the sign of the Cross, bade her eat it without fear, which she did, and from that moment was completely cured of her fever.1 1 The house where he lodged at Châtillon, and the room in which he slept, are still shown. he position of the ci al. It was a little two judges. Deeply citizens were for Raymund, who in ac Tanted them a consid ing the few days he faith; and his elo aby were found who e his brethren, that th their preaching. T ure time, if they on te for a convent. Th himself, and all goi e gate of the Rhone, e was a green and ad poplars. As they aled out from the mi very spot where St ad where she restored ned, as he was sw ne and hear her." S quired of the bystand th of the story.? aid; if you will grant tall be erected." One that there were po ich would render it u of the Cross over th and the rest gathered fountain. These mars ft for drinking, but fro brious. The magist For the story referred to tas authentic. scaping from the demonstrations of respect which these les drew on him, Dominic pursued his way to Avignon, e many of the inhabitants had long desired to see him. position of the city was at that time altogether excep1. It was a little republic, governed by seven consuls wo judges. Deeply infected with the Manichean heresy, citizens were for the most part adherents of Count nund, who in acknowledgment of their services had ed them a considerable territory. Dominic, however, g the few days he spent in the city, fearlessly preached aith; and his eloquence so charmed his hearers that y were found who entreated him to send thither a colony s brethren, that they might support the Catholic cause eir preaching. The saint undertook to do so at some e time, if they on their part would find him a suitable or a convent. They invited him at once to choose one imself, and all going forth together they left the city by gate of the Rhone, and came to a spot by the riverside, e was a green and pleasant island, planted with willows poplars. As they were looking about them, a man d out from the midst of the crowd, saying, "This is very spot where St. Martha is said to have preached, where she restored to life a young man who had been ned, as he was swimming across the river in order to and hear her." St. Dominic hearing him speak thus, red of the bystanders, and was assured by them of the of the story. "This, then, is the place for me," he "if you will grant it to me, it is here that our convent be erected." One of those who stood near him pointed hat there were pools of stagnant water in the place, h would render it unhealthy; but the saint making the of the Cross over these pools, one portion of them dried nd the rest gathered together and formed a kind of well intain. These marshy waters had until then been quite for drinking, but from this time they became sweet and rious. The magistrates, therefore, did not hesitate to for the story referred to see Bollandists (July, vol. vii.), who accept uthentic. grant him the site of ground, of which Dominic at once took possession by planting a cross; but the convent does not seem to have been actually founded until five years later, when Bertrand of Garrigua, then provincial of Provence, succeeded in establishing a community there in spite of immense difficulties. But the faction of the Albigenses was so strong within the city, that the brethren had for a time to retire. In 1226, however, Louis VIII. entered Comtat at the head of one hundred and fifty thousand men, and laid siege to Avignon, which at the end of three months was forced to surrender to his arms. The Catholic cause had triumphed at last. The city, long left without a bishop, now opened its gates to king and clergy, and on the 14th of September, the feast of the Holy Cross, the King and the Cardinal Legate walked behind the Blessed Sacrament in a solemn procession of expiation, wherein the Friars Preachers, headed by the Blessed Bertrand, also bore a part. After this the brethren resumed the peaceable possession of their convent, in the sacristy of which was long shown the famous well, which down to very late times continued to bear the title of "the well of St. Dominic."3 Returning to our travellers, we must now follow them in their course over the Lombard Alps, the passage of which was difficult and laborious. Not all the companions of the saint shared either his physical strength or his heroic courage, and at length Brother John, the Spanish lay-brother, became utterly spent and exhausted. Overcome with hunger and fatigue he sat down, unable to proceed further. "What is the matter, my son?" asked the saint. "It is, Father," he replied, "that I am simply dying of hunger." “Take courage," said the saint, "yet a little further, and we shall find some place in which we may rest." But as Brother John replied again that he was utterly unable to proceed any further, Dominic had recourse to his usual expedient of prayer. Then he desired him to go to a spot he pointed out, For the above account compare Jean Mahuet, Prædicatorium Avenionese, c. ii. pp. 7, 8, Semaine Religieuse d'Avignon, wherein are quoted the ancient Archives of the Convent, and Réchac, p. 760. and take up what h to the place where went to preach the fai And now Dominic and Amizo, or Arditio, W |