Story of a Soul

I showed her a picture which represented Joan of Arc being comforted in prison by her Voices, and she remarked: "I also am comforted by an interior voice. From above, the Saints encourage me, saying: 'So long as thou art a captive in chains, thou canst not fulfill thy mission, but later on, after thy death, will come thy day of triumph.'"

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"In Heaven, God will do all I desire, because on earth I have never done my own will."

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"You will look down upon us from Heaven, will you not?"—"No, I will come down."

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Some months before the death of Soeur Thérèse, The Life of St. Aloysius was being read in the refectory, and one of the Mothers was struck by the mutual and tender affection which existed between the young Saint and the aged Jesuit, Father Corbinelli.

"You are little Aloysius," she said to Thérèse, "and I am old Father Corbinelli—be mindful of me when you enter Heaven." "Would you like me to fetch you thither soon, dear Mother?" "No, I have not yet suffered enough." "Nay, Mother, I tell you that you have suffered quite enough." To which Mother Hermance replied: "I dare not say Yes.... In so grave a matter I must have the sanction of authority." So the request was made to Mother Prioress, who, without attaching much importance to it, gave her sanction.

Now, on one of the last days of her life, Soeur Thérèse, scarcely able to speak owing to her great weakness, received through the infirmarian a bouquet of flowers. It had been gathered by Mother Hermance, and was accompanied by an entreaty for one word of affection. The message: "Tell Mother Hermance of the Heart of Jesus that during Mass this morning I saw Father Corbinelli's grave close to that of little Aloysius."

"That is well," replied the good Mother, greatly touched; "tell Soeur Thérèse that I have understood...." And from that moment she felt convinced her death was near. It took place just one year later, and, according to the prediction of the "Little Aloysius," the two graves lie side by side.

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The last words penned by the hand of Soeur Thérèse were: "O Mary, were I Queen of Heaven, and wert thou Thérèse, I should wish to be Thérèse, that I might see thee Queen of Heaven!"

¹⁶⁷Cf. Matt. 20:23. ¹⁶⁸Cf. Ps. 67:28. ¹⁶⁹Cf. Prov. 1:4. ¹⁷⁰Judith 15:11. ¹⁷¹Ecclus. 11:12, 13, 22, 23, 24. ¹⁷²Jer. 10:23. ¹⁷³Cf. Psalm 93:18. ¹⁷⁴Imit., I, xvi. 4. ¹⁷⁵John 14:2. ¹⁷⁶Cf. Psalm 141:5. ¹⁷⁷Cant. 1:3. ¹⁷⁸Cf. Nehemiah 4:17. ¹⁷⁹Matt. 25:36. ¹⁸⁰Prov. 16:32. ¹⁸¹Luke 2:50. ¹⁸²Luke 2:33. ¹⁸³Ps. 118:112. ¹⁸⁴Ephes. 6:17. ¹⁸⁵Cf. Cant. 5:7, 3:4. ¹⁸⁶In this and the following "counsel" it should be remembered that it is a Novice-Mistress who is speaking. [Ed.] ¹⁸⁷Cf. Ephes. 6:17; Isaias 61:21. ¹⁸⁸Cf. John 3:8. ¹⁸⁹Luke 22:32. ¹⁹⁰Cf. Gen. 2:17. A play on the French: Tu mourras de mort. [Ed.] ¹⁹¹Apoc. 22:12. ¹⁹²Prov. 10:12. ¹⁹³Cf. Isaias 6:2.