She fainted, and the little inanimate body suddenly seemed to them so heavy that they abandoned it in the midst of the fields, some laborers looking with pity on the painful scene, until Clara, whose cry God had heard, hastened to succor her sister.
Their sojourn in this convent was of very short duration.

It appears that they did not carry away a very pleasant impression of it.[7] Francis knew that several others were burning to join his two women friends; he therefore set himself to seek out a retreat where they could live under his direction and in all liberty practise the gospel rule.
He had not long to seek; the Benedictine monks of Mount Subasio always seized every possible opportunity to make themselves popular.

They belonged to that congregation of Camaldoli, whom the common people appear to have particularly detested, and several of whose convents had lately been pillaged.[8] The abbey no longer counted more than eight monks, who were trying to save the wreck of their riches and privileges by partial sacrifices; on the 22d of April, 1212, they had given to the commune of Assisi for a communal house a monument which is standing this day, the temple of Minerva.[9] Francis, who already was their debtor for Portiuncula, once more addressed himself to them.

Happy in this new opportunity to render service to one who was the incarnation of popular claims, they gave him the chapel of St.Damian; perhaps they were well pleased, by favoring the new Order, to annoy Bishop Guido, of whom they had reason to complain.[10] However this may be, in this hermitage, so well adapted for prayer and meditation, Francis installed his spiritual daughters.[11] In this sanctuary, repaired by his own hands, at the feet of this crucifix which had spoken to him, Clara was henceforward to pray.

It was the house of God; it was also in good measure that of Francis.