Suddenly to see men without title or diploma succeed brilliantly in the mission which has been officially confided to ourselves, and in which we have made pitiful shipwreck, is cruel torture.

Have we not seen generals who preferred to lose a battle rather than gain it with the aid of guerrillas?
This covert opposition has left no characteristic traces in the biographies of St.Francis.It is not to be wondered at; Thomas of Celano, even if he had had information of this matter, would have been wanting in tact to make use of it.

The clergy, for that matter, possess a thousand means of working upon public opinion without ceasing to show a religious interest in those whom they detest.
But the more St.Francis shall find himself in contradiction with the clergy of his time, the more he will believe himself the obedient son of the Church.

Confounding the gospel with the teaching of the Church, he will for a good while border upon heresy, but without ever falling into it.

Happy simplicity, thanks to which he had never to take the attitude of revolt! It was five years since, a convalescent leaning upon his staff, he had felt himself taken possession of by a loathing of material pleasures.
From that time every one of his days had been marked by a step in advance.
It was again the spring-time.