could not dwell upon any other thought; and to the astonishment of all, she sought retired spots in order to scourge her feeble body with a little discipline. Her meditation and prayers became continual, and to accomplish them she forsook all the ordinary amusements of her age; she became daily more silent, and diminished her food, contrary to the habits of growing children. Catharine's example attracted other little girls who wished to hear her pious discourses, and imitate as far as possible, her devout practices. They assembled in an apartment remote from the house, practiced corporal austerities with Catharine and said as many times the Pater Noster (Our Father), and Ave Maria, as she prescribed to them. This was only a prelude of the future.
Our Lord deigned to encourage these acts of virtue by sensible graces. Her mother informed me, and Catharine was obliged to acknowledge it to me, that when purposing to mount the stair-case she was borne up to the top without touching the steps with her feet, and such was the rapidity of her ascent that the mother trembled lest she should fall. This favor happened to her when she shunned little assemblies, above all when persons of the other sex were present.
The knowledge of the life of the Fathers of the Desert, which Catharine had received from heaven, also determined her to withdraw into solitude; but she was ignorant how to accomplish her project; and God who destined her to another mode of life did not furnish her the means and left her to the dreams of her imagination. One morning, she set forth in search of the desert; after having prudently provided herself with a loaf of bread she directed her course towards the residence of her married sister, who lived near one of the gates of Sienna. She left the city for the first time in her life, and as soon
