to unite her more closely to him. They loaded her with injurious words and harsh treatment, telling her that her hair should be allowed to grow notwithstanding the revolts of her heart, and that she should enjoy no peace until she consented to be married in obedience to their determinations. It was also decided, that she should perform all the menial work of the house, and that no leisure should be left her for conversing with God. So as to humble her to the utmost, they even dismissed the kitchen-maid, and forced Catharine to fulfill her functions. Every day they loaded her with affronts such as are most sensible to a woman's heart — and at the same time proposed to her a highly honorable connection, and took every possible means to induce or constrain her to accept it. But the devil was again vanquished; Catharine instead of yielding, became stronger with the help of grace, and gave way to no trouble in this storm; the Holy Spirit had taught her to erect a little cell in the interior of her soul, whence she resolved never to come forth, notwithstanding her pressing exterior occupations. When she was privileged with a room, she was often obliged to leave it, but, nothing could oblige her to leave this interior retreat — eternal truth has declared that the kingdom of God is within us — Megnum dei intra nos est, (Luke xvii 21) and the prophet proclaims that all the glory of the King's daughter is within. Omnis gloria filiae regis ab intus. (Ps. xliv. 14)
The Holy Ghost also inspired Catharine with a means of supporting affronts and of maintaining in every crisis the joy and peace of her soul. She imagined that her father represented our divine Saviour, and that her mother took the place of the Blessed Virgin. Her brothers and and other relations were the Apostles and disciples of our
