exact and detailed a description of his house as though she had passed her life there. The Religious having expressed his surprise, " Know, Father," said she, " that I have been through your monastery; I have visited the cells, I have seen the angel-guardians of all those who occupy them." One of the journeys which our saint made to Purgatory occurred as follows: —
An unfortunate sinner, entangled in the corruptions of the world, was finally converted. Thanks to the prayers and urgent exhortations of Lidwina, he made a sincere confession of all his sins and received absolution, but had little time to practise penance, for shortly after he died of the plague.
The saint offered up many prayers and sufferings for his soul; and some time afterwards, having been taken by her angel-guardian into Purgatory, she desired to know if he was still there, and in what condition. " He is there," said her angel, "and he suffers much. Would you be willing to endure some pain in order to diminish his?" 11 Certainly," she replied, " I am ready to suffer anything to assist him." Instantly her angel conducted her into a place of frightful torture. "Is this, then, Hell, my brother?" asked the holy maiden, seized with horror. " No, sister," answered the angel, "but this part of Purgatory is bordering upon Hell." Looking around on all sides, she saw what resembled an immense prison, surrounded with walls of a prodigious height, the blackness of which, together with the monstrous stones, inspired her with horror. Approaching this dismal enclosure, she heard a confused noise of lamenting voices, cries of fury, chains, instruments of torture, violent blows which the executioners discharged upon their victims. This noise was such that all the tumult of the world, in tempest or battle, could bear no comparison to it. "What, then, is that horrible place?" asked St. Lidwina of her good angel. " Do you wish me to show it to you?" " No, I beseech you," said she, recoiling with terror; " the
