The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): MarchBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): March
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
The household life was now to some extent restored. Francesca devoted
all her leisure moments to prayer, but never allowed her spiritual
exercises to interfere with her duty as a wife and mistress of a
household. Her attention to Lorenzo's slightest wants and wishes was
unceasing. She never complained of any amount of interruption or of
trouble which his claims, or those of the house, or of her position
in society, occasioned. One day that she was reciting in her room the
office of the Blessed Virgin, her husband sent for her. Instantly
rising from her knees, she obeyed his summons. When she had performed
the trifling service he required, she returned to her prayers. Four
successive times, for the most insignificant of purposes, was she sent
for; each time with unwearied good humour she complied, and resumed her
devotions without a shadow of discontent or annoyance. On resuming her
book the last time that this occurred, great was her astonishment in
finding the antiphon which she had begun four times, and had four times
left unfinished, written in letters of gold. Vannozza, who was present,
witnessed the miracle, and the gilded letters remained in the book to
the day of her death.
Her son, Baptista, had now arrived at the age of eighteen, and at his
father's advice he married a maiden, named Mobilia, of noble birth
and singular beauty. Immediately upon her marriage, the bride came
to reside under the same roof as her father and mother-in-law. She
was received as a beloved daughter by Francesca and Vannozza, but
she neither returned their affection nor appeared sensible to their
kindness. Her head was completely turned at finding herself her own
mistress, adored by her husband, and furnished with the most ample
means of gratifying all her fancies. She gave no thought to anything
but her beauty, her dress, and all the amusements within her reach.
Wholly inexperienced, she declined to ask or to receive advice,
and chose in every respect to be guided by her inclinations alone.
Imperious with her equals, haughty with her superiors, she treated her
mother-in-law with the most supreme contempt. In the gay societies
which she frequented, it was her favourite amusement to turn Francesca
into ridicule, and mimic her manners and style of conversation. "How
can one feel respect," said she, "for an old woman who thinks of
nothing but the poor, dresses plainly, and goes about the streets
carrying bread and old clothes?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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