During all these reports, the _mare chausee_ had set off in pursuit of the shepherd; but he escaped them, having killed his two dogs and thrown away his crook. On Sunday, the 13th of September, he came to M. de la Richardiere, and related to him his adventure; that after having passed twenty years without approaching the sacraments, God had given him grace to confess himself at Troyes; and that after divers delays he had been admitted to the holy communion. Eight days after, M. de la Richardiere received a letter from a woman who said she was a relation of the shepherd's, informing him of his death, and begging him to cause a requiem mass to be said for him, which was done. How many difficulties may we make about this story! How could this wretched shepherd cast the spell without touching the person? How could he introduce himself into young M. de la Richardiere's chamber without either opening or forcing the door? How could he render himself visible to him alone, whilst none other beheld him? Can one doubt of his corporeal presence, since he received five cuts from a knife in his face, of which he afterwards bore the marks, when, by the merit of the holy mass and the intercession of the saints, the spell was taken off? How could St. Maur appear to him in his Benedictine habit, having the wizard on his left hand? If the circumstance is certain, as it appears, who shall explain the manner in which all passed or took place? Footnotes: [402] Ezek. viii. 1, 2, &c. [403] Matt. xvii. 3. [404] Acts ix. 10. [405] Acts ix. 2. [406] Ammian. Marcell. lib. xix. Sozomen. lib. vi. c. 35. [407] Aug. lib. viii. de Civit. c. 18. [408] Aug. Serm. cxxiii. pp. 1277, 1278. [409] Aug. de cura gerenda pro Mortuis, c. 11, 12. [410] Aug. de cura gerend. pro Mort. c. xxvii. p. 529. [411] Vita Daniel Stylit. xi. Decemb. [412] Gregor. lib. ii. Dialog. c. xxii. [413] Vita Sancti Euthym. pp. 86, 87. [414] Le Brun, Traite des Superstit. tom. i. pp. 281, 282, et seq. CHAPTER XLVI. ARGUMENTS CONCERNING APPARITIONS. After having spoken at some length upon apparitions, and after having established the truth of them, as far as it has been possible for us to do so, from the authority of the Scripture, from examples, and by arguments, we must now exercise our judgment on the causes, means, and reasons for these apparitions, and reply to the objections which may be made to destroy the reality of them, or at least to raise doubts on the subject.