When very young, and staying with my aunt, a book was given to me to read. In one of the stories I saw that the mistress of a school was much praised because she knew how to get on cleverly in the world without offending anyone. This phrase I remarked especially: “She would say to the one, ‘You are not wrong,’ and to the other, ‘You are right;’” and while I read I was thinking: “Oh!... I would not have acted thus; we must always tell the truth.” And so I do, always. Far more difficult it certainly is, for when told of some little vexatious occurrence, it would be easy to lay blame on the absent, and she who complains would at once be pacified. Yes, but ... I do quite the reverse. If I am not liked, what matter! Let no one come to me who does not want to hear the truth. COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES That a reprimand may be fruitful it must cost in the giving; and it must be given without a shade of passion in the heart. One must not let kindness degenerate into weakness. When we have blamed justly we ought to leave it so, and not yield to feelings of distress at having given pain. To run after the aggrieved one in order to console her, is to do more harm than good. To leave her to herself is to force her to expect nothing from creatures, to have recourse to the good God, to see her failings and to humble herself. Otherwise she would grow accustomed to being consoled after a deserved rebuke and would behave as does a spoilt child, who stamps and cries, well knowing that this will make its mother return to wipe away the tears. COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES _Let the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, abound in your lips and hearts._[96] If we have to do with a difficult soul, let us not be discouraged, nor ever abandon her. Let us have always “_the sword of the Spirit_” to reprehend her for her faults, and not allow things to pass for the sake of leaving ourselves in repose; let us fight unceasingly, even without hope of gaining the victory. What matter about success! Let us fight on, whatever be the weariness of the struggle. Let us not say: “I can make nothing of this soul, she does not understand; I must give it up.” Oh! what cowardice that would be. We must do our duty unto the end. [Sœur Thérèse in these passages refers to her charge as Mistress of Novices.] COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES The novices expressed their surprise at finding that she guessed their most hidden thoughts. “Here is my secret,” she said to them: “I never give you any advice without invoking the Blessed Virgin; I ask her to inspire me to say what will do you the most good, and I myself am often astonished at the things that I teach you. I simply feel in saying them to you, that I am not deceived and that Jesus speaks to you by my mouth.” HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII