heard, sometimes repeated them to Xavier with an inoffensive kind of
raillery.

The servant of God having recovered some little strength, returned to the
church, and there continued all the night. What rage soever the devils
had against him, they durst no more attempt his person, nor so much as
endeavour to affright him. They only made a noise to distract him in his
prayers; and one time, disguised in the habit of canons, they
counterfeited so well the midnight matins, that he asked the vicar, "Who
were those chanters who sung so admirably?"

But the favours which Xavier received from heaven, made him large amends
for all the injuries of hell; for though the particulars of what passed
betwixt God and him were kept secret, it is known, at least in regard of
the principal affair, for which he consulted God, that he had an interior
light, which gave him clearly to understand, that he was commanded to
pass to the more southern islands, and to labour in their conversion. The
Christian, strength, with which he found himself animated at the same
time, caused all the dangers, which naturally he might apprehend, to
disappear, as is manifest by what he wrote from Meliapor on that
occasion, to two of his friends at Goa, Paul de Camerin, and James Borba,
of whom we have made so frequent mention.

"I hope that God will confer many favours on me in this voyage; since,
through his infinite mercy, I have learned, with so much spiritual joy,
that it is his holy pleasure I should go to those kingdoms of Macassar,
where so many Christians have been made in these latter years. For what
remains, I am so much resolved on executing what our Lord has revealed to
me, that if I should be wanting on my part, I should go, to my thinking,
in direct opposition to his orders, and render myself unworthy of his