walk two and two, humble and gentle, keeping silence until after
tierce, praying to God in your hearts, carefully avoiding every
vain or useless word. Meditate as much while on this journey as
if you were shut up in a hermitage or in your cell, for wherever
we are, wherever we go, we carry our cell with us; Brother body
is our cell, and the soul is the hermit who dwells in it, there
to pray to the Lord and to meditate."

Arrived at Florence he found there Cardinal Ugolini, sent by the pope as
legate to Tuscany to preach the crusade and take all needful measures
for assuring its success.[21] Francis was surely far from expecting
the reception which the prelate gave him. Instead of encouraging him,
the cardinal urged him to give up his project.

"I am not willing, my brother, that you should cross the
mountains; there are many prelates who ask nothing better than
to stir up difficulties for you with the court of Rome. But I
and the other cardinals who love your Order desire to protect
and aid you, on the condition, however, that you do not quit
this province."

"But, monsignor, it would be a great disgrace for me to send my
brethren far away while I remained idly here, sharing none of
the tribulations which they must undergo."

"Wherefore, then, have you sent your brethren so far away,
exposing them thus to starvation and all sorts of perils?"

"Do you think," replied Francis warmly, and as if moved by
prophetic inspiration, "that God raised up the Brothers for the