weakness. This was to prepare his soul for the influence of grace. As
soon as he could walk, he wished to enjoy the beauty and air of the
country; but he failed to be pleased therewith, and was even disgusted
with what he had previously liked the most; he felt contempt for what
he had before esteemed, and his own conduct appeared to him to be
senseless. This change surprised him much, but it did not as yet make
any alteration in his heart. The return of health renewed his attachment
to the world, his ambition and vanity revived; he entertained fresh
hopes of greatness, and paid once more great attention to his dress.
Thus it frequently happens that when God sends illness to worldly
persons with a view to their conversion, these have no other effect
than momentary reflections and promises, which are soon forgotten on
the return of strength.

However, Francis became more and more charitable, and gave to all the
poor either money or his clothes. Having met a poor and ill-clad officer
who was of a noble family, he saw in him the poverty of Jesus Christ,
the King of kings, and being moved to pity, he gave him the new suit
of clothes he had on.

The following night God showed him in his sleep a great and magnificent
palace, full of warlike arms, all marked with the sign of the cross,
to give him an idea of the reward his charity was to receive. He asked
whom all that belonged to; and he was answered, that the arms were for
his soldiers.

Not as yet understanding the meaning of mysterious dreams, he took
this as a token of the success he was to have in warlike achievements,
without suspecting that the crosses he had seen had a totally different
signification. At that time Walter, Count of Brienne, in Champagne,