in these sentiments of gratitude and love.

The words and actions of Francis soon became noised abroad. Some became
converted, and embraced the penitential course he preached. Others
formed the resolution of leaving all and joining him. The first was
Bernard de Quintavalle, a rich and discreet man, of one of the best
families of Assisi, who had great influence in the town, and guided
it by his advice. This respectable man, as St. Bonaventure called him,
considering the contempt with which Francis viewed all the things of
this world, was desirous of ascertaining whether it was in truth an
effect of sanctity, or of littleness of mind. He invited him, therefore,
to supper and to sleep at his house, and had a bed prepared for him
in his room. While he feigned to sleep soundly, he saw by the light
of a lamp Francis get up, fall on his knees, melt into tears, his eyes
raised to heaven, his arms crossed, pronounce slowly these words:
_"Deus meus et omnia,"_--"My God, and my all," which he repeated
during the whole night. So ardent and so tender an expression is quite
convincing that he was then in an exalted state of contemplation, where
interior communications made him sensible that the Lord was especially
his God, and filled the whole soul. Happy he who can with truth say,
_Deus meus et omnia_. For this it is requisite that he should belong
wholly to God, and that the world should be nothing to him.

Bernard did not interrupt Francis in his holy exercise, but, filled
with devotional feelings, he said to himself, "Truly this is a man of
God." After having put him to other proofs, he resolved to give all
his goods to the poor and follow him, and he put this question to him:
"If a man had received from his master a certain portion for several
years, and then wished no longer to make use of it, what do you think
it would be best for him to do?" Francis said in answer, that he ought