172 DEVOTEES AKD NUNS. [1638. 



harmony, and for a time no more was said of dis- 

 inheriting Madame de la Pel trie, or p^itting her in 

 wardship. 



Bernieres's scruples returned. Divided between 

 honor and conscience, he postponed the marriage, 

 until at length M. de Chauvigny conceived mis- 

 givings, and again began to speak of disinheriting 

 his daughter, unless the engagement was fulfilled.^ 

 Bernieres yielded, and went with Madame de la 

 Peltrie to consult "the most eminent divines."^ A 

 sham marriage took place, and she and her accom- 

 plice appeared in public as man and wife. Her 

 relatives, however, had already renewed their at- 

 tempts to deprive her of the control of her prop- 

 erty. A suit, of what nature does not appear, had 

 been decided against her at Caen, and she had 

 appealed to the Parliament of Normandy. Her 

 lawyers were in despair; but, as her biographer 

 justly observes, " the saints have resources which 

 others have not." A vow to St. Joseph secured 

 his intercession and gamed her case. Another 

 thought now filled her with agitation. Her plans 

 were laid, and the time of action drew near. How 

 could she endure the distress of her father, when 

 he learned that she had deluded him with a false 



1 " Our virtuous widow did not lose courage. As she had given her 

 confidence to M. de Bernieres, she informed him of all that passed, while 

 she flattered her father each day, telling him that this nobleman was too 

 honorable to fail in keeping his word." — St. Thomas, Life of Madame de 

 la Peltrie, 42. 



2 "He" (Bernieres) "went to stay at the house of a mutual friend, 

 where they had frequent opportunities of seeing each other, and consult- 

 ing the most eminent divines on the means of effecting this pretended 

 marriage." — Ibid., 43. 



