ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. 131 



young galley slave; with his own hands fixed the chain round 

 himself, and then desired the criminal to depart quickly and 

 carry peace and consolation to his afflicted relations. How 

 long Vincent remained in his voluntary captivity is uncertain, 

 so various are the accounts of different writers; but it ap- 

 pears that although he had taken every precaution not to be 

 recognised, the Countess de Joigny, daughter-in-law to the 

 Marquis de Gondi, being uneasy at his disappearance, took 

 such active measures to find him, that he was discovered and 

 liberated. He ever after felt the acutest pain from the irrita- 

 tion and weight of his self-imposed fetters, which were the 

 cause of severe suffering to him to the end of his life. 

 Again did Vincent, on his liberation, turn his own sufferings 

 to the benefit of humanity, and learn from his own " to weep 

 at others' woe." In prosperity he paid the debt of gratitude 

 he owed to Providence, by founding at Marseilles an hospital 

 for the reception of-the galley slaves. He never would allude 

 to this extraordinary action, so anxious was he to conceal 

 his noble self-sacrifice; but Louis XIII immediately con- 

 ferred upon him the appointment of Almoner-General of the 

 Galleys. 



The rich establishment of St. Lazarus was soon after as- 

 signed to him, in order that he might apply its revenues to 

 the relief and instruction of the inhabitants of the country. 

 Vincent took a year to consider the proposal, so unequal did 

 his humble mind lead him to consider himself, to undertake 

 so responsible a stewardship. He established the congrega- 

 tion of missionaries, some of whom were destined to extend 

 the gospel in distant regions, others to go on home missions 

 into the different provinces of France. 



HENRIETTA. 



But, did you not tell us that he also founded the establish- 

 ment of the So3urs de la Charite? 



He did. This is, indeed, one of the noblest institutions of 

 humanity, and nothing but Christianity could lead the human 



