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223 ST. DELPHINE 223 was not until about sixteen years later, when Delphino was thirty-two and her husband nearly thirty, that they bound themselyes by a vow of perpetual vir- ginity. While they lived with their grandparents the old lady was, accord- ing to the English translation of Binet, " extremely passionate to see her- self a great-grandmother ; she sent for skilful Phisitians, and caused them to appoint recipes that quickly Delphine might be with child. From time to time needs must she swallow most bitter potions and be let bloud, which she did with great courage, as well to obey this ladie as to couer the secreoie of her vow. The old Count Elzear, the grand- father, suspected that they spent great part of the night in prayer, and began singing psalms much too early in the morning, so he made some of their attendants sleep in their room to restrain their devotions, and report to him what passed. Delphine soon found it prudent to keep her windows and shutters shut until a late hour in the morning, that she might be supposed to be sound asleep, although she and Elz6ar were, in fact, reading the Bible together, and going through their morning prayers or conversing untrammelled by observers. At this time there were glass windows and wooden shutters in the rooms of rich people, and the walls were hung with tapestry. One evening, when she was washing her husband's head and comb- ing out his long hair, he asked her to make haste and finish her labours, as he felt the approach of the Spirit of God, and he spent the whole of that night in ecstasy, his soul transported into heaven. Towards morning, when she took a lamp to look at him, to be sure that he was alive, she saw his face transfigured, perfectly beautiful, and surrounded with heavenly light such as is represented in pictures of saints and angels. The espionage of their retainers was irksome, and the rollicking life of a numerous household under the rule of a not very scrupulous old man was not at all to the taste of the two young saints, and after enduring this uncongenial atmosphere for three or four years, they removed to Delphine's own house, Puy-Michel, and there they kept a strict, though bene- volent rule, above all things setting their faces against swearing and profane or immodest language, which must have been a very common sin at that time, as all pious people found it necessary to protest so much against it. Elz6ar exacted of every member of his house- hold attendance at morning prayer, and at one Mass at least in each day, and greatly insisted on purity of conduct. The count and countess watched over their dependents as if they were their own children, and so their house was a school, their discipline a kind of aposto- late. Elz6ar's cousin Raymond, bishop of Digue, copied their rule and estab- lished it in his episcopal palace, and Sister Alasacie, who lived with Delphine, declared, when giving her evidence at the canonization of Elzear, that the life at Puy-Michel was more strict and religious than the life in the convent of Sorps. Their charity and prude oce were especially shown, and were favoured by miracles during the famines of 1303 and 1305. Hermengaud, Elzear's father, died in 1310, and Elzear now became count of Ariano, and, leaving Delphine in charge of all their property in Pro- vence, had to go to settle his affairs in Italy. He soon became a great favourite with King Robert the Wise (1309-1343), who at once conferred on him the order of knighthood. During the vigil that preceded the ceremony, Elz^ prayed for grace, and firmly resolved to lead, amid the luxuries and pleasures of the court, the same holy life he had led at Puy-Michel. On this occasion he had one of those ecstasies by which he was confirmed and encouraged in his virtuous resolutions. During his absence Del- phine spent part of her time at his fortified castle of Ansouis. The parish church is still standing close to the old castle to which it was evidently joined in former times. In 1314, as St. Elzear could not leave Italy, Delphine joined him there. She was now over thirty, but was still very beautiful — a beauty enhanced by her charming manner and her edifying conversation. When she arrived at Ariano, she was