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 join in celestial mansions her whose disciple he became.

The second witness is a Florentine who had enriched his early years by the wisdom of old age, and has adorned them with all the virtues: this was Barduccio. He left parents, brothers and country to follow Catherine to Rome, and he remained there until his death. I have since learned that our Saint particularly esteemed him, and, I suppose it was on account of his angelical purity. What is there to excite surprise in one Virgin cherishing another I In her last moments, Catherine enjoined him to attach himself to me and place himself under my direction; she did it without doubt because she was aware that he would not live long: in effect, a short time after, he was attacked with a phthisic, and although he appeared at first to be convalescent, it soon became evident that he was beyond hope. Fearing that the air of Rome was hurtful to him, I sent him to Sienna where he slept peacefully in the Lord. Those who witnessed his death, declare that at his last moments, he looked up to heaven smiling, and rendered up his soul with such lively tokens of joy, that death itself could not obliterate their impression from his countenance: he probably saw her whom he had loved during life, with the greatest purity of heart, come forth to meet him, in the glory of triumph. Barduccio told me many things which happened during my absence, and I credit his informations because I knew the solid virtues that adorned his soul.

My third witness is a young man of Sienna, Etienne Maconi, of whom I have already written. I will not dilate in words of praise concerning him, because he is yet on the road in which praise is perilous; I will simply say, that he was one of the secretaries of Catherine, and that