It was the Nativity of Mary.  What a beautiful feast on which to become the Spouse of Jesus!  It was the little new-born Holy Virgin who presented her little Flower to the little Jesus.  That day everything was little except the graces I received—­except my peace and joy in gazing upon the beautiful star-lit sky at night, and in thinking that soon I should fly away to Heaven and be united to my Divine Spouse amid eternal bliss.

On September 24 took place the ceremony of my receiving the veil.  This feast was indeed veiled in tears.  Papa was too ill to come and bless his little Queen; at the last minute Mgr.  Hugonin, who should have presided, was unable to do so, and, for other reasons also, the day was a painful one.  And yet amid it all, my soul was profoundly at peace.  That day it pleased Our Lord that I should not be able to restrain my tears, and those tears were not understood.  It is true I had borne far harder trials without shedding a tear; but then I had been helped by special graces, whilst on this day Jesus left me to myself, and I soon showed my weakness.

Eight days after I had taken the veil my cousin, Jeanne Guerin, was married to Dr. La Neele.  When she came to see us afterwards and I heard of all the little attentions she lavished on her husband, my heart thrilled and I thought:  “It shall never be said that a woman in the world does more for her husband than I do for Jesus, my Beloved.”  And, filled with fresh ardour, I set myself more earnestly than ever to please my Heavenly Spouse, the King of Kings, Who had deigned to honour me by a divine alliance.

Having seen the letter announcing the marriage, I amused myself by composing the following invitation, which I read to the novices in order to bring home to them what had struck me so forcibly—­that the glory of all earthly unions is as nothing compared to the titles of a Spouse of Our Divine Lord.

“God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, and the Glorious Virgin Mary, Queen of the Heavenly Court, announce to you the Spiritual Espousals of their August Son, Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with little Therese Martin, now Princess and Lady of His Kingdoms of the Holy Childhood and the Passion, assigned to her as a dowry, by her Divine Spouse, from which Kingdoms she holds her titles of nobility—­of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. It was not possible to invite you to the Wedding Feast which took place on the Mountain of Carmel, September 8, 1890—­the Heavenly Court was alone admitted—­but you are requested to be present at the Wedding Feast which will take place to-morrow, the day of Eternity, when Jesus, the Son of God, will come in the clouds of Heaven, in the splendour of His Majesty, to judge the living and the dead.

“The hour being still uncertain, you are asked to hold yourselves in readiness and watch."[3]

And now, Mother, what more shall I say?  It was through your hands that I gave myself to Our Lord, and you have known me from childhood—­need I write my secrets?  Forgive me if I cut short the story of my religious life.