Margaret Bourgeois Sails for Canada : Part 3

Life of Venerable Sister Margaret Bourgeois
by Anonymous

(Page 7 of 16)

To console her, he promised to procure her admission into any Convent of the Carmelite Order in the province, that she should select. It was human policy to attack her weak side, if she had any, touching the Carmelites, and the temptation to abandon her original design was so much the more pressing, as she still had a greater desire to embrace and practise the austerities of Mt. Carmel, than any other order of the Church. She had, moreover, time enough to deliberate, and although she secured her seat in the coach from Paris to Orleans, which was to start next day, she now gave it up, fearing exceedingly that by refusing the offer made her, she would be refusing the will of God.

This fear threw her into an agony of doubt. It was only a temptation, however, and in order to restore her peace of mind, she went to the Jesuits of Saint Antoine, that she might discover more clearly, if possible, the will of God by the decision of these wise directors. The Father to whom she revealed the state of her conscience was the oracle destined by heaven to decide her vocation for life. After hearing the wonderful history of God's providence over her, he told her to go to Canada without fear, and leave the result in the hands of Mary her Mother.

A great and blessed calm instantly succeeded to the storm that agitated her soul, and leaving the Jesuit church, she went directly to the Provincial of the Carmelites to thank him for the good will he had shown her, and without more ado, again took her seat in the coach for Orleans, which was to leave on the morrow. But this was not the least of her trials. It seemed as if the contemplated voyage was to bring upon her a series of the saddest and most insupportable humiliations. As there was no female travelling with her, and as she evidently possessed nothing but the clothing she wore, and the package she carried, her companions of the coach made her feel that they regarded her as an adventuress, who ought not be admitted into honest society. When they arrived at Orleans, the host would not permit her to remain at the inn, although she begged humbly and tearfully for shelter during the night, offering to sit by the fire, if they would not give her a room. Seeing her reduced to the extremity of staying all night in the street the driver of the conveyance offered his room to her. He was prompted to do so, however, not by charitable, but by criminal motives. In her ignorance of the man's villany, she accepted the offer, and remained on her knees in prayer till the sun rose next day. Several times during the night, this person and his depraved associates attempted to force open her door, but Margaret Bourgeois was safe under the protection of Mary, her powerful guardian, and their repeated attempts to effect an entrance proved unsuccessful.

In the morning she discovered another smaller door in the room, concealed by a curtain. This opened directly into the scene of the past night's debaucheries, and then she saw the horrors she escaped. Full of gratitude to the Immaculate Mother of God, who had so signally preserved her, she prayed and wept together. Very early in the morning she started off alone, and unobserved, to continue her journey, and secured a passage in the boat on the Loire, which had twelve other passengers. Among them there was only one woman, who carried an infant in her arms. Sister Bourgeois had the address to engage the entire party in exercises of piety during the river journey, which lasted several days, as the distance from Orleans to Nantes was almost one hundred leagues. Each day they recited together the office of the Blessed Virgin, and the rosary, after which she read a chapter from a spiritual book, on the duties of a Christian life, to which all listened attentively. One Saturday evening she obtained permission from the captain of the boat to go ashore, and enjoy the privilege of assisting at Mass on Sunday; which was a favor not usually accorded to the passengers. After sailing for some days they arrived at Saumur, where they made a short stay, as the boat needed repairs.

Here also a public humiliation awaited this extraordinary woman. On presenting herself at the inn, in company with so many men, suspicion again closed the door against her. She was told plainly that an honest woman would not travel as she did, and that the credit of the house would be injured, by receiving her as a guest; nor did the companions of her journey sympathize with her in the least, on receiving the insult, although she had edified them very much since they left Orleans. Such marks of man's inconstancy frequently occur in every grade of society. However, a charitable citizen of Saumur, who was present, being touched with compassion by the modesty and meekness with which she received the affront, offered her the hospitality of his home, which she gratefully accepted. It is remarkable that these cruel insults cooled neither her determination nor her fervor; on the contrary, she interiorly rejoiced at the high honor God conferred upon her, by permitting her to share in the contempt and humiliation of His divine Son, whom the Jewish rabble maligned and cursed, and almost as extraordinary is the fact that she completely regained her influence over her inconstant fellow-travellers, when they again met on the boat to continue their route. They arrived at Nantes three or four days afterwards. One of the party was a young man who had determined to enlist in M. de Maisonneuve's regiment for Canada.

He had many opportunities of noticing the exalted virtue of Margaret Bourgeois during the week, and politely offered to carry her little package when they left the boat. Even this attention of Christian charity drew upon her a fresh humiliation. Accompanied by the stranger, she enquired for the residence of M. le Coq, merchant of Nantes, which was the address given her by M. de Maisonneuve, but the gentleman was not known by that name in the city; he was there styled M. de la Bassonniers. She walked along every street in Nantes to find him, and was about giving up in despair, when she suddenly encountered at a crossing a brusque, business-looking man, whom she timidly requested to direct her to the residence of M. le Coq. "I am the person you seek, madame," he replied, "and if I mistake not, you are the lady concerning whom M. de Maisonneuve wrote me a few days since," handing her the letter of her friend at the same time. Margaret was very agreeably surprised by the providential rencontre, and began to hope that the mortifications of her eventful journey were drawing to a close. The merchant directed her to his home, which was not far distant, and assuring her of a hearty welcome from his wife, left her abruptly to attend to his own concerns. On arriving at the house, she met Mme. le Coq, who was highly indignant to learn that her husband sent her a young woman to entertain, accompained by a rustic who carried her clothing. "I will positively receive no such people into my house," she said, "you must depart forthwith."

Foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame.