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told me that the ten days he was to spend with
his Master would soon be over and then he
would go home to his father in Corps etc...

While he was talking, I heard the bell of La Salette,
it was the Angelus. I gestured to Maximin to lift his soul up to God. He took
off his
hat and was silent for a moment. Then I said: "Do you want to have dinner?'! "Yes, he replied,
let's eat." We sat down and I brought out of my bag the provisions my Master had given me. As was
my habit, before breaking into my little round loaf, I made a cross with the point of my knife in
the bread, and a little hole in the middle, saying: "If the devil's in there, may he leave, and if
the Good Lord is in there, may he stay!" and I rapidly covered up the little hole. Maximin burst in
to laughter and kicked the loaf out of my hands. It rolled down the mountainside and was lost from
sight. I had another piece of bread which we shared. Afterwards, we played a game. Then, realizing
that Maximin must still be hungry, I pointed out a place on the mountainside covered with all
kinds of berries. I urged him to go and eat some and he went straight away. He ate a few berries
and brought back his hat full of them. In the evening we walked back down the mountain together
and promised to come back the next day and watch over our cows together.
The next day, the 19th of September, I met Maximin on the way up. We climbed up the mountain side
together. I discovered that Maximin was a very good, simple boy, and would wil-