La Vie de Sainte Douceline, Foundatrice des Beguines de Marseille, éd. J.-H. Albanés. Marseille: Etienne Camoin, libraire-éditeur, 1879. Translation (c) Garay and Jeay.

pp. 7-9

Her father wanted her to serve the poor whom, for the love of God, he was accustomed to looking after in his home. The good man brought home the sick and the suffering that he found in the streets and by the roads, and said: "My daughter, I am bringing and giving profit to you." She received them joyfully and with great humility, obeying her father's orders; and she cared for them with great devotion, and was not afraid to submit her body to whatever was needed for them. Many times, for the love of the Lord, she washed their feet, picked the vermin from their legs and their heads, and cared for their wounds. The more horrible and frightful they were because of their diseases and wounds, the more zealous she was to serve them, and the more care she gave them; full of charity, she would carry them when they were not able to walk.

One time, a poor man came to her who was suffering greatly and was very sick, and he was so weak that he had her carry him. She served him with great kindness, as was her custom. And the sick man asked her, out of his great necessity, to put her hand on his chest. When she heard this, she was alarmed because of her great modesty and her great sense of propriety, and she began to consider whether she would do it, because he was a man. Understanding the shame from her great modesty, he said to her, "My daughter, do not be ashamed on my account, for I myself would not be ashamed to make you known to my father." And as soon as he said this, the poor man disappeared suddenly and she saw him no more.

Another time, it happened that, while she was caring for a sick man who was dying, she fell asleep from extreme exhaustion. And the poor man whom she was looking after was shown to her in very great glory, and with indescribable splendour. And she saw a beautiful garden in which he was enjoying himself in a wonderful meadow, and she saw him amid the greatest delights. As soon as she awoke, she went to look at him and found him dead. Throughout the time that she remained in that state, the Lord gave her many other consolations, which showed her the great pleasure that he took in the services that she rendered in his name to the unfortunate sick.

She attended to this service of charity as long as her father lived; and she did not abandon it afterwards, but continued her holy works of piety all the time that she was in secular clothing. She divided the night into three parts: she would spend the greatest part in reading and in prayer; next she would rest, then she would get up and say her matins. Afterwards, she would never return to her bed, but she would spend the time in works of piety or in prayer. When she could not pray during the day because of her work, then the following night, instead of resting, she would make up for what she had not been able to do. She spent her days in serving the sick or in works of piety, and her nights in prayer.