A short time after Francis begged a young nobleman of Assisi, who
was just starting to fight in a war, if he might go with him. The
nobleman--Walter of Brienne, agreed: so Francis bought splendid
trappings for his horse, and a shield, sword and spear. His armour and
his horse's harness were more splendid than even those of Walter. So
they went clattering together out of Assisi.

But he had not gone thirty miles before he was smitten again by fever.
After sunset one evening he lay dreamily on his bed when he seemed to
hear a voice.

"Francis," it asked, "what could benefit thee most, the master or the
servant, the rich man or the poor?"

"The master and the rich man," answered Francis in surprise.

"Why then," went on the voice, "dost thou leave God, Who is the Master
and rich, for man, who is the servant and poor?"

"Then, Lord, what will Thou that I do?" asked Francis.

"Return to thy native town, and it shall be shown thee there what thou
shall do," said the voice.

He obediently rose and went back to Assisi. He tried to join again in
the old revels, but the joy was gone. He went quietly away to a cave
on the mountain side and there he lay--as young Mahomet had done, you
remember, five centuries before, to wonder what he was to do.

Then a vision came to him. All at once like a flash his mind was