This is life of a fascinating woman who won happiness for herself despite extraordinary handicaps and bitter personal trials. It is also the biography of a saint who played a far-reaching role in religious and social history in close association with the pioneer activities of St. Vincent de Paul. This biography is a portrait in the sense that, in addition to a clear and refreshing presentation of facts and contemporary background, it brings into relief a remarkable character by the skilled use of anecdote and psychological detail.