Thechild，beinginweaklyhealth，diedbeforeGiovannicouldrepairhisoversight，andthispreyeduponhismind。Inanswer，however，tohisearnestprayers，itpleasedtheAlmightytogivehimpowertoraisethedeadchildtolifeagain:thishedid，andhavingimmediatelyperformedtheriteofconfirmation，restoredtheboytohisoverjoyedmother。Henowbecamesomuchreveredthathebegantobealarmedlestprideshouldobtaindominionoverhim；hefelt，therefore，thathisonlycoursewastoresignhisdiocese，andgoandlivethelifeofarecluseonthetopofsomehighmountain。Itissaidthathesufferedagoniesofdoubtastowhetheritwasnotselfishofhimtotakesuchcareofhisowneternalwelfare，attheexpenseofthatofhisflock，whomnosuccessorcouldsowellguideandguardfromevil；butintheendhetookareasonableviewofthematter，andconcludedthathisfirstdutywastosecurehisownspiritualposition。Nothingshortofthetopofaveryuncomfortablemountaincoulddothis，soheatonceresignedhisbishopricandchoseMonteCaprasioasonthewholethemostcomfortableuncomfortablemountainhecouldfind。
ThelatterpartofthestorywillseemstrangetoEnglishmen。WecanhardlyfancytheArchbishopofCanterburyorYorkresigninghisdioceseandsettlingdownquietlyonthetopofScafellorCaderIdristosecurehiseternalwelfare。TheywouldhardlydosoevenonthetopofPrimroseHill。Butninehundredyearsagohumannaturewasnotthesameasnowadays。
ThevalleyofSusa，thenlittleelsethanmarshandforest，washeldbyamarquisofthenameofArduin，adescendantofaFrenchorNormanadventurerRoger，who，withabrother，alsonamedArduin，hadcometoseekhisfortuneinItalyatthebeginningofthetenthcentury。Rogerhadason，ArduinGlabrio，whorecoveredthevalleyofSusafromtheSaracens，andestablishedhimselfatSusa，atthejunctionoftheroadsthatcomedownfromMontCenisandtheMontGenevre。Hebuiltacastleherewhichcommandedthevalley，andwashisbaseofoperationsasLordoftheMarchesandWardenoftheAlps。
HughdeMontboissierappliedtoArduinforleavetobuildupontheMontePirchiriano。ArduinwasthenholdinghiscourtatAvigliana，asmalltownnearS。Ambrogio，evennowsingularlylittlealtered，andfullofmediaevalremains；henotonlygavehisconsent，butvolunteeredtosellasitetothemonastery，soastoensureitagainstfuturedisturbance。
ThefirstchurchofGiovanniVincenzohadbeenbuiltuponwhateverlittlespacecouldbefounduponthetopofthemountain，without，sofarasIcangather，enlargingthegroundartificially。Thepresentchurch——theone，thatistosay，builtbyHughdeMontboissieraboutA。D。1000——restsalmostentirelyuponstonepiersandmasonry。Therockhasbeenmaskedbyaloftygranitewallofseveralfeetinthickness，whichpresentssomethingofakeep-likeappearance。Thespectatornaturallyimaginesthattherearerooms，&c。，behindthiswall，whereasinpointoffactthereisnothingbutthestaircaseleadinguptothefloorofthechurch。