Agatha's own room looked like an apartment in a hospital; it was filled
with lint, salves, and ointments, to give ease to those whom the wars
should send home wounded; all the contents of the cellars were
sacrificed; wine, beer, and brandy, were alike given up to aid the
spirits of the combatants; the cattle were drawn in from the farms, and
kept round the house in out-houses and barns, ready to be slaughtered,
as occasion might require, an abattoir was formed in the stable yard,
and a butcher kept in regular employment; a huge oven was built in an
outhouse attached to the stables, and here bakers, from neighbouring
parishes, were continually kept at work: they neither expected, or
received wages; they, and all the others employed got their meals in the
large kitchen of the chateau, and were content to give their work to the
cause without fee or reward. Provisions, cattle, and implements, were
also sent from M. de Lescure's house to Durbelliere, as it was
considered to be more central, and as it was supposed that there were
still some republicans in the neighbourhood of Bressuire, whereas, it
was well known that there were none in the rural districts; the more
respectable of the farmers also, and other country gentlemen sent
something; and oxen, sheep, and loads of meal; jars of oil, and casks
of wine were coming in during the whole week before the siege of Saumur,
and the same horses took them out again in the shape of bread, meat, and
rations, to the different points where they would be required.
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