"God will temper the wind to the shorn lamb," said she. "Neither I, nor
Marie will leave our brothers, nor will Madame de Lescure leave her
husband; it is little we can do to hasten victory, but we can lessen
suffering and administer comfort, when comfort is most required. Had
you, Cathelineau, loved some woman above all others, and been loved by
her; had you had with you in your struggle some dear sister, or perhaps
still dearer wife, would you have asked her to go from you, that you
might have battled on, and struggled, and at last have died alone?"
"By God's dear love, I would," said he, raising himself, as he spoke,
upon his bed. "My most earnest prayer to her should have been to leave
me."
"And when she refused to do so; when she also swore by God's dear love,
that she would stay with you till the last; as she would have done,
Cathelineau, if she loved you as--as you should have been loved; would
you then have refused the comfort her love so longed to give you?"
"I know not then what I would have done," said he, after lying with his
eyes closed for a few moments without answering.
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