Do not
be afraid that the truth will frighten us. Agatha, and Victorine, and
I, have schooled ourselves to think of death without flinching."
"To think without flinching of the death of others, is the difficulty,"
said Agatha. "I fear we have none of us as yet brought ourselves to
that."
"But we must think of the death of others," said Henri. "Should de
Lescure fall--"
"May God Almighty in His mercy protect and guard him!" said the sister.
"But should he fall--and in battle there is none, I will not say so
rash, but so forward as him--should he fall, will it not be a comfort
to him to know that his sister has a husband to protect her; that his
widow has a brother to whom she can turn. Should I fall, will it not be
better for Agatha that you should be more closely knit together even
than you are?"
"That can never be, can it, Agatha? We can never be more entirely
sisters than we are."
"You talk like a child, Marie. You perhaps may never have a warmer love
for each other than you now have, but that is not the question.
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