I would rather he had spoken for me; but he is
too generous to say any words except such as he thinks may save
me from sharing his punishment. I refuse to be saved, unless he
is saved with me. Where he goes when he leaves this place, I will
go; what he suffers, I will suffer; if he is to die, I believe
God will grant me the strength to die resignedly with him!"
She paused for a moment, and half turned toward Trudaine--then
checked herself instantly and went on: "This is what I now wish
to say, as to my share in the offense charged against my brother.
Some time ago, he told me one day that he had seen my husband's
mother in Paris, disguised as a poor woman; that he had spoken to
her, and forced her to acknowledge herself. Up to this time we
had all felt certain that she had left France, because she held
old-fashioned opinions which it is dangerous for people to hold
now--had left France before we came to Paris. She told my brother
that she had indeed gone (with an old, tried servant of the
family to help and protect her) as far as Marseilles; and that,
finding unforeseen difficulty there in getting further, she had
taken it as a warning from Providence not to desert her son, of
whom she was very passionately fond, and from whom she had been
most unwilling to depart. Instead of waiting in exile for quieter
times, she determined to go and hide herself in Paris, knowing
her son was going there too.
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