“We all heard what he must pay for it, in the fields at noon.  Yes, mother, I wanted to know.”

“But if you shall believe it, Jacqueline, it may lead you into danger, into sad straits,” said the old woman, looking at the young girl with earnest pity in her eyes.

She loved this girl, and shuddered at the thought of exposing her to danger.

Jacqueline had nursed her neighbor, Antonine, and more than once, after a hard day’s labor, which must be followed by another, she had sat with her through the night; and she could pay this service only with love, and the best gift of her love was to instruct her in the truth.  John and she had proved their grateful interest in her fortunes by giving her that which might expose her to danger, persecution, and they could not foresee to what extremity of evil.

And now the old woman felt constrained to say this to her, even for her love’s sake,—­“It may lead you into danger.”

“But if truth is dangerous, shall I choose to be safe?” answered Jacqueline, with stately courage.

“It is truth.  It will support him.  Blessed be Jesus Christ and His witnesses!  To-night, and to-morrow, and the third day, our Jesus will sustain him.  They think John will retract.  They do not know my son.  They do not know how he has waited, prayed, and studied to learn the truth, and how dear it is to him.  No, Jacqueline, they do not.  But when they prove him, they will know.  And if he is willing to witness, shall I not be glad?  The people will understand him better afterward,—­and the priests, maybe.  ‘I can do all things,’ said he, ’Christ strengthening me’; and that was said long ago, by one who was proved.  Where shall you be, Jacqueline?”

“Oh,” groaned Jacqueline, “I shall be in the fields at work, away from these cruel people, and the noise and the sight.  But, mother, where shall you be?”

“With the people, child.  With him, if I live.  Yes, he is my son; and I have never been ashamed of the brave boy.  I will not be ashamed to-morrow.  I will follow John; and when they bind him, I will let him see his mother’s eyes are on him,—­blessing him, my child!—­Hark! how they talk through the streets!—­Jacqueline, he was never a coward.  He is strong, too.  They will not kill him, and they cannot make him dumb.  He will hold the truth the faster for all they do to him.  Jesus Christ on his side, do you think he will fear the city, or all Paris, or all France?  He does not know what it is to be afraid.  And when God opened his eyes to the truth of his gospel, which the priests had hid, he meant that John should work for it,—­for he is a working-man, whatever he sets about.”