else to speak, I took the word, being the mother of the present Maire, and wife of the last, and in part mistress of the house.  Had Agnes spoken I would have yielded to her, but as she was silent I took my right.  ‘Mere Julie,’ I said, ’and mes bonnes femmes, my friends, know you that it is the middle of the night, the hour at which we must rest if we are to be able to do the work that is needful, which the bon Dieu has laid upon us?  It is not from us—­my daughter and myself—­who, it is well known, have followed all the functions of the Church, that you will meet with an opposition to your promise.  But what I desire is that you should calm yourselves, that you should retire and rest till the time of work, husbanding your strength, since we know not what claim may be made upon it.  The holy angels,’ I said, ’will comprehend, or if not they, then the bon Dieu, who understands everything.’

But it was with difficulty that I could induce them to listen to me, to do that which was reasonable.  When, however, we had quieted the agitation, and persuaded the good women to repose themselves, it was no longer possible for me to rest.  I promised to myself a little moment of quiet, for my heart longed to be alone.  I stole out as quietly as I might, not to disturb any one, and sat down upon the bench outside the door.  It was still a kind of half-dark, nothing visible, so that if any one should gaze and gaze down the valley, it was not possible to see what was there:  and I was glad that it was not possible, for my very soul was tired.  I sat down and leant my back upon the wall of our house, and opened my lips to draw in the air of the morning.  How still it was! the very birds not yet begun to rustle and stir in the bushes; the night air hushed, and scarcely the first faint tint of blue beginning to steal into the darkness.  When I had sat there a little, closing my eyes, lo, tears began to steal into them like rain when there has been a fever of heat.  I have wept in my time many tears, but the time of weeping is over with me, and through all these miseries I had shed none.  Now they came without asking, like a benediction refreshing my eyes.  Just then I felt a soft pressure upon my shoulder, and there was Agnes coming close, putting her shoulder to mine, as was her way, that we might support each other.

‘You weep, ma mere,’ she said.

‘I think it is one of the angels Mere Julie has seen,’ said I.  ’It is a refreshment—­a blessing; my eyes were dry with weariness.’

‘Mother,’ said Madame Martin, ’do you think it is angels with wings like peacocks and jewelled collars that our Father sends to us?  Ah, not so—­one of those whom we love has touched your dear eyes,’ and with that she kissed me upon my eyes, taking me in her arms.  My heart is sometimes hard to my son’s wife, but not always—­not with my will, God knows!  Her kiss was soft as the touch of any angel could be.

‘God bless thee, my child,’ I said.