But that little fragile creature was more entirely the soul of Love
than any other being I have known. She did, indeed, when we had her
in Madame Verdon's little oratory hard by, kneel before the crucifix
and pray with me, but her ear caught, before mine, the departing
steps of the priest, and the entering ones of the surgeon. She rose
up, simply did not listen to my persuasions, but walked in with quiet
dignity. Madame Darpent was there, and would have entreated her to
retire, but she said: 'This is a wife's place.' And as she took his
hands she met a look in his eyes which I verily believe more than
compensated to her for all the years of weary pining in neglect.
The doctor would have ordered her off, but she only said: 'I shall
not cry, I shall no faint.' And they let her keep his hand, though
Clement had to hold him. I waited, setting our hostess free to
attend to one of her dying charges, from whom she could ill be
spared.
And Cecile kept her word, though it was a terrible time, for there
was no endurance in poor Armand's shallow nature, and his cries and
struggles were piteous. He could dare, but not suffer, and had not
both she and Clement been resolute and tranquil, the doctor owned
that he could not have succeeded.
'But Madame la Comtesse is a true heroin,' he said, when our patient
was laid down finally, tranquil and exhausted, to be watched over
through the night.
The time that followed was altogether the happiest of all my poor
sister-in-law's married life.
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