,
as, disengaging one of her hands from those of her son, she took the
soldier's hand and pressed it to her tearful eyes. "In prison," said she
in a low voice, "I had time to repent."

Agricola's heart was near breaking at the thought that his pious and
good mother, with her angelic purity, should for a moment have been
confined in prison with so many miserable creatures. He would have made
some attempt to console her on the subject of the painful past, but he
feared to give a new shock to Dagobert, and was silent.

"Where is Gabriel, dear mother?" inquired he. "How is he? As you have
seen him, tell us all about him."

"I have seen Gabriel," said Frances, drying her tears; "he is confined
at home. His superiors have rigorously forbidden his going out. Luckily,
they did not prevent his receiving me, for his words and counsels have
opened my eyes to many things. It is from him that I learned how guilty
I had been to you, my poor husband."

"How so?" asked Dagobert.

"Why, you know that if I caused you so much grief, it was not from
wickedness. When I saw you in such despair, I suffered almost as much
myself; but I durst not tell you so, for fear of breaking my oath. I had
resolved to keep it, believing that I did well, believing that it was
my duty. And yet something told me that it could not be my duty to
cause you so much pain. 'Alas, my God! enlighten me!' I exclaimed in
my prison, as I knelt down and prayed, in spite of the mockeries of
the other women. 'Why should a just and pious work, commanded by my
confessor, the most respectable of men, overwhelm me and mine with so
much misery? 'Have mercy on me, my God, and teach me if I have done
wrong without knowing it!' As I prayed with fervor, God heard me, and
inspired me with the idea of applying to Gabriel. 'I thank Thee, Father!
I will obey!' said I within myself. 'Gabriel is like my own child; but
he is also a priest, a martyr--almost a saint. If any one in the world
imitates the charity of our blessed Saviour, it is surely he. When I
leave this prison, I will go and consult him and he will clear up my
doubts.'"

"You are right, dear mother," cried Agricola; "it was a thought from
heaven. Gabriel is an angel of purity, courage, nobleness--the type of
the true and good priest!"

"Ah, poor wife!" said Dagobert, with bitterness; "if you had never had
any confessor but Gabriel!"

"I thought of it before he went on his journey," said Frances, with
simplicity. "