96 THE FLOWERS

winter, I was seized with a rheumatic com-
plaint, which confined me to my bed till
towards the end of spring. During this
period a friend took my duty, and I saw little
of my people. My Bible was, I thank God,
my constant companion at that time, and the
reading thereof, I have reason to think, was
blessed to me, in a degree which can hardly be
conceived. It was thought, however, necessary,
when I left my bed, that I should change the
air, and accordingly I was carried from my
bed to the chaise which was to convey me to
the house of a married sister, who lived not
very far from Rouen; there I remained two
months, but at the end of that period was
much distressed by letters from the Baronne,
who informed me that a contagious disorder
had broken out with violence in the house of
Madame Bulé, that many of the children were
very ill, and that our little Aimée was in peril
of her life. It was very late in the spring
when I received this news, and as my health
was nearly reestablished, I lost no time, but
hastened back to my flock—that flock which
I was destined soon to quit under the most
painful circumstances, and to quit for life;
for the door of my restoration to my former