No Surrender! | Page 6

Of course,
it must be understood that, in the matter of religion, she is not to be
forced or urged in any sort of way; but is to be allowed to follow the
religion in which she has been brought up."
"I would in no way press her, sir. We have Protestants in France, just as
there are Catholics here; though I must admit that there are not many of
them in La Vendee. Still, the days when people quarrelled about
religion are long since past; and certainly at Nantes there is a Protestant
congregation, though away in the country they would be difficult to
find. However, I promise you, solemnly, that I will in no way try to
influence her mind, nor that of the boy. He will still, of course, look
upon England as his home, and I should even oppose any attempt being
made to induce him to join our church. You have plenty of Frenchmen
in this country, and no question as to their religion arises. It will be just
the same, with us."

Six weeks later, the Henriette returned. In her came Monsieur Martin,
whose presence as a witness of the ceremony was considered advisable,
if not absolutely necessary. He had, too, various documents to sign in
presence of the French consul, at Southampton, giving his formal
consent. The marriage was solemnized there at a small Catholic chapel,
and it was repeated at the parish church at Poole, and the next day the
party sailed for Nantes.
It was two months before the lugger again came in to Poole. When it
returned, it took with it the squire and Polly, to whom Monsieur Martin
had given a warm invitation to come over to see Patsey, in her new
home.
They found her well and happy. Monsieur Martin's house was in the
suburbs of Nantes. It had a large garden, at the end of which, facing
another street, stood a pretty little house that had been generally used,
either as the abode of aged mothers or unmarried sisters of the family,
or for an eldest son to take his wife to; but which had now been handed
over to Jean and his wife. This was very pleasant for Patsey, as it united
the privacy of a separate abode with the cheerfulness of the family
home. She had her own servant, whose excellent cooking and, above all,
whose scrupulous cleanliness and tidiness, astonished her after the
rough meals and haphazard arrangements at Netherstock.
Whenever she felt dull during Jean's absences, she could run across the
garden for a talk with his mother and sister; at meals and in the evening
she had Leigh, who spent most of his time at the cellars or in the
counting house of Monsieur Martin; learning for the first time habits of
business, and applying himself eagerly to acquiring the language.
The squire was put up at Monsieur Martin's, and Polly slept in the one
spare room at her sister's, all the party from the pavilion going over to
the house, to the midday meal and supper. The squire and Polly were
much pleased with their visit. It was evident that Patsey had become a
prime favourite with her husband's family. Jean's sister Louise was
assiduous in teaching her French, and she had already begun to make
some progress. Louise and her mother were constantly running across
to the little pavilion, on some errand or other; and Patsey spent as much

of her time with them as she did in her own house.
Jean's absences seldom exceeded ten days, and he generally spent a
week at home before sailing again. He had driven her over to stay, for
three or four days, at a small estate of his own, some forty miles to the
southeast of Nantes, in the heart of what was called the Bocage--a wild
country, with thick woods, narrow lanes, high hedges, and scattered
villages and farms, much more English in appearance than the country
round Nantes. The estate had come to him from an aunt. Everything
here was very interesting to Patsey; the costumes of the women and
children, the instruments of husbandry, the air of freedom and
independence of the people, and the absence of all ceremony, interested
and pleased her. She did not understand a single word of the patois
spoken to her by the peasants, and which even Jean had some difficulty
in following, although he had spent a good deal of his time at the little
chateau during the lifetime of his aunt.
"Should you like to live here, when not at sea, Jean?" asked Patsey.
"Yes, I would rather live here than at Nantes. Next to a life at sea, I
should like one quite in the country. There is plenty to do here. There