protection of Our Lady? Who shall conquer it?"

"He who dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High," said Gottfried,
"shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Happy is the man who
makes his refuge in the shadow of his wings, until his calamity be
overpast."

"Your confidence is then in God alone!" replied Theobald. "You do not
even name the Holy Virgin!"

"It is because she did not create me, nor does she keep me alive. This
woman, blessed as she has been, did not purchase me with her blood, and
is only a creature of God. What dependence can I place upon a creature?"

"But," said Theobald, "if God made the queen of heaven and the angels,
and if all power has been given them----"

"Chevalier!" exclaimed Gottfried, "it is Jesus--it is the Eternal Son of
the Father--it is the King, sitting on the holy mount of Zion--who says
these words, applying them to himself, 'All power has been given to me
in heaven and on earth.' Beware then, for the love of your soul, of
attributing this authority to a woman, to whom, when she forgot that she
was in the presence of her son, Jesus said, reproachfully, 'Woman! what
have I to do with thee?'"

Upon this, Gottfried approached Theobald, whom he looked at
affectionately, as he pressed his hand, saying, "May God himself be with
you, and strengthen your heart! To-morrow, certainly, we shall have news
of your family, and we know it will be good news, since it will be the
will of God: and God, Theobald, is love."