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the friendless. Her excessive exertions brought on a slow fever, which
ended in the dread disease whose approach soon released her from her
sufferings. She had throughout been endeared to us by her good qualities,
by her ready and cheerful execution of every duty, and mild acquiescence in
every turn of adversity. When we consigned her to the tomb, we seemed at
the same time to bid a final adieu to those peculiarly feminine virtues
conspicuous in her; uneducated and unpretending as she was, she was
distinguished for patience, forbearance, and sweetness. These, with all
their train of qualities peculiarly English, would never again be revived
for us. This type of all that was most worthy of admiration in her class
among my countrywomen, was placed under the sod of desert France; and it
was as a second separation from our country to have lost sight of her for
ever.
The Countess of Windsor died during our abode at Dijon. One morning I was
informed that she wished to see me. Her message made me remember, that
several days had elapsed since I had last seen her. Such a circumstance had
often occurred during our journey, when I remained behind to watch to their
close the last moments of some one of our hapless comrades, and the rest of
the troop past on before me. But there was something in the manner of her
messenger, that made me suspect that all was not right. A caprice of the
imagination caused me to conjecture that some ill had occurred to Clara or
Evelyn, rather than to this aged lady. Our fears, for ever on the stretch,
demanded a nourishment of horror; and it seemed too natural an occurrence,
too like past times, for the old to die before the young. I found the
venerable mother of my Idris lying on a couch, her tall emaciated figure
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