somewhat for righteousness' sake. I know that it is not for daughters to
defend the truth, though one might say, unfortunately, that since the
bishops have the courage of daughters, the daughters must have the
courage of bishops; but, if it is not for us to defend the truth, it is
for us to die for the truth, and suffer everything rather than abandon
it."

Jacqueline subscribed, divided between her instinctive repugnance and her
desire to show herself a "humble daughter of the Catholic church." "It
is all we can concede," she said; "for the rest, come what may, poverty,
dispersion, imprisonment, death, all this seems to me nothing in
comparison with the anguish in which I should pass the remainder of my
life if I had been wretch enough to make a covenant with death on so
excellent an occasion of paying to God the vows of fidelity which our
lips have pronounced." "Her health was so shaken by the shock which all
this business caused her," writes Madame Prier, "that she fell
dangerously ill, and died soon after." "Think not, I beg of you, my
father," she wrote to M. Arnauld, "firm as I may appear, that nature does
not greatly apprehend all the consequences of this; but I hope that grace
will sustain me, and it seems to me as if I feel it." "The king does all
he wills," Madame de Guemenee had said to M. Le Tellier, whom she was
trying to soften towards Port-Royal; "he makes princes of the blood, he
makes archbishops and bishops, and he will make martyrs likewise."
Jacqueline Pascal was "the first victim" of the formulary.

She was not the only one. "It will not stop there," said the king, to
whom it was announced that the daughters of Port-Royal consented to sign
the formulary on condition only of giving an explanation of their
conduct. Cardinal de Retz had at last sent in his resignation. M. du
Marca, archbishop designate in succession to him, died three days after
receiving the bulls from Rome; Hardouin de Porefix had just been
nominated in his place. He repaired to Port-Royal. The days of grace
were over, the nuns remained indomitable.

"What is the use of all your prayers?" said he to Sister Christine
Brisquet; "what ground for God to listen to you? You go to Him and say,
'My God, give me Thy spirit and Thy grace; but, my God, I do not mean to
subscribe; I will take good care not to do that for all that may be
said.' After that, what ground for God to hearken to you?" He forbade
the nuns the sacraments.