The poor woman sank upon the ground utterly overpowered.

Had her son perished?
At that moment she heard the cry of a child's voice, and, lo! her child rushed to her arms, and called her "mother!" He had been saved from the fire, which had broken out seven days before; but in the terror he had suffered, the string that tied his tongue had been loosened; he had uttered articulate sounds of distress; the curse was removed, and one word at least the kind neighbours had already taught him to welcome his mother's return.

What cared she now that her substance was gone, that her roof was ashes?
She bowed in grateful submission to so mild a stroke; her prayer had been heard, and the sin of the mother was visited no longer on the child.
I have said, dear Gertrude, that this story made a deep impression upon Lucille.

A misfortune so nearly akin to that of St.Amand removed by the prayer of another filled her with devoted thoughts and a beautiful hope.
"Is not the tomb still standing ?" thought she.

"Is not God still in heaven ?--He who heard the guilty, may He not hear the guiltless?
Is He not the God of love?
Are not the affections the offerings that please Him best?
And what though the child's mediator was his mother, can even a mother love her child more tenderly than I love Eugene?
But if, Lucille, thy prayer be granted, if he recover his sight, _thy_ charm is gone, he will love thee no longer.