If there was no faltering in her conduct, still she felt these sacrifices, and joyed over the accomplishment of her duties as the stoic enjoys his sufferings.
XI.
After some years passed at Amiens, Roland was promoted to the same duties at Lyons, his native place.

In winter he dwelt in the town, and the rest of the year was passed in the country in his paternal home, where his mother still lived, a respectable old woman, but meddlesome and overbearing in her household.

Madame Roland, in all the flower of youth, beauty, and genius, thus found herself tormented and beset by a domineering mother-in-law, a rough brother-in-law, and an exacting husband.

The most passionate love could scarcely have been proof against so trying and painful a position.

To soothe her she had the consciousness of discharging her duties, her occupation, her philosophy, and her child.