He thought it would be good for the soul of M.de Lesdiguieres to hear the undiluted truth about himself for once.
"It is the system itself you must attack and overthrow; not a mere instrument--a miserable painted lath such as this.

And precipitancy will spoil everything.

Above all, my children, no violence!" My children! Could his godfather have heard him! "You have seen often already the result of premature violence elsewhere in Brittany, and you have heard of it elsewhere in France.

Violence on your part will call for violence on theirs.

They will welcome the chance to assert their mastery by a firmer grip than heretofore.